January

After staying the night at Nona's, Jon and Anna hit some garage sales. Jon got a Star Wars book and a Choose Your Own Adventure book (does anyone remember those? I LOVED those growing up!).

Anna got a cute hooded vest and a tote bag.

Jon at school with his recycled robot. He was very proud of it. I thought he did a great job!

The kids joined AWANA club this month. Every Thursday evening for TWO hours, they go to a local church. They both LOVE it. They memorize verses in King James, and it is really interesting to hear them recite them.

Anna isn't ALWAYS loud. Often times she is quiet and seems to really be thinking some things over. She has been asking some really deep theological questions, such as "Did God invent himself? Because before He created the world, it was all black and it was all dark. So, there was nothing. Did God invent himself?" And other questions such as: "What causes the ketchup to stick to the chicken nugget?" Which doesn't seem deep at first, but really, when you think about how to answer it...?

At home with his robot creation. He made a trap door for the body, which holds a chip inside (that's what he is holding in his hand).

We had our buddy Jaiyden stay the night and we went to Banzai for lunch. Above and below, you can see that he thinks the Dooleys are a little nuts. :)

Jon and Jaiyden.

The Teaching Academy, UCF, Orlando campus. I have one class in Orlando this semester. I love graduate school and I feel really positive that I am in the right program, but I have discovered that it takes a lot more endurance and, you know, actually being focused and using my brain. My brain likes to be lazy, and I was never really challenged quite this way before. So I sort of love/hate it. I am so glad I waited until the kids are older.... I never could have done this when they were babies. I am hoping that between full time school and part time job, by the time I actually get a full time job (hopefully in the 2012-2013 school year, it won't seem so stressful to balance everything. That's what I am hoping, anyways.

Anna drew this on Tux Paint using the mouse. I think it is really good. She has suddenly become very interested in drawing and writing.

I make handwriting worksheets for her to practice writing her AWANA verse.

Anna loves to make large circles with toys. She spends a lot of time on this.

Anna made this picture of me and Daddy getting married. She has a paper doll book, but she likes to draw her own pictures and then tape the paper doll parts onto it. She also did a really cute one of the four of us when she was born, and she put me and her in pajamas because we are always in pajamas in the hospital pictures. She is so cute.

Anna, Trystan, and Jonathan at Nona's house.

We went over to Orlando for Jonathan's orthopedist checkup. Afterwards we ate at Bahama Breeze. Jon is going to be getting a new sort of brace for his foot. It is all plastic and we go and get him fitted for it this week. We have a new doctor and he seems to want to do something... even suggested surgery. We are going to try the orthotic first. It will fit in his shoe and go up to his ankle. It is supposed to correct the way his foot is positioned while walking.

We count down to AWANA every week. The kids look forward to it so much, all week long. I don't quite understand it, because it requires work on their part, but they both really love it.

Anna got her haircut (we are still trying to grow it all out from when she cut her own hair in the fall). They put a pretty bow in her hair. In the car, she looked at herself in the mirror, and said, "I look like a present!"

Anna colored this, and wrote Honey underneath (with me calling out the letters, of course.) Honey is the name of the horse she rides at lessons. It is interesting how all of the sudden she really wants to color and write. I think somebody is ready for Kindergarten!

Anna with her Makoto's leftovers, in the shape of a cat.

Jonathan with his Makoto's leftovers. He requested a foil dog.

Anna and Justine at Makoto's.

Jonathan and Trystan at Makoto's.

Anna, Trystan, Justine, and Jonathan at Makoto's.

Anna, 5 years old.

She is really focused.

Jonathan drew this design and then he and Daddy worked at making it out of popsicle sticks and glue. He gave it to Jason for his birthday.

Jon spying on Justine and her friend.

Anna and I met Dave for lunch at Carraba's.

Lately I've had little time to blog. Or take photos with our camera. I have been snapping pics whenever I can on my Blackberry. So here are some little moments from the past month or so.

Jonathan's Journal

November 29, 2010 "On my break I had a playdate with my cusin. We played Hugrey Hippos and we played outside. Then we played War."

January 7, 2010 "Wen my sister rides the Dogs that makes me smile. And wen my sister says gidyiiup and the dog doe'st move. That makes me smile a lot." {Ok, so I wasn't actually aware that Anna rode the dogs. No wonder they don't move. They are only little shi tzus! But this sounds like a very accurate account of what Anna might do.}

January 10, 2010 "Yesterday was my uncels Birthday. We ate at Modos. I hade the chickin and rice. My cusin and me loved the flams." {We went to Makoto's to eat for my brother Jason's birthday. Jonathan loved the chicken and rice, but the most exciting part was definitely the flams (the flames).}

December 2, 2010
"Once I helped someone because he cant walk with out his stick. I took out the trash. Then I got him a soda. " {Referring to a family friend, Bill. Bill has MS and Anna and Jonathan visit him and help him sometimes.)

Kentucky Christmas Trip 2010, Part 4

Anna and Jonathan on Aunt Meredith's scooter.

Aunt Meredith with Anna. She looks like she loves that scooter.

Helmeted Anna.

Jonathan and Anna.

Anna running around the stop sign like a nut.

We went to Louisville to visit Meredith's new house! We love her new house. I love the colors and the way it is laid out and decorated. It has a great sense of space, cozy and roomy at the same time. Anna was a little confused when were trying to find it. She kept saying, how can there be houses here? It's not a neighborhood. There are stores everywhere! (She is used to subdivisions and suburbs, I guess.)

The kids and me. I adore porch swing pics and try to take them at every opportunity. I was questioning whether this swing would hold Dave and I when it came crashing down. Thankfully we were not hurt and I just feel bad for Meredith's porch swing. I am feeling VERY sensitive about my weight so breaking a porch swing did not help. Also, I screamed my emergency word... one that starts with an F. I am pretty sure Grandma Jane might have heard me... I feel bad about that. She was inside watching the basketball game. (Kentucky won!)

Me: Wow, honey, look there is some sort of predatory bird out in that tree, like an eagle or something.

Grandma Jane: No. It is a vulture. We don't have eagles in Kentucky.

Me: Silence. (Inwardly thinking, that is the fanciest vulture I've ever seen!)

BUT I still don't know what kind of bird this is. Does anyone recognize it? It was QUITE large and beautiful.

Kentucky Christmas Trip 2010, Part 3 Snow Melts Away

Yes, they will fight over anything. Even sticks. When there is nothing but sticks all around. I think competition for resources is what siblinghood is really all about.

Jonathan was very proud of his new boots! He said, Look, I am just like Daddy.

I think so, also.

Just my 3 favorite people in the world! Anna, 5, Jonathan, 7, Dave, 32.

Anna with the white cat. I am coming up on my tenth year in this family and I still don't know that cat's name. But she is a beautiful and sweet cat, and the kids are always happy to see her.

Jonathan LOVES being outside at Grandma Jane's. So much open space. So many sticks.

Anna set this pose up all by herself. It was her idea to put her foot up on the rock and hand on hip and hold onto the walking stick Jon found for her. She is something else!