Joe at the Hatchet House

This past Sunday Joe's basketball team played some games

at the Washington Hatchet House.  Those guys looked pretty small

in one of the largest gyms in the state of Indiana.

They played with some heart, but came up short.

Joe did score a couple of buckets!

DH continues to coach and encourage the team

Sam's team also played Sunday at LHS, I was running on 1/2 tank from being sick

so Grandma, Grandpa and Blake were at his games.

They won all 3 of their games!  

Proud of my basketball boys.  Ready for some more games as soon as all this snow clears!

A shower for Baby Parker

I was honored to help host a baby sprinkle for my cousin Jessica

who is expecting her 3rd blessing in February.  

Her daughter Ella (cousin Landrey) and son Ryder were ready to help open the new babe's presents!

 2 week old Mr Graham made it to the shower.

He slept the whole time!  Such a sweet bundle.

My aunt Cindy recently moved into a new home that Jess designed the renovations for - it is

simple and stunning.  Much to love about this cozy and bright home!

Cousins Brittany and mama Mindy also were able to come, it was

and awesome afternoon of visiting and enjoying family and friends

Aunt Peggy Grandma (Nana, Grammy...we just don't know yet, ha) Christine!

Great-Great Aunt Polly.  It's pretty cool when a Great Aunt gets promoted to 

Great- Great!

Morgan made the perfect banner, isn't it sweet?

The promise of new life is something worth celebrating, each and every time!

New Year, New Baby Boy!

Love new years and new beginnings

and new planners!  

I spent a couple hours planning and putting our appointments on our planner

AND the iphone (because we can all see that when we are on the go) - somehow

we make it work!

 My favorite new event.

 And he completed this row of birthday's just perfectly!

We love our phone updates from Graham and Mama

and I got to spend a couple hours visiting this week, too.

Sweet sweet boy!

Grabers Go Ice Fishing

Several days in a row we were stuck in the below 20 degrees range.

That is a pretty unusual for Indiana.  We started most days for nearly a week below zero

and the first two days back from Christmas break were on delay due to the cold temps!

We were very thankful for heat and a garage!

The water meter froze at my work (this has never happened before in 9 previous years)

and the farm had some frozen water lines...and he fired 2 wood stoves for several days while Grandma and Grandpa were out of town for a mission trip...

 All of those cold days left the ponds and smaller lakes frozen and DH

was excited for ice fishing.  He went to his dad's on Friday, a pond they are familiar with

and drilled hole and caught 10 fish in a very short time.  

He told me we were going on Saturday...

See that smile...yeah it was fear until a good 20 minutes into the adventure.

 I had researched and googled and asked around (Uncle Ed said it was safe)

and it wasn't that I didn't trust Dan but out in the middle of a pond..on ice?

Eeks.

We did have an amazing time after I relaxed and the more I thought about it,

I don't remember Dan ice fishing very often in our time together leading me to believe

that he wouldn't go unless it were very safe.

 Did you know ice pops?  Like a boink and that means good ice?

What.?!?  Yeah it scared the daylights out of me.  

But, it does this whether people are on it or not.

 Look at that small hole.  I really like the ice fishing pole.

Did I mention is was less than 10 degrees?

I don't remember being that cold, but I am certain that I could not feel my toes.

 The second hole drilled down almost to where it met water underneath.

It was THICK.

 And being present for this guy's smile when he landed his first fish was 

so worth it!

And this guy took the prize for the biggest fish...what a gem!

We enjoyed our time on the ice and then enjoyed a movie, Jumungi together!

And we came back home to fry up our afternoon catch!

Delicious, they tasted so very fresh because they were COLD before frying.

Ringing in 2018

We rang in the New Year snuggled in with this guy his parents and grandparents.

He was super scrumptious and needed lots of holding.  Tough job.

This was the first time he opened his eyes for us and DH worked pretty hard to earn it.

There might be a theme of Sam in every picture with Graham.

He did not get very far from him all night.

Graham's funny new socks.

Game night Sequence, Tenzi, and Life.  

Chris made grilled chicken and veggies and we took fruit  - yum!

 Checking on him again

Look at this precious moment.

Seriously, watching my niece maneuver motherhood with her best friend - all the heart eyes.

 We came home around 1030 but stayed up to watched the ball drop, after Joe fell asleep sitting upright on the couch - and then we were in bed at 1215pm, ha.

DH made us a delicious breakfast to start the New Year!

 And I got to plan the day away while running boys to practice

and staying warm inside!

 Those 4 birthdays all in row. Love!