Stove

Just in time for Christmas, our stove broke.

Thankfully, I know two very capable repairmen.

Turns out it was a fuse problem. After two days without it, we really appreciate seeing the lights back on!

Crayon

So, while I was busy making dinner the other night, Rock spent some time coloring the wall.

After he was disciplined, I took his picture with the wall. Yeah, yeah, I know all you capable parents out there who don't send your kids mixed messages are going to tell me that this wasn't a wise move. I realized that a second too late. I won't do it again.

Nothing says Festive like Home Depot.

We wanted a special tree this year so we headed to a very special spot. Home Depot.

Rock was distracted by some naughty boys who were climbing on Christmas tree stalls. Perhaps a preview of our future?

If anyone wants to know how they can make themselves look about 50 lbs. heavier in pictures, talk to the girl in the purple sweater. Regardless, we were all pleased with our little tree.

Red Ball

Ever since he first spoke, Rock has been talking about balls. "Ball ball ball!" he yelled as we approached Target the other day. Once we figured out what he meant, we let him climb around for a bit.

Too bad we couldn't take it home.

Christmas Cookies

Earlier in December, Nana Kerry invited everyone over for dinner and promised a surprise activity afterwards.

The surprise was Christmas cookie decorating!
Our decorating started off normal enough.
But we quickly moved to more non-traditional ideas. See the bikini-on-top-jeans-on-bottom-angel on the top left and the ghost of Christmas past on the bottom right.

A pile of Christmas cheer.
Some of Kerry's decorations were a few decades old. We weren't sure if the red used above was icing or food coloring. Regardless, it can increase the creepy factor of a cookie in seconds.

It makes excellent blood.
Fix's target cookie.
If I had blond highlights and wore too much lipstick and I was a cookie, this is what I would look like.

Rock went into sugar-shock sampling our work.

Keys

Like many curious children that have come before him, Rock is very interested in his mother's keys.

Apparently he has figured out what to do with them.

Please nobody tell him that this is just an old door that doesn't open anything anymore. We have plans to make it into a full-length mirror someday.

Sunday Best?

On my friend Lynn's blog, she often posts pictures of her daughter in her "Sunday Best."

Which inspired me to take a few shots of Rock in his church clothes. But I think that perhaps it's a bit easier to capture sweet girls than rowdy boys on film.

These are the best shots that we got. I just love this dog sweater that I got for $2 at Target.

Rock loves it too.

Happy Birthday Cokie!

On December 6th we celebrated Cokie's birthday with a nice meal and lots of one-on-one grandson/grandma time. Make that one-on-one-plus-the-baby-doll.

Pie Crust

It's never too early for a young Fix to learn his grandmother's famous pie crust recipe...

This is his stirring face.

Adeline

So after we got back from Florida, I had the pleasure of watching Adeline for two days to help out her mom, Lynn. I took Rock along so they could bond.
On the second day, I plopped them down on the couch for a photo shoot.

But when Adeline sat still, Rock was blurry.

And when Rock sat still enough to "show me his teeth," Adeline was blurry.

So the photo shoot didn't really work. I said "Okay, enough pictures. Rock give her a hug and I'll take you off the couch."

He tried.

She (wisely) pushed him away. And we were done.
** It should be noted that although Rock and Adeline are approximately the same size (well, except for that head -- will his body ever catch up?), she is a good 6 months older. And you can see much cuter pictures of her on her mom's fabulous blog. **

Thanksgiving Trip P.S.

p.s. If you wanna see good pictures of our Miamadventure, you should go to Bethany's blog. Her camera is SO much better than mine.
Addy is confused as to why I can't seem to take a decent shot. Ever.

Addy's Baptism

One of the highlights of the Thanksgiving Day trip was...

Being there for Addy's baptism.

Family shot.
Both sets of grandparents were there for this momentous day. They asked me to take an especially blurry picture of the seven of them. I was happy to oblige.

Daddy's Girl?

Like Mother, Like Daughter?
Regardless, she is beyond precious!

Another Day by the Sea

Just across the way from downtown Miami....

Is a cool park whose name (once again!) I don't remember except that I think the word Hammock was in it. Anyway, it's a great place to have a family cookout and play Cornhole.
Never heard of it? Well, neither had I. This was the first time I played and I discovered that it's a lot of fun but not as easy as it looks. It took me all day to get mediocre.
But these old dudes were instant pros.
They beat Kelly and Ron quite soundly.

Sister shot.