Merry Christmas!

We hope this post finds all of you having a wonderful day. We're missing Mike today but we're still having fun waiting for him to come home. A 5 year-old and 3 year-old must be occupied while waiting ALL DAY to open presents. They're doing pretty well. We opened a couple last night and they got to have their stockings this morning. We also got another fun surprise this morning, SNOW! It started during breakfast and still hasn't stopped. They boys played in it for quite a while. So did I. Yes, I still act like a kid. But the real purpose of this post is for the pictures of course, so here they are, starting with the Santa visit.

I took a couple of pictures after we got home. Aren't they cute?

Since Mike had to work on Christmas Day, we opened a couple of presents on Christmas Eve. Ginger was so cute walking around and fascinated by the pretty boxes. I also couldn't resist dressing the very hungry, very cute Ginger in a cute little Christmas outfit.

She really enjoyed walking around and shaking this adorable bell.

I finally took it away because I was afraid she might break it.

I love how the little ones seem to prefer the packaging over what's in the package. Ginger would sit and rip up the wrapping paper into little tiny pieces. Then, if you don't watch her closely, she'll eat those little pieces. Ahh, yes. We are 3 for 3 on babies that like to eat paper. Is it just our kids?

I tried to pose them in front of the fireplace for a nice picture but it didn't turn out quite like I pictured. Still cute though!

Here's Ginger waving "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"

Christmas morning! Here's what the kiddos woke up to! Maybe it was asking too much to put all these pretty presents out for them to stare at all day. We waited for Mike to come home from work.

I let them get into their stockings so they had a few things to open and occupy them until Mike got home a 7:00 p.m. If you look outside, you may notice the snow. It snowed all day! The boys were so excited to have a white Christmas.

Here's sweet little Ginger scavenging a snack in her favorite place. All the food on the floor is always beneath her chair. I've caught her under there many times. She used to have trouble getting out. Now she slips in and out of there like a pro.

Okay - let the waiting begin. I encouraged the boys to play in the snow while waiting for Daddy. I think it took longer to get all the snow gear on than the amount of time they actually played in the snow.

Shane is quite the snowball roller!

I might have helped a little with this snowman. However, by the time Shane was finished him, Mr. Snowman was in several pieces.

Shane tried snowboarding but it didn't really work in three inches of snow and a slight incline. If you look closely you can see the bindings on the snowboard sticking up. It was quickly abandoned.

Okay, the snowfamily was built, kicked over, gloves soaked, and noses pink. Time to go inside. I was hoping that would take longer than 10 minutes.

Fast forward to 7:30 p.m. We FINALLY have present-opening time. Go Wyatt, go!

Now, Ginger. She needed some help.

A handsome new shirt for a handsome boy.

And one of the favorites this Christmas - the Spiderman WebBlaster Deluxe! The fanciest thing I've ever seen that shoots silly string. Shane's reaction - "Spiderwebs aren't supposed to be blue!"

And one last picture of the presents. We had a great time. We hope you enjoyed this little picture show.

Merry Christmas from us to you!

Labor Day in Cloudland Canyon and other stuff.

Yes, I know it is well past Labor Day but I just downloaded the pictures this morning. Most of you know that I struggle to keep up with things like sharing family pictures but I am getting better, yes?

Since Labor Day, much has needed repairing. Like, the car, the truck, the dryer, and now the washer. When it rains it FLOODS. I think there may be secret meetings between all of the mechanical things that we own. They think it's funny when they all need to be repaired at once. The car just needed an oil change and the brake light was always on. Apparently it was a simple fix but I don't ask me what it was. Ask Mike the mechanic. The truck, not so easy. Also needed some work on the brakes. Thought we had it fixed, then last Sunday, it leaked all of the brake fluid out whilst Mike was at work. He then drove it home from Marietta like that. Crazy man. But of course, he was working for the next two days so that basically means, no time for anything but eating and sleeping. He leaves for work by 4:45 am and gets home around 7:15 pm. But you gotta go to bed early to get up at 4:00 am so we try to get him in bed before 10 pm. That rarely happens. He was finally able to fix that leak yesterday. Yea, the truck has brakes! Last Saturday, in the midst of the car woes, I discovered that the dern dryer was no longer heating. I think I ran it for 3 cycles before I finally realized there was a problem. It was funny 'cuz I kept going downstairs remembering I needed to bring up the clothes that were in the dryer to fold, so I'd open the door, feel that they were still wet, kick myself for forgetting to turn on the dryer, turn it on, and go back upstairs. An hour later, I would go back down there, feel that they were still wet, kick myself for forgetting to turn the dryer on, turn it back on, go upstairs. Repeat. After the third time, I finally realized that it wasn't user error (it usually is) and pulled out the stuff to hang to dry. Okay, hanging all the clothes to dry, not such a big deal. But, three days later, the washer is broken. They live next to each other in the laundry closet, they must have planned this. I cannot live without the washer! After several hours tinkering yesterday, Mike was unable to figure out what they dryer's problem is. I think we need to track down an ohmmeter. Thankfully he has discovered the washer's dirty little secret (pun intended). I was sure I broke it because I moved it about 1 inch while it was running and I was trying to clean around it. It was during that cycle, that it stopped working, when it was trying to drain the water. However, upon closer internal inspection, Mike says (with a grin) that he most likely broke it because he found some rivets, screws, and other sundry hardware, and a baby sock inside the drain pump and it was now broken. So, as we speak Mr. Mike is on his way to Mr. Appliance in Douglasville with Mr. Wyatt to buy Mr. Washer a new drain pump. So if you're all wondering about whether or not your washing machine eats stuff, I don't know, but ours does. I think we would all do well to heed mom's advice. Check your husband's pockets!

Well I have majorly digressed from Labor Day. I guess I felt the need to explain why I have not yet posted pictures from our fun little trip to Cloudland Canyon on Labor Day. Excuses, excuses. So, at long last, here 'tis.

Cloudland Canyon is a state park in Georgia, in the far northwest corner of the state. It is just under 2 hours from our house. We went with our friends, the Girardins - Emil, Marci, and their children, little Emil, Oscar, Zoe, and Grover. Oh how we love hanging out with them. And yes, if you are sensing something familiar, all the children, with the exception of little Emil, have Sesame Street names. So now for the fun part, PICTURES!

Don't let that face fool you, Ginger is having a great time. So is Mike. Ginger loves being strapped into car seats or any other child torturing device. We tried to make it fun - look at the toy!

Them (the Girardins)

Us

Shane climbing on the rocks with Oscar.

More climbing with Dad helping. Something about rocks and trees makes a boy want to climb.

Marci even climbed up. Woo woo! Nice pose!

And then, the rest climbed up. All except for Wyatt. He said, "It's too scary for me."

Someone is very satisfied with himself.

Cute little Wyatt walking along. He didn't want any help.

Especially on any of the stairs. And there were lots! And he was slow, but soooo adorable. And then he found an adorable way to accidentally kick my camera off my belt and into the trees below in this picture. I would have taken a picture of it, but it was in the trees on a steep slope. I was going to rescue it myself but Emil volunteered since Mike jogged the screaming, crying Ginger back to the top of the mountain. Thank you Emil.

I don't have any pictures of us hanging out at the bottom where the waterfall was supposed to be because my camera was still in the trees on the side of that slope. And actually there was no waterfall because it was September and I guess there's not much water left to fall over the rocks by this time of year.

On the way back to the top, all the kiddos wanted to jump off the rocks. This flying cute pink blur is of course, Zoe. Thanks again to Emil for catching all of them. They all jumped off a bunch, but I only have one picture of each one. Wyatt again said, "It's too scary for me."

Grover is a daredevil. He is appropriately wearing a superman t-shirt. Oh wait, I think it's SUPER GROVER!

Big Emil catching not so little Emil.

And here's Shane.

Oscar. Now, if you don't know Oscar, let me tell you, he's a climber. Look at the height!

A thoughtful Zoe. She kept begging for me to take her picture. Isn't she cute?

Hmmm. I think there's someone in that tree. Yeah, it looks like a kid hanging upside down but I can barely see him. Oh, wait, he's wearing a camouflage t-shirt and tree-colored shorts. Who dresses their kid in camouflage on a nature hike? Yep, we kept losing him.

Well, that's our little Labor Day trip in pictures. We barely had enough energy to cook our hamburgers when we got back to the top. The kids of course were still bouncing around and of course very hungry. We had a great little trip and plan to take a few more this fall. Ellijay apple festival, here we come!

Happy Birthday Grandma Gail!

We love you Grandma! I thought this would be a good day to start our blog. Been trying to do it for a while but have had some technical difficulties, i.e. children who want something any time they see me sitting. We all hope you are having a wonderful day. So, for your birthday post, I thought I would just start posting some pictures that I've collected. We'll start with Shane's first day of school: (By the way Uncle Devin, we need the ones on your camera ;)

I think he looks too grown up in this picture. But that's just me, the overly sentimental mom. And thanks Grandma Gail for the spiffy new school duds.

This is Shane's first day riding the bus (second day of school). What a poser, eh? I tried to get a picture of him actually getting on the bus but he kept turning around and smiling for the camera.

I just gotta say that Shane loves school. He comes home starving every day, with a barely eaten lunch because he is talking too much to eat. I guess he figures he's always got time to eat at home with us boring people. Shortly after school started, Shane had his 5th birthday. We had a double party with another little girl, Zoe, who is in our ward. Her birthday is also August 19th.

It was a bit hot outside. Okay, birthday party outside in August in Georgia = bad idea.

Here is the cake and cupcakes that Zoe's mom, Marci, ordered. The cake says it all about Marci. She's one of the most fun people I know, and one of my very best friends.

Thanks Grandma Gail!

And thanks Aunt Anna! (This is from you isn't it? I hope I didn't get it wrong. Sorry if I did.)

Look what happens when you give Shane money.

Thank you Grandma Dawna!

Thanks Grandma Brenda! Mike sure enjoyed the John Deere denim jacket, maybe more than Shane. Wyatt is wearing the birthday hat that Shane got at school. The rest of the birthday pictures are at our home. Shane was so busy looking at (and trying to read) all the cards that no one wanted to wait for him to open the rest of his presents at the party. So we finished at home. We were proud of him for not just tearing through all the gifts. What a good kid.

Guess who this is from. Note the hat that goes with it. He got another hat just like it-in hunter orange.

I thought we ought to take one of all the kiddos after Shane opened all his presents, just to remember what they looked like. Happy kids. Aren't they cute?

Happy Birthday Grandma Gail! We love you so much. Have a very wonderful day!

Love,

Mike, Briana, Shane, Wyatt, and Ginger.