MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

Rachel & Trev --- We missed you!

Well -- life is full of surprises and this Christmas was no exception. Jenna,Sam and Leo planned a road trip -- first to Yuba Duba for the week BEFORE Christmas (isn't there a poem about that!?) and then on to Portland to celebrate the holiday with the Tunes clan ...... well, just in case you hadn't heard --- THERE WAS A TON OF SNOW IN PORTLAND!!! and even tho they decided to fly from here -- flights were cancelled due to a snowed - in airport ........ so we got to celebrate together after all!
They did eventually make their way north-- and stayed thru New Year's --- AFTER the snow melted a bit.

Here are some highlights of our

~ ~ 12 days of Christmas ~ ~

. . I KNOW there's a present in here

- - - somewhere


And now, I'll show it who's boss!

Of course, EVERYTHING must be climbed on!

SUCCESS

COOKIN' W/MIMI ........

believe me, this was SERIOUS BUSINESS ....
EATIN' MANDARINS ... skin & all!!

CHASIN' raindrops

&
runnin' thru puddles w/GRAMPA!!
(Must I mention he was SOAKED

till we were done --- but what fun!!)

RIDIN' my new PLASMACAR from

David & Judie !!!!! love that thing!

wouldn't YOU like to ride on my

BeauTiFul BalLooN?

Uncle Pete sent us a 'blast from our past'
. . . TASTYKAKES!!!

and Grampa certainly wasted no time

introducing them to Leo ----

I think it's called bonding?


. .Don't you LOVE the look on that face ?

. . . Leo's, I mean!

An honorary ride for Mom-Mom Keifer &

Aunt Kathie!!

This little rocker has a lot of history ---

It made it thru 4 Keifer kids (Beckie's side

of the family), 2 Miller siblings and

sundry other friends & family.

Mom-Mom Keifer would be proud Leo.

Headed out for yet another round!

Oh yeah, he DID fit some sleep

time in there somewhere!

Makin' music with Dad & Grampa

Leo's first 'beater lickin' ....

Hmmmmm.......this tastes familiar

Definitely NOT(yet)a 'beater' guy!

Can you believe it?

Another outside excursion with Mom & Dad

. . . I can't figure out why they BOTH

want to hold onto my hands!

OH --- that's why! .....

This picture takin' is for the birds!!

Seeeeee? there IS better stuff on the ground!

Kickin' the tires with Grampa ......

One last Jazz Session .....

. . .'Trainin' for the Future!

and One Final Picture with Grampa & Mimi

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

&
TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!

LEO'S 1ST BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!

We can hardly believe Leo is ONE already!! Where did the time go? Well, for that matter, Ken & I can hardly believe that Leo's mommy, our own 'baby' is almost 30!!! In just a SNAP of the fingers ......... :)

Auntie RaRa & Uncle TT proudly hosted Leo's first birthday party ~~~

Heffe was SO disappointed that he didn't get a lick of icing!!

Leo wasn't too sure about 'diggin' in to those banana cupcakes -- even if they did look like his favorite animal! voovoo

The funniest part was this long row of adults stretched out in front of this little boy ...... singing & taking video & pictures ..... Leo LOVED it when we all sang the birthday song --- in English & Portugese!! What a lucky boy!

I'm pretty sure Leo thought we were all crazy!!

Leo probably had the most fun at the 'after-party' .... when Uncle TT taught him how to manuever the stairs & chased him all around!!!

Simple times ..... special times........

Did I mention we LOVE this boy!?!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEO!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

Little late in posting --- but like everyone
I've talked to has said, Thanksgiving and
Christmas seemed closer than ever this year.

We had a wonderful time in Murietta &

Oceanside with our kids & their families.

Sam's mom & dad, Sergio & Marta and

her sister, Nicy, visited too - so we were all

together on Turkey day. Jenna & Sam

hosted at their house-every single food

item was fabulous .... Jenna even packed

fresh herbs & butter under the turkey

skin....(Isn't the skin the best part?)

And of course, no Thanksgiving dinner

would be complete w/o the requisite

after-dinner mint ........oops, I mean NAP!

We stayed with Rachel & Trevor at their new

in Oceanside --- went to Rubys on the Pier

one day - just enjoying the beautiful CA coast

and being together.

Also got to meet up with Trevor's mom&dad

Mary & Dale, for brunch (my fav meal)

at a really neat place right on the water in

La Jolla- that's gotta be one of the most

picturesque spots on the CA coast.
Our time down south was so enjoyable --

lots of coffee & relaxin'!
Thanks T & Ra for being the hosts with the

most -LOVE your new place!

Let's see .... what new things is Leo doin'? ......

CLIMBING .......... on EVERYTHING!!!

Workin' his way up ..........Vertical .....

Still not sure it's safe ......

AND

..............Giving out lots of love .......

..........AND

.........Stackin' stuff with Grampa!!!

. . . . . AND . . . .

. . . AS ALWAYS . . .

. . takin' pictures with Mimi & Grampa!!!!

~~~~Always the best part!! ~~~

BRODY'S FINALLY HERE!

Well, he's finally here -- a week late, but just in time for Christmas. At 12:33am on December 23rd, Ashley & Jerame welcomed their son, Brody Michael Park to the world...... and now Leo has a cousin! A newborn at Christmas sure makes you think about Jesus entering our world as an infant ...... Our prayer is that He will bless Brody's little life ..... we can't wait to watch him grow~