Christmas at the Pappas'

I love family time! What a joyous occasion to be celebrating Our Lord's birth with those you hold most dear. Mom and Pops had a house full as Uncle Steve and Crystal drove up from Davie, Aunt Cary, April and Troy came over from Maitland, Nikki, Michael, Austin, Morgan, Kaelyn and Addison drove over from Deltona and Rory, Dylan and I from 5 minutes up the street.

Nikki and I
The younger guys - uhmm great posing:)

The younger gals - now we know how to get close:)

April with the three layer red velvet cake master piece.

She did a great job making it look as great as it tasted!

Dylan totally enjoying his couch/bed from his Aunt Nikki and family

Notice the little ones, Dylan and Addison, they have switched toys. Gau-Gau and Pops bought Dylan Handy Manny and Addi a pink wagon. Guess the kiddos decided to trade for the night:)

Daddy helping Dylan get to playing with talking Handy Manny and his tools.

Myself, My Wonderful Mom, Sweet Sister Nikki and adorable niece Addi

With My dear cousin Crystal and Uncle Steve

Addison and Austin

Kaelyn and Dylan

Morgan and Dylan

We had a wonderful time. Dylan especially LOVED being with his cousins. For days prior to family time all he can talk about are his cousins of course this lasts for days afterwards as well. Saying his prayers before bed after Christmas at Gau-Gau and Pops, he even prayed keep healthy cousins:)

Thankfully after this family gathering we are still able to tell Dylan he gets to see more cousins. As we are heading down to see Rory's side of the family on Christmas.

Family Time is Priceless!

Making Christmas Cookies

Dylan and Mom had a great time making Christmas cookies this year:) As you see below we even took a break to play the drums on the refrigerator with the measuring spoons:)

I am personally a very messy cook must be part of the reason I hate the clean up;) Dylan wasn't so bad we only had a little more of the ingredients on the floor than normal:)

This is one of my favorite aspects of clean up:) Obviously Dylan was enjoying it as well

Don't ask what the front blobs are - Dylan thought they were neat so we kept them.

(excuse all the boxes on the counter we are moving in 9 days)

waiting waiting waiting - the hardest part of cookie baking!

"I like it!"

Saint Augustine's Winter Wonderland

This afternoon we headed out to enjoy Christmas festivities at Saint Augustine's Winter Wonderland. It was pretty chilly for us Floridians though there wasn't any snow;) The fake snow is pumped out later in the evening. We by passed the ice slide and ice skating and instead enjoyed the scenery, Elf Village, Candy Cane Forest, The North Pole and the train.

Going in for a hugDylan had a ball at the Elf Village - the little homes were just his size. He went into the miner's cabin and I asked him what he was doing inside. He replied working. I asked what he was working on and he said a tunnel:) In another cottage, he said he was making Christmas decorations. I love an active imagination!

This was my favorite little house - so very Christmasy

Rory and Dylan entering the Candy Cane forest Dylan took a rest in Santa's comfy recliner at the North Pole

We had a wonderful time together:)

BIG Boy Bed Time

Dylan was able to "help" Daddy put together the frame for his big boy bed. We are grateful to have received a twin bed for Dylan from my Aunt Cary!
The next morning after Dylan spent the whole night in his big boy bed Mom needed pictures:)
so he got to pose.

This is actually close to how we found him in the morning:)

Hey folks look at me in my big boy bed

Employment News + Happy Thanksgiving!!

Believe it or not I am a live;) I say that sheepishly since I had promised to be better at getting our blog caught up.I am thrilled to be alive though:)

We have been enjoying life in Saint Augustine but that will be coming to an end shortly.
Rory was offered a position at Progress Energy in South Carolina. Though we hate to leave family, friends and the Sunshine State (a little piece of paradise), this is a great opportunity for our family. We are currently in transition yet again since Rory will begin Jan 4 in Hartsville, SC.

A not so detailed map of SC.

The nuclear plant where Rory will be working is in Hartsville, SC. This is a thriving metropolis, so large that it isn't even located on this map! Find Florence, right off I95, then imagine a teeny dot approx. 30 miles North West that's Hartsville population 11,000 or so we have heard:)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!!

Back to April '09

April in Japan bloomed magnificently with delicate cherry blossoms and splendid visits from home. Rory's parents arrived first and could not have planned their timing better, it seems Japan was at its most beautiful just for them. Just a little preview of the beauty which was spring in Japan.

I promise more pictures to come:)After giving Mom and Dad a day of relaxation as well as a tour of the base, we headed up to Tokyo. It was in the Chiyoda ward that you can find what is said to be the "most expensive square kilometer in the world". This of course is where the Imperial Palace is located. In the photo above you see a garden area which is front of the Nijubashi bridge (a part of the palace). We all found it so fascinating to see the modern skyscrapers towering over the eccentric evergreens.

The moat around the palace.

The family in front of the Nijubashi Bridge which is said to be the most photographed scene in Japan.

The inner palace gardens and buildings are only open to the public twice a year, January 2 and December 23, when the Imperial family makes a public appearance.

Another angle of the bridge with palace buildings in the background.

We did make it back:)

Yes we did make it back to the United States though you wouldn't know it from the blog. Sorry about that but as you can imagine we have been busy busy busy! With a family welcome home party at the beach and a big party at the Ellis' we have been royally welcomed home. It has been a little over a month since we have arrived back in the states and life has not slowed though we have a down weekend this weekend. Ahh a little relaxing.

I do promise to finish out our Japan pictures as we keep you updated on our current adventure: Trusting our Lord as He directs us in finding a new home town, job, and abode.

Dylan is TWO!

We awoke to an overcast rainy day so Mom's beach idea was out the window. Uhmm what to do? I then remember this play area at the mall near the base so we headed out with rain gear in tow. Little man was really in the mood to hear some off key singing so he continued to say more mommy more. The rain continued as the world cried listening to me sing the ABCs, I am a C, C-H, I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N, and I have the joy joy... Dylan was happy and so was I so other people could just plug their ears;) The best part is hearing D sing along. He has is own words but they seem to fit. Also during the joy song when I ask where he points to his heart! I sure am going to miss our long walks to get places - there is so much world to investigate when you walk everywhere. Dylan is sure to point everything out and ask "Whas That?"Here we are about to head in and play! You have to love Dylan's grimaces
- no more real smiles for the camera no helped needed on this electric see-saw"Whoa" and I am quoting as you can see by his expression:)
These little deals spin around in circles but not like those dreadful tea cups at Disney - much slower

The balloons were flying everywhere thanks to the four fans strategically placed around the play area.

Riding on the Road Runner - not sure if at is who it was supposed to be. It was a big road runner looking bird.

Dylan loved throwing the balls!

Developing that passing precision for his future;)

play time out to send Daddy an email

(notice the Pappas tongue he was concentrating on what to type)

An elephant on the merry go round. The elephant was the popular one for some reason.

I am just happy that Dylan decided against making the elephant sound thus saving everyone from getting a Dylan shower!

Hold on son!Looking back wondering why he didn't have any passengers in his taxi.

He loved the windshield wipers!

Mommy tried to make an Elmo cake.

No Dylan is not pointing at he cake. He is sneaking his finger into the icing.

Licking it off and saying "tasty, like that"Happy Birthday to you...
Dylan blew the candle out all by himself!

Another precious grimace!

Then on to presents!

Thank you everyone for your generosity!

Daddy we missed you but are looking forward to all the other birthdays you get to be home for!!!!!!!! Here is to our future as civilians and no more missing Daddy!