Caedmon's Snake Wrastling

Family Frivolity

Fun Times With Fantastic Friends

The Benyos (paritally), the Bigelows, and the DeLucas gathered for one last funny-faced photograph at the Benyo Ranch on Veterans' Day. Fun times! Fantastic friends!
Brooke and Joe

Sara watches the breakfast frivolities

Even Jon DeLuca needs some love! I gave some to him.

Happy family picture

DeLuca and Bigelow kids

Joe and HollyB

Auntie Karen and Jonathan with Caedmon

We all love Joe and Crystal!

Caedmon and Rachel were great playmates!

DJ is sure to give love to Alexandra

Happy Autumn

I think that autumn is my favorite season for picture-taking:

pumpkins and leaves are lovely!

Here I am with many pumpkins.Caedmon picked a punkin' at the Avila Valley Barn pumpkin patch.
This was too cute to pass up - Brookie and Caedmon are such good friends, even in sleep!

Every autumn, the tree in our front yard DUMPS its entire leaf contents upon us.

Here are the three kidlets with the first "fall".

Alexandra now wears spectacles; she is adorable!

Brooke the animal-lover, with a cobra. Ai-yi-yi!

Happy Autumn! :-)

The Birthday Boy

September 19, 2008 -

The long-awaited birthday of Caedmon's finally arrived!

The kidlets posed for me first thing in the morning

beneath the sign they'd made in celebration.

Caedmon was happy and grateful to receive a "Webkinz" for his birthday.

(His dad promised Caed a Mustang for his 16th birthday

if he would forego the Webkinz,

but Caedmon chose the here-and-now :-).

DJ caught Nanny sneaking some of the dessert

while we were watching Caedmon open his gifts.

Caedmon wasn't too excited about the lighting of the candles,
apprehensive that fire would bring harm upon him and/or us.
His dad convinced Caed
that the candle-fire would be kept under control.


Brooke read Caed's birthday cards to him as Alexandra filmed.

Just what he always wanted!

Caedmon was happy to eat pizza and be celebrated with

for his fourth birthday!

Thank you, God, for our precious son! Hooray!

Go, M's!

While visiting in Washington state last month for my sister's wedding,

we took the time to attend a Mariner's baseball game at Safeco Field, much to DJ's delight.

He told the kidlets, "This is your first professional baseball game,

and it's NOT the Giants and it's NOT the Dodgers!" What fun! :-)

Thought to ponder: Are Dodger dogs sold at Safeco Field? Hmmm...

And They're Off

Rise and shine, Alexandra! It's time for the first day of Fifth Grade!

Sleeping Beauty Brooke Bigelow, certain to be well-rested

How's that oatmeal, Alex?

Caedmon is eager

Alex is ready to go

Brooke's new shoes and new backpack

This back-to-back pose has become a "tradition" of the girls.

Happy new school year!

Here Comes the Bride

On 8-8-08, my sister LaRae married her love Scott Wittstock.

Happy, happy! :-)

My husband, my sister, my brother-in-law, and myself.

Here is the bride with the cousins:
Greyson Wittstock, Brooke and Alexandra and Caedmon Bigelow,
and Analee McDonald.

Here are the McDonald family and company gathered together

in love and harmony and celebration!

Here is my dapper brother Drew McDonald,

properly attired in a comfortable yet formal tuxedo-t-shirt. :-)

The End.

Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

What better way to enjoy these summer days

than to float in the pool!

Alexandra, Brooke, and Caedmon

are happy to be wet and cool!

The sarsaparilla at Jenny Lind's Restaurant

in Columbia State Park, California,

was so delicious - I couldn't settle for just one glass!

"Shhh! The boys are sleeping!"

Happy summer to you!

:-)

Fifteen years of Wedded Love!

See how happy I am, to be in a loving marital state with DJ Bigelow,

husband of my youth and of my old age.

Today we celebrate fifteen years since we said "I do!"

Hooray! Happy, happy! :-)

Our Friends the Paulins

In this post, I would like to highlight the friendship our family shares with the Paulin family, Paul and Julie and Levi and Chelsey. When I was turning 21 years of age in Porterville, California, DJ and I fell into a lovely comraderie with Julie and Paul. At that time, their babies Chelsey and Levi were 4 and 5 years of age; DJ and I spent many a Monday night playing Spades and other rousing card games in their home. Through the years (I think I hear someone singing a song by that title in my mind!), we have kept contact; and I was blessed to spend my 35th birthday with the Paulins at their Red Post Ranch in Potter Valley, California. Here is a "Say Cheese!" photograph that Brooke Bigelow snapped of Paul and Julie, as we were saying good-bye.

Here is the vineyard planted by Paul and Levi. Those grapes better grow!
Here are able-fishermen/women DJ and his kidlets, after a good day's fishing with Paul.


Ceadmon thoroughly enjoyed his time playing in the river with the Paulins' dog Winston.

Searching for buried treasure....

Down by the river, Paul and Alexandra searched thoroughly and tediously for buried treasure. Paul was so excited to be rewarded with the find of two arrowheads; he graciously shared one with Alex.

When our family visited the Paulins and their Red Post Ranch in Potter Valley, California, Julie blessed the Bigelow bambinos with a real ranch experience: egg gathering (among other things)! Here are Brooke, Julie, Alexandra, and two unborn chickens.

Pictured here, Levi and Alexandra are hard at work, baking cookies - the important things in life!

While visiting our home last fall, the patriarch Paul Paulin spent some time (reclaiming childhood?) playing trains and reading childrens' literature with Caedmon. Caedmon loves Paul! We all love Paul!

Here is a snapshot of Levi Paulin on the day that he began his college adventure to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. It was our pleasure to house, feed, and send Levi off on this grand day!

It's a shame that I do not have a picture to better showcase the mane of Chelsey Kay Paulin; the word I use to describe Chelsey's hair is AMAZING. Even more important than that, Chelsey is a fun, fun-loving, funny, crazy chica! She overflows with life and energy! Good luck to Chelsey as she embarks upon a college adventure - watch out, Chico State! :-)

Hooray for friendship! The Bigelows love the Paulins! :-)