Life Is Beautiful.

Fun fact of the day:

We are currently estimating Blake's weight at about 27 pounds.

He's awesome.

(It's 2-for-1 day here at Jackson Family Fun Facts!)

^He's totally loving avocado right now...

and when the avocado is gone,

it sure makes a great vehicle for apple sauce.

And here's how I found Ian and his friend, Makenna, the other day

(watching another *component* of our play date drive away):

^Aren't they awesome?

(especially after having done Christmas Crackers.)

And this certainly deserves some explanation:

Ian's favorite buddy is a dog named Chester.

Chester was acquired at a Seattle-area Target (thanks, Brianne!)

after Horsey was lost while we watched them throw the fish downtown.

Chester also happens to be Ian's favorite portrait subject.

(mostly because the rest of us can't sit still.)

A month or so ago, Ian presented me with my very own portrait of Chester.

(I'd like to make it clear that the ^picture is labeled FOR me

and not labeled OF me. That would most definitely be an insult to Chester.)

^Ian has done a great job of decorating the door to my desk.

He was also thrilled to adorn the tree with Candy Canes on Saturday:

And this year, I decided to hang the stockings on the stair rail.

A mantle, it's not.

But it'll do, pig.

It'll do.