Here are a couple of pictures. The large family photo is of ALL the McGladreys at the family Christmas a couple of days ago. I can't believe we crammed everyone into one photo!!

The other two pics are classic nightime routine around here - Jude ends up playing in a laundry basket because 1) I am always doing laundry, so there is always a basket around; and 2) Jude can't sit up w/out falling over and injuring himself, so I use it for support and entertainment. Tonight Samuel thought it would be fun to climb in and share toys. Samuel left, Jude cried and apparently I think it's appropriate to snap a picture instead of pick him up.

It's Samuel's birthday tomorrow (New Year's Eve - what a lucky boy!!). Colin and I are amazed at how fast three years have gone, yet we can't remember life without that sweet boy. What a blessing to have babies!

White Christmas!

Here are just a few pics I post hastily before running off to the last Christmas get-together. These pics are from the Rainier Christmas. Samuel and Wes were inseparable; the one of Colin, Goat and his dad is self-explanatory ("why are you taking ANOTHER picture?") and Jude enjoyed bows and ribbons much more than the actual gifts....

Rainier Pics

Colin and I travelled back to Rainier for Christmas - the town we grew up in. It's small, but I decided to take Erin, Jake and Goat out for a fun photo shoot downtown (lol - we had to avoid backgrounds like an 80's Porsche jump starting a 70's van). Who knew Rainier could have such bright colors and rich textures?

I'm still working on the hoards of Christmas pics I took of the kids which will be posted soon....

A few random pics...

Here's a picture of Addy, Jen's baby girl, on Friday. She's so precious and chubby, I could just eat her up!
















And here's a close-up of Cade...



















My long lost friend, Katie, who moved to Pittsburg over a
year ago, came to visit with her husband, Wendall, and helped
Samuel put together hand print ornaments.





















Samuel recieved a pair of "working muffs" from Colin, as
he has become very scared of the construction noises
going on in our house all the time.

It's a Neon Christmas

Alas!! It was Christmas cookie day. After a harried trip to Trader Joe's, the bank and other various errands around Southeast today, I settled into my baking - the house was filled with wonderful smells and after dinner, Samuel and I began decorating our sugar cookies. As usual, I struggle with the traditional colors of red and green and opted for dark teal, lime, deep vivid green and an awful, accidental "rose" color. All in all, the cookies are neon in color and horrendously ugly, but Samuel had a blast and that's all I was really going for. We will share our treats with the blessed neighbor who ALWAYS brings my empty garbage cans down my driveway on Thursdays and the sweet Bible Study girls I meet with on Friday mornings. Our next baking venture will be the chocolate cake I promised we would bake for Jesus' birthday. It finally feels like the true meaning of Christmas has alighted upon my house - and I can breathe a sigh of relief at that....

Yay for Photoshop Training!

Thanks to Mindy for teaching me how to do cards in Photoshop! Gone are the days of Colin and I staring at the computer screen, completly perplexed. And while this is not a perfect creation, at least I'm on my way to creative bliss and perhaps a bit of digital scrapbooking. With ALL my spare time - LOL.

Thanks again, Mindy!! And don't think I won't be calling for refreshers....

Crib Visitation

Samuel charged into the bathroom this morning while I was showering and asked if Jude should still be napping or if it was okay to go see him. After I granted him permission and got out of the shower, this is what I found. Do note that Jude doesn't really enjoy sharing a crib with his big brother...

Lots of Boys

Colin's brother, Goat, and his cousin, Smi (names have been changed to preserve their identity - just kidding - those are their nicknames), stayed the night last night to attend Colin's dad's birthday party today. Promptly at 6:45 a.m., Samuel skipped over to Goat sleeping on the couch, at which point Goat decided to finish his slumbering with Smi where kids could not reach him. Upon waking 4 hours later, both of my boys ended up in thier uncle's bed and I snapped off a picture. Fun for everyone! I just hope he doesn't know I'm posting this photo....

Later we headed to Hawthorne to Riyhad's (a great Lebanese restaurant, if anyone is looking for one). Jude got held by Joy (he seems to love her!) and Andrew, who I caught slipping Jude some hummus, pita, baba ganoosh, etc.,.

After the meal, I asked Wes (Samuel's cousin) to pose for some pics. He is incredibly photogenic and was wearing really bright colors, which is always fun. Then the boys raced down the sidewalk in their usual fashion.

As much as I dream of having a girl someday, I just know what to do with boys. And my cup runneth over.....

Attempt at Christmas Cards

After toiling over Photoshop in an attempt to create my own Christmas card template, I'd come up with one I was pleased with. After uploading this one to Costco's website, I realized I forgotten to resize the paper and wound up with a document that was 8x10, and really, who has postage for 40-50 envelopes of that size? I realize I still have no clue what I'm doing, but I've created a completly different card on another 4x6 layout. Do note that I have done this after spending hours handmaking 14 Christmas cards. Ugh!

Christmas cookies have not begun, but we did decorate our Christmas tree tonight. I'm feeling absolutely overwhelmed this year as far as gifts (meaning the number of recipients on my list) are concerned. I've tried to pinpoint the exact moment at which the true meaning of Christmas was lost among the gift lists and trips to various retailers. Further, how can I hurredly come up with Christian traditions (customized to our little family) to pass down to my boys, so as to not water down the roots of what Christmas is, when I am so busy aiming to please 30+ people on a shoestring budget? Ahh!!! There has got to be a better way to do this. Maybe I start the '08 Christmas shopping the day after Christmas this year? Pass your suggestions my way, if you have some...

More Christmas Spirit

Actually, child labor really ISN'T in the Christmas spirit, but he insisted on helping me mop yesterday =). Do note how the floor is flooded with mop water - ugh. But definetely picture worthy....

Auntie Sarah invited us over to make sugar cookies with her and Samuel enjoyed eating them more than anything else. I have promised him a day of making Christmas cookies at home - should be interesting! Samuel also donned antlers, but would not stand still for the photo. It's so much fun having kids around the holidays! Jude has been a bit off lately, I am assuming he's battling the cold that went around our house, but he woke up screaming unconsolably last night. I finally gave in to my old friend, Tylenol, and he slept the rest of the night peacefully. He has taken to laughing anytime Samuel cries, and Colin and I are wondering what that means?

A few more pics...

Here are a couple more cool ones of Sarah from yesterday.

In the Christmas Spirit

For my friend Sarah's Christmas present, I offered to snap off some pics now that she's back in the States (home from Japan). We went to the Pearl District, because I REALLY need bright colors working in my favor. It was so fun and hilarious that people thought we were someone important doing a photo shoot. Luckily her dad let me borrow his beautiful Nikon SLR camera, so almost every picture was crisp from the get-go. Less work for me in Photoshop - yay! We had to hurry to Starbucks afterward to warm up with coffee, which I can't be mad about.

Samuel Uptown

Yesterday we went to NW Portland to see Colin's grandma for a bit, and I convinced Samuel to walk around the neighborhood to see if I could get some cool pics. I like altering photos with Photoshop, so I played with saturating and desaturating the colors in these. I actually bribed Samuel with a piece of gum, as he hates pictures - but hey, I'll take what I can get.

The photo of the boys is while Samuel and Colin were wrestling - nice action shot!! Jude was just posing.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but my latest feat is to save money for a nice camera - probably a Canon XTi, so I don't have to spend sooo much time on Photoshop. I really want to fill my family photo albums with beautiful pictures.

Jude in a Bucket

We had a low-key day today as Oregon weather seems to have turned to torrential rains and high winds. As cagey as I get being home all day, we found creative things to do, like put Jude in a bucket and have Samuel push him around the house. Samuel also spent a good deal of time at my picture table (a table that mocks me every time I walk by it, as I am so behind on archiving my pictures into albums) gazing at himself. I attempted to start my Christmas card making, but plans were foiled when Samuel spread stamp ink everywhere making his "cards".

It looks like we will be making a last minute trip to San Jose at week's end to attend a family funeral. Please be praying for Colin's family in general - there will be some tough choices ahead for them.

Samuel at Papa's Work

Colin took Samuel to his work this week and if this isn't a little boy's dream come true, I don't know what is! I've tried to bring these super grainy photos back to life - how much do I love the "Old Photo" button on Photoshop???! Our next goal is to take Samuel to drive Uncle Ricky's forklift....