Happy New Year!!!!!

Abby loved 2008! She moved into a new house with a swing set, got a puppy, and voted for Barack Obama!!!!


Will and I are sure she will love 2009 -- especially when she travels to South Korea, meets her new brother, and teaches him all sorts of interesting and useful things!

Happy New Year to you all!!

The Last Playdate of 2008

Abby had a playdate with her friend Aiden today. Abby and Aiden were classmates the last two years, but Aiden is at a different school this year. The two take swimming lessons together and continue to love being together.

Abby wanted Aiden to see her "baby boy" swim. (Grandma and Grandpa gave her this swimming doll for Christmas).

Aiden went along with it, but wasn't amused when Abby made him hold the doll's hand in the picture! Abby thought that was pretty funny!

Later they played dress up -- Aiden transformed into a bat and Abby into an Amur leopard.

It was nice to see differenct species sharing so much love and affection...

But wait, the Amur leopoard attacks...


But is the bat smiling? Indeed!

Sweet, sweet, sweet!!!

The Chronicles of Narnia

Will gave Abby the seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia for Christmas. His dad had read the series to him when Will was around six. Will has been looking forward to reading the books to Abby and tonight decided to begin The Magician's Nephew.

Daphne insisted on listening, but soon began to look sleepy.

While Will and Abby laughed and enjoyed the story, Daphne quickly lost interest.

Will finished reading the first chapter which ends with the sudden disapearance of a little girl named Polly. He closed the book and looked at Abby. Abby looked at Will and said, "You can't stop there. Please just one half chapter more!" Will agreed to read another chapter. Unfortanately, Daphne missed the second chapter (due to a deep sleep) and will therefore be lost when Will picks up with chapter three.

Abby begged for a third chapter, but Will put the book on her bedside table and said it would have to wait until tomorrow!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! This is our first Christmas in our own home! We've always been at Noni and Granddad's or Grandma and Grandpa's, but this year Grandma and Grandpa and Tonto joined us for Christmas. Abby had a lovely day and declared after each gift, "This is exactly what I've always wanted!" There were also squeals of joy!!

This was Abby's response to Santa's presents...(notice the lovely gingerbread man on the tree. Abby made two for our tree)...


Abby helps Will open his gift from her.

Abby is delighted to see the anaconda snake that Tonto got her by making a donation to the World Wildlife Fund www.worldwildlifefund.org.

Abby loved the triceratops puzzle from Noni and Granddad. Notice the anaconda around the neck!

Abby was ecstatic when she opened a bottle of perfume from her papa! Abby and Will like to visit the perfume counter at Macy's, and Will spent a lot of time thinking about what perfume would be Abby's first!

The Best Night Ever!

I leave in the morning for a week (Chicago, Pennsylvania, DC), so we decided we needed to get our tree today. We bundled up (it's cold in Minnesota now) and headed out. Will and Abby found the tree.

And Abby and I found the wreath!

Earlier in the day Abby and I went to the store to pick out special treats for the tree decorating. I let Abby choose the treats, which is why the following three lumps of sugar and food coloring made their way to our home!

Will and Abby set the tree up and I told Abby we could get our sweets. She declared it was "THE BEST NIGHT EVER!" We each gave our treat a taste, but we didn't really like them.

Daphne was not very pleased to be without her own treat. So, we nicknamed her Mopey!

However, she quickly got over her moping and attempted to score some sweets of her own. Abby was quick and blocked her...

...so Daphne tried a different tactic...

...and eventually gave up and brought her own bone to the table!

Home Depot Portrait

Tonight as we were choosing our Christmas tree, I got a work call. So, as I talked, we went inside Home Depot to stay warm. After I'd finished my call, Abby asked if she could take a picture (I had the camera along for Christmas tree photos). I told her she could and she told Will and me where to stand and then told us to hug!

So, without further ado, here is our Home Depot portrait by Abby!

Ten Feet Deep

Abby and her friend Aiden are taking swimming lessons together again. Abby is doing so well and is even jumping into the deep water! She LOVES it!!!!

A Story for Izzy

Abby just wrote and illustrated this story for her cousin Izzy. The story is completely her own, the spelling assistance was mine!!

"One night there was a gravestone and it was hauted. Out of the gravestone came a mama zombie and a puppy zombie! The End."

Will told Abby that the story is a cliffhanger. He said it leaves him wondering what will happen next!

The story is already folded and in an envelope and tomorrow will be on its way to Izzy in southern California!

This is Abby's new school picture! Will and I think the face she is making is a bit funny!

Reading

Abby Votes and Elects!!!

Abby and I went to vote after she got out of school. She helped me vote and then she was able to vote on her own.

First, Abby signed in to vote.

She then studied her ballot.

She filled in the bubbles.
Abby proudly displays her completed ballot!

And finally, she casts her vote!

We then went to an election party! By the time Barack Obama was declared the winner, Abby was sound asleep!

This is a picture of her at that most wonderful and historic moment!

Abby briefly woke up in the car on the way home. We told her that Barack Obama won. She very sleepily said, "Oh, his grandma must be so happy!"

Abby's Tree House

When we bought our new house, we didn't know we'd also purchased a tree house. When we learned that the tree house to the east of our yard was our tree house, we didn't want to tell Abby. Well, we eventually did decide to tell her and today we decided to let her explore it! She LOVED it!

While Will and Abby investigated the tree house, I stayed on the ground with camera and dog!

It wasn't so long ago that I could easily pick Daphne up -- but that's no longer the case! She is so long and getting heavier every day! (Notice her dirty belly. Will took her to the dog park today and she got nice and dirty!)