Twas a Week before Christmas 2012

Not too many people realized this but all of our Holiday festivities were each held a week before the actual holiday, so that my Aunt Julie could rest. Her chemo treatments all fell during the actual holidays. However, we learned how strong she was to brave through it all. She felt miserable on the inside but beautiful on the outside.

These first 2 pictures were taken by our tree at home. Mom went a little hog wild with the camera. I asked her to choose only these 2 out of the dozen taken, to save you all time.

Then we arrived at my Grandparents for our Early celebrations and many more poses by the tree!

Meredith and Alicia brought a fun Foam Christmas tree to put together.

Then the unthinkable happened!

Santa came!!!

We each had our named called out to sit on Santa's lap and get presents!

We all opened presents after dinner. My Great Aunt & Uncle Got me this cute baby that records my voice and says it back to me. Daddy really likes talking to this baby. ??

 My Aunt Julie, Uncle Shawn & Noah got me a hand made dance bag with my name on it and it's in purple! My favorite color!!

It was a long night. We had so much fun. I really dig this gift giving thing!
After the Real Christmas day, our camera went into hiding. So as soon as my Mom downloads the pictures we'll get it all up.

My Aunt Julie got scheduled to go in Dec.31st and start her Stem Cell Transplant, so this ended up being a great week & month to get all the celebrations, pictures, and EATING over with. We had to fatten her up so she can be strong from the Chemo and because she can't eat after the side effects kick in.

Prayers for my Aunt Julie!
Love you!

Christmas in the Gazebo

It was one of the last warm days before the December crisp air set in.

It was Candle walk weekend and people were gathered all in the square.

There were lots of holiday activities for the family.

Shopping and eating too!

 Below is a picture of Noah and I being silly in the Gazebo.

A live tree is carefully picked from a farm in Ohio to be on display and decorated for the whole season.

Dad couldn't come with us on this walk. But Aunt Julie's Friends were in town visiting from Cincinnati. So we gave them a quick tour and stopped for lunch at Cool Beans.

The bank opened up a "Santa's Work shop" with the elves parading every where.

There were lots of activities like coloring, ring tree toss, ornament crafting and making a wish list to be mailed to Santa!

Last stop, Santa's House!

Well, there was a HUGE line. Mom lifted me up to peak through the window.

We went to the mall a few days later and saw Santa with NO lines!!

Good enough for me!



Holiday Parties 2012

Dear Family & Friends,

 I'm writing a little late but I wanted to share my photos from the holidays.

Here I am Thanksgiving Day, actually writing to you.

Well, I was just practicing. I like to play school. And I enjoy writing a lot now!

Just to update, My Aunt Julie and her family moved in temporarily with my Grandma & Grandpa L. in Medina while my Aunt starts a new treatment for her Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  At this time she had started a heavy dose of chemo every 3 weeks. After this she will start a month stay and Stem Cell Treatment at the Cleveland Clinic.

We are so blessed to have her and her family here with us for all of these holidays! I get to spend more time with my buddy Noah.

For Thanksgiving this year, we got together at my Cousin Alicia & Meredith's house. Great Aunt Sharon, Great Uncle Marty & Cousin Sarah joined us from Cincinnati too.

It was really hot so we had to open the sliding door. We all started taking off our sweaters.

Aunt Julie couldn't take wearing her scarf. We told her to take it off. She's beautiful bald. And then Daddy won't feel left alone in the Bald club.

Below, we started to play a game of Apples to Apples. It was funny!

Alicia and I played with Meredith's squinkies. She has an entire city of these things! We filled the table!

The next day Guess who came to visit me??

Yep, Tucker!

I couldn't believe it! He was eating my cereal and spelled out my name with cheerios.

Silly Tucker!

Aunt Julie and the gang came to help us decorate our Christmas tree and put up the lights.

We played games and danced, and had time to go to the "Christmas in the Colonies" Art show.

It was boring.. So got back to decorating at home.

It was so much fun having everyone over!

Bloody Hands

Tis' the season for bloody hands.

That was our Halloween theme this year. Picked by yours truly, Me!

I was fascinated by these bloody hands since I saw them in Target. I wished we had these for our windows.

So one day Mom and I made a trip to Target and picked up a pair.

Isn't it cool?

Next was pumpkin painting. We decided against carving this year, because we are taking care of Noah and my Aunt Julie. We didn't have time for the mess.

I first tried to paint bloody hands on my pumpkin. It turned out to be a black glob mess. But Mom still displayed it.

Mom painted a witch.

Next, rake the leaves. Our leaves just never stopped piling up. It was as deep as my hip at some point.

Noah came over to help one day this week.

I helped him rake.

We enjoyed making deeper piles and jumping into it.

Then came Halloween.

It was canceled on the 31st and moved to 3 days later, because of Hurricane Sandy. Most of Cleveland lost power

and flooded from the heavy storm. Even my dance studio got wind and flood damage.

Instead, on the 31st we went to my cousin Morgan's house for a costume party.

I was Blueberry muffin (Strawberry Shortcake's friend) and Noah was Spider man.

Mom and I made my costume. It was lot of fun to wear my blue wig.

Grandma let me wear some make up too!

On Saturday the 3rd of November, Daddy & Uncle Shawn took us trick or treating to a few houses. I got cold so I wanted to go back.

I got a lot of yummy treats!

Happy Halloween!

Quick weekend in Chicago

We made a quick trip to Chicago in October. Dad's cousin Karlene was getting married.

I got to spend some time with my Grandma Rosario and her Dog Maxi.

I spent the night at the Butner residents. That was a blast! We baked and played. I was a good girl!

I had a great time seeing my Uncle Mark's new apartment too. I just didn't want to leave.

I miss you Grandma R.!

September Trip to Cincinnati

Trip to Cincy to celebrate Mom & Dad & Aunt Julie & Uncle Shawn's Anniversaries. As well As Aunt Julie's Birthday in September 2012.

We visited a lot of places during this weekend.

First stop was the zoo.

Next stop was the History museum, the Train museum, and the Children's museum. All in one building

In the Train museum, there was an entire room set up as a (to scale) miniture Cincy as the city was in the 1920's. Pretty amazing! Noah and I loved stepping up to watch the train go around.

We are in that building you see in this picture below.

This was the original train station. Some trains do still come so this facility.

Then we walked through the history meseum to learn about the history of Cincy since the 1800's.

Last, my favorite is the Children's museum. I finally got to show my Daddy how much fun this place is.

We pretended grocery shop,

Pretended to play vet, and save sick animals,

and then we pretended to be construction workers and shoveled rocks.

It's fun to play bus driver!

The water table was cool, no I mean really, it was cold. I didn't stay here very long. I built a little boat and played with the pipes.

My favorite was the tree house room. The entire room was a big tree house. We climbed up stairs and ladders to 3 levels of tunnels and rooms in this tree house. Mom, Dad & Uncle Shawn played up here with Noah and I. It was a blast!!

Time to go.  Noah and I cried all the way out. We didn't want to leave. There's Daddy and Aunt Julie.