Season's Greetings 2008

From our (play)house to yours, we hope this finds you all doing well. We have managed to survive another year in the (small) Rhoades house! In an effort to be more planet-friendly, I have decided just to publish our letter on the web. I know it's not tradition, but it might just be the start of a new one for us. Without further delay, here is the Rundown of the Rhoades family...

In this photo, you are looking at what would have been our vacation. That said, the boys have already gotten more out of this thing than any vacation would have done! It was designed and built from the bottom up by Adam and Margie, and includes a staircase, rock wall, and a bucket on a pulley system that we predict will have Simon riding in it before the end of next summer! It also has a solar light courtesy of Adam (who knew the kids needed to play in the dark???). Daisy, fat as she is, likes to lounge in the sandbox on the bottom.

Simon is now nearly 22 months old - how time flies! He is definately his own person - independent, a bit defiant, and ready to have it HIS way. He is starting to talk more all the time, loves trains, tractors, and firetrucks, and his signature trademark is that he sucks his index finger. He is quite a character who keeps us going!

Jackson started Kindergarten this year and will be 6 in a couple short weeks! We are confident that pretty soon he will (think) he knows more than we do. He is loving school and learning so much it really is hard to keep up. He was on his first baseball team this summer, and started taking piano lessons. Yes, he is still obsessed with firefighting and no, we haven't made him that way!

The brothers- they do love each other, but they also like to fight. Nice to know we have normal kids. :)

Margie is about to begin her last - and probably most difficult - semester in her Master's degree program at WIU. She will be ready to be done, but yet is thinking about beginning another Master's in May...we'll keep you posted. She continues to teach special education at MRJHS, and is waaaaayyyy into photography now - all of the pictures on the blog she has taken.

Adam continues to work for MFD, Illinois Fire Service Institute, the Red Cross, and advising the Explorers. Adam is waaaayyyy into his new snowblower that he just HAD to have to make sure the van (yes, you read that right, we now own a VAN) doesn't get stuck.

So, those are the "official" happenings of the last year, but when we think back, it's the "unofficial" happenings that really shape our lives. It's not very glamorous, but it's us! So, here's to another year full of craziness, being busy, and living every minute of our normal lives (whatever that may mean) to the fullest! You can keep up with our happenings here on the Blog - feel free to look over past entries for events and pictures. May you all have a blessed holiday season, and may the new year hold the best for you and yours!

Adam, Margie, Jackson, Simon & Daisy Rhoades

Santa, I want a...

MFD Holiday Party 2008

As you can see, Simon and Santa weren't exactly fast friends this year. This kid doesn't know what is good for him!!!

Jackson, on the other hand, was layin' the charm on THICK that night!

Ice storm continued...

Okay, the first pic on the last post is our power line to our house - hanging on by a thread!

Tree limbs in our back yard - they continue to fall there and on our driveway as I am typing this!

Even though it is scary and dangerous, it is kinda beautiful at the same time!

Beaty and A Beast

Our cable line with ice on it - clubhouse in the background.

Our evergreens along the alley - those should be standing straight up.

A side street - just to give you a wider shot.

So as you can see, we survived the ice storm that came roaring through town last night. I have to say, though, it was pretty hairy for awhile. It sounded like a war zone - tree limbs were continually dropping throughout the night, power lines sparking, ice falling...YIKES! It is warm enough now that the ice is melting a bit on the streets and with the salt the roads really aren't too bad - but pretty sloppy.

Sights of the Season

Experimenting with the camera. This is Jackson by our tree. Do you prefer black & white...

or color? Leave me your opinion in the comments!

Simon checking out Bob the Builder.

Jackson putting an ornament on. (Not actually - I kinda posed him!)

Simon with his usual "Oh!" of amazement!

So, here are some pics for you to enjoy as we ready ourselves for the holidays. The good news is...MY PAPER IS TURNED IN AND MY PRESENTATION WENT WITHOUT A HITCH! But now...I have to actually start the research. I feel confident at this point that I can produce a good project, I just need to get busy on the presentations I have to do for my staff at school. Needless to say, though, my stress level dropped tremendously, but I'm still waiting on my grade.

The boys are excited for Christmas. They are really into the tree this year! Jackson likes to lay underneath of it and "adjust" the lights, and Simon likes to try and knock off the balls - what a child he is! Adam and I still have little clue about what Santa is bringing them, but we will take our annual shopping trip and figure it out.

We were saddened that all of our snow melted with the rain yesterday, and we're actually hoping for some more sometime soon. I prefer snow to the cold, muddy mess that the rain brings right now! Several schools let out early for the possibility of ice today, but thank goodness it didn't really happen.

Okay, in a personal, shameless ploy, if you like any of my pics, let me know! In my spare time(ha ha! Actually, for my stress relief), I have been diving into learning photography. I am learning new stuff all the time, and I actually might be starting a second blog just for posting more pics. I'll let you know of the developments.

Well, I need to go pick up the boys and get ready for Kindergarten Family Night at Jackson's school - "Christmas Around the World." Hopefully Simon is cooperative and we get to at least a couple of different "countries"!

Take care and I'll be here again soon!

PS- Bye, bye, Blagojevich! And good riddance!