CHRISTmas!!!

What wonderful Christmas fun we had this year!

Update on Jack: Jack is still full of energy and laughter and catches us off-guard with how stinkin' smart he is. He absolutely loves school (we pray for his teacher, Miss Shea, almost every night)! He is starting to read just a little bit - his favorite word is back...I think because it is so close to Jack - and he is picking up some math on his own, as well. He is a wonderful big brother, especially to Isaac who he cares for in such a sweet way. He was in his first school Christmas program this year and was the tallest kid in his class. He has finally graduated to sleeping in underwear during naptime, which is a big deal.

Update on Easton: Easton is quite a handful right now being in the thick of his 2's, but he is still our sweet teddy bear. He is going to school 2 days a week now and has started seeing a wonderful speech therapist to nip a few speech delays in the bud. It is still a battle dropping him off anytime we take him to church or school due to some bad separation anxiety, but he seems to really like his classes by the time we pick him up and is learning lots! We are super proud of Easton for learning how to go on the potty in just 3 days. We did the 3-day pottytraining method with him, and it totally worked. Impressively, there are some days when he is being especially stubborn at school where he will hold his potty in for the five plus hours he is there. He's got some big tanks apparently. Easton also gave me my first experience at an ER. He split the skin right above his right eye open when he hit his head hard against the edge of the car door. He ended up with three stitches, and my brother was able to take them out for us a few days later. He hated being in the cocoon while getting the stitches, but other than that , it was a reasonably pleasant experience: grandparents took the brothers and no wait at the ER. I have a feeling that was just my first time of many trips there!

Update on Isaac: This little man is changing by leaps and bounds. He finally has quite a bit of hair, enough to even get his first haircut (pictures soon...). He is also talking up a storm, which is incredibly cute. He is very polite, saying "please" (peee) and "thank you" (tay too) anytime we give him something he wants, is obsessed with any phone (dome) and my personal favorite phrase "uh oh, fall down" (uh oh da dow) is something we hear multiple times a day, usually because he is dropping something on the floor for fun. He really is getting closer to walking, but remains an avid crawler for the time being. He is good at cruising now, will stand up on his own for a couple of seconds, and will walk behind things pushing them around the house. I guess he is like his momma...I didn't walk until I was 16 months. :) Isaac is also learning lots of body parts and loves to make the noises of animals. Unfortunately, he is still a screamer, though it has gotten MUCH better than it was. We used to despise car rides because the kid would scream at the top of his lungs the ENTIRE time. He doesn't do that near as much anymore, thank you, God. Isaac is so sweet on his brothers, especially Jack right now, and gives some of the sweetest hugs and now closed-mouth kisses. He is very attached to his "night-night", basically any stuffed animal, though his favorite is the elephant that plays music that we keep in his bed. This little blue-eyed boy is a doll!

I am a lucky woman!

The boys are all getting so tall. Jack and Easton both had a major growth spurt between November and December. Jack (age 4) is moving from a size 5 into a 6. Easton (age 2) wears a 4T or 5T - I have to steal some clothes from Jack's closet sometimes so Easton has something to wear. Isaac (15 months) is moving from 24month clothes to 2T. Soon I am going to be looking up to everyone in my family!

Here we are at a Christmas festival nearby in Weatherford, TX.

What festival is complete without the Grinch???

They had lots of fun stuff to do. We played on inflatables then sat on some haybales to watch part of a Christmas movie they were projecting outside.

There was also a "train" ride for the kids.

This Grandpa on the 4-wheeler was haulin'!

We ran into some friends at the festival who let Jack and me sneak onto a horse-drawn carriage ride with them. Unfortunately, the camera setting got messed up, so we are pretty blurry!

This year, Jeff and I hosted two big Christmas dinner parties at our house. The first one was for his workers, which I cooked 95 enchiladas for. The second one was for our Sunday School class, Catalyst. I learned my lesson and catered in Cheesecake Factory for that one!

I had to buy lots of card tables and chairs this December! :)

Jeff's workers presenting him with a present from the gang....a shake weight. Guess there is some inside joke there!

Setting up for second party. Do you see my new curtains in the background? My friend, Chandler, sewed them for me, and I love them. They really finish off the room!

Party favors - bath fizzlers! Jeff's and my "thing" in the winter is to take a bath together most nights to be able to relax and just talk without distraction after putting the kiddos to bed, so we thought we would encourage our whole Sunday School class to do the same! :)

Stockings are my favorite Christmas decoration, especially over a lit fireplace!

We had our own small family Christmas at home before we went back to OK for the holiday. Here is Jack drooling over the presents he is about to open.

A flurry of wrapping paper!

Jack was quite eager to get to this big one!

An enormous helicopter....thanks, Ma!

We went back to Edmond for Christmas this year, and the first evening, when we picked Jeff up from work, we stayed around Chesapeake to look at the lights and even had a visit with Santa.

The Chesapeake lights are awesome! This picture does not do it justice!

With Grammy and Poppaw.

Here are the boys after the Christmas Eve fiasco, I mean service. Molly and I had to sing a duet, so we braved the service with the boys. Bad idea! There were too many times they needed to be quiet. Jeff and I spent most of the service in the fellowship hall, needless to say. Someday it will be easier....maybe.

Jack's stash from Santa on Christmas morning! Santa is always good to my boys! It was really cute - on Christmas night, Grammy was telling Jack about how big Santa is to be able to take presents to children all over the world, and Jack matter-of-factly replied, "Grammy, God is much bigger than Santa". So true.

Easton's pile.

And Isaac's.

The big boys waiting for the go-ahead to attack their presents!

Father Cowboy Christmas? Santa Cowboy Claus?

Diggin' in!

Isaac woke up a little later and had fun ripping open his presents, too.

OOOOH! A new night-night!

All bundled up and ready to play outside.

Update on us: Jeff and Carrie are still very much in love (and just celebrated 8 years of marriage)! They ran a half-marathon together on November 14 in San Antonio and met their goal of not stopping the entire time. Jeff is now training for a full marathon that he will run in the end of February here in Fort Worth. Stud! Jeff's work force continues to grow in size, and he is now up to 23 direct reports, up from 10 when he started. He loves his work and is doing a fantastic job! Carrie led a small group during the fall's Kay Arthur Bible Study on the names of God. It was a great experience, which really stretched her and pushed her to dig deep in the Word. We had a great time traveling with the family to Phoenix for Thanksgiving - our first flight with all three boys went rather well, though we were the laughingstock of the airport when we were trying to check-in with three little boys, a double stroller, a carseat, five suitcases, 2 duffel bags, 2 carry-on bags and a purse. Be impressed.

Easton lovin' on Gabi.

Jack loved being one of the "Santas" this year. He is able to read the names of everyone in the family, so he thought he was big stuff.

Isaac seeking refuge with Grammy during the craziness!

The frenzy continues!

Jack got a new bike from Grammy and Poppaw! He loves riding his big boy bike all over the neighborhood now!

Quintessential Jack! We spent a day at my brother's new house in Stillwater, and Jack found Gabi's dress-up clothers. See, I don't need a girl. I have Jack.