Our first day of vacation was spent in 4 different airports.

We actually went in to 3 of them and the other we just parked and waited for others to board and deplane.

We departed Indy a little late because there were quite a few older peeps in wheelchairs.

I found out on the first leg of our journey that people over 70 are very squirmy

More so in fact than my 9 year old.

I also discovered that these folks like to travel very early in the morning because over 50% of the first flight were elderly people.

Then we landed in Las Vegas.

Vegas is very hot and dry.

So dry in fact that my hair static clinged to my face.

The temperature hovered near 105 degrees. UGH!

We flew over many many mountains and lots of desert.

I haven’t ever seen a place that didn’t have lots of greenery so it was a new experience for me.

In Vegas Cade saw slot machines for the first time and thought they were very cool video games.  He wanted to play.  I told him it was illegal.

We landed in Boise briefly then flew on to Spokane, Washington.

Angie and Mason picked us up at the airport there.

We had a lovely dinner at Bonzai Bistro, just as Angie and I had done the month before.

Day number 2 we traveled.

And it rained.

So we set up camp after dark when the rain stopped at a campground at West Glacier, Montana.

Our Camp

My Christopher modeling his new hat.

Chris and Merlin being themselves.  Merlin has started calling Chris Shnookums.

We took a trip across The Road To The Sun and this is some of the scenery.

If you look closely you should be able to see some mountain goat butts.

We traveled close to the top of the mountain and found some glaciers.

More scenery.

And finally some wildlife.  These guys weren’t even scared of us.

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Here are a few pictures from Christmas Eve at my parents.

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On Sunday December 20th My Christopher, Cade and I took a ride on the Polar Express.

This train ride takes place in Connersville.

After boarding the train the train personnel pass out hot chocolate and cookies to all passengers.

Then on to the North Pole.

The story is told and heard throughout the cars by speaker.

There are elves, cooks, hobos, basically every character from the story.

There is even a conductor that punches the kids tickets.

Upon arrival at the North Pole Santa boards the train and rides back with us.

During the trip back he sits with each child and presents him or her with a bell which they ring if they BELIEVE.

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This year seems to be flying by.  It’s so hard to believe we have less than a month before 2010.

Next year will be a bittersweet year as we have two graduations to prepare for.  Our babies are growing up so fast.

The following photos are from Thanksgiving Day with my family at my parent’s home.  My brother and his children were there as well as a cousin and my aunt and one uncle.

Hope you all have wonderful holidays.

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I’m posting this on my personal blog for those who follow this one and not the photography blog.

Because it’s family and .  .  .  .  well, I just wanted to.

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My parents are on their yearly trip to Florida.  They have been doing this for the past few years.  After the holidays they pack up their camper and head south until early spring.

Up until this past weekend they have been down there by themselves.  My Dad’s cousin and his wife are there with them now.  They all enjoy camping together and very seldom do they go on trips without each other.

Not only are they family, but they are best friends.  As teenagers in high school they would all double date and were always doing things together.

Here you see my Dad’s cousin Bill and his son Steve who was in my class in high school.  He (Steve) is married to one of my very dear friends (Ginny, also a classmate).

This photo is of Darlena and her Mom.  Her Mom passed away just a couple months after this photo was taken.  They were very close and she is greatly missed.

This is my Cousin Steve’s (and Ginny’s) son Robby.  He is close in age to my son Cade.  He wears these glasses because he wishes he had glasses too (because Cade wears them).

As family’s go I can honestly say they are one of the closest.  In this day and age it’s not the norm, but I am so thankful they have each other.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

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In Octamom’s morning post she submitted a challenge to her readers to write a story about family history. So here’s my little tidbit:

Many years ago I was working on our family geneaology and decided to ask my Grandmother about some of the people in photographs she had in her very large storage box. I knew I would have to ask her since Grandpa didn’t like to talk about his childhood. Ever.

You see my grandpa was very poor as a youngster, so poor in fact that they lived in makeshift tents on the river and had to steal food from neighboring fields and gardens just to survive. He wasn’t able to finish high school because as soon as he was old enough he was sent to work to help support the family.

His father was a Cherokee Indian transplanted in southern Indiana from somewhere (not really sure where) out east. His mother was from Scotland.

(Don’t ask me why, but every time I think of the fact that my Grandpa is half Cherokee, half Scottish I get a visual of some Indian war chief doing some ritual dance around a fire dressed in only a kilt. That’s only my warped mind coming into play here though.)

Like I said, my Great Grandmother Shera was from Scotland. She came to America as a young girl aboard the Carpathia. The kicker to this part of our history is that she was aboard the ship when it went to help save the survivors from the sunken Titanic in 1912.

. . .and that folks is my family history tidbit.

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Chris had a wonderful time in California visiting his family and friends. He also went a little crazy taking pictures, which is perfectly fine with me.

This is the hospital where Chris worked before moving to Indiana

This is California’s version of Hardees

One of his favorite fast food places, equivalent to Taco Bell, only better.

Someone actually lives up here.

No need to explain this one.

Tumbleweeds, one living, one dead. Just to prove to me that there are green things in California.

Chris & cousin Brian

Shane & Chris’ friend Jon, they all have known each other since childhood.

Where he went to college.

The house where he grew up.

Where this fire station sits used to be a field. This field Chris set on fire as a teenager. He was handcuffed and put in the back of a police car where he sat and cried for a long time.

Where he went to high school.

I’ve only heard of this in Paris Hilton stories.

Enough said.

Chris loves this place, he bought tamales and brought them home for me.

Where his brother and his family live. His mom lives in an apartment behind their house.

California sunset.

Things are very brown there.

A jack rabbit hole.

Chris’ friends Terry & Lori.

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans grave sites. He met them when he lived here & they sang “Happy Trails” for him.

You can barely see them, but there are mountains in the background here.

Chris & nephew Josh

Chris & brother Shane

Chris & his Mom

Brother Shane, Mom (Sue) & Chris.

Shane, Heather & Marley

We can’t wait to make a trip together back to Chris’ hometown of Hesperia. It’s hard to believe we’ve been together now over 2 years and I still haven’t met most of his family

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I just wanted to let everyone know that my Grandma Rose passed away last week. She was the sweetest, most loving and perfect old-fashioned grandma in the whole world. She was 85 and in all the years of my life I don’t remember her ever saying one mean thing to or about anyone ever. I’ve really nothing else to say about it at this time other than it’s been a very sad week for my family and me.

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My Grandma Rose

My brother & niece Lily

Chris took me to see the Nutcracker!! I have wanted to go see this my entire adult life and never managed to make it. He surprised me with tickets and what wonderful seats we had. I can’t wait to see it again next winter. That same weekend we also had tickets to see Chicago in concert downtown and he surprised me yet again, with dinner at Oceanaire. This place has got to be the best seafood restaurant in Indiana.

The following week was my birthday week and we (Chris, Cade & I) met up with one of my best girlfriends Julie and her boyfriend Joe and daughter Hannah. Cade and Hannah are not quite 2 weeks apart in age and have known each other since they were babies. They don’t get to see each other much, but become fast friends every time we get together. Hannah nicknamed Cade Harry Potter last year when he started wearing his glasses and now this year he has started calling her Hannah Montana. Kids are so darn cute.

Well, they pulled a fast one on us weekend option folk at the hospital and are forcing us to cover holidays that don’t fall on the weekends now too. That means this year Chris and I have to work Christmas night. I suppose if I had to pick one it would be that rather than Christmas Eve.

Chris was able to get tickets for he and Cory to see the Colts play on December 23rd, they had a blast, this was Cory’s first NFL game. While they were at the game, Britt, Cade and I went to my Uncle Calvin’s for a Christmas gathering for my Mom’s family. I can’t believe so many people made it this year. I believe I counted 51 in all. We didn’t stay for very long since I had plans for Christmas for my Dad’s family that evening. Definitely not as many people, but a nice gathering nonetheless. Afterwards Cory & Cade headed back to their father’s to spend Christmas Eve with him then came back the following evening to spend Christmas morning with us. Busy, busy, busy not to mention chaotic, but it’s over for yet another year.

I certainly hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season!!

Britt loved her new boots

Cory with his stocking

Cade loved his new laptop (pretend)

Lily, Britt and Huni

Mom & Dad

Grandma Rose

My Uncle Tim

The newest member of our family, Sophia

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