Prior to the transcontinental trip, we went to the beach for a playdate with Alisha, her friend Christina, and baby Xavier:
Fern wants Xavier to take off his clothes too.
Grubbin'.
I got lucky with this one. At this point in time Fern couldn't sit for long without toppling over.
Suzanne, Malo and Ska decided to join us.
The first flight to Japan was smooth sailin'. Fern even slept for about 30 minutes of the 3.5 hour flight in the bassinet at the special bulkhead seat. woo-hoo! Did you even know there was such a thing? The Narita/Tokyo airport was super family friendly. There were special nursing rooms (even though you should be able to nurse any time, any place, but unfortunately our society has made that uncomfortable for most), front row seating at the gate, and women with children were shuffled to the fronts of lines. There were even holiday crafts to pass the time:
Making a holiday craft.
At a fancier airport restaurant.
We spent one quick night with Grandma and Grandpa in Dallas:
Reading with Grandma on her 65th birthday.
Pre-Christmas at MiMi and PaPa's where Fern met Allen's whole family for the first time:
More Mimi and Papa.
Aunt Greta easily puts Fern to sleep- not an easy task!
Uncle Wade!
All bundled up. It was 15 degrees F. She actually didn't seem as bothered by the weather as I was.
We hung out with some friends and met Mia for the first time. Check out those curls!
(This is quite possibly how Fern contracted her illness....:))
Christmas at the Saloga farm:
Meeting Uncle Richie.
Meeting cousin Jannifer, little Macy, and Mallory. Macy was really interested in Fern.
Grandma reading a Christmas story to the kiddos on Christmas Eve before unwrapping awaited gifts. Lukas is paying close attention.
Lukas takes his first picture with the camera Santa left for him. Lucky boy.
Fern and mama with bad hair on Christmas Day.
Grandpa.
Great Uncle Kenny looking stern.
Bart and Beth stopped by to meet Fern on their way to the lake. It was such a nice surprise!
Lukas playing in the hay barn that we (my brother, cousins, and I) used to play in when we were small. I don't know how many times I have weighed myself on that scale.
Much has changed on the farm over the years. I have many warm memories from this place. When I was little, there were pigs, chickens and cattle . I used to go feed the cows with my Great Uncle Edwin and check the chicken barn for eggs. My brother and I would hop into the pig pen, touch the piglets, and see who would stay inside the fence the longest when the mama sow became angry and charged after us. I remember picking strawberries in the huge garden and then helping to prepare them for canning. We used to build forts out of hay bales in the barn with our cousins every Easter. My Grandpa would sit out on the sun porch and play 'Pop Goes the Weasel' on his mandolin while all of us kids danced. We went on long walks up the lane with my Uncle Kenny. I spent many holidays and summers here with my family. It was a great place to roam and let the imagination soar. It is much quieter now. There are no animals, and my Uncle Kenny is the only one left in this house where my mother was born. The farm is a place of nostalgia for me. And some things are still the same, like this vice:
The old vice. We used to make 'diamonds' with the ice from the cow tank by crushing it in this vice.
We used to listen to our echoes and get all creeped out in this silo.
These tools probably haven't been touched for 10+ years.
The sun porch, where many a' pipe was smoked and many tunes were played on the violin and mandolin.
The cow barn, which is now cowless.
My dad standing in the same doorway.
The machine shed, which housed all of the tractors and such. I LOVE the smell of this barn. mmmmm, grease.
The magnificent oak, one of many that my Uncle Edwin planted on the farm.
I hope that Fern also has a place that creates fond memories someday.