Flashback Friday

This was Christmas morning in 2004 when we visited Brad's mom and dad. I was there too but it was before the days of selfies so someone had to be the photographer.

Other Random Faves

The pictures seem limitless. Over the last few days I've posted lots from the week, but believe me there are more. Here are a few of my other favorites, in no particular order. And full disclosure, I'm in a lot of them. Because how can my favorite pictures not be of me with Lloyd, Rosie, Freddie, or Owen?

Walking to a park.

After the Ravens beat the Packers, Andy's dad photo-shopped our group Christmas picture and made this zinger.  

The sweetest face.

The girl likes to count.

What a little nut.

This was our vibe.

This was our vibe too.

Decorating cookies with toddlers and mail carriers.

The fearless slider.

Reading to her cousin.

Cameras.

It's always nice to be greeted upon arrival.

Owen's first Christmas did not disappoint.

Nor did his first time eating beets.

Keeping an eye on things.

Cleaning crew.

Playtime.

More of the week's vibe.

Uncle John calling to order the meeting of extraordinary gentlemen.

Heading out to the park.

Those smiles.

Ending with more of our Christmas vibe.

Christmas

We all gathered at Mary and Andy's house in our Christmas pajamas for gift opening.

And for picture taking.

Some kids were more squirmy than others.

It was Owen's first Christmas and he had a lot of fun. 

The cousins sat together to eat the traditional Christmas brunch fare of Mrs. Coin's French Toast.

There was plenty of time for play.

Not only for the small kids.

And of couse I didn't let anyone get away before we took a group photo.
 

Flashback Friday

Last year's cousin convention was so crazy with sickness that I don't even have a picture of all three of them together. But this year we'll try again, and instead of three we'll have four now that Owen is on the team. We're excited to be in Baltimore and looking forward to a fun week.

The Harrison Christmas Cousin Summit

Lloyd, Rosie, and Freddie were here the week before Christmas. It was the first time they'd all been together. We got some sports equipment as an outside activity for Lloyd and Rosie, both of whom showed an interest in future careers as caddies. 

When she wasn't caddying, Rosie spent time getting to know Freddie. It was her first time to be the big cousin and she took the job seriously.

Freddie's specialty is spreading the love. Everybody held him and he charmed us all.

Speaking of charming us all.

The pictures don't lie: Great Grandma was quite popular.

One evening we took a trolley ride to look at Christmas lights in a neighborhood called Winterhaven.

The next day we went to the zoo, where Rosie and her parents looked at the elephants.

And Lloyd fed a giraffe with his mom.

Back at home Rosie kept bonding with Freddie.

I brought this group to visit Aunt Joyce at memory care. 

We had Christmas morning a few days early and no one was the wiser.

Rosie and Freddie are modeling the cousins' matching Christmas pajamas.

All in all the week was exactly what one would expect when seven adults, two toddlers, and an infant are under one smallish roof: a little bit of chaos and an awful lot of fun. Merry Christmas to all!

Flashback Friday

In 2004 we had Christmas at home in Yokohama before we headed to Arizona for the kids' holiday break. If you look closely you can see that Mary's holding everyone's favorite gift that year: a 20gb iPod. Each of them got one with their name engraved on it. I guess in the early years of Apple handheld devices, we thought it was important to differentiate them. I don't remember iPod cases being a thing that early, or if they were we weren't in on it.

The Rest of Thanksgiving, At Home and Abroad

While the rest of us were in Denver for Thanksgiving weekend, Rosie and her parents visited the Polish city of Wrocław. They went to a Christmas market and generally enjoyed getting to see a new part of the country.

When Rosie got home she took the first step in her new career as an overalls model.

Meanwhile in Denver, Freddie schooled Aunt Mary on how to change a diaper.

We went to see the Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo.

We went out for breakfast and Lauren joined us.

More from breakfast.

Lloyd shopped for a new bike, which raised the age-old question: nature or nuture?

Freddie was glued to the TV while the Packers were on. See above re: nature or nuture?

And then it was time for one more breakfast, this time with all the Kidds, before heading home.

We had a fun time in Denver for Thanksgiving weekend. It was great to have Mary and Andy there. We missed not seeing Peter and Jessa but soon enough they will be here for an early Christmas visit, and the bonus on top of that bonus is that John and Troy will be here too.