A New Jersey (Turnpike) Xmas

Christ is Born!

Our Christmas was full of merriment, spent with the Brown Clan in Wyckoff, New Jersey. I (Tom) went for a run with my two sisters on our first full day up there. I was glad to be able to keep up with my fitter sisters.


The children enjoyed hot cocoa in Gram's Kitchen.

On Christmas Eve, the adults cooperatively agreed in principal to allow the children to open one gift each. Agreement on execution was a little less unanimous. Here they are, lined up for the booty (L-R: Dan, Elizabeth, Ian, Andy, David, and Peter).


Andy opened his "little guitar" that night. It's been a big hit.


I think someone's runny nose-exposed finger made contact with the camera lens, as these last few and all the rest on the "roll" came out blurry. So I'll call a stop to the photos here.

Other highlights included a trip to Piper's Cove (Jock wasn't in), a Haggis dinner (with Tom piping in the beastie, Amy reading Address to a Haggis in fine Scottish Brogue, and with Peter loving the Great Scottish Dish), a 1,000 piece puzzle of New England (who had New Hampshire again?), several services at Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church (including Jessica singing the Hallelujah Chorus with the ad hoc Handel choir), no spankings for members of either sets of children, and of course a Turkey dinner feast on Christmas Day.

Our trip home found it's way through Pennsylvania and around Delaware entirely, thanks to some horrific traffic. Total travel time: 6 hours. Average speed over normal route: 36 mph.

Andy's First Oil Change

Well... it wasn't his oil we were changing, but yes indeed, Andy helped me (Tom) change the Camry's oil (and, coincidentally, it was the Camry's first oil change too).

Andy helped by moving a few loose items in the garage so I could pull the car in, and by handing me the clean filter when I needed it. Otherwise, we worked on basic auto safety, like not placing his head under the car, not drinking the used motor oil, etc. We also learned how the oil keeps the metal (that the "fire" in the engine makes move) from getting too hot. Andy now knows that black oil is dirty, and apple juice-colored oil is clean.

Very academic, and very intellectual.

For Amy...

Amy, you asked me to send you these photos from your visit -- here they are.

Fellin' Christmas Trees

Here are some photos from when Jessica took the boys to fell a tree (with the able assistance of Uncle Josh -- note the huge stump sacrificed from our now squat tree), along with Grania, Granda, Bryony, Meredith and Elizabeth.

Ian Nathaniel Brown

(Photo taken tonight.)

Ian's favorite book recently has been "I Spy Little Christmas".

He can flip through every page and recite it from heart... "I spy a train, I spy Santa in a truck," etc. But every time he reads it, he gets stuck on one page, on just one item that he can't identify, and for some reason can't commit to memory.

"Mommy, what's that," he says every single time.

"That's a doll."

"Oh, I spy a doll, I spy a candy on a chair..." Et cetera. Until the next reading.

(Also from tonight.)

Peter Collum Brown

Peter's physical therapist has been impressed with progress, and we are most thankful for his full (normal) cognitive health, which she says is key to helping him continue to improve physically. She is working on his climbing/stepping-up ability, as well as some early efforts at teaching him to run. In short: better balance and stability in general. Prognosis remains very positive.

Brown et Cetera

Welcome! I (Tom) set this up so friends and family could see the latest and greatest photos from the Brown household! This is easier, more personable, and more accessible than Facebook or the like. Maybe the occasional humorous anecdote from the children (or the grown-ups) will be noted here too...

For those of you who have not heard, the new baby (expected circa mid-April, 2008) is another boy!