HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year! We wish you a safe, healthy and happy 2008!

We'd also like to thank you for your many prayers and well wishes on our family's behalf. We had an eventful last month and a half of 2007....starting with Jared's foot surgery on Nov 15th. Jared's foot (toe) is healing very well. He's happy to say that he's not had any joint pain like he had before! Here's a picture of the incision shortly after he got the cast off.

My sister, Doreen, had major reconstructive surgery on her foot on Nov 28th and will be in a cast for 3 months. Her foot seems to be healing nicely and she's doing a good job of staying off it like her surgeon ordered. Here's a picture of the 2nd cast she had....very festive!Doreen also had an unexpected week long stay in the hospital due to a bladder/kidney infection and terrible vomiting that didn't go away for several days. I'm happy to say she is doing much better!

While Doreen was in the hospital, my brother, John, must have been feeling left out of all the medical mayhem. On Saturday, Dec 15th, he was taken to the Emergency Room by ambulance with symptoms of a heart attack. FORTUNATELY, after all the tests they did his heart seemed fine and he was finally released that Monday evening. Whew!

'Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the house,

Not a creature was healthy.....not one in the house!!

Ammon came down with a wicked stomach virus the Sunday we had that huge snow storm (Dec 16). He was miserable for most of that week. He vomited for 3 days and was so lethargic for the entire week that I was beginning to think something else was wrong. Jared came down with it mid-week and I followed shortly afterwards. I then understood why Ammon was so lethargic. That Saturday I was in bed almost all day. I felt like I weighed 5 tons and just sitting up for a minute took all the strength I had. Connor (my nephew I've been babysitting since Doreen can't right now) didn't escape the dreaded illness either because he was here every day. He came down with it that Friday night. But he got over it much faster than the rest of us. Fortunately, everyone was healthy by Christmas Eve, which we spent with the Beauchamp side of the family!! Here's a picture of a very sick Ammon laying on the couch with a washcloth on his forehead to reduce the fever.I must say that I got plenty of cuddle time with Ammon that week. He was so tired and just wanted "Mama" to hold him. Sometimes that was nice.... but not so nice when he was throwing up!!!

Believe it or not, despite all the surgeries, illnesses and hospital stays.....we managed to squeeze in some fun during November and December!

Below is a slide show with pictures of Ammon's first time finger painting. What an experience that was! Those of you who REALLY know me, know that I don't like messy things....or to clean up messes. So, I had to really step out of my comfort zone for this. What's funny is that Ammon seems to take after me....because at first he was really timid about sticking his fingers in the paint. He kept saying "icky hands." But then (as you'll see in the photos) he got used to it and got paint all over his hands and up his arms. And let me just say "Yeah, right!" to the claims that the paints are non-staining!! HA! I'm just glad I put a hand-me-down shirt on him that already had stains on it. I have a tie-dyed looking washcloth to prove that those "non-staining" finger paints really DO STAIN - no matter how quickly you wash it in hot water like the directions say!! That's okay....it was fun and I learned what to do and what not to do for the next time.

Included in the slide show are some pictures of Ammon playing with his cousin Connor on Nov 6th. They love to play with Ammon's train set! You would think that I had them pose for these pictures, but they just did this on their own! Too cute (and rare)!

The slide show also has photos I took of Ammon on November 13th. It was a beautiful, warm Fall day. I love the colors of Autumn, so I tried to capture the beauty of nature along with the beauty of our little Ammon!! Here's my favorite photo from that day: And now....here's the slide show of the above mentioned November activities: (be sure to keep reading below the slide show....there's more!) If you want to listen to the music, click on the little speaker icon in the bottom left corner. (It's actually a new song this time!)

I was trying to get a portrait-like photo of Ammon (since I haven't taken him to a portrait studio since he was 3 1/2 months old). So, one Sunday afternoon (Nov 11), I got Ammon to sit still for ONE portrait shot. But I didn't really care for it too much. Here it is:
So, I played around with it and liked this much better:By the way, Ammon turned 2 1/2 years old on November 21st! So, that makes him 31 months now (if anyone is still counting).

Below is a slide show with Christmas pictures. The first few were taken at our Beauchamp Family Christmas Party on Dec 15th. This is where we get together with my dad's side of the family (my aunts, uncles, cousins and their kids). We have Santa come and he gives a gift to every child. This is a tradition we've had in our family since we were kids. One of my fondest childhood memories is going to my grandparents house on Christmas Eve and having Santa come. I'm so glad we've continued this tradition for the next generation! Ammon was so excited about the gift that he started opening it while still on Santa's lap! I'm just glad he was willing to sit on Santa's lap (too often the kids around his age are afraid). Here's the slide show. If you want to listen to it with the music, you can click on the little speaker icon in the bottom left corner. It's actually another new song!

Last but not least, here are a couple pictures I took New Year Eve at our "Annual Cabella's Trip." Since they opened we've gone to Cabella's at least once a year (usually during Christmas break). We all went together the first few trips, but mostly just the boys and my mom go now. Since this was Ammon's first trip (he was sick last year, and too fragile the year before), I really wanted to go so I could experience it with him (and of course take pictures)!!!
Back row: John, Thom, Ammon, Jared & Mom (Barb) Front row: Teague, Connor, Braeden & Joe
Whew.....okay....I'm done for now. Take care everyone!