Seasonal Depression and Tanning Beds...

I haven't been diagnosed with seasonal depression per se, but I definitely have self-diagnosed myself with it. As soon as Christmas is over, it kicks in. Oh, I HATE winter. I hate being cold, I hate that the leaves fall off the trees, I hate that I get pale and pasty. I'm a summer girl through and through. I love the sunshine and the beach and the tan (through a healthy layer of sunscreen of course ;-)) and the vacations and the watermelon and the swimming. My cousin, Megan just posted her family pics from Maui (where they were last week) and my friend Amy posted her Christmas pics from their cruise to the Caribbean and I'm SO jealous.
I gave up going to the tanning bed a few years back when I decided 1) I wanted to live to be older than 40 or so 2)I didn't want to be a wrinkly old hag and 3) It's kind of unnatural to be tan all year long. A good number of my friends still go tanning regularly and as winter stretches on, I'm starting to really crave a tanning session or two. It's so warm and when I close my eyes and doze off and on, it's like I'm really on a beach. Granted, sometimes I think "this is a plastic bed of cancer" but most of the time it's really quite lovely. My aunt has been diagnosed with seasonal depression and the doctor gave her a special light to sit under a certain amount of time during the day. So basically the tanning bed is the same thing, right? What do you think?
Sarah in the winter:

Sarah in the summer:

Is the seasonal depression at all evident?

Some of our faves...

Alan, Jackson, and I got together with some of our favorite friends! We went over to see Cory, Melynda, and Trevor and Amelia, Jon, and Emma came too!

Here is Alan trying to hold Emma and Jackson. Emma is tasting one of the coins that goes to Jackson's piggy bank. Mmm.

LOVE Emma's face in this one!! She's like "SERIOUSLY, what's wrong with you, Jackson!?"

Alan holding Trevor. Holding Trevor really made us realize that Jackson isn't a baby anymore!

Cory and Melynda...so cute.

Jon, Amelia, Emma, (and Baby #2)!! So exciting! =)

Sweet little Trevor in his bouncer chair.

As soon as Trevor got picked up, Jackson insisted on laying in the chair. He apparently didn't get the memo that he's no longer an infant.

Um...look at Jackson and Emma's eyes. How obvious is it that they are made for each other!?

The Mommies and the babies.

The Daddies and the babies.

And ANOTHER Christmas...

Next we were off to Alan's Grandparent's house for another Christmas. It's always one of my favorite places to be. =)

Here is Great-Granny reading a new book to Jackson while Great-Papa looks on.

Jackson with his Auntie Megan and with Sandy. He's mad cause he can't get the paper off fast enough.

And another book. He got a LOT of books! =)


Jackson checking out his new shoes.

I love them.

Another Christmas...

Okay, finally updating my pics again. Unfortunately a lot of the pics with my new camera that were taken by other people ended up pretty blurry because the setting was on manual rather than on automatic.
After we left my parent's house for Christmas, we headed to Alan's parents house. We had a great Christmas there. Jackson almost immediately noticed a Christmas package under the tree that had wheels and a handle exposed. He ripped into it and discovered this:

It was a mini Radio Flyer wagon. He likes to pull his toys around and is frequently trying to stand on it.

Snuggling with Nana.

Megan and Sandy.

Sandy and his new books.

Alan opening his Croc slippers.

Debbie opening her Croc slippers.

Me opening my Croc slippers. While I've never been a Crocs girl, I love my slippers and wear them daily so I'm a lot more excited than I look. =)

Us and our presents! Jackson was upstairs napping. =)
Now off to Granny and Papa's house....

Not in the mood...

I have a bunch of pics to post that family and friends are waiting on. However, I found out tonight that one of my friends from an online mommy board was murdered and I can't think of much else. I've known her for almost two years and I'm in total shock.
This is the story: http://www.ktbs.com/news/First-degree-murder-charges-filed-in-slaying-of-pregnant-woman-7661/
Please pray for Teresa's little girls. She loved them so much and I can only imagine what they are going through.

New camera...

Playing with our new camera:
Becky's eyes.
Wreath on the door.
Alan took this one of me and I wasn't trying to look like a Jedi...my ears were just really cold outside.

Christmas time...

We spent Christmas with my family and it was wonderful! We were able to spend about 5 days with each side of the family since Alan gets a Christmas break now and we loved every minute of it. It was fun to catch up with old friends, drink wassail together, play cards, have happy hours, laugh, go to the candlelight service at my parent's church, and just to enjoy the magic of Christmas. =) Having a baby at Christmas made it magical again, too! Watching Jackson wander around the house and point at "Thanta" (Santa) and admire the Christmas trees and open and play with his presents was so much fun! Here are a ton of pictures of Christmas and this is only the first half our our Christmas trip!
Becky and Liz opening stockings while Jackson "helps".
Becky so loves her movies...Jackson is unimpressed.
Annie and Danny.
Jackson wanting to know when he'll finally get to open his stocking and making his pouty face.

Finally opened his stocking and hugging his tiger and panther.
Talking on his new cell.
Looking for more stuff.

He HATES this lizard.
Jackson sitting in his huge pile of presents.
Investigating Rex's teeth (thanks Auntie Annie).
Jackson's cute new socks (Thanks Great Auntie Lisa).
Jackson opening his favorite Christmas present.
OH! It's a REALLY loud hammering toy. Thanks Gigi and G-pa. ;)
Danny opening his present from Becky. A frog puppet with money inside.
Alan and Jackson playing with another cool present.
Annie, Mom, and Becky digging into a gift basket.
Dad and his camera.
Lizzy Lou.
Jackson with my mom (his Gigi).
Christmas 2007 family picture.

And THIS is Jackson's expression when we say "Make your Daddy face!".