Goodbye 2009

We went to the Bell's house for our traditional New Year's Eve celebration. The boys played and played for hours with Jackson's new toys!

We love coming to the Bell's house dressed in our comfy clothes, relaxing, and visiting with our friends to ring in the new year!

We didn't get to stay until midnight this year though because Robert had to get up early to head to work on New Year's Day.

Some things our family experienced in 2009:

* We lost my cousin Darren in January

* Robert and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary in May

* We started our paperwork to adopt from China in August

* We went on a Christmas Disney vacation in December

New Year's Eve 2009!

Gators Boys

For Christmas Gram and Papa got the boys Florida Gators shirts. Today they sported their new look.

When Barrett put his on he kept saying "Papa" because Papa wears Gators shirts all the time. He likes to point to the gator and say "Papa".

Two little Gators boys!

Cuties

Look at these cuties!

And these sillies!

And these angels!

These three boys... Blake, Barrett and Luke make the best little buddies!

Date Night

The Mr. and Mrs. of the house had a date night! We went out to celebrate my 31st birthday. It was such a treat to go see a movie and have dinner together!

Celebrating Lana

Sunday we celebrated Lana's 4th birthday at the Little Gym.

All of the kids had so much fun running, climbing, and playing.

This is Barrett's smile at the moment. His lips have been dry, so he has been doing this lip pucker smile.

I think we need to build our very own Little Gym in the backyard. Blake was dripping with sweat by the time we left from all of his playing!

And of course one of the best parts is singing Happy Birthday and eating yummy cupcakes!

Happy 4th Birthday to our friend Lana!

Sweet Sleeping Baby

Let the Fun Begin

Now that Barrett has his own Cozy Coupe I can tell there is going to be a lot of fun heading our way. Hopefully the days of fighting over the ONE car are gone... and instead we will have TWO cars to play with together in peace (at least for a little bit).

Usually Barrett turns his head the other way when I try to take his picture. I just happened to catch a picture of him cutting his eyes up to see if I was still trying to get his picture.

Blake is writing Barrett a ticket in this picture.

The McIntire family {hearts} the Cozy Coupes!

Christmas Evening

We spent Christmas evening with my family. Tradition has it that we take our picture on what used to be Stephanie's bed before we go out to see what Santa brought. This bed used to have 4 giggly girls... and now has 12 giggly boys and girls! We no longer fit in the hallway for that traditional picture though :( Even though we now celebrate in the evening, we all wear our pj's and pretend like it is bright and early on Christmas morning!

We love this time with our family!

Caleb got a new camera!

I did not get many pictures... now that I look back at them I realize that I didn't get many at all!

Barrett's new trick... He was walking around with his new Mickey plate under his chin. He was real impressed with himself!

Our Christmas festivities officially ended when we left. The gift of our Savior remains in our heart forever though!

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning came nice and early for our family... but luckily not too early! Blake woke us all up around 7:15 anxious to see what Santa had brought. We were all so glad to have Robert home with us this morning. Since Christmas was on a Friday this year, that meant he had to work. A couple of weeks ago one of his police buddies (who doesn't have any children) approached him and offered to switch shifts and work for him on Christmas. We were all so thankful for Officer Brasil and his generosity!

When I was growing up my parents always took a picture of us girls in the hall before we came out to see what Santa had brought. I love their sleepy heads and excited smiles (I am sure Barrett will be more excited in this picture next year when he knows more about what is going on)

They were so excited to empty their stockings!

Blake with his new Walt Disney World Railroad that Santa brought.

Barrett loves to watch it go around and around, bell ringing and smoke puffing!

Santa brought Barrett his very own Cozy Coupe car!

Slinkys for two!

We watched the Disney Christmas parade...dancing and thinking back on our fun times at Disney.

Of course it wouldn't be Christmas at the McIntire house without cars and trucks!

An attempt at some posed pictures with their stockings.

Merry Christmas 2009!

Today a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Christmas Eve

Our daddy had to work Christmas Eve night, so the boys and I drove him to work... in the snow! We could not believe how it was snowing at Christmas! When we pulled into the police station we saw a snow covered police car. We all thought it was neat, so we took pictures.

After we dropped Robert off, the boys and I went and looked at Christmas lights together.

Then we headed home before the roads got bad from the weather. We got our Christmas pj's on and put out Santa's milk and cookies.

Barrett really couldn't take his eyes or hands off of the cookies to smile for the camera.

A teary goodbye was said to Compton as we put him out for Santa to pick-up on his way back to the North Pole.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

in hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be here!

The boys were snuggled in their beds, Robert got home from work around 11 pm, and we all anxiously awaited Christmas morning.

Early Gifts

We celebrated Christmas early with some of our friends. We had our annual Duncan~McIntire family Christmas Tuesday evening. I didn't take any pictures while we were there... but this is what Barrett got as his gift. It has been too cold to go outside and give them a try, so the kitchen had to do!

James, Kacey, and Jaden sent our Christmas gifts a week early... which have been haunting Blake under the tree. He has asked everyday if he could open his. I told him that on Christmas Eve I would let him open it. So, even though the McBride's are over 700 miles away, we still had our Christmas with them.

Blake's gift was Lincoln Logs... which is special because the McBride's live in Hodgenville, KY (Lincoln's birthplace).

We built a fort with them, and just as I was taking the picture, Barrett's foot knocked it down! Blake and I decided that Barrett's nap time would be a better time to play with them.

We are so thankful for our friends and family near and far!