Even though we have a less scheduled . . . schedule, it seems that we are as busy or busier than we have ever been. We are looking forward to a whirlwind of visitors, trips, events, study, and meetings over the next few months. So, I thought it would be important to catch you up on the latest visits and fun times. Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations occurred since the last time I wrote, so a lot of these pictures and stories will be of our time home with our families during those wonderful holidays!
We're going to be starting with the most recent, however, and moving backwards -- since that's the way the pictures uploaded. Right after New Year's, Chris' Aunt Donna, Aunt Candy, Aunt Judy, and Cousin Nikki came to visit us in Minnesota and shop that the Mall of America.
We were so happy to see them and took a train ride out to the Mall to meet them. We had dinner and then Aunt Donna and Nikki took Jed on some rides at the amusement park in the middle of the Mall. Jed likes to think he's tough, but several times when we suggested a ride, he'd say 'That one is too scary for me!' He did manage to get on some of them, though :)
Here he is with Nikki on a ride he thought better of after he was strapped in. He looks happy now, but as soon as it started, he was telling Nikki, 'I want to get off, now.' It as a bus that went around and around like a mini Ferris Wheel. Next time, we'll skip that ride!
Aunt Donna brought Jed on a balloon ride that he thought was pretty cool.
I think his favorite one is the Merry Go Round because it's "Just like Mary Poppins!"
Abe liked seeing Jed on the rides. I think next time we might try to take him on a couple, too. He'd probably like the 'scary' ones!
Now we move back a little bit to the week we spent with the Adamow family over New Year's Day. Grandpa found a train and put it together for Jed while he was napping. They made it go around and around. Jed got it going fast enough to shoot it off the track!
And now we have Jed showing off one of his favorite gifts from Christmas -- PEZ!!! Yep, he now has a Pez dispenser collection and enough Pez candies to last him for a few months at least! Chris wants to stock up on these to take to India so Jed can share his favorite candy with his new friends there.
While at Grandma and Grandpa Adamow's, Chris' buddy, Jon, and his wife, Stephanie came to visit. We had a great time watching the kids and playing games -- though Jon told me he won't play word games with me anymore :)
Here is a common sight when we're visiting Grandpa Adamow. Abe loves to take naps with him.
Jed got a new guitar from Aunt Candy! He thinks it's pretty cool -- especially the strap so he can stand up and rock out. He's used it to compose some new songs including, but not limited to "A Monster Sings to Jesus."
Abe is getting big enough now to think he can roughhouse with the big boys. He loves to get in the middle of a wrestling match or a dog pile. Here he is pinning Grandpa.
Abe and Jed got some new hats for Christmas. I still have a thing for how cute the boys can look in a hat. . .
Here, though, you can see that they can not only look cute, but really tough! Batman and Spiderman to the rescue! This Mama doesn't have anything to worry about.
Chris practicing for the Super Bowl.
And here he is playing Santa with his cousin, Justin. Justin and his daughter, Madisyn, came to visit us. Jed and Madisyn had a great time playing Mommy and kid. She kept sending him off to school and then putting him to bed.
Here she is playing Mommy with Abe, too.
We went to a New Year's Eve celebration at Uncle Al's house -- though we didn't stay until the ball dropped this year. Here is Abe playing with Aunt Candy.
And Aunt Donna.
Another of Jed's favorite gifts this year was a drum set from Aunt Amy. About 1 minute after this was taken, he punched a hole in one of the drum heads. After we got it home, he punched a hole through the base drum. We fixed the holes with tape, but the sound decreased by about 50%! Thank you, Jed! Now, what to do about the cymbal??!!
Abe is getting everywhere, now! He can go up stairs, crawl onto small chairs, and takes a few steps now and then. We're just bracing ourselves for when he really takes off. The other day, we were in the kids' room and Chris went down the hall for something. Abe crawled out the door too, so I assumed he was following Chris. A few seconds later, I called to Chris to make sure he was with him. "Haven't seen him!" Chris replied. I rushed out the door to find him half-way up the staircase!
Thank you, Grandma, for the presents!!!
Now we're moving backwards some more to the 10 days we spent with the Twidell family over Christmas. Here is Abe having a ball with Naomi's little chair. He doesn't even realize he's got it a little backwards.
What was my best present this past year? Tada!!!!
Another of Jed's favorites -- Playdough!!!! He now has every color of the rainbow.
Here we are on Christmas Eve at Grandma Margaret and Papa George's house. There were quite a few of us there. What fun!
Here is Jed playing with cousin Paige.
And Abe playing with Papa Jim.
Here's me with my family! It was so great to spend so much time with them.
Joshua, Jed, and Naomi having some snacks before dinner.
Abe: "What do you do with these things?"
Here was a common sight during lazy days at the Twidell house. Naomi and Jed cuddled up with a movie -- probably Dora or Barbie -- Jed is hooked!
Aunt Valerie with Naomi and Abe right when she first got home.
We had another get-together at my Aunt Kay's house since my Aunt Lois and Uncle Mitch were in town from Texas. What a great treat! Here Abe is -- he decided he likes rocking horses.
And here's Abe with Aunt Loie. He decided he liked her, too!
And here's Abe with cousin, Logan, Papa George, Uncle Mitch and Uncle Allen. Just hanging out with the guys.
I got to chat with Grandma and Grandpa.
Abe got to hang out with Uncle Mitch.
And Jed got to hug Aunt Lois. She's a pretty good hugger!
And I got to hug Caroline!
Here's Jed sharing some of his vanilla pudding with Joshua. The only way we got a bib on Jed is because Joshua was wearing one! He must love his cousin a lot to share his pudding with him!
Now we move back a little farther. Chris' cousin, Steven, graduated from college in Bloomington, IL, so the whole family spent the weekend at a hotel for the celebration and also Aunt Donna's birthday. Here are Chris, Aunt Amy, and Uncle Jeffy
Our family with Great-Grandpa Adamow
Uncle Jeffy keeping Abe occupied between pictures. Thank you!
The Adamow Family Christmas Card:)
The Adamow Men! Four generations :)
But we still got to take a picture with the graduate. Congratulations, Steve!!!
Jed seems to be feeling pretty good in this picture!
Backing it up again, we spent Thanksgiving with the Adamows, too. Here we are at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Doggie Pile on Uncle Jeffy!!!
Grandpa Adamow decided that Jed couldn't wait for Aunt Amy's drum set at Christmas, so he made this one. Yep, it's plastic cups, coffee cans, and paper plates glued to cardboard. How inventive! And fun! Jed's playing it with pencils. Those pencils got pretty torn up before the week was over!
Here's just a cute picture of Abe sleeping with his finger in his mouth. 
Here we are at the Thanksgiving celebration at Aunt Kay's house. Jed is playing legos with his cousin, Wyatt.
Jed getting a kiss from Papa Jim. This was before Papa lost all his hair. We tried to prepare Jed for the fact that he wouldn't have any hair at Christmas. Jed said "We should bring him some hair." Well, we didn't do that, but I made him a few more hats to complete his collection. When we explained that Papa's hair would start growing back, he said, "It will probably be blue . . . or orange." Wouldn't that be a shocker!
When we first found out about Papa's cancer, we told Jed we needed to pray for him, but soon after we started -- within a week, -- Jed said, "Jesus healed him already." He has continued to assure us of that whenever we suggest that he pray for Papa to be healed. Now that we're getting news back from the doctors that his tumor is shrinking and that the other spots of cancer are getting smaller or going away, we are thinking maybe Jed was right all along. It reminds me that we need to have faith like a child. Trust that God is listening and has already answered our prayers! I'm sure it doesn't hurt to keep praying, too, though.Here are Aunt Valerie, Naomi, Jed, and I getting snuggly on the couch.
And here is Aunt Caroline doing the same with Abe.
The first weekend in November, we headed to Princeton for a quick visit, and since it was near Halloween, we thought we'd bring the boys' costumes and visit their Great-Grandparents.
Here Jed is getting Ding Dongs from Papa Bill.
And here are the boys with Papa George and Grandma Margaret.
Now an up-close shot of our little 'Peanut'. This is Grandpa Adamow's nickname for Abe and when he saw this costume at the store, he couldn't resist.
Well, Jed needed a costume, too, and this fireman one looked a lot like his Uncle Jeffy and Uncle Ken!
And now we'll leave you with this shot. Since we are getting ready for India, we needed passports for the boys. Chris was going to take the photos himself to save a little money, but after the photo session with Jed, we decided to take them to the post office and get them made. Here's the best one of the bunch. Can anyone say 'Mug Shot'?
May all of you be blessed this year and thanks for your love and support!!!!!
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