Traditions, Old & New

I wanted to title a post "Fun with the Jumpy House" and put this picture of Zachary and Uncle Kurt right under it:

Uncle Kurt & Aunt Denise got in the jumpy house and had a blast with Zachary. He has laughed so much the last 2 days. It's so great when family arrives and they show so much love for your child. Perhaps the jumpy house could be a new tradition with them!

My party went so well yesterday. Here's a picture of me with the ladies.

They were all such good sports, I think everyone enjoyed learning to belly dance!

This afternoon Gran (Ryan & Kurt's mother) came over and we made Christmas cookies! Hooray for old traditions! We all helped, and even Zachary enjoyed a cookie or two. First, Kurt mixed the dough (yes, Michele that's food dye!!)

Next Joanne (my mother in law, Zachary's Gran) pressed the cookies . . .

Then we all got to decorate the cookies, then we ate most of them. Joanne makes these cookies for us every year, and we devour them! It really feels like Christmas now!

Tonight was such a happy night, and it is so nice to have family close by. However, there are sad things on my mind. My dear friend Leslie, who often posts here, has a wonderful husband who is very ill and in the hospital. We are all very worried for him. Please pray for him! His name is Macario. They have a delightful little girl who will be 3 years old in March. They are very good people, and I am sad because they should be making cookies and playing in jumpy houses, enjoying the holiday season. It makes me really appreciate all that I have when someone I care about is suffering so much.