Words to live by.....

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give" -Winston Churchill

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world" - Mahatma Gandhi

"Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right" -Grateful Dead

Sunday, January 21, 2007

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. I posted a bunch of pictures of everyone below.We had a great time with our extended family who came to spend the holiday with us, and we missed everyone who we didn't see this holiday season. Santa came and was good to all the kids, and Kai was just delighted with his first Christmas home. Mike and I loved having all 8 kids under the same roof for the first time. Lauren and Sean were home for 2 weeks and we loved the time spent with them and were sad to see them head back to school! Now we move into 2007 and we're looking forward to heading down to California next month for the start of the showjumping competition season. Best wishes to all of our friends and family and here's to a wonderful 2007 for all! ~Jennifer and Mike
The whole gang of Crooks kids together at last!

Mike and Jennifer at G-Pa and Carollyne's Christmas party


Christmas kiss :)


Mike with Lauren and Sean


Lauren home from sunny California. We miss you!

Sean home from his first semester of college in Florida. We miss you!


Catherine and Santa


Ready to ski and lookin' cool :)


Ciara and Santa


Ciara chillin' on her bed


Hunter and Santa


Hunter in his cool hat

(Thanks Sho, I mean Santa...)



Kai and Santa
Kai and Scooby


Sophie and Santa
Sophie and her big brother Sean
Holly and Santa

Holly and her big feet :)

Monday, December 04, 2006

We had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving on Maui. We were able to spend 10 great days having fun in the sun and surf, and we loved every single one of them! Thanks Dad for sharing your beautiful house with us!!! We spent the mornings at the beach where Catherine, Hunter, Ciara, and eventually Kai spent hours riding the waves on their boogie boards chasing the local fish! Sophie and Holly invented their own game of "tag" with the waves and spent hours either running back and forth with the waves or making "sand mud" and pouring it on each other. Afternoons were spent at the pool where Sophie and Kai learned to swim! Holly is still a year away from swimming but had much fun in the kiddie pool. Catherine worked hard on her tan, and Ciara and Hunter invented swimming obstacle courses in the pools. By evening all the kids fell into bed exhausted and Mike and I were able to spend some wonderful nights sitting out on the Lanai star gazing and enjoying a glass of wine together. We felt like the luckies people in the world!