Backpack Area

Matt is putting in some backpack cubbies underneath our stairs, and he made a lot of progress today! The kids were very interested in it all!

A Brown Sugar Kind of Morning...

I  also found it CAKED between Peter's jacket and shirt. This picture is just before his shower in which he had a jolly time playing with the new ducks that were in his Christmas stocking.

Grumpy

Snow in Alabama??

Peter was unsure about what to do. Gabe and Andrew built forts with umbrellas. Naomi danced.

Sugar Cookies, Oh My!

We don't do these often...they are just too messy for Mom to handle!!

Tired...

We've had some sickness in our house. (Mostly Mom and Dad, and Peter has taken advantage of Mommy not feeling up to enforcing a nap. It sure makes for a tired fella by afternoon, though!)

3 Boys and a Box!

Tonight's after-homework activity involved cutting an empty box (one of the stragglers from our move that I unpacked today!!). These boys loved it!

More Christmas Morning Pictures Trickling In...

The tent was from us to the kids. Inside, they each found a corner with their name on some books and a Ninja Turtles t-shirt. (Naomi's shirt says something about how all her friends are ninjas...too bad it doesn't say "all her brothers"!)

A neighbor gave Peter this fishing game. Of all the presents he got, this is the one that kept his attention for hours on Christmas morning! (We weren't complaining...)

Andrew and some construction toys:

Gabe playing with magformers from Uncle Edward:

Uncle Edward playing some new music which he may or may not have gifted to himself:

The calm after the (wonderful and exciting) storm: 

A Boy and His Smoothie!

Colt Express!

The kids loved playing our new game, Colt Express. Do you see that line of train cars on the table? Our figures are on top of and inside the train cars, shooting people, stealing money and jewels, setting the marshal on other bad guys...what's NOT for a kid to love??

Thanks for the Christmas present, Grandma and Grandpa Jones! We love it! You will love it, too, when you come visit!

Edward's Christmas Gift

Edward visited us for Christmas again. We love his Christmas visits! This year, I was especially excited because I had a gift for him which was years in the making! 

The kids helped him open it - it was the biggest box under the tree, so of course they wanted to be involved!!

More child involvement...Edward is a patient man.

Edward realizes what it is...

And he pulls out something he's literally been waiting 20+ years to own:

Sir Hiss, from the Robin Hood movie!

And one more of this picture, because it's not often I give a present that causes a reaction like this!

Edward has wanted a Sir Hiss doll since he was 10, or something like that. I've been watching eBay for years to find one in good condition for a good deal. And this was the year I found it! Next year will go downhill. I hear he's been hoping for an egg slicer...

Friday Afternoon!

Horse Riding Lessons!

On Christmas morning, Naomi found a certificate for 4 private horseback riding lessons in her stocking! She was *slightly* excited.

Last Saturday was her first lesson, and she very much enjoyed herself, despite the nip in the air! And she was *slightly* worn out afterwards.

Connect 4

Peter loves playing Connect 4. I found a travel version at a yard sale for 10 cents. Best 10 cents of 2015! I took it to the church last night and Peter played with it for an hour while we waited for Naomi!

Naomi and Lauren

Naomi with her good friend Lauren Blunck (from Georgia). And Hope, too!