Christmas Eve

Picture A Christmas

Henry was starting to give Grandma a complex. He was turned right around staring at her. Not even the doting sister in the background could divert his attention. It was pretty cute.

Christmas Eve was a really good time. We went to Grandma & Grandpa Lester's house for dinner and the nativity. There is something really sweet about having a real baby to play baby Jesus. Henry seemed to understand his role, and played it very seriously. He had an air of reverence and wonder about him. He lay quietly in the manger while the other kids played their parts. {Camera not available at that time.}

ps. found some of Craig's photos that I had upoaded to my computer

When we came home the kids opened their Christmas Eve present. {pjs...surprise, surprise} My boys have already caught on, and can't wait to see what pjs I've picked out for them.
I love the pictures we took.

Logging Truck

Aunt Lindsey gave this tshirt to Henry when he was born. It's perfect. The logging business is in his blood {South & Jones}, and part of his name {uncle burton}.

New Year's Weekend

We love to play in the snow. If only we had a little more than a skiff.

Saturday after New Years we had a family get together and played on the machines in Ron's field. Everyone had a good, cold time. The pictures are proof.

This was right at the end when the snow machines and the sleds just weren't quite enough. This little snow machine is a favorite and probably has more miles than the big one. Every once in awhile, I look at something and think...that was a good purchase. I had that thought Saturday as the girls took turns. I also wondered where the helmets were that we bought to wear while they are riding.
All bundled up and ready to ride.

Sam's not into this being pulled behind the four-wheeler on a sled thing. He's into the real deal. He wants to RIDE!!! And he's actually pretty good at it.

Goofy.

Here are the three "enjoying" their ride.But they all seemed pretty happy when they were done. See all the snow on the hats and in the fur? Imagine that being kicked up into your face at a balmy 18 degrees plus the windchill. No wonder the pink cheeks.

Lexi covered up!!!

Kayson couldn't see, but that didn't matter...he loves the machines.

Even Grandma & Grandpa joined in on the fun.

I really love this one.

Photoshoot for Christmas---New Year's Cards

Since my camera was on the fritz and I didn't get on the ball quick enough to schedule a photographer, I waited until today to take pictures for Christmas cards. (make that New Year's cards) with my amazing new camera!!!!! Canon 50D. Gotta learn how to use the thing now. SO, I caught my goofball daughters. Emma made me promise that I would only take 6 pictures. I had to take a few more. I love the lighting in my living room, but I had to put them on stools on a table to get them out of the direct sunlight. Funny, huh? Genuine laughing smiles. Love it.

What is it with sticking the tongue out? It's much cuter on a baby boy.

Then there's my little HB. He's such a character. He loves attention, and will sometimes initiate the interaction by smiling so hard that he squirms. It's so cute. He's also pretty content to watch what's going on. As you can imagine, there is plenty going on to watch.

This picture says, "I'm done smiling at you...you can't make me smile...in fact, I'm not even going to look at you."

Love the bubbles. He is always blowing bubbles with his drool.

And the tongue. He's always sticking his tongue out. Especially when he smiles.

Yes, I do have two other children who are now in school, and until they got their haircut on Tuesday night, they were looking pretty shaggy. Now is the challenge of capturing them in the daylight hours. Goal: Have the card ready for the printer before Saturday.

PS Got it done!!! As soon as we walked in the door from school, I had them change and fix their handsome, freshly cut hair, and of course that took 1/2 hour, but then we got some great ones. Unfortunately, I had to tell them to stick their tongues out. They were being too nice.

I love how chummy Clay is. The first thing he did was put his arm around Sam for the picture.

Then I have him put his arm down, and Sam leans away. He's more like me.

Christmas Time

The tree is up. We have listened to the Christmas Devotional. Most of my Nativities are in place. Some cookies are baked. Presents are wrapped and under the tree. Cards are coming in the mail. It must be Christmas Time.

More Fun From Thanksgiving

The day after Thanksgiving we opted out of early-morning shopping. Nate did get up and go with my parents to Murdochs after his parents called and told him that everything in the store was 25% off. Time to stock up on dog food. I took a trip to the office to get the tree and lights, but had to be back before dark in order to put them up. After Nate and I {mostly Nate} hung the lights across the front of the house, we had a camp fire. Our little scouts built the fire themselves as Nate and I supervised from the roof.
We made s'mores with these gigantic marshmallows that my mom found back in Ohio. It was really fun! It was Henry's first experience with a campfire. He just sat and stared and took it all in.

When we all got too cold, and the chocolate was gone, we headed back inside to watch Santa Buddies on our wall. We just may have started a new tradition.

On Saturday we went to the ranch to visit with Grandpa Bear. I talked them all into a picture.
We had a nice visit while the boys and girls played with Wyatt & McKayl. They LOVE their cousins. My pictures are a little few and far between. I didn't even get a picture of the kids playing with cousins, which they did for much of the weekend.

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Smile

"When you greet someone heartily, with a warm smile and a friendly salutation, all is well in that person's world - if only for a fleeting moment. The individual feels a sense of validation, that his existence in the cosmos has been acknowledged and recorded, that he is known."
~Yitta Halberstam and Judith Leventhal