Goodbye 2008

This is how we spent New Year's Eve this year...

While the boys slept peacefully, Robert and I researched where we will vacation in 2009 and thought about what new memories will be made.

As we thought about the past year we reflected on the three main events that will always be a memory of 2008.

• Our sweet Barrett was born
• We spent 2 weeks at Disney World with our family
• We lost my dear Grandpa

Goodbye 2008...

Lana is 3

The other day we celebrated Blake's friend Lana's 3rd birthday.

We made a fun craft.

Ate cake and ice cream and watched Lana open her gifts.

Happy Birthday Lana!

Christmas

This was a year of firsts for us. We grasped at how to spend our Christmas Eve now that our lifelong Christmas Eve traditions are no more. Nothing felt right, so we spent our Christmas Eve at home getting ready for the big night. Blake was so excited that Santa was coming. We baked cookies and watched the classic Rudolph.

Blake said goodbye to Compton and left him for Santa to take back to his home in the North Pole.

The big morning had finally arrived. Here we are coming around the corner to see what Santa left.

Two very excited boys!

Another first... Barrett's first Christmas!

He was very excited about his new big boy bike and the bell in his stocking.

After daddy put the bell on his bike we headed outside for a Christmas morning bike ride.

He rang the bell the whole time he rode. He only fell once when he took a turn too fast.

After Barrett and I watched him make one pass by we went back inside to watch from the warm house.

After a morning of playing with new toys and an afternoon of naps, we headed to Papa and Gram's house. We all gathered in the front bedroom for the annual picture. This is where we wait for Dad and Mom to get their camera ready to take a picture of us coming down the hall to the living room... to see what Santa brought. This bed used to have 4 small, giggly girls waiting to see what Santa brought them. Now it has 12 boys and girls waiting..

As usual, Santa was good to us. We all opened our own gifts and then took turns looking at what everyone else got. We had a wonderful time talking, playing, and eating.

There were many tears shed this year as we celebrated our first Christmas without our beloved Grandpa. Being with family is healing to the heart when it feels so empty. We are so thankful for the wonderful families we have to share Christmas with!

Look Who's...

Standing!

Tour of Homes

A few years ago we came up with the idea to do a tour of homes/progressive dinner. After each year of going to cut down our trees together and not getting to see the trees decorated, we decided to do a tour of homes. We all caravan from home to home spending about 30 minutes at each place. This was the first year we decided to open gifts along the way.
We start at the Estes family for appetizers.

The Killough's are next with salads.

The main course is at our house.

Barret with his first Christmas present. Blake got "what he has been wanting his whole life".

Our last stop is the Gillespie home for dessert and hot cocoa.

Dad & Mom surprised us all with our own copy of Mamma Mia (I have not seen this movie yet, but the rest of my family loves it!)... complete with the sing along version.

Another successful year of our Tour of Homes. Wonderful memories were remembered and new ones made!

Christmas Sunday

We awoke to cold weather, Christmas music, and Christmas clothes. Everything felt so seasonal as we set off for church. I tried to get a picture of the boys, but Barrett wasn't cooperating. He was way more interested in Blake!

At church we had a live nativity. We got there early so that I could take Blake to see it. He first thought the lambs were cute puppies. After being corrected he said if he had a lamb at home he would pet it all the time.

I think he would have stood there all morning if I had let him. He had a lot to tell his shepherd friend Brooke. Blake and I have been reading and talking all about Jesus' birth the last few weeks. What an amazing way for him to truly get a visual of what we have been reading about.

I tried again to get a good picture of the boys.

As you can see getting both of them smiling and looking at the camera was not an easy task this morning!

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger ~ Luke 2:12

Haircuts

We took the boys to Aunt Mantha's house for much needed haircuts! Barrett got his first haircut and didn't like it very much at all. We don't have any pictures of the tears and squirming.

The finished product (and a very sad boy). His new haircut looks adorable on him!

Blake's hair was way past due for a trim and had gotten very shaggy!

Thanks Aunt Mantha for your patience and skill!

Snow Day

When school was cancelled Tuesday due to icy roads, we made the best of it! I wish the boys could have experienced real snow, but Blake was pretty excited about our Texas ice. We snuggled on the couch and watched a Christmas movie.

We made bird feeders for the cold, hungry birds.

Barrett celebrated the day by wearing his snowman shirt.

It wasn't the real deal complete with snow... but we were thankful for a day at home together!

Hmmm...

Hmmm... I can reach things high off the ground. All I need to do is pull up a little bit and stretch real far. Wow, there are so many more things I can get into now that I know how to do it!

Oh, hey Mom look what I can do.

This is hard work!

Compton the Elf

Every morning the first thing Blake says is, "Where is Compton?". We have been finding him in some messy situations.

He decided to play in our wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows. Blake found him in a mess under the tree.

When Blake sprinkled Compton's magic snowflakes on him this night he put a little extra and said Compton is going to go crazy. He was right! Compton made a ramp out of pillows and almost drove his car into the Christmas tree.

Compton was a little harder to find this morning, since he was playing in my jewelry in the bathroom. I guess the bright colors and sparkles reminded him of the North Pole.