Rob & Susan Visit

Susan and Rob surprised us and made dinner for us. We loved it! They made home-made Lavash with chicken and vegtables....very good.

Susan has 2 baby showers at work, so she and Rob "made" diaper cakes for each couple. I've never seen this before. It is so adorable! In between the diapers are presents. Very unique!

I love the way she touches Rob when she's talking to him, walking past him, standing or sitting next to him. Her quick laughter and ever ready smile. It's awesome to watch and such a blessing to us to see our son loved in this way. We love her too!! : }

Rob & Susan

OK, mom here is your grandson and his special lady

New Years '09 in Chapel Hill, NC

A g-daughter after her Noni's own heart. Emma tried on every pair of my shoes. In fact, Will did the same thing and I had to look in his room to find them. Maybe it's the age, I remember Alex doing this too. I love it! : } Playing with her castle...really cute. Note the pink cowgirl boots papa and I got her for Christmas. She wore them with "every" outfit, even her footsie jama's.

This is Emma Mae's big bedroom that houses her kitchen. We played up there a lot. Note the pink cowgirl boots are not far from her sight and of course, there are Noni's shoes! : }

Had to stop at Starbucks for a break for Noni and Papa!

Emma and her daddy playing with play-dough. Take note of her art work on the wall.

Emma and mom making those million dollar, literally, Double Delight Peanut Butter cookies.

Getting big WAY Too Fast : {

Having our first real Tea Party with tea cookies using her new tea set she got for Christmas. Adorable! Papa couldn't get his fingers in the cup handle : }

Here is Emma Mae's stocking from Noni

Omaha Winter 1-10

This is what we saw late this afternoon out the window. On the left is what dad calls a Sun Dog and of course the sun itself on the right.Where is this? Omaha??? A huge snow plow trying to plow our street. It's hazy due to the blowing snow. The winds all day have been about 35 -40 mph with a wind chill of -25

This drift is well over my head right on the driveway. Our neighbors dug this drift away from the front of all 3 doors to our garage while we were in Florida and N. Carolina.

Our front porch is literally gone. My huge green vase on the porch is totally submerged. Forget the star Christmas lights under the snow!

Christmas 2009

We went to Ocala, Fla. for Christmas to Adam & Lynn's. This is getting ready for Christmas dinner. Uncle Jake [Lynn's brother] riding on the driveway with Will on the bike that Noey out grew. Will did great! Riding a bike with training wheels and pedalling his little heart out.

Dad got a what?? He got a Snuggy! And LOVED it.

Happy birthday, Jesus!

We went to Silver Springs on Christmas Eve. Rod and I were having kind of a hard time feeling as though it were Christmas since it was about 60 degrees. Walking through this park helped immensely. As we walked around and followed the paths for about 1 1/2 hours, we viewed Christmas lights in every shape and size with carols playing all around us. It was wonderful and exactly what we needed.

Merry Christmas [in case you couldn't read this]

Papa and Noah walking around the back yard. It was huge and full of trees draped in this willowie moss every where. There were armadillo holes all around and I never did see any. Supposedly they come out in the evening and through the night. I really looked!

Just looking at the jungle behind the fence in the back yard. What an awesome yard for the boys!

Noey is now every bit 4 1/2 years old. He is so loving and was constantly telling us how much he loved us. Of course, we ate it up! : }

We were taking a walking tour of the vet. clinic right on the other side of the fence to Adam & Lynn's back yard. The land was beautiful and to be able to walk down the driveway to work if you wanted to, is simply awesome.

Dr. Lusk [Jr.] : } When dad went to work with Adam one day, they called Adam over the intercom saying, "Drs. Lusks". Everyone laughed : }

Showing dad the area where the horses stay after surgery. Way cool!!!

An orange tree right in the front yard. They were scrumptious!

Lynn in her wonderfully, huge kitchen. She was such a wonderful hostess. We had a fabulous time!

OK, this is one week before Christmas. Rob came up to celebrate Christmas with us. Phil couldn't come due to a catering job commitment. We missed you, Philip!

Every year after all the presents are opened, dad always hides a very small gift in the tree for me to hunt for. I love it! : }

Pattie and Bruce sent me this fur scarf. It's really adorable and looks a lot better with my black coat. I love the fur rose on it!

Robby still gets a stocking to go through Christmas morning. I made this one almost 29 years ago..WOW!

The youngest child is always the one that gets to hand out ALL the presents to each person. Since Phil wasn't here, the job naturally went to Rob. He acted as though it was such a chore, but I saw him smiling!

Thanksgiving 2009

Our little Aliana posing for Noni. She loved being bare foot on the wood floors and not sliding. Papa and I got her this stroller and baby for Christmas as a way to encourage her walking.

This is my 11th Christmas stocking. GG's help really was a blessing. The hours that go into making these is unbelievable! I'm going to begin another one and be ahead this time : }

I took juice out of the refrigerator and turned away to set it on the counter. This is what I saw when I turned around.

Getting a little more steady on her feet. She really would almost be running since the wood floors had no grip.

I bought Halloween costumes after Halloween so the boys could pretend. They loved it!

At the Omaha Children's Museum. What a FUN place!

The idea here is to put as many balls from the floor into the clear pipes on the sides. A very loud horn then blows and all the balls fall from the ceiling onto the kids. They had the best time.

Momma showing Alex how to do it. We had as much fun pushing the buttons, jumping on huge levers, pulling ropes, etc. as the kids did.

Here the boys would pull the rope and their chairs would rise.

Everyone loves a Merry Go round......except Aliana. She kept trying to focus on objects as they passed her and ended up hiding her face in her mom's chest.

Working on a HUGE floor puzzle of Thomas the Train.

My son, "the Chef", preparing dessert for Thanksgiving. He made a home-made pound cake with a raspberry sauce. It was beautiful and I must say, quite tasty.

Uncle Rob with Ali after a hard night.

Alianna all bundled up to go on a walk in very windy and chilly Omaha. She could hardly move and kept batting her arms : }

Opening up Christmas presents. Very exciting!!

Oh my gosh was this a hit. The boys LOVED Papa's plane. He let them pretend they were pilots and wear the headsets.

Uncle Rob getting ready to fly with Papa and Mark. Aliana was all smiles.

Our family Thanksgiving pic. Wish the rest of the family would have been with us!

Getting ready to carve the turkey. Phil kept the sink empty for me.

After dinner, the guys did all the work. I soooo appreciated it : }

Uncle Phil with Aliana. she was great being held by her uncles.

She was playing with her new baby doll and was mimicking me and saying. "Ahhhhhh!"

Our grown up kids. Can hardly believe how old they are. They all have become such wonderful, solid and secure adults.