Christmas Morning

WAKE UP IT"S CHRISTMAS!!!

Good Morning Sunshine! Santa came... now wake up!

Only Lydia would get so excited about new SHOES!

Lydia though every single thing was so awesome this year... after she opened a present she would scream at the top of her lung "THANK YOU SANTA!!!!" Such a neat year.

Me with the kiddos... don't mind me.. still waking up and wishing I had put on some makeup!

Eli was very excited about the felt creature Granny got him in his stocking!

Eli finally peeled himself away from the candy in his stocking to find some presents for himself.

All sugared up and ready to play the rest of the day away.

Lydia... always game to ham-one-up with the camera.

Lydia's Favorite gifts from Santa... Care Bears... which santa was able to find thanks to Ebay

Merry Christmas everyone... couldn't get the candy out of their hands to save my life!

Trimming the tree

As usually, the first thing for us to do after picking out the tree, wresting it into the house, stringing the lights, and sweeping the house about 20 times... we had to trim the tree!

Here is Eli with a very precise and carefully executed placement of his ornament (notice the tongue sticking out... this is an old Boles tradition... actually only Uncle D does this)

Lydia and her placement... beautifully executed!

And the finish product... minus the popcorn... and minus the candy canes (because they just eat them.)

Christmas: Take 1 (Mamaw Dixie and Papaw John)

Technically... this wasn't a Christmas celebration, but more a visit to see Papaw John and Mamaw Dixie because we had missed them the week before we were in town. Mamaw as always had baskets of little goodies for the kiddies and us. It was a great visit and we really enjoyed visiting with them.

Eli and Lydia trying out their new crayons and coloring books.

Eli and Lydia sneaking up on a sleeping and unsuspecting Papaw

Eye spy you!

Eli can't wait to listen to some Christmas music... courtesy of Mamaw and Papaw Cruze

Thanksgiving!

Lydia trying her best to be a monkey.

This year for Thanksgiving we went to Knoxville to celebrate Thanksgiving. While I, of course, missed seeing my side of the family for the holiday's this year, it was still great to spend it with those we could. We tend to only be able to make one stop on Thanksgiving, and this year as a special treat Michael's father and step-mother were able to stop by and see us and the kids before they headed out for their holiday stops. This was really special considered Mike's recent health problems. Overall we had a great Thanksgiving that was gone faster than we wanted it to be... and the onto the Christmas rush.

Here is Lydia, Eli and Bryson (Michael's cousin Jamie's son).

Lydia deep in thought... I don't know what about.

Eli, Bryson, and Lydia (she's well hidden) playing hide in go seek. They may need to work on their technique.

Lydia either helping or hindering Jacob (Michael's cousin).

Michael and Jacob hanging out (Eli in the background running back to his tried and true hiding spot being the bush).

Lydia's Thanksgiving Play!

Our little Pilgram girl!

Pawaw (Michael Matlock), Eli, and Daddy getting ready to watch Lydia!

Lydia and her classmates

Family photo op... minus Eli whom you will see in the next picture found something better to do and refused (screaming fit) to participate.

Eli finally getting a chance to play with Lydia's "school stuff"

Eli ... too impatient to get his picture taken, already reaching for the camera to see and approve his picture.

Lydia at Chucky Cheese... she may look terrified but she actually is watching the screen and racing a true horseman.

Lydia getting a present (BARBIE) from Papaw

Eli opening his Birthday present from Papaw... what better than to get Batman's Bat cave!

THE LINK TO THE VIDEO: Part 1: http://youtu.be/eQUU0hoHalQ

Part 2: http://youtu.be/Ln-D-t_aSs0

Lydia and been working so hard to get her lines down for her big debut. She is such a smart girl that she had them down after just a few days of practicing. After that we had to work on remembering that our lines are said at different points. In the first video you will see that we could have probably did a little more work on it, but I of course loved it. Michael Matlock (Michael's ex-step-father) was able to come down and watch the play too. Afterwords we went out to celebrate my and Eli's birthday... and of course we picked Chucky Cheese (actually I picked it since the kids had no idea what it was). Everyone had a great time and now we are ready for some TURKEY!

Halloween

Let me first say, I don't know why I didn't take more pictures. I carried the camera around my neck the whole night... and that is pretty much where it stayed.

This year we went to a friends house and the kids trick or treated with their friends. Of course before heading out we had to have chili, hot dogs, apple and pumpkin pie. (everyone needed their energy). The kids had a blast. Eli was cracking me up because once it got dark he would say "It's bedtime! Daddy you need to go to bed!". Then there was Lydia who would shout every time she left a new house that "she got more (candy)". Eventually it got to the point we were carrying the kids and we knew it was time to head home.

Eli (Spidey), Davey (his best friend he's hugging), Lydia (kitty in the back ground), and Kaitlin (the witch).

Here is Lydia and her best friend Kaitlin!

Trunk or Treat!

Lydia's preschool/church this year had a Trunk or Treat, and it seems I forget how much I dislike going to these from year to year, because again, this year I dragged the kids and Michael to it. It was pretty good this year, there were pony rides (seen below), jumpy inflatables, a balloon guy (VERY long line in a VERY hot church), face painting (no takers this year), and games to play. While the kids seemed to have fun, everyone (kids included) were a bit disappointed in their sad haul (of candy). However, the Balloon guy was big hit by the kids (not me or Michael), and the pony rides and inflatables were fun until big kids got involved.

Eli (spider man!) and Lydia (kitty... or cat woman??)

Eli riding his Pony!