Monday, March 3, 2014

More Christmas Memories

This Christmas was particularly special and heartfelt...it was our last with Mom here on earth. And because she couldn't make it to our traditional Christmas Eve church service, we brought church and hymns to her. It was Omar on the guitar, and Sam leading vocals.







 
Christmas morning...what Santa and his elves left for the good boys and girl. A kitchen for Molly, Star Wars and Skylanders for Henry, and a new car for Sam.






 
Still half-asleep Sam


 
A tube of insects! Oh my!

 
Henry has a weird obsession with Skylanders. He loves collecting the characters, but has no idea they are actually pieces to a video game. We not only don't own a Skylander video game, we don't even own a gaming system. Henry just saw them on the store shelf one day and fell instantly in love. Must be a boy thing.

 
 
Who knew flashlights would be the hit for Sam...Grandma assisted as Sam put a flashlight on every finger.
 



 
Chocolate for breakfast? Why not.


 
Time to re-decorate the tree...again!




 
Moments before Molly's cabbage patch doll went into the oven...apparently an oven also serves as a makeshift crib. When you think about it, it's actually quite ingenious. The oven provides a flat, warm place to rest, you can see your baby through the glass door, and with the oven door closed, you can't hear it cry. And it's also a great space saver. Brilliant, Molly!

 
Henry sat with Grandma and told her everything she ever wanted to know about Skylanders...and more. A precious, precious memory.


 

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Christmas Eve

Since January (2013), Henry has been asking when it was going to be Christmas again...so, needless to say, he was all smiles when Christmas Eve finally arrived.


 
As the day went on, Sam grew leery of Henry's incessant happiness...and, well...he tackled him.

 
But it wasn't enough...Henry couldn't stop smiling.
 

 
Even with his mouth full of marshmallows...




 
Even when Sam tried pulling his hair...

 
Somehow he must have known what was hiding under the tree...the robot of his dreams.



Twas the Night in the Mouth of a Shark

Uncle Creyton and Aunt Carrie surprised the boys with a shark tent for Christmas...they were (and still are) in heaven. It's their favorite place to sleep together. Even Milo, the cat, seems to prefer the shark tent to her bed.





 
Counting teeth...the shark still has its baby teeth...only one row.



 
Uncle Garland reading The Night Before Christmas. The boys LOVED it, and wish their aunt and uncle, and Cousin Rick, lived closer. We love you.





Thursday, February 27, 2014

Christmas Traditions

 
 
At least his feet were warm.

 
Our Elf on the Shelf wasn't nearly as ornery as he's been in years past. But then we were traveling a lot this Christmas...there's really no telling how much mischief he got into while we were away.



 
And Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without homemade sugar COOKIES. Yum, yum. My little elves were especially helpful (ha) this year. Sam made sure each cookie tree had its fair share of sprinkles.
 












 
More to come...