Excitement!

Ryan doesn't just get on the bus. Each day he picks a new way of getting from the bus stop to the bus. (and sometimes all the way back to seat 18) It cracks me up and his bus driver is always smiling waiting to see what he'll come up with next.
That makes me smile. What if she was in a hurry and waited impatiently for him to come?
Thank you Mrs. Bus Driver!
This started out as a coping mechanism for a nervous moment. It has become his time to shine and be the star for an audience of 2 smiling adults:)

Today's jumping with pointed fingers on his ears got me thinking...remembering... a sweet grandma in CT who told her twin grandkids and Cara as they waited for their first bus ride, "Remember the only difference between being nervous and excited is fear. It feels the same, but when you're not afraid anymore, you can just be excited!"
I love her for that and she'll never know!

Made with Love!

Cara

Ryan with his cowboy hat!!!

We didn't snap very many photos of Christmas morning for some reason. Probably because we were video taping it. I don't know how to transfer that yet, so no luck.

But this was one of my favorite Christmases ever! The kids worked so hard on hand making their gifts for each other and for Nate and I.

They were so excited to give their gifts to each other.

They were our first gifts to be opened.

Here is the list

Shawn repainted a shelf of mine to match her room butterflies and all!

He made a custom LEGO set for Ryan by building, photoing, taking apart and placing the bricks in a ziploc!

Cara painted a big R for Ryan to put in his room. He has been asking for one for a while because Cara has a Cute C hanging in her room.

She also decopaged a shoebox for Shawn with magazine pictures of wolves, eagles, Alaska scenery, etc. It is for his scout keepsakes, etc.

Ryan painted a cardboard purse for Cara with a rinestone handle. He worked so hard at framing the heart picture hole using colors Cara would love. Then on the other side he made a huge sunflower that turned out so beautiful!

For Shawn, Ryan made a Yankees hoodie. I bought a plain hoodie from Walmart and then we printed out and cut out our own stencil, then Ryan painted the logo on. It looks perfect!! You would never guess it was the work of a Kindergartener.

The kids made me a neclace and a scarf.

For Dad we made a Corn Hole set- thanks to Bro Bartlett's help!

Okay, Christmas.

Now that it's February, I guess I better get to the Christmas photos.
So---

Christmas Eve Ornaments and PJs from Grandma and Grandpa.

THANKS!

Home

Ryan's school Library tree house!

I haven't blogged about Christmas, as you can see.

We left on Christmas night to my parents' house in California.

10 days of sun, family, chaos, new memories and immersion in memories of youth.

As we were decending over Cincinnati the pilot so casualy announced 8 degrees with light snow.

I said- outloud- "Turn the plane around." He apparently didn't hear me.

My imagination has been spending the last 10 days figuring out how in the world to move to California. And not just to Cali, but La Crescenta. I want to live around one corner to my parents, and the other to my brother and his adorable wife and kiddos. I want to wake up to a 78 degree January day and a farmers market with local produce that actually GROWS right now. I want to see Melanie and Melissa as I walk in the church every week.

I want, I want, I want.

So, my post today is a reminder of what I love about home. Which is NOT La Crescenta. It's here in Cincinnati. So, buck up and love it, Jen.

First on my list is our Garage.

We have not had an attached garage we could really use as a garage or entire marriage. I love not having to clear the ice off the car, just to run to the store. I am grateful each time I walk in the house witout walking through the muck and the mud of a driveway or parking lot.

The kids can also come through the garage with their snow gear after sledding or snowman building and drop it all off. feet from the washer.

I know it is simple and really not important. But it is a simple pleasure. And would cost a pretty penny in my home town. I'd give it up to be near family, have my kids play with their cousins on a regular basis, take cello lessons from Grandpa, go to Dodgers games with Grandma have Uncle Jon as a high school math teacher, Cook with Adrienne, give Cara some girl time with AC, sign Charlie's cast and buy the Duke's go cart.....

But fortunately the list doesn't really end with the garage. It goes on and on to more important things that make a difference in our lives. Like neighbors we can play with on demand, a friend who takes me to the movies, Other friends who make me laugh, great babysitters, a short commute for Nate, the Museum center, many after school programs to choose from, Graeters Ice Cream and more.

Nate has the camera at a cub scout hike right now, so still no pictures of Christmas, but they're coming, I promise.

Hugs

Jen

Mine Schwester

I love my sister. It was so good to see her 2 weeks ago. (and so sad) It was too short, too hectic, too hard to spend time together. But still- SOOO good to see and touch my oldest friend and her adorable babies.

I came accross this post about sisters and it could not have been said better of my relationship with "Meeeee"(I cried)

I love you, Amy and all the ways we're different. I love having someone I can text when something random happens to me and they CARE! Someone I can cry with and feel better. Someone I can try to solve the world with and really not get anywhere!! You rock and I wish I could get together and really spend time soon.

We've done that before, right? The above picture is proof. Ryan was 4 months old and we zip lined!!!

Our Christmas Card

To see our Christmas Card
click here.

Its always fun when Grandpaarents come, Hooray!

When Grandparents come we play!

Yes, that's our baby climbing that wall. It was sooooo cute to see him fly up that wall. Is there any physical trick this kid can't do? He's lucky it was weight and not height that qualify you:)

Cara and Shawn each got to climb twice. It was a school night, so we were practically the only people there.

Skyscraper. Their faces were hilarious as they swung around and around.

Air Force Museum and Zoo

Saturday was about 60 degrees, so on our way to the children's museum we changed routes and spent the day at the zoo instead. We were there at the perfect time. Right as we were finishing up it was getting dark and the light display began. It got suddenly crowded. Wilkeys and crowds don't mix- so we were happy to be heading home.

The Air Force Museum is soooo huge. We could go back and learn more everytime!

Thanksgiving Dinner

The kids waiting for Gma and Gpa at the airport!

We had invited our neighbors to join us, but by the time Ryan was back from picking up Grandma and Grandpa he had a fever. Since their daughter had just had her tonsels taken out they didn't want to chance it. The kids were BUMMED! And I felt bad that they ended up spending Thanksgiving at Cracker Barrell. We had LOTS of left overs. Including 2 quarts of gravy!!

What do you call your dad's cousin? Well, we call her Shaunice and she came to Cincinnati last month! She coaches womens basketball at ASU and the Sundevils came to play Xavier. She got us in for free and we had a good time. Well, Nate and I did. The kids unfortunately are not into basketball. I am determined to convert them one day!

We took Shaunice to dinner and to Graeters! It was good to see her.

Cara was a dancer at the High School Basketball halftime. She had a blast and we loved her smile. Sorry the photographer didn't capture it very well.

Nativity

I worked on the Nativity Display our Stake does each year. After a lot of work I was glad to know I spent my first week of Christmastime helping others see the Christ child displayed so beautifully.

Wacky Wednesday!

Cara and her great friend/neighbor: Emerson. We love having friends in our backyard!!

They were twins this day and we had a snap a shot of it!

Shawn's zoo trip

The 5th grade field trip in our district is an overnighter to the Cincinnati Zoo. I gave Shawn our old camera with a broken LCD to take with. Her are a few of his pics. I didn't think to check the memory card and he ran out of room pretty quickly. oops.

Merry Christmas!!

blogger....facebook....skype....email

Keeping in touch is sooooo easy and sooooo FREE. Who wants to buy stamps? I can think of a few dear friends that love to do just that, buy stamps. My friend Katie comes to mind. She loves to pick out the new Star Wars stamps for Alex, the appropriate holiday stamps for her cards, or the whatever-suits-your-fancy stamps for the girls, too:). She does use them, though and I applaud the joy she can find in even this necessary purchase.

This year, however, I am seeing, forty-what? cents in my mind-to mail a picture to our loved ones who can see it through one or all of the above ways. I love getting the mail in December. I look forward to finding cards in our mailbox and reading all the goings on of friends missed and then bury myself in memories of times gone by. Yet, this year, our Christmas Message goes out to all of you through cyberspace. I hope nobody is offended.



Family Footsteps is here to keep a record of our life and share it with our family. Follow this message and click on links to older blog posts. Or, just follow along chronologically. Either way, enjoy our blog and if you have a blog we don't have listed, let us know! We look forward to hearing from you!

Wilkey News 2009

Half the year was spent deciding which home to buy. The perfect one really doesn't exist, so we are happy for our little home and the fun we've had making it our own since June.

The neighborhood is full of kids and our yard is open to the neighbors creating a gathering place for friends of all ages and all sorts of fun. Kickball, football, baseball, Frisbee, and all sorts of pick-up games occur regularly and we love it!

Our activities keep us coming and going:

School,

baseball,

gymnastics,

soccer,

piano,

cub scouts,

swim lessons,

dodge ball,

dance,

Church,

and more.

We're all healthy and happy to be together. We miss our parents, cousins, siblings and friends! Families really ARE forever and we're glad that forever for our immediate family includes right now!!

Joy and peace come to us as we come to know the Savior born over 2000 years ago. As we share this celebrated season with all of you, we thank Him for his life and that ours has crossed paths with you!

Howdy Partner!

Stick 'em up!
I surrender! This is Ryan's favorite photo:)

It is so hard not to run out and buy a proper hat and boots for this little buckaroo. However, a cowboy costume is second only to a bike on Ryan's Christmas list. So... we wait.
This year's list reminds me of Christmas 2 years ago. All Ryan asked for was a Teddy Bear. His preschool teachers loved the simplicity of that request, especially that his reason for wanting one was that his Teddy had a hole in it. When he got a piece of paper out to write his very own list last week, I was conflicted. Was I more proud of him writing on his own or sad as he has never really asked for much at Christmas? I didn't want that stage to end.
But what to my wondering eyes should appear on his list, but a
1. Bike
2. Cowboy costume
He spent the remainder of his pre-bus time trying to think of another item.

Ahhh...Innoncence! I'll take every bit I can get!!!!

Aren't these fun!

If I didn't have a line up of sewing projects, I would attempt a skirt just like this!

Ryan has been dressing up like a Cowboy everyday this month. Literally. So when I saw this picture I thought we could be a pair. I love the skirts and I have some cowboy boots just like those from my shoe-store-working days in highschool! Yeee Haw!

I know, you'd rather see pics of my little 5 year old Cowboy, but the camera hasn't made its way out lately. Will take some, I promise. His jeans and flannel shirts are in the dryer right now as he woke up and asked me to wash them since none were clean:)

Brazil!!!

Meu coracao e brasileira!!!

I've been is a Brazilian mood lately! I got a letter from one of my favorite companions, Joyce de Oliveira. She is now a police officer. My kids loved her photos.

I have also been spending time studying Portuguese to freshen up.

I've found some Friends on Facebook from my days as a missionary and a brazilian family we met in California when I was pregnant with Cara.

Then Brazil won the Olympic Games.

If you see any deals from Cincinnati to Brazil, tell me!

Quero ir!

So... When I heard Wonderful Tonight from Michael Buble singing with Ivan Lins, a Brazilian singer on Pandora today, I had to add it to the blog. Hope I don't annoy you all too much. I'll change it soon.

Abracos!! (Hugs)

Jen