Dear Charlotte ... 2008

Dear Charlotte,
Now that 2008 is over I wanted to let you know that many things happened in the year of your birth. I am hoping that this blog may be around in the future so you can read this note and you can see what happened in history. This was a very historic year in many ways, I will mention some that probably will never be in the record or history books and others that I am sure will endure through time. This was a year was filled with many highs and lows, deaths and creations, this year saw crazy gas prices peaking around $4.10 at one point and $1.46 this morning. Also everyone “found..." something, "...their way”, “...old friends”, and "...health" in 2008, there was a huge rise of in-car GPS devices, Facebook seems to have almost everyone I have ever known now logging on, as well as the large increase of organic foods in your local mega marts. The economy was filled mostly with lows, many people have lost jobs and most will not be receiving annual bonus and raises. Most holiday parties were canceled because of cost savings and I am sure tonight’s New Years will have many people at home instead of at grand balls and lavish parties. Although from the feeling I get around town, everyone is ready to start 2009 with a bang.

2008 In Review:
January 11 – Sir Edmund Hillary died. This was the first person to conquer Mount Everest.
January 17 – Bobby Fisher died. He could have been the best chess player of all time.
January 22 – Heath Ledger died. Actor.
February 10 – Roy Scheider died. Actor. Famous lines from the movie Jaws. “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”
March 18 – You were born at Riverside Hospital near The Ohio State University campus in Columbus, Ohio.
March 19 – Arthur C. Clark died. Author whose most famous work was “2001: A space Odyssey”
March 28 – The HD DVD Promotion Group was dissolved ending its run to take over BluRay media.
April 5 – Charlton Heston died. Actor
April 28 – Dow peaks.13,058
May 29 – Harvey Korman died. Actor. Famous for some of my favorite movies including History Of The World and Blazing Saddles.
June 13 – Tim Russert died. Washington bureau chef and the moderator of “Meet the Press”
June 13 – Isabella turns 2. We had a great party at a place called “Pump it Up”
June 22 – George Carlin died. Comedian. One of my all time favorite people.
July 11 – People lined up outside ever Apple store to get a new G3 iPhone
July 18 – Dark Knight made $67.2 million in a single day, the most lucrative opening for any film and ended as the second highest grossing movie of all time behind Titanic.
August 9 – Bernie Mac died. Actor
August 10 – Isaac Hayes died. Singer song writer.
September 1 - Tropical Storm Ike is upgraded to Hurricane Ike later destroying the Huston Coast line and reminisce coming and causing power outages in Ohio.
September 26 – Paul Newman died. Actor and over all superstar. Stared in one of Nicole's all time favorites, Cool Hand Luke. You and your sister have eaten a lot of his namesake food products.
November 5 – Michael Crichton. Author. Jurassic Park, “ER” and many more.
November 15 – Probably the most historic day of this year. Americans elected the first African American president after the longest primary season in modern history.
November 17 – Dow hits bottom. 8,042
December 11 – Bettie Page died. Model
December 31 - Extra leap second added to the Atomic Clock.

Winners:
Oscars –
Actor – Danial Day Lewis – There Will be Blood
Actress – Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose
Directing and Best Picture – No Country For Old Men

American Idol - David Cook
NASCAR - Jimmie Johnson
Heisman trophy - Sam Bradford
Super Bowl – New York Giants
World Series – Philadelphia Phillies
NBA Champions - Boston Celtics
NBA MVP – Kobe Bryant
Olympics -
Usain Bolt - Bolt became the first man since Carl Lewis to earn gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters and the 400 relay, and he (and his teammates) broke the world records in all three events.
Michael Phelps - Phelps won eight gold medals in Beijing, breaking the 26-year-old record for gold medals in a single summer Olympics. You were mostly awake to watch it all, while Isabella was asleep.

AOLs Top searches of 2008:
General
‘American Idol’ - Top TV & Movies
NASCAR - Top Sports
Britney Spears - Top Celebrity
Flat Belly Diet - Top Health
iPhone - Top Shopping
Jonas Brothers - Top Musician
Presidential Election - Top News

TV and Movie Searches
American Idol
Dancing with the stars
Hanna Montana
The View
Lost
Deal or No Deal
Days of Our lives
Juno
So You Think You Can Dance
High School Musical

Primetime Show Searches
‘American Idol’
‘Dancing With the Stars’
‘Lost’
‘Deal or No Deal’
‘So You Think You Can Dance’
‘Big Brother’
‘Survivor’
‘The Bachelor’
‘Saturday Night Live’
‘The Bachelorette’

Reality TV Show Searches
‘American Idol’
‘Dancing With the Stars’
‘So You Think You Can Dance’
‘Big Brother’
‘Survivor’
‘The Bachelor’
‘The Bachelorette’
‘Project Runway’
‘Biggest Loser’
‘America’s Next Top Model’

Movie Searches
‘Juno’
‘High School Musical’
‘The Dark Knight’
‘Iron Man’
‘Indiana Jones’
‘Sex and the City’
‘Jumper’
‘No Country for Old Men’
‘Hancock’
‘Kung Fu Panda’

Top Celebrity Searches
Britany Spears
Miley Cyrus
Kim Kardashian
Paris Hilton
Oprah Winfrey
Angelina Jolie
Vanessa Hudgens
Lindsay Lohan
Jamie Lynn Spears
Jennifer Lopez

Top Shopping Searches
iPhone
Wii
iPod
Garmin Nuvi
Bratz
Crocs
PS3
Guitar Hero
Uggs
Rosetta Stone

Top News Searches
Presidential Election
Olympics
Bailout
Hurricane Ike
Unemployment
Stock market
Bigfoot
Stimulus checks
High gas prices
Eliot Spitzer scandal

Twas the night before Christmas...

Isabella's First Ballet

Isabella's First Ballet
12/23/2008 Ohio Theater
"The Nutcracker"

According to Wiki: The Nutcracker is a fairy tale-ballet in two acts, three scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composed in 1891–92. Alexandre Dumas père's adaptation of the story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by E.T.A. Hoffmann was set to music by Tchaikovsky (staged by Marius Petipa and commissioned by the director of the Imperial Theatres Ivan Vsevolozhsky in 1891). In Western countries, The Nutcracker has become perhaps the most popular of all ballets, performed primarily around Christmas time.

Two Peas In A Pod

Now when we get Isabella and Charlotte laughing together they sound the exact same. Take a look.

Wildlights presented by American Electric Power

Last night for Nicki's birthday we went to Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo. It was very cold but we had a great time. You can see Isabella, Charlotte, and Gigi all bundled up. If anyone reads this blog and they live anywhere remotely close to Columbus you NEED to go to this. It was absolutely amazing. I have seen a lot of holiday lights this year, this by all means surpasses everything put together!

Wildlights presented by American Electric Power
Date: November 21, 2008 to January 03, 2009
Time: Sun through Thurs 5 pm - 9 pm Fri & Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
Cost: Free with Zoo admission

Details:Turn up the wattage on your holiday season with Wildlights at the Zoo, presented by American Electric Power, AEP... In celebration of our 20th Wildlights season, we have made Wildlights Brighter and Greener than ever! With the generous support of our good friends at AEP, half of our light display was converted to energy-saving light emitting diode (LED) lights. Also new this year is “Rhythms around the Watering Hole,” an all new animated musical light show.

Wildlight 360 !!

Crazy 360 degree view of Wildlights.

Do you see what I am talking about? Amazing!!

This view is only the tip of the iceberg.

Wildlights Cont.

"Now then what'd be nice... We'll start with raspberry ice... And then some cakes and tea."

Happy Birthday Nicole!

Happy Birthday Nicole!

Yes that cake is that big!

"My little music box dancer is something to see, The way she twirls around is just as cute as can be"
-Music Box Dancer, Ray Conniff

Here are pictures of Isabella's first day at Ballet class. She was excellent. She was able to lead the class the first day!

Video Isabella's First Day!

Isabella's First Day II

Charlotte is 9 Months today and she decided to crawl!

Yes it's true Charlotte decided to crawl today. It wasn't very far and after we made he do it about 5 times she was very upset with us. Although this was literally the third crawl ever. The first two we watched and had to make sure, then we ran for the camera. We are hoping this becomes a habit. Please note in this video you hear a smacking noise. I have no clue what Isabella was doing behind me. Luna is okay so she wasn't hitting the dog.

According to Parents.com: "Crawling is defined as any form of prone progression -- any way of moving in which the tummy is toward the floor. In fact, in one of her many studies on crawling babies, Karen Adolph, PhD, associate professor of psychology at New York University, observed 25 unique combinations of body parts used to propel a baby forward.
- The belly crawl (also known as the commando crawl)
- The classic crawl (baby alternates arms and legs, getting the arm on one side to hit the floor at the same time as the leg on the opposite side)The bear crawl (baby walks on all fours, arms and legs unbent)
- The crab crawl (baby pushes with arms instead of pulls -- which has the unintended, and frustrating, consequence of sending baby backward)
- The leapfrog crawl (baby makes a bridge with her arms and legs and then thrusts forward)
- The roll (some babies get so good at rolling that it becomes their primary way to get around)"

"That is one fine motor skill."

Isabella is learning how to write!
Here is one of the first times that Isabella and her teacher (Ms. Corinne) tried to write a letter.
She recognizes most of them but, we are really trying to start working on her with fine motor skills.

Great "Scotts" what are we feeding our kids?

Today we finally were able to go to a shop that I have always wanted to go to, The Bexley Natural Food Market. This co-op has a great selection of locally grown foods and other natural ingredients that are sometimes hard to find. So if you are coming to our house soon, be prepared for some fresh parsnips, fresh broccoli, wild rice, and many other great finds.

Prior to Mandi and Tom opening our eyes to their co-op in Madison, Wisconsin, We were completely blind to such a thing even existed. Now we know and we are happy to find one so close to home. Thanks!

Eating fresh locally grown food will not only support your community but it will also help cut down on the pesticides you and your family eat. Read this and it may open your eyes. Okay so you don't believe in this, that is okay, do you have a Petri dish. I am always up for an experiment.
Please note we are not a gurus nor are we apostles but we try!

Fall Art From Charlotte

Here is some original artwork created by Charlotte Felter Oct. 2008.
Maybe some teachers helped but I am not sure.

Painting with gourds.

Move over MacGyver and Pollock?

Quick MacGyver I need...
- Paper
- golf ball
- 5 different color paints
- a box (left over from presents works well)
- Scotch tape
- small kid that likes shaking things

Yes this does sound like something MacGyver would ask for to defuse a bomb. While June was visiting we entertained the girls with a little art project. If you put all of those items together in the correct order you will come out with a piece of art ready for the MoMA. Here is a scan of Isabella's. (This one is for you Jackson Pollock) If you need help with the order of the items contact me, or always remember not to cut the blue wire, ever!

One of Charlotte's First

Here is a scan of one of the first pieces of art from Charlotte. Enjoy!

Father Christmas - Jultomten

We actually had to go and get two different sets of pictures. Isabella was very scared of Santa. After we left she started talking about him and how she would like to try it again. So we did! Too bad Charlotte was beat by then. It is really cute if you ask Isabella what Santa says. She will lower her voice and say, "Ho Ho Ho, Sit right here"
Accoring to Wiki: Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply "Santa", is the figure who, in most of Western cultures[citation needed], is described as bringing gifts on Christmas Eve, December 24 or on his Feast Day, December 6 (Saint Nicholas Day). The legend may have part of its basis in hagiographical tales concerning the historical figure of Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas of Myra is the primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Santa Claus. He was a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor.

Sweden: Jultomten
Russia: Ded Moroz
Italy: Babbo Natale
France: Père Noël
Germany: Weihnachtsmann
Turkey: Noel Baba
Spain: Reyes Magos
Portugal: Pai Natal

Daddy's Girls

Oh the weather...

"... and since we've no place to go, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! "

"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", also known as "Let It Snow", is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in 1945.

Presents: Round One

Charlotte's First Christmas Present

Their Cousin June was there to help out.