Merry Christmas

The boys had their primary Christmas party today.  They had a great time, despite the sad look on Danny's face!  Austin asked for a telescope.  It is "all he wants in the world for Christmas".  Luckily I've got that covered thanks to Craig's list (ssshhhhh, don't tell!).  Danny asked for candy.  He is pretty easy to please!

Santa Parade

The boys and I got to do an amazing thing this week.  We got to ride along with the El Dorado Hills Fire Department, as they did their 47th annual Santa Parade.  They decorate one of the engines with Christmas lights and a sleigh complete with reindeer for Santa to ride and then drive through the neighborhoods with lights, sirens, horns, the works, collecting canned food, toys for tots and letters for Santa.  They have elves that pass out candy canes, and even the Grinch, who tries to steal them back!  My dad drove one of the engines and he reserved the 3 extra seats for us to ride with him.  I knew Danny would not last the whole time, so Taska and Tyler came along too, and we got to have the 2 little ones go on the first leg of the ride and then Taska and Austin got to ride for the rest.  The kids had such a wonderful time.  They got to wave and shout Christmas greeting out the windows.  Danny wanted to go up to peoples doors and go trick or treating!  It was funny to listen to Austin figure out how to work a manual window.  It warmed my heart when Austin turned to me and said how this experience gave his heart a warm feeling!

I was in a rush to get out the door that night.  I was so happy that I remembered my camera and good flash but then I realized that I had forgotten to put new batteries in the flash and to switch out my lens, so the pictures are not all that I know they could have been.  Ah, such is life!  I am still thrilled we got to be a part of the Santa Parade!

The kids got Christmas bears from Mrs. Clause

Tyler was sound asleep by the end of the first stretch - so cute!

 Danny did not want to get off!

 The kids, glowing in the light of their safety necklaces

 Austin loved shouting out to the crowds.  He was hoarse by the end of the night!

 The Santa engine

 Austin and Taska at the back of E-287, which was our engine for the evening.

That Tricky Tooth Fairy!

Austin lost another tooth (but this time the tooth behind hadn't already grown in, so you could actually see that he had lost a tooth)!  He was very hopeful that the tooth fairy would bring him a whole dollar for that tooth.  Well, he got lucky, the tooth fairy just happened to have a nice, crisp dollar bill in her purse, and she even remembered to put it under his pillow that night.  When we woke up the next morning Austin came running up to me saying, "Look, look, Mommy!  The tooth fairy left me two dollars!".  Huh?  What?  I was a little confused!  I just responded with "Wow, the tooth fairy was very generous!".  A little bit later he admitted to me that he had put the second dollar under his own pillow because he wanted to trick me.  I think I played the whole thing off pretty well but it has left me wondering just how much Austin has figured out about the tooth fairy.

Miles Ryder

We brought a new little one for us to love home from Klamath Falls.  His name is Miles Ryder.  He is half Abyssinian and the other half his a mystery!  We sure are happy to have him!

Thanksgiving in Klamath Falls!

We spent Thanksgiving at my sisters house in Klamath Falls, OR.  Austin was soooooo excited to go.  He was counting down for weeks ahead of time, and getting him to go to sleep the night before the trip was really hard!  The kids all had so much fun together!

Danny, Lyndie and Gracie

 Danny and Gracie with their monster feet

 Making paper turkey placemats:

 A picture of me, taken by Bethany  :)

 Laith, Dad and dominoes:

 One of the big highlights of the trip was the snow.  Austin was playing out in it every chance he got!

Nessa holding a napping Danny so I could take pictures  :)

 Austin and Steven:

 Nessa and Laith start a snowball fight!

 It was Austin and Steven against the grownups!

 Nessa and Danny Sledding

 Me and my boys

 Austin making snow angels

 Danny and his wranglers in the snow

 Myah, at the end of one of her sledding runs

 Austin and his new hat

 Bethany and Gabe

 Cousins on a really big tire!

 Catching snowflakes!

{Photo Shoot} Mark, Tanya and Maysie

{Photo Shoot} Me and My Boys

It was time for some updated pictures of just me and my boys . . .

My Grandma's got Style!

And she's got a lot of spunk too, but it was her style I was loving at Katie's wedding.  The color she wore was just gorgeous on her but it was her shoes that I really loved!

Mr. and Mrs. Hampton!

My beautiful cousin Katie was married this last weekend to her sweetheart Chris.  Austin was the ring bearer and he was so excited to be in the wedding.  He especially loves the pocket watch he got.  He did a great job helping his cousin Maysie, who was the flower girl, walk down the aisle!

Here is Austin the ring bearer:

And Maysie, the flower girl:

Some pictures of family before and after the ceremony::

And then the reception.  The cousins had a wonderful time dancing.  I was especially impressed with Austin and Taska.  They are budding Fred and Gingers!

Danny and his favor boxes, both full of candy!

Me and My boys  :)