The McMahon Family

Here are a few of its shots.

My Valentine Flowers

Much to Mac’s amusement and Daddy’s insistence that while Jesus can indeed heal it, it’s more of a mechanical problem that He won’t fix, the laying on of hands and prayer did not revive the flash on my beloved camera.

Rest in peace my third, wonderful Canon.

If you know me at all, you know I am almost obsessed with taking pictures of my family and friends.  This is why I have a whole photo gallery hooked to this blog.  I LOVE pictures.  I love to take pictures and I love to look at pictures.  I don’t even care if I know the people, I will look at pictures.  I’m the weird one who wants to see everyone’s ‘vacation slides’. 🙂

On a happy note:  Canon number four made its way home tonight.  Thank you, Honey, for understanding my need to have a camera at all times. 🙂  Details on the new camera to come later…this post is in honor of Number 3.

I would like to apologize to all my friends and family who had kids before me.  I judged you.  I rolled my eyes at you.  I talked about you behind your back.  That was before I had my own children.  I am so sorry.  I had no idea.

I’ll give one example so you know what I’m talking about.  Nicki is always bringing some ‘project’ for us to work on for her kids.  “We need to fix this toy.”  ” We need to find such and such.”  While fun to work on together, these ‘quick’ or ‘little’ projects always turn into day long or even multiple day long projects.  I’ve always said, “Once my kids’ toys break, we’ll just have to do without or buy a new one.  No way I’m going to always fix them.  It takes too much time.”

I am so sorry.  I had no idea.  There has been a pile of stuffed animals at our house that have tears and holes in them.  So today, I got out my sewing kit and fixed them.  I’m not about to spend my hard earned money and replace them all!  As I was sitting there sewing each one, I thought back to my words to Nicki.  “No way I’m going to…”

I am so sorry.  I had no idea.  This is not the first time I have found myself eating my words.  During the 5 years we’ve had kids, I think I’ve done everything I swore I wouldn’t do.  I wasn’t going to have kids that talked back.  I wasn’t going to spoil my children.  I was going to limit their technology intake.  I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point.

I am so sorry.  I had no idea.

Getting rid of the snow, bringing in the hearts.  I hear 40’s 50’s next week!! 🙂

I was so thrilled for January to end.  We had sickness literally the whole month.  There were no holidays or breaks from school, other than the sick days we had to take to stay with the kids or for ourselves…okay, just me.  Somehow, Shannon escaped the rest of the sicknesses once he recovered.  The weather was bleak with snow and cold days.

Then came February.  A welcomed new month.  A chance for healing and health.  A couple of holidays to break up the monotony of winter.  But all we got was more of the same, only more intense so far.  More snow, more sickness (from both ends, and January’s sicknesses didn’t involve bodily fluids coming out), more coldness.

However, despite all this, I am choosing to remain thankful.  Thankful that the sicknesses we have are only temporary and not life threatening.  Thankful that we are all together.  Thankful there is a ‘we’ to our family.  Thankful we have a nice warm house.  Thankful I have a garage that keeps the snow off my car and makes for an easy leave in the morning.  Thankful I even have a driveway to shovel.  I could go on and on. 🙂

So, to survive this new month, we’re still going to have fun in between snows and sickness.  Shannon went down to Texas for a quick visit with his dad.  While he was gone, we got 5 inches of snow.  Probably more, but I’ll stick to the official report.  So Mac and I set out to shovel the drive.  Now, while I usually start the shoveling process each snow, I usually only get a few passes done and then almost collapse in exhaustion and Shannon finishes for me.  So, imagine the pride I feel when I see what I did.

Mac helped me do it. I can’t believe he stuck it out the whole time, shoveling away.

And this snow was much better for snow angels, as opposed to the ice snow we got last week.

Mac is determined to build a snowman.  I do not know how to do it.  I also do not know how to plan it on the ‘right-kind-of-snow day’.  Every time I have tried, the snow isn’t ‘stickable’ snow.  So, here is our latest attempt:

Look closely. You'll see three 'areas'. Is that the right word?

Then Grandpa Neukomm invited us to Jupiters Saturday afternoon.  The boys got to play arcade games, go bowling and do a little air hockey.  Mac can explain how the air hockey table works in great detail, if you’re ever interested. 🙂

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