New Year's Eve!

We got a great offer from MB & Kristi: They wanted to babysit Connor on New Year's Eve! Well that worked fine for us, as we had two parties to hit that night. The first was a bunch of our friends from high school, and that was a great time. We left there around 10:00 and went to a party thrown by one of the gals from Tanaz. She and her husband just build a new house and it's really geared toward throwing incredible parties. So we were there from 10:30 until maybe 2:00, which of course covered the big countdown at midnight. A couple photos from that party, and my two favorite women with me just after the ball dropped!

(Just kidding Holly... she's probably mortified!) ;-)

Random Christmas Photos.

I don't even need a reason!! Just some random shots from around the holidays... the boy loves his bear Timothy, and his spinning top (a gift from his great-grandma). And of course Connor still loves eating dirt!

Christmas at the Wilterinks!

On Christmas Day we go to Jerry (Jodi's Dad) & Wendy's house for a big breakfast and then gifts. This is my second year in a row going, and it gets better every year. It's really geared more toward all the grandkids, but we got a digital picture frame that we just love. Of course Connor did well as always, and the other kids too.

Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve came up really quickly it seems like. Unfortunately half of "my Dad & Tina" couldn't make it, as Tina had some health problems that thankfully were resolved with a good outcome. So we still had my brother & Kristi, Mom & Dad, Jodi, me, and of course our little superstar Connor. He was and continues to be the hit of every party or family gathering, that's for sure. He's not quite old enough to understand the meaning of Christmas, but he sure likes tearing off wrapping paper and beating and throwing things. Maybe next year we can explain about baby Jesus, immaculate conception, and that sort of thing.

As a side note, we had to put all our gifts up this year, because if they were under the tree they wouldn't last five minutes with the little man wandering around!

C to the D in the B!!

Connor's latest thing is trying see if he can fit into small spaces, like boxes or wicker baskets. Just one photo, but you get the idea. This was just before Christmas.

The Latest.

Not much to update, really. We've got our Christmas decorations up, and our cards are all sent. While I miss going to Long Island for Christmas, it's also nice to just be home with no stressful travel. I'm not going back to work until January 3, and we've got plenty of nice plans with family and friends for the holidays. Our lower level is almost finished, as we're just waiting on carpet now, so I'll put some photos of that up soon enough. We had a friend and her two year old daughter over yesterday, and she and Connor were running around like crazy people for about an hour... I mention it because we were reminded Yet Again why we're finishing that lower level space. Connor needs a play room, and we need our sanity--especially for when he has friends over, or better yet, a little brother or sister.

At any rate, some photos of the lake house project, and later, the two new rooms downstairs.

Progress!

The house is coming along all right. We are going to Holland tomorrow for a Hope basketball game, so we'll check things out in person I'm sure. I haven't been there in a month I think.

While we were away...

The work continues in Holland. Framing looks good, but it's been too windy to get the trusses up for the roof. To me the place looks a little small, but when I asked the builder if we could make some changes he looked at me like I was crazy.

Home.

We couldn't stay forever, although there are times I think of doing just that. After church we started packing, and said our goodbyes. We had just six or seven hours to PA, on paper, but we had trouble yet again. One of the tires was going flat, and there was brutal traffic in NJ and PA (again the LIE ran great--go figure). When I woke up Monday morning the tire was flat, and it was freezing rain outside. Not a good situation, but I finally got the tire changed with the help of a car guy who had a "real deal" jack, a sledge hammer, and some wooden blocks. We made it.

Thanks to Ambien (TM), who is no way sponsors this site, for coming up with a really effective drug for children!!!

Church.

We went to the Methodist church on Sunday morning. My grandparents have been going there since they moved to Southold in 1975, so it's another place rich with memories for me. Unfortunately the congregation is much smaller these days, but the pastor (who is a woman, by the way--and doing a terrific job) puts her heart into every service, and it's not lost on me any time I am there. We had some cake and coffee after the service, but I knew my time was short... I had Pennsylvania on my mind.

It was cute to have Connor using the walker, as more than one person remarked that "you come in using the walker, and you'll go out using the walker". True enough.

Grandma's 90th Birthday!

On Saturday night we went out to dinner at Skippers, which is a place where we've dined for 20 years at least. Dinner was great, and Grandma had a nice and memorable evening. My crazy uncle Jeff was there as well of course, but I only can say it that way because he doesn't have internet access at the Jamesport house. Or an actual computer. And I'm pretty sure he wouldn't know how to find this site even if he did. My uncle's heart is in the right place though, and he loves his mother more than anything else.

Long Island in the fall.

This is the Long Island I grew up in. The views and the water are actually more beautiful than these photos can display. And boating in Long Island is about as good as it gets.