Finally getting caught up! Here are a few pictures from the last month We got a webcam for the computer and now we're on Skype. If anyone else uses it give us an email! Me and the boys on the porch wearing our mud shoes/boots as usual. Nolan has been practicing his tball. He's getting a lot better. He can actually hit it pretty far. Not so good with the catching and throwing yet though. The doggies got new beds for inside thanks to Costco. They only get to come in when they're clean, but they really enjoy being part of the family and the boys like it too. The kids have still been enjoying their toys from birtday and Christmas. I got them some new long johns for the snow and they put them on right away over their clothes and played. We actually get to where them to the snow today and hopefully will get to take them to the mountain too.



Our friends down the road had a party to celebrate Peter's birthday and we offered up our house to have all the kids and a couple of babysitters hang out while the adults got to party. It went well and the house was in good form for having ~18 kids for 4 hours. We got to have some traditional tapas and paella and drinks.



It actually snowed here! I took a few photos of the barn and house, Nolan and LC drinking hot cocoa and the dogs getting snowy. Our neighbors Maya, Nico and friends eating snow. Nolan and dad had a good snowball fight (I got caught in the crossfire a few times) and made two snowmen. I call this one Ol' One Eye. .







We got a new sectional too finally. Our first furniture purchase in a long while. Now we just need a new table, TV and blinds to finish up the family room.

A couple more photos. Grandpa and Nolan flying their remote control airplanes. They've been a lot of fun. Luckily we have some room (and lots of trees to get them stuck in). Nolan is in denial with friends about still playing with Thomas so I took photos just to prove it. The doggies have been in the house lately too. I think the boys are enjoying it just as much as the dogs are. I pasted in a link to one of the videos of Christmas morning. I didn't upload too many 'cuz I look pretty rough. =)

Christmas chaos
OK so it wasn't that chaotic, but it sure feels that way after gift opening with children! I almost got my Christmas cards out in time, didn't overspend too much and got to decorate our new home for the first time. It feels so empty since we took it all down, but much easier to clean. Nolan and Caleb loved Christmas songs and we kept the digital radio on the holiday songs and the DVD player loaded with movies from the classics (Frosty, Rudolph etc.) to the newer ones with Mickey or Diego. I loved listening to them try to figure out a lot of the caroling lyrics (I still don't know what half of them mean!) I especially loved how they made up their own. Like a "Jolly Rodger Christmas". =)

Grandpa came to visit us this year since we used up our vacation money and time at work. For once there wasn't much to do and the golf course was flooded, so he did what he could which was basically some closet shelving and brush clearing/burning. He did get to hang out with the boys quite a bit which they enjoyed. The got to play "chase me monster" every day and had a buddy to pay attention to them while we cooked or cleaned.


Grandpa was very accomodating and played pirates with Nolan and Caleb (AKA Captain boogernose) who gave him his sniffley nose and cough.



Caleb loved his cashmere sweater from Costco and his "cutey wed surt" from Grammy. He's getting into dressing himself now and is no less assertive than his older brother about his tastes. It generally should be red, warm, Thomas the Train or Lightning McQueen and preferably some combination of the above. He can recognize his name now and enjoyed finding and opening presents this year.




Nolan wore his cashmere sweater because I made him. He also enjoyed the present opening and meticulously stashed all of his in a special spot by the couch.

With all the cruddy weather we did ALOT of crafting and coloring. Everyone was forced to participate. The boys did get out for a few minutes and attempt to help grandpa with the brushing and burning. They weren't really much of a help though and mostly went "hunting" for deer and turkeys in the yard. They look like little militia boys.

Our wonderful friends The Beards invited us over for Christmas eve with some other friends. We have done breakfast in the past, but dinner was great. Acacia is getting pretty long hair again and the kids played together well. Here they are goofing off and cleaning up. Acacia is one girl the boys can be themselves around. She loves trucks and cars (and fireengines) too!

The boys played with all of their toys for a few minutes each and then spent the next few days "camping" or "hunting bigfoot" with the headlamps and backpacks they got for Christmas. They used a jump roap on the stairs for "rock climbing". Not sure where Caleb's pants went, but I see he's got his favorite shirt on still (different day then photos above in stripe shirt).

Happy New Year everyone!