This must be how DJ see's Janelle. He took this picture himself. :-)
Boys have to get clean for Santa!
Janelle and Jake, in cute but embarrassing mittens fromt Pat.
DJ -already reading music!
Daniel loves to tickle Dad while we're trying to have a pinochle game
Teya (Janelle's sister), Jeff (b-i-l), and Brennan (nephew) 
DJ on Grandma's digital baby grand... "Ooooh! Buttons!"
DJ in his Sorcerer Mickey Mouse headband and Gary in his Mickey apron (both compliments of the Edburg family's December trip to Disneyland)
Janelle, DJ, and Teya: A Pre-Christmas-Eve-Mass-Aunty-NephewPillow-Bonking
Janelle, DJ, and Teya: A Pre-Christmas-Eve-Mass-Aunty-NephewPillow-Bonking
DJ, happy to be at Grandma and Grandpa Gunning's for Christmas Eve, and being cute as usual. 
Teya, Pat, and Janelle: giving one of many valant attempts at putting on smiling (but strait) faces for a nice family picture.
Attempt #2? #47? #117??? (this really did take a while- Sorry, Jeff)
Finally... SUCCESS!! (This is about as frowny as we can manage sometimes when we're all together.)
DJ posing with Santa (the only one he wouldn't cry to sit by... he thought puffy Santa was hilarious)
DJ and Mom checking out the Christmas lights in Mom and Dad Snyder's yard. 
Emma (our niece) and Daniel out for a stroll in the Park
DJ & Emma with Uncle Jared
Emma and DJ with Papa Bill
Emma and DJ stirrin' up fun trouble like usualTeya & Me on the Wii
DJ and I opening presents
"Ginger" hangin' out
DJ and I opening presents"Ginger" hangin' out
Jared & Jacquelyn watching Emma rock out
Aunt Darla passing out presents to her sons, Brady and Ian (on Dad Snyder's lap)
Snyder Family Portrait (left to right: Jacquelyn, Jared, Emma Lee, Loretta, Bill, Jake, DJ Sven, Janelle)
Shy Snyders share snivels for their portrait pose. Still cute, though!HELLO TO ALL. MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
You may have noticed that we have not posted for a while. That is because although Christmas is our favorite season, it is also (as I'm sure it is for most of you) our busiest. December has been a blizzard of events: Daniel's Birthday party, Christmas Carol/Card/Candy/Carnation Gram Fundraisers, several other fundraisers, my Christmas Concert (ECE-12 grade music, drama, and bilingual students all organized under one production, as well as a staff singalong--AHHHHHH!!!!!!--Let's just say that there is absolutely no contest that being a music teacher is JUST as challenging than being an English teacher, and for at least 4-10 days of each school year, the music gig is definitely harder. It makes you seriously considering moving to a larger town and signing up for a job where you get paid to stand there and say, "Welcome to Walmart!" and "Have a nice day!") , cookie exchanges, staff parties, trimmings and decorating, Secret Santa or gift exchanges, packing and planning for travel with a two-year-old during the holidays, 22 relatives visiting together in different cities and houses, old friends to catch up with, roads to drive, etc. (I'm sure there are things I've forgotten to mention)... lots of fun, but hard to fit it all in on top of normal life in 21 short days.
Once we (Jake, Janelle, DJ, Carrie, Dan, Adrianna, and O-j0) were finally "on the road" (actually in the air), things got more interesting. First, we had to get DJ strapped into his car seat, with all our stuff, in a very small airplane--in COMPLETE darkness! Then, DJ cried most of flight, and threw up on the descent... multiple times... Adrianna and Carrie helped clean up the puke the first few times... but the last time, there was too much to be handled with wipes. The smell was awful. Dan and Jake carried DJ off the plane in his car seat, leaving me to grab my, Jake, and DJ's stuff. After cleaning barf for quite a while, I was very queasy, and it is hard to move just yourself and your stuff out of a plane that small even when you're chipper. It was only after our luggage was available and Carrie ran for her connecting flight to Fairbanks, after we ran into Bumsy (Harolyn Sager) and chatted, after Dan and Jake finished cleaning DJ and his seat in the airport bathroom, after Jake had gotten our rental car, after DJ threw multiple (thankfully quiet) fits waiting for Jake to arrive with the car, and after we were over halfway to our friends' condo to overnight in Anchorage that we realized that I had, (in my queasy, exhausted state) forgotten our brand-new digital camera and video camera (Jake and I's Christmas presents to each other). Thankfully, Jim and Teresa's condo was very comfortable and inviting, and Hageland (the airline we flew with out of our village) was awesome. We got a great night's sleep, ate Chinese food, did a tiny bit of Christmas shopping, got O-jo to the puppy salon where she became even cuter, and came out smelling much better (she puked on the flight, and in the car rides), and got our Camera back before we left for our flights to Washington and Ohio, respectively.
So, our vacation was supposed to start after school on the 21st, but it didn't really feel like vacation until at least the 22nd. That's debatable too, since we didn't actually arrive at our first vacation destination until about midnight after a flight delay at SeaTac and at least a hour wait for luggage at Spokane.
We spent the 23rd and 24th in Spokane celebrating with my parents, Pat and Gary. My mom helped me a bunch by suggesting choral and string ensemble music for my groups, and allowing me to peruse a bunch of literature that I don't have access to easily where we live. So now I will know better what to order for festival for my students this year. (I'm going to go with standard favorites at least this time, since students from our district haven't gone to festival for many years, and I haven't been to one since I was a student). On Christmas eve, Teya (sister), Jeff (b-i-l), and Brennan (10 yr-old nephew) joined us for a dinner of Norton Sound King Crab Legs--Mm-mm, good! With the exception of Jeff having a seizure, we all had a great time. After our meal, we went out to St. Joseph's parish (the church I grew up going to) and I sang with our old folk group. We were only missing Shawn and Jason. The rest of the Gumkes and Gunnings were there. Seeing everyone and singing with our group meant a lot to me. We have been going to mass every Sunday, but I prepare the music myself, and y'all know I'm about as comfortable playing guitar and piano as I am walking on Waikiki Beach in a bikini... so it's just not the same. Jake and I have missed our Cheney Four-Square church with Dean and Ruthie ever since moving to Alaska, and our Catholic church is very, VERY small in number this year. With my parents retiring and moving to Port Townsend within the next year, and us not usually coming "home" for Christmas, I am pretty sure that December 24th, 2007 was the last time that I'll ever sing with the Gumke/Gunning Folk Group again. I am now paying for all the times I laughed at my mother when she sappily cried over something; I had tears at the end of mass. I always took my church community--and the plethora of church communities available-- for granted when I was growing up. When Kerry Jarrell was leading our Catholic Church in Unalakleet, and Fr. Stan was our priest, we had some great leadership, and some very faith-filled Sundays. Although we (the remaining church community) are pulling together, sheer tenacity does not replace the talents of individuals who are meant to lead. It is hard to find a faith community that you can connect with in small, isolated communities; It is a priceless treasure, and I am glad that my parents "made" me be a part of it. I am forever thankful to my dad, my sister, Marsha, Jason, Katie, Megan, Adam, and especially Rick, Shawn, and my mom for the music and faith we celebrated together. Okay, off my sappy soap-box. In any case, I will miss it, and love my memory of it--every Sunday.
We left Spokane for Clarkston on Christmas Day, and have been with all of Jake's relatives (Bill (dad), Loretta (mom), Jared (brother), Jacquelyn (s-i-l), and Emma (niece), ever since. Other than DJ's new-found teeth (he has BIT his cousin 2x), they are having a lot of fun together. We're smiling most of the time around here from sheer toddler entertainment. They have a playroom where they hang out together, dance, and play. They lay down to bed at the same time pretty easily, but they can't seem to do naps together; they're giggling gets the better of them before their sleepiness does.
Jake has a lot of other family down here too (Grandma Betty, Grandma Ginny, Aunt Darla, Uncle Dean, Brady & Ian (age 11 & 5 cousins), and others, and we've run across a few of his friends from High School--most notably Phil, who is employed at Costco and helped us pick out a replacement wedding band for Jake (his Grandpa's ring has been busted twice now)--one that "wouldn't be waving its own rainbow flag" (the description Phil gave of the ring with diamonds I had picked out), and Amy, one of Jake's ex-girlfriends, who did a very nice job cutting both our heads of hair when we went to Cost Cutters before family photos. S'all good. :-)
We were scheduled to get together with Nate & Ann Simmons, Jeff & Eileen Searles, and Sarah and Mons (and Ben!) Remke, but alas, the winter weather did not cooperate, and we didn't feel it would be worth the risk to drive long distances on icy roads. I am very sad about it, but hopefully we'll catch you all next summer. DJ hasn't seen his godparents since he was a week or two old, and when we finally meet ben, he'll probably be crawling, ready to start cruising, and eating lots of solid foods. Crazy how much difference a few months makes in the life of a baby.
-Making lots of great memories down here. Hot-tubbing every night. Taking DJ and Em to the park. Playing w/Ginger (the Snyder dog). Shopping 'til we drop. Eating TONS of fresh fruits and veggies-without paying an arm and a leg for them! House-hunting. Pictures, pictures, pictures! Going out or up to Darla's. Playing Nintendo Wii. Oh, and Jared payed for Jake and I to go and play racquetball. We hadn't played since Eastern, and didn't even remember the rules. We just bounced the ball around and tried to volley as long as we could--which wasn't very long--but we got a workout. Other than my plantar problems worsening, it was great fun, and we were entertainment for all the boring people on exercise bikes who could see through the window into our court. :-)
I'll sign off for now. Love you all. Hope to see you soon, or at least as soon as possible. Merry Christmas a bit late. We wish you a wonderful New Year as well.
Love, Janelle
Once we (Jake, Janelle, DJ, Carrie, Dan, Adrianna, and O-j0) were finally "on the road" (actually in the air), things got more interesting. First, we had to get DJ strapped into his car seat, with all our stuff, in a very small airplane--in COMPLETE darkness! Then, DJ cried most of flight, and threw up on the descent... multiple times... Adrianna and Carrie helped clean up the puke the first few times... but the last time, there was too much to be handled with wipes. The smell was awful. Dan and Jake carried DJ off the plane in his car seat, leaving me to grab my, Jake, and DJ's stuff. After cleaning barf for quite a while, I was very queasy, and it is hard to move just yourself and your stuff out of a plane that small even when you're chipper. It was only after our luggage was available and Carrie ran for her connecting flight to Fairbanks, after we ran into Bumsy (Harolyn Sager) and chatted, after Dan and Jake finished cleaning DJ and his seat in the airport bathroom, after Jake had gotten our rental car, after DJ threw multiple (thankfully quiet) fits waiting for Jake to arrive with the car, and after we were over halfway to our friends' condo to overnight in Anchorage that we realized that I had, (in my queasy, exhausted state) forgotten our brand-new digital camera and video camera (Jake and I's Christmas presents to each other). Thankfully, Jim and Teresa's condo was very comfortable and inviting, and Hageland (the airline we flew with out of our village) was awesome. We got a great night's sleep, ate Chinese food, did a tiny bit of Christmas shopping, got O-jo to the puppy salon where she became even cuter, and came out smelling much better (she puked on the flight, and in the car rides), and got our Camera back before we left for our flights to Washington and Ohio, respectively.
So, our vacation was supposed to start after school on the 21st, but it didn't really feel like vacation until at least the 22nd. That's debatable too, since we didn't actually arrive at our first vacation destination until about midnight after a flight delay at SeaTac and at least a hour wait for luggage at Spokane.
We spent the 23rd and 24th in Spokane celebrating with my parents, Pat and Gary. My mom helped me a bunch by suggesting choral and string ensemble music for my groups, and allowing me to peruse a bunch of literature that I don't have access to easily where we live. So now I will know better what to order for festival for my students this year. (I'm going to go with standard favorites at least this time, since students from our district haven't gone to festival for many years, and I haven't been to one since I was a student). On Christmas eve, Teya (sister), Jeff (b-i-l), and Brennan (10 yr-old nephew) joined us for a dinner of Norton Sound King Crab Legs--Mm-mm, good! With the exception of Jeff having a seizure, we all had a great time. After our meal, we went out to St. Joseph's parish (the church I grew up going to) and I sang with our old folk group. We were only missing Shawn and Jason. The rest of the Gumkes and Gunnings were there. Seeing everyone and singing with our group meant a lot to me. We have been going to mass every Sunday, but I prepare the music myself, and y'all know I'm about as comfortable playing guitar and piano as I am walking on Waikiki Beach in a bikini... so it's just not the same. Jake and I have missed our Cheney Four-Square church with Dean and Ruthie ever since moving to Alaska, and our Catholic church is very, VERY small in number this year. With my parents retiring and moving to Port Townsend within the next year, and us not usually coming "home" for Christmas, I am pretty sure that December 24th, 2007 was the last time that I'll ever sing with the Gumke/Gunning Folk Group again. I am now paying for all the times I laughed at my mother when she sappily cried over something; I had tears at the end of mass. I always took my church community--and the plethora of church communities available-- for granted when I was growing up. When Kerry Jarrell was leading our Catholic Church in Unalakleet, and Fr. Stan was our priest, we had some great leadership, and some very faith-filled Sundays. Although we (the remaining church community) are pulling together, sheer tenacity does not replace the talents of individuals who are meant to lead. It is hard to find a faith community that you can connect with in small, isolated communities; It is a priceless treasure, and I am glad that my parents "made" me be a part of it. I am forever thankful to my dad, my sister, Marsha, Jason, Katie, Megan, Adam, and especially Rick, Shawn, and my mom for the music and faith we celebrated together. Okay, off my sappy soap-box. In any case, I will miss it, and love my memory of it--every Sunday.
We left Spokane for Clarkston on Christmas Day, and have been with all of Jake's relatives (Bill (dad), Loretta (mom), Jared (brother), Jacquelyn (s-i-l), and Emma (niece), ever since. Other than DJ's new-found teeth (he has BIT his cousin 2x), they are having a lot of fun together. We're smiling most of the time around here from sheer toddler entertainment. They have a playroom where they hang out together, dance, and play. They lay down to bed at the same time pretty easily, but they can't seem to do naps together; they're giggling gets the better of them before their sleepiness does.
Jake has a lot of other family down here too (Grandma Betty, Grandma Ginny, Aunt Darla, Uncle Dean, Brady & Ian (age 11 & 5 cousins), and others, and we've run across a few of his friends from High School--most notably Phil, who is employed at Costco and helped us pick out a replacement wedding band for Jake (his Grandpa's ring has been busted twice now)--one that "wouldn't be waving its own rainbow flag" (the description Phil gave of the ring with diamonds I had picked out), and Amy, one of Jake's ex-girlfriends, who did a very nice job cutting both our heads of hair when we went to Cost Cutters before family photos. S'all good. :-)
We were scheduled to get together with Nate & Ann Simmons, Jeff & Eileen Searles, and Sarah and Mons (and Ben!) Remke, but alas, the winter weather did not cooperate, and we didn't feel it would be worth the risk to drive long distances on icy roads. I am very sad about it, but hopefully we'll catch you all next summer. DJ hasn't seen his godparents since he was a week or two old, and when we finally meet ben, he'll probably be crawling, ready to start cruising, and eating lots of solid foods. Crazy how much difference a few months makes in the life of a baby.
-Making lots of great memories down here. Hot-tubbing every night. Taking DJ and Em to the park. Playing w/Ginger (the Snyder dog). Shopping 'til we drop. Eating TONS of fresh fruits and veggies-without paying an arm and a leg for them! House-hunting. Pictures, pictures, pictures! Going out or up to Darla's. Playing Nintendo Wii. Oh, and Jared payed for Jake and I to go and play racquetball. We hadn't played since Eastern, and didn't even remember the rules. We just bounced the ball around and tried to volley as long as we could--which wasn't very long--but we got a workout. Other than my plantar problems worsening, it was great fun, and we were entertainment for all the boring people on exercise bikes who could see through the window into our court. :-)
I'll sign off for now. Love you all. Hope to see you soon, or at least as soon as possible. Merry Christmas a bit late. We wish you a wonderful New Year as well.
Love, Janelle
