Nolan's Graduation Day

     December 14th, 2013.  My son Nolan graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dietetics!  A huge reason to celebrate!  He has also recently got engaged to be married to Kay Tetreault.  I am so very proud of him and happy for what the future brings!!

Major Jackson giving the commencement speech.

 Author of three collections of poems:  Holding Company, 2010.  

Hoops, 2006 and Leaving Saturn, 2002.

 

 YOU DID IT!!

 

 

 Nolan and  Miles

 I think it was the coldest day of the year.  Negative 10 or so.

 

 

I really like this picture of me and Mama in the kitchen preparing lunch.

  She did teach me everything I know.

 

Ham salad, lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, cake....

 

Daddy loves a celebration.  He is one proud Grandpa!!

We also celebrated Faith's 12th Birthday!  

Ebby giving Nolan a big hug!

 

 Ebby loved the cake!  Proud as can be sitting with her Uncle Nolan!

I was thrilled to have everyone together so I could take a Christmas Card picture!

Congratulations Nolan.  We are so very proud of your accomplishments; graduation and six years in the Air National Guard and engaged to a lovely girl!!  A Mama could not ask for more~!

Snowy Christmas Walk

      Probably my favorite part of this Christmas 2013 was when we all bundled up to go for a walk with the dogs.  Jacob, Nolan, Kay, Faith, Grover, Layla, Kota and I all headed for a hike.   Paul headed out later on.  I don't mind the cold as long as I dress for the weather, with many layers and always with ski pants on!

The boys didn't want to fall through the ice so crossed over on a little foot bridge.

 The layers of ice and snow are spectacular on every tree!

 

Faith is always most content when she is with her brothers and her dog!

I think my favorite color is the blue of this sky! 

My beautiful kiddos!

Sliding down the hill!  Lots of laughs!



Nolan went belly first!

 Paul is not into hiking.  He prefers horsepower!!!!

 The dueling dogs.

What a view!

Merry Morning to us!

Christmas Afternoon 2013

On Christmas Day, the tradition is to open gifts and eat breakfast at home and then pack up and go to Mom and Dads for dinner at the barn.  We eat dinner and then pile into the living room and sit around the tree to exchange gifts there.  This year, because of the ice storm, Mom and Dad were feeling overwhelmed and underprepared and decided that they did not want to have everyone come there.  This was unprecedented!  (did I spell that right?)  On Christmas Eve the plan was to just eat roast beef sandwiches and skip the veggies to make things easier on Mom.  But they were really not up to it so everyone came to our house instead.  I was not very prepared but Mama sent over the roast beef and I fanangled up a winter squash soup, chips, rice, veggies and we had a variety of stuff!  It was fun but not quite right without Mom and Dad there!  I was happy to do it but sad at the same time.

 

 

 

Cozy on the couch!

                                                          And then the mustaches came out!!

                                                            Audrey and Kelly chilling

                                                               Kelly and Matt
                                       

                                           Al, you look so debonair!  I think Jenna likes it!

 

                              Oh the glorious informality and mess of Christmas day. 

I wouldn't have it any other way!

                                    Jake the tailor. Is that a skull you are sewing on?

 

 

Freddy, you are a character!

Happy together!

I love this precious face!!

 

Put em up, Put em up!!

Kelly is Christmased out!

Even Buzz is sporting a mustachio



My new apron from Susan.  Yes I was here for Christmas!

  Behind the camera all day!

                                                                      Lindsey

The lovely Kay and her fiance Nolan.~!

Keep us the good work Jake!

What a fun day with family.  So grateful for this blog so I can record precious memories!