Joey-Natalie-Slade-Naomi

Oh so cute!

This is my adorable niece Addison. She is so funny and I love her to pieces!

This is my beautiful mom with her first grandson baby Kaden.

And this is me with my Kaden. I'm not sure how to hold him the right way, but I think he still likes me anyways.

4 comments:

The VanderHoeven time machine said...: Great photo's.; February 14, 2011 at 6:54 PM
The VanderHoeven time machine said...: last comment from Uncle Mike; February 14, 2011 at 6:55 PM
RobAar said...: I love the sweet picture of you and addie and I can't believe how much Kaden has changed since christmas!; March 8, 2011 at 6:36 AM
The Allens said...: haha! I'm on the phone with Aarika, she told me that you updated your blog and had a cute picture of Kaden, that made me laugh!! You are so cute, and you will get tons of practice with baby Benjamin! Enjoy every minute with him when he comes any day now! I'm so glad she is there with you and you get to experience everything. It is amazing.

Love you and Miss you more than you know.; March 8, 2011 at 2:54 PM

"Beautiful Like the Darkness Between Fireflies"

Every evening on Richmond's boulevard, our front yard, between the hours of 7:oopm & 8:30pm, the sidewalks are filled with the magical glow of fireflies. There are so many that it is almost as if walking in a fairy-tale. Joey and I try to go on a walk every night at this time and we just watch and enjoy the glow. It is fascinating. I feel like a child again. Last night we were sitting on the couch and Joey caught my eyes following a flying bug. Joey assured me it was just a moth, when suddenly it lit up and glowed! It was a firefly in our house! It must be good luck.

WHALES!

I love whales. Why? Christmas 2006 we woke up to sunshine and glassy water on the west side of Maui. I don't even remember opening presents that morning. We were out on the boat as a family and ready for a Christmas packed with tropical adventure. I was wakeboarding when I noticed that everyone on the boat had become disinterested in me and were anxiously looking to my left. They signaled that they were going to drop me. I thought I was left for the sharks and was less than calm until finally they turned to pick me up. It was a family of whales they had spotted. We watched as they sun bathed on the surface, a mother, a calf, and an escort. I think it was my dad who jumped in the water first. Then several of my siblings followed with their snorkles and soon the adrenaline was pumping as we were swimming with the whales! We were screaming and scared and so excited. I have never experienced anything more thrilling. The calf kept trying to swim closer to us, and he was easily bigger than a car! At one point the escort was about 30 feet under us and we starred him in the eye. You could see every detail. Breathless is the only word to describe it.