Spending time with my niece and nephew

... on mom's birthday. Don't Silas and his cousin, Deakin, look a lot alike? They even have the same birthday - 1 year apart. Silas is the youngest.

Photos from our annual SolMas HanKwa party!

HO HO DAY pics

A full house on Ho Ho's big night

SLEEPOVER!

What fun! All our kids - cept for Shannan (pout!) - came home for the holiday! Chrissy, Amanda, and Alex slept over for Ho Ho's big night. Silas was so excited. Grandma stayed over too,

which she always does, and Silas was absolutely thrilled. Here's a few photos of the kids opening Grandma's gifts on the 24th.

Maybe next year Shannan and the kids will join our sleepover. And that would truly be the best gift ever!

Tracking Ho Ho

Silas kept an online eye on Ho Ho ... and when he was getting close, he laid out some milk and cookies. (I LOVE that photo!)

And the Dr Pepper Santa Claus has been with me for more than 20 years. My great grandparents owned a store and it was given to them as a promotional display in the late 70's or early 80's. And I loved it, so I got it! I drag the poor fella out every year... I cherish him because he reminds me of my beloved great grandparents (Carl & Dorothy) whom I love and miss bunches.

Lucas turns 4 !!

A few photos from Lucas's 4th birthday party. I can't believe both Silas and Lucas as FOUR YEARS OLD! Where did the time go? They're almost ready for school... actually, Silas is ready. I'm not.

Happy SolMas HanKwa!

Happy SOL-MAS HAN-KWA!!!!
No matter your reason, we wish you the very best this season! Here's hoping you have...* A magical winters SOLstice* a merry ChristMAS* a happy HANukah* and an amazing KWAnza

Peace, Love, and Good Will to you all!!

The Andrews FamilyScott, Terri, Chrissy, Alex, Jake, Silas + Amanda, Shannan, Shelby, and Lucas

PS: And may your next year be bliss!

Another Lucky Shot

I really like these in-flight photos of the birds outside my living room window.

I spend a great deal of time watching and photographing them, and every now and then I capture something that thrills me. This is one of those photos. They're fighting for the gourd and I was able to capture the squabble.

You like?

Backyard critters

The squirrel is finally making friendly with the food I'm setting out for him. Isn't he a pretty fella? I watched him for the better part of my morning... sipping tea in my PJ's and slippers, eating a bit of breakfast while he ate his. I suspect that he had no idea that he was joining me for my morning meal, but that's just fine. I enjoyed his company nonetheless.

Gettin' into this thing they call Bird Watching

I love these photos... especially the last one.

What a lucky shot!

Birdwatching on a sunny afternoon

A few random early December shots

Holiday lights in my window. Rain on our front bushes. A jet shooting across the sky. Lots of different moon phases. And sky pics.

The first of many

...holiday Parties for this season. Here's a few of the kids (along with their little cousin Rachel - in Alex's arms, Cory and Levi with Jake and Silas with his look-alike cousin, Wyatt)

Watching them like a hawk

Well... I'm actually watching the hawks like a hawk.

They're one of my favorite birds, and I love to watch them fly - constantly calling to their mate - over top our house, especially this past summer when it seemed to be a daily occurance.

Years ago Scott and I were driving down the road and a hawk flew right into the passenger door of our car, hitting the window where I was sitting. We quickly pulled over, and the hawk was actually sitting - completely stunned - in the center of the highway. Scott went over and picked it up, to get it off the road, and it was so rattled and shook up that it actually LET Scott take care of him. We didn't know what to do, but a man pulled up and said he knew where a wildlife facility was and offered to take the bird to the facility to be checked out. It happend so quick, and it was as weird as it was extraordinary.

More Fun-Guys

I'm not too sure what my attraction to weird yard fungus is... it is fungus, isn't it? Or is it fungas? No, that looks wrong. I'll go with the first one.. But anyway, I'm not too sure why I enjoy photographing them do much, but I'll actually lay on the soaking wet ground, walk through bug infested creeks or hang off a tree limb to get a good shot. This one was a bit easier, though. I was putting wood on a backyard fire and they sprang up in what seemed like mere minutes!