The Mercy That Covers Me

Looking left from the street Mike and Colleen live on.    That's the Chrysler Building in the center. The entrance to the Atlantic Ave subway. Cool looking building A church. Sunset over the East River. At the dock near IKEA and look what I saw!!! Driving home from IKEA. Now we sit by the fire :-)

Oliver and Santa! Oliver walking in the train. The last couple of days I have been creating memories with Oliver.  He's only two and may not remember these few days but I will.  The photographs will provide Oliver with the memory that these things, in fact,  did happen.  On Wednesday November 30, Oliver and I boarded an Amtrak train out of Jacksonville and headed north to Penn Station in NYC.  We watched Christmas movies and reminisced of Oliver's visit with Santa just one day earlier. It took a little over 18 hours and considering it was just Gigi and two year old Oliver, was uneventful.  Well, I take that back we left a Duplo Fireman figure inside part of the train only a two year old could think to access. We arrived on time and went up to baggage claim.  Mike and Colleen found us easily as we were listening to a choir of women serenading the station with Christmas carols.  It was sweet to watch Oliver as he first recognized his Daddy...

What a great photo shoot!  We had a lot of fun :-)  Enjoy! L to R: Jeff, Kati, Mike, Colleen, Oliver, Rebecca, Chris, Lennon, Brooke, Coeur d'Lane, Sharon and Ray. Jeff and his girlfriend, Kati. The Schmidt Children and Grand Children! Our Family Tree! The Kentucky Schmidts! Our youngest, Jeff.

Trying to get a two-year old and two four month olds to participate in a photo shoot equals near impossible.  So, there were four of us trying to make this work.  Papa had Coeur and Chris had Lennon.  They were equipped with bottles to keep them happy.  Thank God for fruit snacks a.k.a. candy.  It kept "Santa" happy, kept the hat on and kept him still for 5 minutes :-)  Coeur was not too happy with the whole photo shoot but was cute. "Let's see, I'm missing one of my elves." "This was not in the Santa contract!  The one elf is great but this crying elf is no bueno!" "Alright, Coeur d'Elf, stop crying already."

Oliver with his Santa hat. Oliver feeding Lennon her cereal. Smile! Nap Time Oliver giving Coeur a beso :-)  What a sweet boy! Coeur Oliver rubbing Coeur's head. Oliver was rather insistent that Coeur try the pacifier.  Coeur has no interest in a paci. Lennon Coeur Happy Coeur Coeur Lennon The Girls Brooke's Mini-Me, Coeur

Oliver spent twelve hours in the car and did so good!  Here's some of what he did.

Lennon and Coeur Holding hands! Big girls!  Yesterday's appointment - Coeur weighs 10#15 & is 22 1/2 inches long and Lennon weighs 10#9 & 22 3/4 inches long.   Lennon confident that the Jags can win the Indy game. Coeur upset that she can't go to the Jags game with Daddy & Gigi. Coeur and Snoopy!