Christmas 2008: The Season in Pictures

For some reason, I am completely incapable of uploading photos in the correct order in blogspot. I'm working on the problem, but in the meantime, please enjoy these Christmas photos, quite obviously in no particular order...

Will shows off the Erector Set be built with Daddy...
or more accurately, he watched Daddy build.

Will wearing his new Night Vision goggles. They are very cool.
Mommy and Daddy have been playing too.

Will opens his iPod from Mommy and Daddy.
It was this or a Nintendo DS and we're just not quite
ready to give up on the video game time suck fight
quite yet.

Molly got Will an I-Cy (a Penguin speaker that dances with the iPod)
and Will was obviously very thankful.

Will loves Bionicles so he was happy he got THREE from
Mema and Poppy.

All three of the kids love Tom and Jerry so they were thrilled
with Will's Tom and Jerry's Greatest Hits DVD.

Molly with Molly, American Girl, in the matching PJs
that Nanny made for them.

The church had snow "blown in" after the Christmas Eve service.
The kids were trying to figure out what to do with it.

Jack decided it was a tasty treat.

Will and Molly decided it was fun to pelt people with.
Fake snow doesn't make soft snowballs very well,
but instead nice, hard iceballs.

Molly and Daddy went on their annual Nutcracker ballet
date early this December. Daddy surprised Molly with
a real nutcracker. She loves it.

Molly was Mary in the live nativity during one of the
Christmas Eve services. She was checking herself out
before the service. I think she thought she was as cute
as her mommy did.

Will bought Molly an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas.
He was so proud to pick it out himself.

Every little girl loves a new, pink dress.

All dressed up for the Nutcracker Ballet date.

Molly hasn't taken off her new Croc boots for days.

Molly meets Molly, American Girl.

Jack has one show he REALLY loves, Word World.
He was excited to get "Cow."

Jack takes a picture of Mommy with Molly's new camera.

We got Jack Elmo's Restaurant for his birthday.
We were hoping he'd leave Molly's kitchen alone now.
He does. He loves his restaurant. Mostly, he loves
pulling the doors off.

Jack was lugging his choo-choo to Daddy to open.
Whew, that was hard work!

Mema gave Jack a bunch of little monsters and books
about them. He was NOT a fan of this one!

This is how I found Jack when I came back downstairs
after cleaning up all of the new toys.
My own personal Jack in the Box.

Jack rides his favorite new choo-choo.

Our family on Christmas Eve.

Christmas with the Bennetts... and Lowerys...
and Edneys... and Brumbelows.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Love you!

Accountability in Our Children

I am angry. I am very angry. I am disappointed in the disrespectful, criminal behavior of some of our youth. And, I am disappointed in our Police Department and their failure to require accountability from those who break the law, regardless of their perceived seriousness of the event.

Tonight, while driving to the store to pick up some things for Molly's Christmas party at school tomorrow, I was startled by several loud noises on the passenger side of my car. When I turned to the right, I saw an old model gold Honda Accord with four teen-aged boys throwing things at my car from the backseat. When they saw me startle and turn toward them, they began laughing and joking with each other. This is the second time I have had something thrown at my car while driving this year. The first time caused damage to the car. If anyone had been around me at the time, I likely would have been in an accident because I swerved into the other lane. This time, I decided I would not just angrily go on my way. I was not looking to have some mischievous kids thrown in jail. But a call to a parent or a visit to the front door from an officer would've illustrated the principle that there are consequences to all of our actions. I dialed the police and mouthed to the teenagers that I was doing so. They pulled into a store parking lot and I followed and read the license plate number. I continued to follow the car as I talked with the police. They asked if the young men were still throwing things at the car. I said no, as they were aware at this point that I was contacting the police and knew their license plate number. The sergeant directed me to stop following the car and drive to the nearest police location and file a report. The police station was only about two blocks away so I drove straight there. I told the officer the information and he said he would go write up the report and return with the case number. I sat in the station waiting an hour, with only one other person in the station who chose to leave because his situation was taking so long. When the officer returned, he told me that the sergeant had directed me to file the wrong report (a road rage event). He then stated that this wasn't criminal mischief either and said all he could do was write it up as a traffic offense. I asked why this was not criminal mischief. He said it was not criminal mischief because there was not monetary damage to my car. So, I asked, "You are telling me that a young man can intend to throw things at my car while I am driving and because it happened to not cause physical damage, he cannot be held accountable for that reckless behavior?" He laughed and said, "Well, I can intend to rob a bank but unless I do it, nothing is going to happen to me." I said, "But, you didn't actually rob the bank, they actually did throw objects at a moving vehicle." He then said sarcastically, "Well, I could pull them all in here for a line up for you. Could you point them out in a line up?" I said, "I could point out the driver." He said, "Well, you told me yourself that the driver didn't throw anything." I said, "So, no one is going to find out who owns this car and atleast talk to them?" He said, "I don't know. I just write up the initial report and whatever happens after that is out of my hands." I said, "Is there any way for me to find out what has happened with the case?" He said, "I don't know." At this point, I threw up my arms and walked out of the police station.

It is not surprising to me that we are raising a generation of disrespectful youth. When a car full of teen-aged boys can throw things at a moving vehicle with the intent to scare the driver or possibly cause damage and/or an accident and then laugh hysterically when they see that they have succeeded and then not so much as have a talking-to from a well-meaning officer or have his parents contacted about the incident, I believe we have failed in a large way to teach accountability and ought not be surprised when our youth have none.

I will be writing a letter to our local paper and contacting the police department to file a complaint.

Pics from the Weekend

Molly had a recital and had the worst cold she's ever had, but she was a trooper and made it through beautifully. It was her first tap. I was so proud!

Texas Snow Part 2

After the kids went to bed last night, I peeked out the window and the snow had been continuing to come down. So, I changed from my pajamas to some warm clothes and Dave and I headed outside with the camera. Now, my Texas man appreciates the beauty of the snow but looked at me as though I was a little nuts when I suggested we make snow angels and have a snow ball fight. But, despite his dislike of cold, wet clothes, he took one for the team and landed on his back in the snow. There is a reason I love this man...

The view from our front door...

Our house with its pretty blanket of snow.

Snow covered plants. Yes, we took pictures of everything.

This was after some neighborhood kids stole most of the snow
from our mailbox. But, I still made Dave take a picture.

Last but not least, one of our snow angels. So much cold, wet fun!

Texas Snow

It's a rarity but it sure is fun! My browser is set to come up to the weather when I open it. This afternoon, I went online and as I was about to click on a bookmark and shoot myself off into internet oblivion, I noticed something strange. The thumbnail pics lined up across the top of the screen that show a tiny little snapshot of the weather over the next five days were begun by one I hadn't seen before. It had these oddly symmetrical white shapes floating on it. Wait, I've seen those somewhere before. Could they be... snowflakes!? YAY! I anticipated the rest of the day until Dave called around 5 to report that indeed there were flurries at his office. Several hours later, though I think the word "flurries" is a bit of a stretch, I went outside and willed myself into believing that the tiny ice pellets were snowflakes. It accumulates, it is cold and white, and you can make a ball out of it, so that is all that matters as far as I am concerned!

Here is our 2008 snowy photo op:

The first (and quite possibly only) snowball of the season...

Jack needs a bigger coat (I do have one but this was close). Sorry little man.
Your nose will thaw out soon...

Will named our snowman, "Snowy." He's sort of melancholy, don't you think.
He's contemplating the reality that too quickly his end is drawing near.

Molly is sporting her new coat from Nanny today. Quite precious.
The boys used the nap mat to sled off the car after the picture.

And a comparison of snowman 2004 - the last time it snowed in Houston - on Christmas Eve.
I think I'm closer to mastering the art of miniature snowman making.

Merry Christmas!!!

Fall Fun Pics

Here are some of the pictures from some of our Fall outings. My camera went nuts at the Fall Festival, so I need to get copies of my mom's pictures to upload.

We went to Dewberry Farm and this is the kids on a big tractor wheel.

"Seriously?" This is Jack at a friend's birthday party with his signature face.

Dewberry Farm Corn Train

Will posing at the Farm. My beautiful boy.

Molly right before she rolled down the hill in this giant pipe.

Jack and Mommy rolling down the slide.

Jack loved the little chicks.

We went to a ranch and Will got on the horse. Not too fond of riding him though!

Molly loved her horsey ride.

Molly participated in the bike rodeo at school. Will did also for Cub Scout points.

Jack at the pumpkin patch.

All of us at the pumpkin patch. $18 for a pumpkin!? Huh!?