Kaua'i - Day 1

After a long trip, we finally made it. Dang, but the grandkids look great.

Madelyn on her bike.

Sienna and Lucy

Aidan and Erin

Visits and a Trip

Paul and Kelsey are so good about bringing baby Winter with them when they visit. Paul comes to work with Adam as they are part of a band. Paul writes lyrics and Adam is the music guy. He's amazing and Paul's getting better and better. They're recording an album.

I've put some family pictures to a little snippet that's only partly done (because blogger won't do just audio).

We're heading to Kaua'i tomorrow to visit with Erin and her family. I'm excited for the warmth and greenness and lots of grandkids to squeeze and tickle.

New Years

We're having a quiet New Years Eve. I doubt Ed will make it to midnight. No surprise there. I've got lots to do, though, even with church starting at 9 a.m.

Here are some pictures from Christmas.

Davey's hair all staticky.

Davey likes him some spaghetti.

Davey, the "cow" boy.

Paul, Kelsey, and baby Winter.



Ain't she purty?

 

Winter Update

Merry Christmas

We're fighting colds but hoping to see baby Winter again for Christmas (once we're not contagious anymore). Davey's going to stay with us for a couple of day later this week. So glad.

 Ring Out, Wild Bells

by  Lord Alfred Tennyson

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be. 

Winter Has Arrived

Kelsey's blood pressure was too high, so they admitted her to the hospital yesterday. After over five hours of labor they decided to take the baby via C-Section.

Winter was 7 lbs 4 oz and 20 inches long. Check out all that hair.

Winter and Daddy

Winter

Isn't she alert? And look at all that hair!

Eating and Hawaii

The eating thing isn't going bad. While I'd like to lose some pounds, I also have to be realistic this time of year. If I break even this holiday season I'll consider myself ahead of the game. Money's tighter this year, so I'll be doing some baking for gifts. One more time stealer--and not so easy to bake or cook candy and not lick a finger.

One of my challenges has always been dealing with poor Ed's food allergies. He hasn't had fudge in years. But I had an epiphany recently. I can get margarine without milk for the fudge, but the recipe calls for canned milk. Sorry, but rice milk doesn't cut it. I'm going to try coconut milk this year! That is one recipe I am excited to give a try. I'll report how it comes out.

It's not going good, either. I've just been so busy with so many things. Put in another very long day at work this week, getting on the job at 8 a.m. and finishing our part in the city council meeting at 11:30 p.m. This week has included too many late nights followed by an early mornings. I'm seriously dying here.

This is from my trip in June 2010.

But, only 3 1/2 weeks until we fly to Kaua'i for ten days. We're really excited by that. Hopefully Ed will be used to his orthotics by then. Poor guy. He's got an abscessed tooth, and they're going to do a root canal on Monday.