Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

Boys and their toys. If it moves, Josh and Ben love it. They both love the movie "Cars" and speed around our coffee table about as fast as if they were driving around the race track. (sound effects and everything, it's hilarious.) It's a constant need for speed, through Josh's eyes. Jeff just taught him about speed limits and how to tell if we are driving too slow or too fast. Now I have to explain every thing to him, I feel like I am in a constant state of arrest! Ben will often question when the car has come to a stop and then I must explain (to my two little police officers in the back) that I simply cannot plow through traffic, that I must wait my turn to go. The answer seems to satisfy them for a moment, but as soon as their little brain has tried to process this concept, they ask again. It's just a drive that is embedded into the very depths of their little soul. Do I smell two future pilots in the family?

Goodbye 2006

What a wonderful year 2006 has been! We have been blessed in many ways, even through the trials and hard times. We look forward to 2007, and hope it will be just as great! Here's to another good year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

snowgirl

2

What's peanut butter without the jelly?

Josh and Ben are as thick as thieves. Ben often refers to his brother as "My Josh" and will become teary-eyed when a separation looms. Built in best buds, it's always one with the other. I love it when I happen to glance in the back seat and find the two of them holding hands. It's a sight that melts a mothers heart.

defeated.

The claw shows Jeff who's boss.

Better luck next time.

feelings.

We feel rested. We feel thankful. We feel happy.
We feel glad. We feel silly. We feel hopeful.
We feel good. We feel cheerful. We feel wild.
We feel giddy. We feel excited. We feel free.

Christmas Day at ICE!

After our Christmas dinner, we took the kids to see ICE! at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. It was so much fun! At the door, they give you a special parka so you can stay warm. Everyone looks like little golden Eskimos, as they run around in their special coats. I could not stop laughing!

A ride in an ice-horse drawn carriage!

Waiting our turn to see...

an ice nativity.

Everything was so frozen that when you touched it, it felt like cold, solid plastic. Josh asked if he could lick the ice, we advised against it. (I had flashbacks to "A Christmas Story" and the frozen flagpole.)

Jeff and Josh snuggle for warmth. Nine degrees starts to bite after a while!

I took a turn down the tall ice slide! It was slippery and fun, I think I screamed all the way down.

Josh jets down the ice slide. Thank goodness there was carpet there to stop him, he was flying!
Toward the end of the tour, we were frozen! Our noses were pink and chilly! It felt good to slowly walk through the heated hallway and back into the resort.

click here for ICE! at the Gaylord Texan

"It's good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas." -Charles Dickens

What did Santa leave in your stocking?

Josh tries out the new scooter.
What could it be? WHAT COULD IT BE?

Uggs?? Yippiee!!!

How did Santa know? Josh tests out the new train!

It moves so fast around the track!

Jeff helps Josh with his new

Buzz Lightyear action figure.

Ben rips into another one. What could it be?

Once a year.

You have to do it once a year, and in your sunday best.

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

The Forgotten Carols Concert

As an early Christmas present, Jeff bought tickets to go see The Forgotten Carols by Michael McLean at the Orpheum theatre in Phoenix while we were in AZ.

It was the 15th anniversary production, we had a great time soaking in the spirit and enjoying the Christmas season.
Jeff checks out the lineup. Cherie Call opened the musical with 2 of her latest Christmas songs. Sitting front row and center was an amazing experience. You could actually make eye contact with the actors.
Thanks Amanda and Brian for watching the boys for us.
They were snug as bugs when we got back to the hotel.

Gingerbread wonderland

Tiptoe through the poinsettias...
careful not to drool...
The gingerbread village was fun!

We went home and made some cookies of our own.

cookies made by little hands

They were delicious.

I ate 5.

An Arizona Christmas

Jeff loves to open presents!

Josh, Ben, and Big Grandpa open their Christmas gifts. There was paper everywhere! (Yes, Josh is wearing a mask, it helps cut down on the kitty-cat allergy symptoms.) The boys fought over who got to run the old antique train under the tree- the whole trip.
Brian and Amanda pose with their new handmade wooden sign, a gift from Mom and Dad.
Jeff admires his new airplane, made from recycled materials including an old baking powder tin--copied from a Pottery Barn catalog. We love it!

Guitar girl

Since my sister Amanda is so talented, she decided in September to take up playing the guitar. The kids (and the rest of us) enjoyed the fruits of her labor as she played Christmas songs and children's hymns.

...

(Amanda, I think this would be the perfect cover shot if you ever produce an album.)

...

After a while, I had a go. And I realized (yet again) that I am just not that musically talented. But, it's always fun to pretend.

because--I'm a {little} bit country!