They got along so well at this age. Elaine was so helpful and they rarely ever squabbled. She was still very into girly things still, pink and pretty. Martin was often serious, very determined (willful), and consistent. Elaine would play whatever Martin was interested in playing, which suited them both.
Christmas 2016 we spent at our house in New Wilmington, PA. It was wonderful. We had most of Mike's family over for dinner.
Christmas day
About the house: It is the original farmhouse from this part of New Wilmington, which was established in 1863. The walls are stone and brick and are twice as thick as I am, even interior walls. There are four fireplaces (two in upstairs bedrooms and two downstairs). I forget the size, but I am thinking Mike told me it's 3,000 sq. ft. three bedroom, three full bathrooms. The plumbing, electric, floors, drywall obviously, and bathrooms, were all redone in 2016.
Phone snapshots
Mike had some nightmare commutes to work in the winter. One day the ice was so bad, his car slid off the road into a ditch. While the car was in for repairs, he had to drive a front wheel drive rental. The next snowfall it took him something like three hours to drive home. Scary!
Phone snapshots
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| A new dress |
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| An indoor play place at the mall |
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| Visiting Mammom and Pop-pop's |
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| and Aunt Kelly and Uncle Sean's |
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| At CVS waiting for the Minute Clinic (pink eye) |
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| They both began taking selfies - Elaine intentionally, Martin by total accident |
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| Selfies at the beach in August |
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| At the beach house |
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| Going to rehearsal |
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| Unhappy, sick kids |
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| Then both fell asleep |
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| At the reception they were a little happier |
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| Then they passed out again! |
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| We really did get out to the beach, too |
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| Brenna and Zach's wedding |
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| Our first day after move-in in New Wilmington |
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| At the local coffee shop, Muggsies |
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| Moving created lots of fun trash to play in (the movers returned to get the boxes and paper) |
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| Baking bread in the new house |
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| Carving pumpkins |
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| Poor Elaine - for the second time we were barely moved in for her birthday. I made her shaped pancakes |
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| and at least Mike bought her a balloon |
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| The New Wilmington park about half a mile away |
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| Playing under a beautiful autumn sunset |
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| Silly string fun |
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| Sometimes we would go to Apple Castle, a local orchard and farm, to play on their play sets. Occasionally I'd let them have a fresh donut. |
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| Watching the news on election day |
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| Santa rode through a nearby town, Volant, on a carriage pulled by horses. |
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| Elaine got to meet Santa! With Jeremiah and Noble |
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| At a Steeler's game (tickets from Mike's work) |
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| Our view |
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| I bought laundry baskets from the dollar store to help organize. Martin started using it to drag balls everywhere. |
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| He collects them in anything portable. |
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| Playing Sequence, a game for kids from Aunt Chrissy |
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| Reading in Elaine's bed |
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| Outside the meat market down the street |
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| Game time |
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| Shopping at Lowes. For storage shelves |
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| I don't know what this was...movie time? |
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| Watching Daddy put up shelves |
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| Bundled up to play outside |
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| At the Imms' house for a Metanoia reunion |
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| At Mammom and Pop-pop's - for Thanksgiving I think? |
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| I ordered her two movies that she wanted for her birthday |
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| Our (about) once-a-month Costco trip, when I treat them to pizza. |
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| Decorating for CHRISTMAS |
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| Getting a tree in the freezing cold |
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| We picked one so far back you had to drive out cross a bridge to get there |
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| "Helping" Grandpa hang lights |
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| Mike's work held a Christmas party at a bowling alley. The covered all expenses and provided food and gifts for the kids! |
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| Birthday boy. It seems I only got three pictures on his birthday. :( The rest is video. |
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| Our first library outing. |
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| We joined a farther library since this one had a five book limit. Per family, no cards for kids. Come on! |
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| A McDonald's treat after Mass one day. |
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| Playing with a new ball from Aunt Michelle. |
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| Movie? |
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| A gift from a neighbor - which was so sweet. |
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| We played indoor hockey to get exercise. It was a birthday gift from Mommy and Daddy. |
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| Decorating at Grandma and Grandpa's |
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| We had PLENTY of snow days |
Mike had some nightmare commutes to work in the winter. One day the ice was so bad, his car slid off the road into a ditch. While the car was in for repairs, he had to drive a front wheel drive rental. The next snowfall it took him something like three hours to drive home. Scary!
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| Stockings I made for the kids. Before this, they didn't have any! |
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| Different patterns on the back. |
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| At Kyle and Jen's wedding: "The first four year of marriage" by Michael and Susan Muckian. |
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| Baking Christmas cookies with Aunt Michelle |
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| and Grandma |
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| Playing with my old toys, "Littlest Petshop" (which are now sold used as "vintage" - yikes!) |
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| Pitzelles, my favorites |
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| After Christmas Eve Mass |
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| Stockings stuffed |
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| Presents out |
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| The kids were just a blur that morning |
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| Breakfast after stockings |
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| This was to show my mom my cold, bare feet before opening the socks from her. |
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| Later we went to Grandma and Grandpa's where Aunt Michelle and her family also joined. This began Martin's obsession with guns. |
