Cruisin'

A few pictures from the day after Christmas, once the rain cleared and we could play outdoors!  Davis couldn't get that smile off his face even if he tried!

Noah enjoying an oldie but a goodie!

Christmas Night...

After a lovely Christmas Day we headed over the my grandmother's house for a BIG family get together.  Here is a picture of my dad and Davis in their red sweater vest.  Davis never wants to wear a sweater vest but if I tell him that Grandaddy man wears them then he stops complaining and puts it on.  :) 

Jimmy got a nerf gun from his sister for Christmas- yes he is a grown man, yes- it was a brilliant idea and yes- I hate that I didn't think of it!  He was nice enough to let Davis play with it and Davis LOVED it- I'm not sure everyone else in the room did but they were good sports too!

Davis passed out presents which is no small feet with this clan.  He did great and was rewarded by getting to be one of the first ones to open presents!

I think Noah was a little overwhelmed by the magnitude of the day/evening and was camera shy.  Needless to say, he enjoyed it as well and I anticipate next year he will be right in the middle of chaos!

Christmas 2011-

Christmas Eve I was determined to get a picture of my boys sitting in front of the Christmas Tree with my new camera!  Sounds simple enough, right?  Wrong.  Getting two little excited boys to sit still on Christmas Eve is virtually impossible!  They just love to mess with each  other!  I hated to ruin the fun, festive, silly mood so I just had to go with it.  So this is real life.... on Christmas Eve.... and looking back it was perfect even if the picture are not!

Davis pointing to his hand print ornament.

We set out the truck before we went to sleep (our gift to the boys) and Santa came when we were all snug in our beds :0)

We thought that perhaps this was the year we would have to get up at the crack of dawn because the boys would wake up!  However, they actually slept late till about 8:30.  Merry Christmas to us! :)  Davis was excited it was Jesus' birthday from the moment he woke up!  He also started thanking Santa for his gifts before he even got down stairs!   Here he is upon first glimpse! 

Her is our sweet Noah, not willing to let go of his old trains, to embrace his new shake-n-go Mater :)  I could just squeeze him he is so cute in his plaid PJ's!

Davis got a headlamp in his stocking.  He proclaimed "Now I can creap around in the dark just like Daddy."  Makes you wonder doesn't it!?!

The boys literally didn't notice the Ford F150 truck until about 15 minutes into the morning when we had to point it out to them!  Kind of crazy but sweet all rolled into one!  It has a real radio in it and I still can't decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing.  Hopefully it will remain positive but certainly something to keep me on my toes! 

Just after these pictures Davis drove forward almost taking down our tree (not to mention me)!  Ha!

Noah wasn't at all interested in the truck and to this day, is still not.  I hope it will grow on him because it was his gift as well.  We are trying not to push it upon him so only time will tell.   It rained ALL of Christmas day so we really didn't have a chance to drive outside until the next day!  Davis couldn't believe it was raining- after last Christmas he fully expected snow (no joke).

It was a wonderful, laid back morning!  We had some monkey bread, breakfast casserole, coffee, and Christmas music.  All of it was so ideal (minus the fact that the kids had terrible colds).  We are so thankful that God has given us more then we ever could have asked for.  This past year has been a difficult year for both sides of the family and I think Matt and I have really realized how much things can quickly change.  I don't say this lightly or as a cliche but we are so very blessed.  I hope and pray that we are able to communicate to our boys  that all of these things, our house, our food, our family, and Jesus himself are precious gifts.  May we be reminded of that throughout the year.

Christmas Eve Afternoon...

On Christmas Eve day we went to Gigi & Grandaddy Man's house!  I thought the boys might be exhausted but nothing like a ton of presents to get the adrenaline going! :)  Matt surprised me when we got there by giving me my Christmas present: a new camera!  I didn't need a new one but had been desiring to update mine for quite a while.  I hadn't realized that I had ever really vocalized this but apparently I've casually mentioned it in conversation.  My husband listens well (most of the time)! :)  My boys spoil me.  Speaking of spoiled- here is proof that we are all are very spoiled. 

Have I mentioned that we are ecstatic that my sister is expecting again?  You can ready more about this special little baby here!  I think she may have had just as many presents as anyone else at Christmas!  We are just so excited!  If you could please pray for our family as her pregnancy continues that we will be blessed with peace and that the baby will be blessed with good health!  We have learned to take nothing forgranted- especially the miracle of a sweet little baby! :)

I really want to start being more purposeful in taking group pictures at family get togethers.  I'm terrible about it and I think we are missing such great opportunity when we are all together.  Therefore, family and friends be forewarned:  I'm going to start being "that" person.  Come prepared for pictures!

And for posterity sake, here is a glimpse of our 2012 Christmas card!

Christmas - Part I

Anybody care to tell me how me how these boys got so big?!? Better yet, does anyone care to tell me how in the world you get 3 boys to all look at the camera and smile at the same time?!?  I feel like I've gotten so close recently but yet am still so far away from achieving a good "cousin" picture!

The weekend before Christmas we had a small family get together!  There were a few presents opened and good times had!

Christmas Eve morning G-Mama and Papa came over for breakfast and we exchanged presents with them!  It was a lovely morning and my boys soaked up all the attention!

Inside the box below is a 24 piece Thomas puzzle that G-Mama and Papa gave Noah.  That could have been the only present he got all Christmas and he would have been perfectly happy!  He is obsessed wtih that puzzle and puts it together by himself at least 3 times a day!

Davis wearing his Santa hat!  He was pumped about all his gifts but especially his cars2 wii game.  He loves to play that game with his daddy!  I try but he made his preference clear on the first day when he said "Mommy, you are normally a good driver, but not in this game."  For the record- I'm getting better! :)

2011 Santa Picture...

Our Santa picture went something like this....

The professional one is much better but the expressions are the same!  Once again, Davis asked for Fin McMissile only this time he asked for battery's to go with it.  Santa looked up at me and said "He is very thorough."  I had to agree!  Noah was just happy to be back in my arms.  Davis was concerned that this Santa wasn't like the one we saw on the train.  I had to agree but didn't know what else to say.  Then he immediately concluded that the Santa on the train wasn't the "real" Santa because there were people dressed up as all sorts of things.  Thus, this Santa "the one we saw today was REAL Mommy!"

Very exciting and I loved hearing his thought process!

School Christmas Parties

We had a first this Christmas.  Now that Noah attends a mothers morning out program- my boys Christmas parties conflicted!  Same time, same day!  I've seen moms pop in one room and then go pop in another room but I was afraid that Noah wouldn't really "let" me do that- once he sees me he is rather attached (oh to feel so loved).  Since my mom previously taught with Davis' teacher more than 2 decades ago, she offered to go attend his class party so I could attend Noah's.  I ended up coordinating the class party for Davis- so I hated to miss out but I know he was thrilled to have his Gigi with him and flooded her with memories from long ago!

Below is Noah- enjoying the food at his party!  He loved every item on his plate and was in Heaven!

He is sitting by our friend Will who was born the day after Noah at the same hospital.  I went to high school with Will's parents and we have remained friends over the years!  So nice to watch our boys grow up together!

Isn't he adorable?  Every time I go pick up Noah, if Will is still there, he looks at me like "Won't you please take me home too?"  I would if I could buddy!

Not a flattering picture of me below but how can you not post it when Noah's grin is sooo sweet!!!

Davis and Gigi- at his party!  Unfortunately I didn't get to take many pictures at his party but I heard it was lots of fun and a great success!  We brough reindeer PB&J sandwiches for his class and they loved them!

Christmas Train Ride....

The weekend after Thanksgiving my in-laws graciously took us and my SIL & nephew on a train ride!  Anyone who has met my kids know that they love, love, love trains!  Trains + Christmas = Bliss  Doens't get much better than that!

The ride lasted about an hour and Noah was quite a handful during that hour.  The train consisted of singing common Christmas songs and visits from Frosty, Rudolph, and Santa.  There was also a bear and a grinch outside of the train, which Davis didn't really appreciate either one of those!  Below is Noah glancing at one of the characters up ahead.

Davis with his G-Mama and Papa

Noah's cute fish face!

Rudolph.... need I say more?!?

And of course, SANTA!  Davis was apprehensive at first so Matt "called out" to Santa that Davis wanted a pink tutu! Davis was MORTIFIED and begged his Daddy to stop!!!  We now know he can be easily embarassed by us! :)  Davis had to go see Santa himself to set the record straight- he didn't want a pink tutu at all but rather a shake-n-go Fin McMissle from Cars2!  He told Santa he could give the pink tutu to his Daddy instead :)   Noah was fine with Santa as long as I was by his side but preferred not to talk to him.

It was a fun- long day!  Noah might have been a little young for the experience but overall did pretty good.  Davis was slightly cranky that day and I'm still not sure why.  Perhaps it was lots of unkowns for him but he was just talking about the train ride the other day so I know he appreciated the experience!  Thanks

G-Mama & Papa!