New Camera!

Nick spoiled me with a new camera for Christmas! I was so excited and we started playing around with it right away. Now, I just have to figure out what all the bells and whistles are, and maybe take a photography class or two!

Christmas morning with my new camera!

Grandma got the boys aprons, and they promptly began stuffing toys in the pockets! Boys will be boys.

Christmas night we traditionally go over to my aunt's house. The boys found the stash of toys she keeps in her living room and went to town.

My sweet grandma, who the boys call "Ruth the Great"!

Matt earned himself some dessert and patiently sat, drinking his milk, waiting for his ice cream.

See, I need to learn more about my camera! I was so anxious to catch the boys' faces when they came in our house and found out what Santa had left. Matt was a bit of a blur, not just in the picture. I raced into the house before they got out of the car, turned on the lights and tried to get ready to capture the moment.

Santa left the boys bikes this year! Matt was beside himself with excitement and rode the bike all around the house, immediately!

The boys also got plasma cars from their Grandma Karen and Grandpa Marcus. All 3 of them love them!

My 3 boys!

Jonathan let Daddy ride the plasma car while he joined in on his own riding toy. The big boy bike from Santa is something I think he'll have to grow into. He likes to be low to the ground right now.

All smiles a day after Christmas!

Matt took a break from riding around to pose with his new bike

Crashing into Daddy became Jonathan's game that night!

Christmas in Sacramento!

After a bit of a hiatus from Sacramento, we were finally able to head out there for Christmas again. This time we stayed at my mom's house, which meant the boys shared a room for the first time. It worked surprisingly well at night, but nap time meant separation.

The boys colored wooden ornaments.

Concentration = tongue hanging out!

A little ice cream at Burr's, of course.

Matt had the exact same thing, but finished first, so he asked his brother for a bite.

My grandma and one of the boys' 5th cousins, Gracie.

Me and Gracie

Our cousin Barbie lives on one of the most well known streets in the area at Christmas time. We go every year to see the displays on the street. This year, the house across the street had a Candyland display in their garage. This is only a small piece of it, with our hooded boys in the front of it, staring at the Thomas moving along the tracks.

We had a nice day after some cold rainy ones, so the boys and I took a run/walk around to see what we could find.

Running races instead of shuffleboard.

"Watch this, Mommy"

Matt got to know his 3rd cousins at the Christmas Eve shindig at the Fox's house!

The kids' table!

The boys actually ate pretty well, despite all of the wonderful holiday decorations and distractions.

Jonathan had a tumble, but let Kathy and her tender words cheer him back up and get back in the present game.

She tried to make him Santa's helper, but there were so many helpers that night! The kids had a blast.

That's Matt in the long Santa hat, with Jonathan right next to him. So attentive that night!

Time to open up some presents!

Dogpile!!!

Jonathan's attempt at a picture of his parents. Not our best moment, but he got us both in!

Grandma helps Jonathan assist with clean up!

Emily taught Matt how to play a few games that night. He took it surprisingly well when she kept beating him at tic tac toe.

Then, she taught him how to play "Shut the Box", our new favorite game! Matt just loved it.

We changed them into their pjs and hung around a little longer. Matt taught Jonathan how to play "Shut the Box".

When we got back to my mom's house, the boys said goodbye to Buddy, our elf. They decided they needed to take pictures of him before they went to bed, and he went back with Santa.

Jonathan pointed out Buddy to me, and said goodbye to him before he went to bed.

Matt wanted a picture with Buddy too. He knew he couldn't touch him, so he opted for this.

First class on the way home, thanks to all of Daddy's travels. This meant yummy, warm chocolate chip cookies after lunch!

Chocolate is so good!

A Warm December Day!

The boys and I jumped at the chance to go play outside one day when it was warm and sunny! We hopped in the car and went to the nearby school playground. It was a blast, as the kids had left a bunch of balls out on the playground as well.

Matt drove the fire truck for a bit.

A twisty slide!

2 firefighters

The middle of the see saw might not work best, but I guess if you're riding alone, it's not a bad idea to try the middle.

This bridge knocked him down every time. I guess it was too slick and his shoes didn't have enough grip or weight through them to help him out. He kept going though.

Matt just couldn't seem to make it work with any of the other balls, so he tried the football we found. He made it in the top 3 times!

There were two "big kids" shooting baskets, and the boys decided they needed to try a few shots before we left.

Don't think they realized just how tall the basket was!

Jonathan's jumpshot!

Santa's Village

Santa's Village at the Richardson Library is a sight every Christmas, especially at night. The boys and I went by one morning when they were out of school. Almost all of the little houses were locked, but the boys had fun running around anyway!

Jonathan got a crown at school during his birthday celebration, and he was still wearing it over a week later! He loved that thing!

Running from door to door, knocking and asking if anyone was home proved to be a fun activity!

They collided a few times.

Matt had to lead the way and dictate what house was next.

One door was open! It was Mrs. Claus' bakery. The boys enjoyed exploring inside, as you can see from the smiles on their faces.

Jonathan through the window of the bake shop.

Running to catch his big brother was fun too!

The Grinch!

More time inside the bakery!