Let in Snow, Let it Snow, Let it snow!

Last Saturday we had the biggest snowstorm since we've been out on the east coast. I think here in Loudoun County we got about 2 feet of snow over the course of 24 hours. I am not a big fan of cold and snow, but I have to admit that it was beautiful. Luckily Joe has a truck, so we were able to get out and get our Christmas tree, but we saw people getting stuck all over the place. I think between Saturday & Sunday, Joe helped pull out like 4 people who were stuck. You would think people would realize that some cars are NOT meant to be driven in that kind of weather! Henry loves the snow and whenever we go outside he says "Snow!" which actually sounds more like "No!" It's pretty cute. We got some pictures to remember the snowy weekend.

The view from our balcony


What kind of ice cream should we get guys?


Helping Daddy carry the basket


Our snowy parking lot


Henry and Daddy in the snow

My car was COMPLETELY buried!

Officer Nunemaker

This past Monday was Joe's graduation from the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy. They had the graduation ceremony at George Mason University in Fairfax and then shortly after we went to his department for him to be officially sworn in. I am so incredibly proud of Joe for all of his hard work and dedication over these last 5 months. Getting up between 4 and 4:30 a.m. during the week is hard enough, but then he had to spend hours in classes, go to the shooting range, practice driving at the Old Dominion Speedway, do hours of PT, get sprayed with OC (pepper) spray, practice defense tactics, and SO many other things.

Joe has worked so hard and has definitely gone above and beyond to do a great job in all that was required of him. I am so grateful to have a husband who is so dedicated in all that he does and willing to go the extra mile to be successful. He does such a good job of taking care of our family. I know that he is going to be an amazing officer and that the people who work with him will quickly grow to love him.


Sorry for the dark pictures...the lighting wasn't great
and either was my camera

Coming onstage

Joe is the 4th person from the left

Session 121




Officer Nunemaker and Officer Rutter being sworn in




I got to pin Joe's badge on




Joe being
congratulated and welcomed
by the other officers in his department

Congratulations Joe! We are so proud of you!

(Henry after the long day)

Thanksgiving...a little late

So it's been like a week and a half since Thanksgiving and I never really posted anything about it. I was a slacker and didn't take any pictures, but we had a good time. We went over to John and Susan's (Joe's bro and his wife) house and Judy (Joe's mom) was here visiting from California. We had lots of delicious food...which led to lots of delicious leftovers. Susan did an awesome job with the turkey. It was SO good! I made green beans, homemade cranberry sauce and a double layer pumpkin pie. Judy did stuffing and cranbrosia and Barbara (Susan's mom) made gravy, mashed white and sweet potatoes, an apple pie, and a pumpkin pie. Writing about it now makes me wish there were more leftovers!

On Friday morning, we went to the holiday parade in Reston. It was FREEZING and the parade was kinda slow, with too much space between each group, but I think Henry and John had fun.

Here they are waiting for the parade to start in their strollers

Henry found a better location

for watching the parade

John and little John

Henry with his bell. Man I love this kid!

We weren't expecting to see crack out in the open on the streets of Reston, but were quite surprised. I could not stop laughing!

18 Months

Yesterday my baby turned 18 months. Is that really possible? I can't believe how quickly it has gone by and how much he has grown up. It seems like just the other day that I was bringing him home from the hospital, and now he is this little ball of energy that runs and talks and brings so much joy into our home.
Some of Henry's favorite things right now are:
1. peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made with waffles
2. cars, trucks, buses, planes, and helicopters
3. mom and dad's shoes
4. trains...or anything he decides is a train-like his barn, packages of diapers, the back cushions of the couch, mom and dad, etc.
5. going to the park and playing on the swings and slide

Here are some recent pictures of our big boy:

"Eating" yogurt by himself


18 months old today!


This is the face Henry makes when you tell him to "say cheese!" I love it!


Henry likes to hang out in the bathroom cabinet while we are getting ready

Halloween 2009

It's hard to believe that in a year this:














can turn into this:



I think that Henry was able to enjoy Halloween a lot more this year, even though I'm sure he still wasn't sure exactly what was going on. A few days before Halloween, we were able to go to our ward Halloween party at church and then on Halloween we took Henry out trick or treating with his cousin John. Henry was a baseball player and John was a fireman and they were both adorable.




Luckily, Henry has parents who are willing to sacrifice and help him eat his Halloween candy since he isn't really old enough to eat it himself!

Tami & Kari's east coast visit

Two weeks ago, Joe's sisters Kari and Tami flew out from California to visit. We were SO happy to have them here, even if it was only for a few days, and are grateful for the time we were able to spend with them.
I love Joe's sisters a ton and am glad that I get them as MY "sisters" now. Some of my favorite memories are times that I have spent with them.
While they were here, we were able to do some fun things like go to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, walk around Theodore Roosevelt Island, hang out in Georgetown and spend lots of time hanging out.


Me, Tami, and Kari in front of Julia Child's kitchen at the National Museum of American History


The 4 siblings and kids...Joe & Henry, Kari, John, Tami, and John


Out to dinner at Clyde's in Reston. The food was SO good!



John playing on the rocks and Henry playing in the leaves



John and Tami with little John

Smooching our cute babe

I need a Blog

So I have been wanting to start a blog for a while now, and I am FINALLY getting around to it. Most of our family and friends live at least 1,000 miles away, so I figured this would be a good way to stay connected and let everyone know what we have been up to. I am new to blogging (I read a lot of them, but have yet to write one) so it may take me a while to get the hang of it. Hopefully I can come up with lots of exciting things to say...otherwise you might just get cute pictures of Henry!