Merry White Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone. Lucy and
I are in Virginia with Mimi and Gator for Christmas. We are having a great time, and guess what? We had snow. Lots of snow. Almost over my head.

Here is Gator getting me ready to go outside. How do you like the new boots Mimi bought?



Well, it didn't take long to check them out. This is just outside the garage door. You almost need snow shoes the snow is so deep.

I helped Gator shovel the driveway so we could get the paper. As you can see Gus enjoys the snow. it is just his kind of weather.

This is my Uncle Seth making snow angels. Isn't he silly.

This is what he looked like when he was finished. How silly, even for an Aggie.

Now I am back in the warm kitchen, helping Mimi to bake Christmas cookies. I especially like this part of Christmas.

I'll have some more news on how Christmas went. Until then I hope you are having a great Christmas and Holidays. I know I am. From Lucy and I, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Love, Thomas

Happy Halloween

Well, Happy Halloween. Isn't it great. I get to go trick or treating with my sister Lucy. You'll have to wait for the pictures, but if you see a construction worker out there asking for treats, it could be me.

Guess what? My Dad's gone again. Oh, it is not because he doesn't like being home. It is because he is serving our country. Here is a picture of his vacation home for the next few months. It looks like fun, but my Mom says to trust her, I wouldn't enjoy it. Anyway, Lucy, me and Mom are counting the days until he gets home.

As promised here is great picture of Lucy, who is already for the nippy weather here in southern California. She is getting so big and is a lot of fun to be with. We both hope everyone is having a Happy Halloween.

Until next time, I hope everyone is having a great day; I sure am. Stay safe, Dad. Love, Thomas

Proof there is a heaven.

I believe I have talked about my keen interest in 'diggers'.

Remember, when I taught Gator that he should look around more and learn to enjoy the things all around him. There were so many diggers near his house, working on the roads, and he could see them everyday, if he would only look around.

Well, guess what? They started putting in new underground pipes along my street and I got up this morning and found my own digger sitting right in front of my house. What more could a guy ask for. My own digger. Wow! Thanks, Mom and Dad. You shouldn't have.

I also mentioned I was going to start featuring my little sister, Lucy, on my blog. At least until she gets her own blog.

Well, besides liking diggers and trains, I also like to make people laugh with my funny faces and strange noises.

Getting Lucy to laugh is a piece of cake. No matter how crazy I am, she seems to enjoy laughing at me.

I hope these pictures make you laugh and fill your heart with joy.

More antics from Thomas and Lucy to follow.

Until then, have a great day. I certainly am.

Howdy!

Well, it is almost October. What a great month. The leaves are changing. It is getting a little chilly. Oh no, that's right, I live in sunny southern California. Never mind.

Anyway, I have been attending pre-school for two weeks now and except for a rough day, now and then, it has been great and I am learning so much.




Now, for the big event. I would like to formally introduce my baby sister, Lucy. She is growing up fast. Isn't she pretty?

Okay, Lucy. Back in the box.

Until next time, I hope you are having a great day. I certainly am. Love, Thomas

Summer is Over

Well, summer is over. It is already September, and guess what? September means it is my birthday. I am already three and as I like to say three and a half. Gator says the half year is for all the grief I have already been through with my new sister.

Mimi got me the best gift for my birthday, a new sand bucket. I also got a play shopping cart to put all my things in. I am not sure my Mom is all that thrilled about the shopping cart; you see it has wheels and moves fast when I push it around the house. The cart may end up an outdoor toy.

My summer has been great. I got to go to the beach a bunch of times and I also got to go to the park where they had this mini-beach and shooting fountains. What a great time I had. Of course my little sister was born on July 21st and Mimi came for a visit. So it has been a great summer.

Now I am going to have to get more serious. I am going to start pre-school and I am looking forward to that. However, I do need to learn how to use a potty and rely less on my pull-ups.

I am also getting better at holding my sister, Lucy. Can't you see how happy she is. She is still very small, but growing. No matter what I will always be her big brother.

I hope this finds everyone doing well and I hope you also had a great summer. Until next time, have a great day. Love, Thomas

Guess Who Is Coming To Dinner

Guess what? My Mom is not fat anymore. I now have a baby sister. Lucy Jane born on the 21st of July. Everyone is happy, including me.

Mimi was here and we got to do a lot of things together including Tumbles, Swimming, and going to great activities like the the Zoo and Train Museum. Lots of great stuff. What a summer.

Unfortunately, Mimi is headed back home this week and Dad goes back to work, so it will be me, Mom and Lucy.

I hope you all are having a great summer. I certainly am. Have a great day. Love, Thomas

Summertime

Well, my Aunt Grace is complaining because I am not keeping up with my Blog as often as my cousin Susan Kate. I guess I really have no excuse, except that a guy gets busy during the summer.

So, how am I busy? Well first, Mom and Dad are trying to sell our house. It has been a nice house, but with my new sister coming, it could get a little crowded. So, we are trying to sell this one and buy a larger one. That means we always have to keep the house clean, or as I say, 'me up' after ourselves. Notice the pretty flowers on the counter. Nice touch, huh. Showing the house also means we have put away odds and ends, and that makes the house seem like there is more room. Unfortunately, those odds and ends include my toys, and that can be a bummer sometimes. Also showing the house means that me, Mom and Dad go out a lot for other great activities.

The other summer event is my new sister is on her way; probably next month, but the way Mom looks, she could come any time. I have a sneaky suspicion that things are going to change big time when that occurs. Thomas' life of Reilly as I know it may be over. Now, I will have to share more. That's a hard concept to grasp. Well, all my buds have brothers or sisters and life is still good with them, so I am hopeful. In any event, it looks like it is going to full summer. I hope your summer is going well and that you are looking forward to a lot of fun like I am. Have a great day. Love, Thomas

Wing Ding of a Winging

Well, as promised, here are some photos of my weekend in Texas; attending my Uncle Seth's Winging Ceremony. Seth is a Marine and he went through Naval flight school in Kingsville, Texas. The same place where my Dad went to flight school. Anyway, here we are and I am already to go.


This is my Aunt Kimberly. She is a Texan. She is holding my cousin Banks, who was born in Corpus Christi. So I guess he is a Texan, too. Me, I was born in California, like my Grandad Gator.

Well the weather wasn't too bad, but it wasn't perfect either. It sure is windy in south Texas. It didn't matter though, because the winging took place in the squadron hangar. That was good, because there were a lot of families there to see their loved ones receive their wings. There was also a change of command.

Here is a picture of me on my best behavior. I was trying to be good, since I had already managed to get the new Commanding Officer's wife mad at me when I tried to play with some of her children's toys. Not very hospitable. She must not be from Texas, or California for that matter.

Here is another picture of my cousin Susan Kate dressed to the nines. See how she and Mimi match. Both are very beautiful and from Texas, of course.

Now, the reason we are all here. My Uncle Seth, Aunt Brandi and cousin Banks. Can you see Uncle Seth's new wings? Well, they aren't really new. They belonged to Gator, but they are new for Uncle Seth. Congratulations, Uncle Seth. I hope one day I can grow up and be like my Dad and Uncles.

After the ceremony the entire family went out to dinner for Mexican food; a specialty in this part of the country. Here, my Dad is reading to me so that I won't get in trouble before dinner comes. It turned out to be great food and was worth the wait. Thanks, Dad for looking out for me.

After dinner, all the older people went to a squadon party. Can you guess the theme? This is a picture of my Dad, my two Uncles, Gator and Bank's other grandfather, Doyle; all apparently having a great time.

Well this didn't bother Susan Kate and I. We had a lot of fun on our own. Here we are playing with my Uncle Seth before he went to the party, and then Susan Kate and I got to play on some of the neat playgrounds in Uncle Seth's housing area. Here I am pretending to drive SKB to the party. Great car, but it didn't go anywhere. It must be a Chrysler.

Well, that is about it from here. I am back in sunny California now and I am wishing everyone a great day. Love, Thomas

April Showers and Other Events

Well, I have been busy this past month. First, I got to go with my Mom and Dad to Mimi's and Gator's. It was great, we had so much fun. My Uncle Seth, Aunt Brandi and cousin Banks showed up as well. As you can see, my bud, Gus was happy to see me. He let me sit on him, but he wouldn't get up to give me a ride. He doesn't look very enthusiastic. Anyway, Gus and I had a great time.

I have two of favorite places at Mimi's house. One is here in the kitchen. It seems like we all spend a lot of time in there and there are all kinds of things to get into. I haven't started getting into the refrigerator, yet. However, the walk in pantry suits me just fine, and there all all kinds of goodies to be had.

My other favorite place is in the family room with my toys spread all over the floor watching TV. Compared to my home, Mimi's house has lots of room and my play area doesn't bother anyone.

While visiting Gator, he had a whole truck load of mulch delivered and Dad and I helped Gator spread it around the yard. We all worked hard, especially my Dad. We spent all day and only got through about two thirds of the pile. Gator said he finally finished getting it spread, but I think I did my part and had a great time doing it.

Gator and Mimi also took the entire family to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport. Here I am walking past the space shuttle. Man, is it big. There was a lot to see. That's Gator following along behind to see that I stay out of trouble. The Security Guards had already commented on how fast I was.

Well that is about it for now. It is Easter, and here I am in my Easter best, ready to go to Church. We leave soon headed back to sunny California. However, we will all meet again in Texas, in less than a week to see my Uncle Seth get his Naval Aviator wings. Until then, have a great day. I know I am. Love, Thomas

Is it Spring yet?

How is everybody doing? I hope you all are well. Me, I am doing great. It is so much fun to be two. The weather is starting to change, and that is hard to say for southern California.

The other day my Dad took me out to fly a kite. Well, needless

to say I got more exercise than the kite did. I even got to the point that

playing in the sand seemed more appealing than trying to get a kite to fly. Gator took a look

at this photo and said it reminded him so much of my Dad. I guess he had a similar experience.

Anyone, that was only one of the fun things I have been up to. Catch my outfit for my horseback ride, or should I say pony. It sure looked like a horse to me. Anyone, I got all dolled up in this nice hat and some clown painted a spider on my face. I mean that literally, a clown painted my face.

Anyway, I was all set for my experience with the horse (aka pony) that took me around the park. Honestly, it was a blast. I am having so much fun. I hope your Spring is going well.

I am off to see Gator and Mimi this week. Wish them luck. Oh by the way, my uncle Seth, the one you pushes me around on my toy airplane and lets me wear his boots, well he gets his naval aviator wings later this month and I get to go see that. All my uncles and aunts and cousins will be there. Anyway, until then I hope you are having a great day. I know I am. Love, Thomas

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

Howdie! It is so great having my Mom and Dad both home for awhile. I get to do so many things. I even had my own train car on this choo-choo. Isn't that neat. On President's Day, my Dad even had the chance to take me to the aquarium. Although it was raining in normally sunny southern California, I managed to find a little shelter and the shark didn't seem to mind at all. This is probably one of those pictures that will live on in infamy.

This past week my Mom even took me to one of my favorite places - the zoo. We had such a great time. Thanks Mom and Dad for taking such good care of me and for loving me. Gator you keep counting those 'diggas'. Until next time. I hope you all are having a great day, I know I am. By the way, my new cousin, Banks, has his own blog now http://byrumfam.blogspot.com. Stop by and see how he is doing and see how fast he is growing. See you again soon. Love, Thomas.

Thomas' Thoughts for the Day

Grownups make life so complicated sometimes. When I was at Mimi's and Gator's this past week I had a lot of fun. Besides 'choo-choos', I also like all kinds of trucks and construction equipment, especially 'diggas', or at least that is what I call them. There is a lot of construction going on around where Mimi and Gator live and there are all types of diggas working with bulldozers and trucks. Unfortunately, Gator who drives back and forth to work through all these construction areas didn't even notice any of the equipment until he rode along with me and I carefully pointed out all the diggas. There are a lot. Here is a picture of some of them working. Now Gator says he sees diggas all the time and all over the place. Only goes to show that sometimes you just have to stop and smell the roses and to appreciate the diggas.

My latest thought for the day is that before you get ready to go off on a long trip, take a minute, stop and see if you have forgotten anything. If you do this, you might remember your i-pod so that you can listen to music on the airplane ride. Isn't that right, Mimi?

Mimi, we hope you have a good time at Uncle Seth and Aunt Brandi's playing with my cousin Banks. I hope he is having as great a day as I am. Here is the latest photo we have of Banks. I am sure my cousin Susan Kate and I will keep you informed on how he is doing until he gets his own blog. Love, Thomas