Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was lucky enough to have two strong me to dig out our cars and clear the snow from the driveway and sidewalk. So while they were outside working hard, I made sloppy joes, cheesy potatoes and home made chocolate chip cookies. I figured that if they were working hard in the cold, I could at least keep their bellies warm.

Nature is amazing

I used to say that I hate winter. I really don't hate it. I don't like to drive in freezing rain, sleet, snow, etc. I don't like to be cold or wet. I don't like to scrape my car windows in my work clothes. Other than that, winter's not so bad.

Jacob took this picture on his cell phone. It's Big Darby Creek about 800 yards from our house. It really is beautiful.

Random Stuff

I can't believe it's the end of January! But I'm glad because that means only four more weeks until our girls trip to NC to visit Liz & Brett. I'm so excited! I can't wait!

Sometimes I just can't believe there are so many stupid people. I was working at Old Navy last night and my co-worker was cashier and she rang up this woman's order. She wanted to pay by credit card. We are so good about checking ID so my co-worker asked for the woman's ID. She said the Visa card she was using was in her husband's name but he said it was okay for her to use it. We told her he had to be there to sign. She wanted to get him on the phone and have him give his verbal approval. We told her again that legally he has to be there to sign. She asked to speak to a manager. Our manager told her the same thing. Do people really think they can use someone else's credit card without the signer there? Really, in today's world of identity theft? Come on people!

This weekend

So Saturday I went to my nephew Nathan's basketball game. Of all types of sports I understand basketball and baseball the best. It was so much fun to watch them play. The best free entertainment is watching 8 year olds play basketball. Nathan did a great job guarding his man and passing to team mates. It was so much fun. Then I picked up Jacob and his Xbox and went to Jenn's for Nathan's "game birthday party". The boys hardly made any noise. Three TVs and three Xbox's. Who could complain? I think I played 3 games of Clue with Autumn and played "basketball" with Ally for an hour. It was so much fun!

Sunday I went to my friend Jen's Pampered Chef party. I really haven't been to one for about 8 years because I really have just about everything they sell. But the problem with being married so long is that the stuff I bought 15-20 years ago had worn our or broken. So I got to see some new products. I'm making a list for me an for Liz.

I was going through some old bins of things and found all of Liz's Halloween and dance costumes. My niece Ally loves Power Rangers so I gave this one to her. She has been wearing it for 3 days. She cracks me up!

January...could be a boring month

Okay, so not a lot going on in January. My older brother Bill had surgery on the 18th to fix tears in his rotater cuff. Very painful. We are celebrating January birthdays tomorrow. Joe, Trisha, Amie, Nathan, Autumn. Am I forgetting anyone? Hasn't been great weather here in Ohio. Liz called me from NC on Sunday to brag that she was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Five weeks until we visit her. I can't wait. Projected weather is between 63 and 83 degrees! Yeah!

New Year's Eve

Keeping with tradition, we spent New Year's Eve and Grandma and Grandpa's house. We also celebrated Autumn and Nathan's birthdays, which are in January. We ate lots of good food and some of us drank a little :-)

Autumn blowing out candles. Unfortunately Ally stepped in right as I took the picture.

Autumn singing to xbox "Sing It".

Bill

Jenn and Ally

Joe's "beer glass"

Jacob, Jenn, Ally, Bill, Amie and Joe

Christmas Even & Christmas Day

Christmas Eve we let the kids open one present. It's always new pajamas. My mother-in-law Lorraine started this tradition with her kids a long time ago. When she passed away I took over. On Christmas Day Jacob woke us up around 8:30. We opened gifts, took showers (six people = a lot of hot water) and went over the Grandma and Grandpa Fox's house.

Liz and Brett opening at Grandmas

Joe and his girls, Trisha and Tristyn

Joe and Crystal

Shannon, Jim and Amie

Okay, so Jacob gets this goofy smile from his sister.

Jacob and Grandma

Amie, Shannon, Jim, Grandpa and part of Brian LOL!

Brian, Bonnie & Liz and Grandma & Grandpa Fox's

Liz opening gifts - she always makes this silly smile!

Jacob playing Xbox live a few days after Christmas

Cody - Christmas Day

The Wendel's visit for Christmas

Brett, Liz and Cody arrived in Ohio from North Carolina late Wednesday, December 23. The next day we visited a little and then they went to Brett and Cody's Grandma's house for Christmas. Here are a few photos I took before they left. Kiki is there white pit bull puppy. She is the same age as Roxy only three times as big. She is also deaf. This doesn't stop her from playing with the other dogs. She is very loving and like to sleep on your lap.

Liz, Roxy and Kiki

Kiki, Stella and Stormy (doggie-in-law)

Kiki sleeping (I think this is her sneaky way of GROWING while she sleeps)

Gabe, Kiki, Stormy, Stella (I tried to get Roxy but she ran away to play)

Roxy and her mommy enjoy a post Christmas nap

I just had to take this picture and I told Brett and Liz I was going to put it on Facebook. Brett has been living in NC since July of 2008 and apparently has grown accustomed to the warm weather there. He was so cold in Ohio and it was only in the 30's and 40's here.

Visit from the Thomas Family

My sister Jenn and her family came over one evening for pizza. They had not seen Roxy, the puppy we kept from Stella's last litter. Brian made pizza and the kids played with Roxy, Stella and Gabe. Then we watching Nathan and Jacob play a dirt bike xbox game. I don't know how I didn't get a picture of Autumn...

Uncle Brian tickling Ally
Nathan & Jacob

Ally putting her best wrestling choke hold on Jacob