Merry Christmas 2009!!!

We spent this Christmas with my parents and Sarah and Kelvin in Washington. We had so much fun. It was very relaxed, and the kids got to play, play, play!!! (We did too actually) There was about a half inch of snow on the ground- just enough for it to be nice and slick. We went sledding just about every day! What a great time with family. My parents had just as much fun sledding as the kids did, I think!

See what I mean?! My mom is on a teeny tiny sled she ordered online- they were fun, but you got sore!

Here's a better picture of the sleds. The kids loved them!

I love watching Adam with the kids. Vacations are so nice!

It's Christmas morning!!!

Ashton was quick to dump everything out of his stocking- then he started eating his "flamin' hot cheetos", and nerds candy- good healthy breakfast!

Livi crashed and was so cute snuggling up to Adam

Cute hat that Santa brought Ella- and she wouldn't put down her new MP3 player.

Of course the kids had to have a ride on Danny!

This little girl was having fun in the snow!

Christmas dresses! Ohhh my girl's looked so pretty!

This is the best picture I could get out of my boys. :) They did look very handsome in their matching ties.

Ok- no one was in the mood for another picture- but we had to for posterity!

And we celebrated Aaron's birthday ( a little early) It's on New Year's Eve. Grandma made an amazing cake for Aaron.

Look at that cake! It is Spiderman defeating Doc Oc by shooting out webbing, while standing on green grass- this was a tall order from Aaron, but Grandma is amazing, of course!

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and have a wonderful New Year!!

A new cousin!!

On the 8th of December Chris and Marla (my brother and his wife) had their first baby!! Kaden Christopher was 10 lbs. 4 oz!! It's the first cousin my kids have on my side of the family and they are soooo excited!! Aaron said they are most excited about teaching him how to ride a horse. :) Because that's what cousins do best right?! sorry it's blurry- but it's the first picture with my mom and her 5 grandkids! She was thrilled!

Kaden Christopher- he has the cutest red hair! I love it!

My mom is in heaven!

aunt Jesse getting her baby time before I snatch him away!

And it's my time!! What a big boy!

A proud dad! We are so excited that he's part of our family!! Welcome, Kaden!!

Quick photo shoot!

This year we are not on top of things! Last year by this time we'd already sent out Christmas cards and delivered neighborhood gifts....not the case this year. Yesterday we attempted to have a quick photo shoot with the promise of hot coco afterwards if everyone cooperated. I love those quirky grins of Ashton's- but hey- everyone is looking at the camera- what more can I ask for?! This is going out in our Christmas card-- Ella said my hair looks REALLY long- ok- it it a little longer than I've had it in the past, but I am wearing a brown vest- and I don't have hair like Goldilocks Sorry Ella. :)

I really don't want to know what is going through Ashton's mind at this moment. ahhh the love.

Not bad- At least we didn't have to pay anyone to take these. :) And I must say-- What a cute bunch of kids!! And we did have a coco party afterwards.

Gymnastics performance

Yesterday (Thursday) Ella had her annual Christmas-time gymnastics performance. They just show the parents what they've been working on, and then they do a beam routine. Ella did awesome!! She can hold her handstand for at least 5 seconds. (which is actually a long time- I sure can't do that!)

Smile!

Ella's beam routine.

Violin RECITAL!! AHHH!

I have a new appreciation for all my beginning piano students who fearlessly play at their first recital. IT'S SCARY! For those of you who don't know, I have started a new hobby- the violin. :) I have loved it, but it has also been a humbling experience! It will take me a long time to sound decent I am afraid!
So, Adam was away on his annual hunting trip and missed the recital- I still had a loving audience though. My daughters cheered me on. (No, the boys were not invited. oops) Ella was in charge of videoing it, and she missed the beginning. hehehe. Oh well.
A few disclaimers before I post the video-
1. I am a BEGINNER!
2. Yes, I did tune the violin before I started. :)
3. Yes, I should have put rosin on the bow- lesson learned.
4.I should have warmed up more.
5. I did have the song memorized- I definitely did not want to play it memorized for a crowd. (So I didn't- I don't know if having the music there helped or not)
6. I love playing the violin!!

A good laugh

There must be such a thing as "too much Super hero's" for Ashton. I will explain....We were taking Ella to school late today (I let her sleep in because we all had a long night). Anyway- we were walking back down the hall from dropping Ella off in her class, and we see a group of kids coming towards us. Ashton had been running ahead, but then hurried back to me pointing and said, "Look mom! Humans!" I laughed so hard, I couldn't stop laughing! Thanks Ashton, I needed that!

Thanksgiving and more

We spent Thanksgiving with Adam's parents, and his sister Becky her daughter Callie and her husband Adam. It was a beautiful day, and we all spent some time outside soaking up the sun! Adam's parent's house is almost done, so it was fun to have a get together there. The kids on the porch swing.

Grandma serving food to the patiently waiting grand kids. :)

I love this picture! Adam and his dad were working in the kitchen. They are passing a dish and not even making eye contact! That's team work. :)

Livia is Max's new best friend!

"Here Maxy, Maxy". :)

We have set up the Christmas tree! We figured out a way to hang the stockings on the railing. Adam put a little magnet inside the hooks. I think it looks nice. :)

Beautiful Ella

This is right before Livvy got bonked on the cheek with a section of the tree. She got a nice bruise from that!

They were soooo excited to get that tree up!

OK- random picture I know. Aaron took this and I think it makes Max look like the dog on Neverending Story. FALCOR!

Adam's adventure

Saturday Adam and his friend Shayne decided to go "caving". They found the Crystal Ice Caves- in the desert not too far from here. They had a great time and took some fun pics. No, the kids and I were not invited. This was not a "kid friendly" cave. To his credit- Adam made it up to me Saturday night by taking me to the Texas Roadhouse-with no kids. yummy! I'm not sure who this person is. :) But it shows how small the opening to the cave was!! They then had to have ropes and climbing gear and were lowered down 50 ft! (Ok, definatly not kid friendly)

Look at that cave man!

Shayne standing by the ice pillars.

Shayne in the cave

Adam by the ice pillars. Cool! (Literally)

Sunshine and blue skies!

It was such a beautiful November day on Friday, (cold yes, but sunny and no wind) so the boys and I took Livia to the park! They took turns going down the slide with her. It was so cute!! Liv was loving it. She's wanting to go down the slide in the pic and Ashton is trying to pull her back up!

Those two boys are so good with their baby sister! What a fun afternoon!

Why did I volunteer for this?

This is a picture-less post. Sorry. I am just wondering why I volunteer for things when really I'm thinking, "I can't believe those words are coming out of my mouth." My latest volunteer mistake- dog sitting. When our friends who were going to Africa for 3 weeks were looking for a place for their dog to go, why did the words, "Oh- we can watch Jack for you"- come out of my mouth?
I am really not a dog person, and Adam really isn't a dog person- yes we have a dog, and most days we ask ourselves, "Why do we have a dog?" OK- so the answer to that is under our kitchen table. Max really is an excellent vacuum/broom. So that is the reason we have a dog. The only reason. :) But we will never have 2 dogs.
2 dogs means double the barking- which is especially annoying right after I lay Livia down. That is one thing she can not sleep through. So it has been a long couple of weeks. I have also been super paranoid that we'll loose their dog, because I'm not kidding- the dog is camo colored. It blends in to wherever it is, and every time we open the door the dog escapes! It has been stressful.
Really this is my own fault. I just need to learn how to not volunteer for things. So I am taking suggestions if anyone has any. If not, who knows what I'll be doing next!

Trick or treat!!

We actually went "Trick or treating" this year and not just "trunk or treating". The kids had a blast! We went down to the small town where Adam grew up, and went around town with Adam's mom and our niece Callie too. I think we'll make it a tradition. Adam's mom was as excited about candy as the kids were!

It's worth turning your head to see this cute witch!

Aaron was Iron Man and blended into the couch!

Ashton was in full character Spiderman mode! (He is shooting out webbing in the picture.)

Adam carried Liv in his jacket and she fell asleep for most of it! Adam's back was killing him by the end of the night!

Livia's first Halloween!

A scary bunch!!

Ready to go!! Livia is trying to take off Spiderman's mask.:)