Christmas

Christmas was a little different this year.  We returned from Kauai on Christmas Eve and were on "Hawaii time" for several days after our return.  We were up WAY past midnight on Christmas Eve and didn't really wake up on Christmas until about 12:30pm.  : )  My sister didn't come in town this year so my parents went to Alaska to spend Christmas with them.  It was different, but we still had a nice time celebrating the birth of Jesus. 

Decorating Christmas cookies

Writing a letter to Santa

 Santa's cookies

 Santa's Letter - "Dear Santa, I've been good.  I do good in school.  Eli"

 Santa visited our house!

 Eli's "iPad"

On Christmas, Eli ran in my room and said "MOM....I didn't get a DS, but I got EXACTLY what I wanted!!"  : )

 Santa left Chase some Toy Story Band Aids in his stocking...this was one of Chase's favorite gifts ; )

 Santa left a keyboard for Reed

 Chase & Astro Boy movie.....Chase's FAVORITE movie!!!!

 Eli got a new Bible.  He LOVES it!!

Eli and Chase using their new lap desks

Christmas Vacation

We took a vacation to Kauai.  It was absolutely beautiful and 10 of the best days of 2011!  : )  We took over 700 pictures while we were there.  : )  A few highlights.....

 The view from our room

 Every morning at 9:00 we went to the lobby of the hotel to help feed the fish.  Eli enjoyed it; Chase was scared that the fish were going to eat him.  Chase says this about ALL animals!  : )

 Chase napping at about 10am : ) trying to adjust to Hawaii time

 Eli loved his boogie board

 Reed LOVED playing in the sand.  Since he was in a cast, we put a plastic bag over his leg while he played.  The doctor told us to stay away from sand while he had the cast.  :)

 LOVE this picture of Chase

 The hotel had a pool for kids....it was perfect and everyone loved it

 Love this picture of Eli

 Kauai has chickens that roam wild and they are EVERYWHERE!!!   One grabbed a potato chip out of Reed's hand while he was eating lunch.  I wish I had a camera to capture the look on his face when it happened.  He looked very offended!

We had a waterproof cast cover so Reed was still able to enjoy the pool.

 Silly boys!

 When driving around the island, we found a cave.  This is the view from the inside of the cave.

 We went to a plantation that had lots of peacocks that just run wild.  Reed loved chasing the peacocks! It was so cute to see him run after them in his cast.

 Chasing peacocks : )

 Eli enjoyed digging really deep holes in the sand....this was one of his deepest

Eli and Chase played until they dropped.  One day I wrapped Chase in a towel after he got out of the pool and he immediately fell asleep half standing up.  CRAZY!  Towards the end of the trip, Eli and Chase fell asleep each evening at the dinner table.  They were completely worn out!!!

Just Working

Eli and Chase love to sit at Hunter's desk and "work".....just like Daddy

Our First Broken Bone

We have our first broken bone....Reed's leg!  I'm VERY surprised that Reed is the first given the crazy, rowdiness that is in our house every day by Chase and Eli.  Reed and Daddy were playing on the floor while visiting Hunter's mom in Arkansas....Hunter was holding Reed while on the floor....Reed took a nose dive for the floor.  Hunter grabbed him by the ankles to keep him from landing on his head and we heard a loud pop.  Two weeks, three doctors and three x-rays later, it is a confirmed broken leg.  He wore a cast for 3 weeks, but it didn't slow him down at all!!  The day after getting his cast on, he was running around with Eli and Chase like it wasn't even there!  : )

Reed and his camo cast

Our Tree

Little Ones

I just love to see the wonder and joy in the eyes of little ones during Christmas.  Reed has been fascinated by our tree.  I love it!!

Reed's Favorite Hat

Reed recently found this hat and absolutely loves it.  My Grandpa gave it to Eli after a trip to Guatemala.  I think Reed looks so cute in it and I wish that Grandpa was here to see Reed wear it.   I just know that Grandpa would love Reed to death!!!