December

Oh boy... one post to cover all of December.  Between the holiday schedule, your dad's work schedule, and your little brother's sleep schedule, I haven't been very good at posting lately.  So... here goes.

First Mall Santa  You worked up the nerve to ask him for a few things.  

A few of the Elf of the Shelf's spots 

Grandma Hardcastle really wanted this shot of the three of you.  Pretty cute.  

This year you and Kate picked out your own ornaments with little influence from mom and dad.  You chose the Abominable Snowman.  

You're a great gift-receiver.  Maybe that's why people give you so many gifts!  

Opening gifts with the Lafeen's

Santa came and brought wooden blocks, sun glasses, a talking Victor train and a few other things.  

Opening gifts with the Petersens

Opening gifts with the Gough's

Opening gifts with the Hardcastle's

You were really excited about Christmas this year, and Hatter, our little elf.

A few more pic's from December...

Wearing some cool shades at church (These are the same ones Santa brought you)

"I'm pretending I'm Kate"

Before church

You made this ornament in preschool

Snowman building with dad 

Cookie decorating

Handsome boy

Smiling for mom's new camera

One last party

Your birthday has finally come to an end.  Well, mostly.  I guess we're celebrating a little at your preschool on Tuesday, but that's pretty easy compared to the last week or so.

This was the Lafeen/Gough party.

Awesome owl hat from your cousins

Bike from the Lafeen's

Happy Birthday!!!

Our little man turned 4 today.  We pretty much open present and celebrate birthdays for an entire month.  Take a couple weeks off and then do Christmas!  We celebrated your birthday last Sunday with the Hardcastles, today we had presents at home and Grandma and Grandpa Lafeen stopped by.  Then I made cupcakes and celebrated a bit after Thanksgiving at Mimi and Papas.  This coming Sunday will be a combined Hyrum and Kate birthday party for the Lafeen/Goughs, then a Sunday birthday dinner for Kate the following Sunday, and then her actual birthday is the next Saturday.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Today you woke up to balloons and a few gifts from mom and dad.  A Jake and the Neverland Pirates spy glass and bandanna, the original Disney Peter Pan dvd, and a Pirate book.  You seemed to really like your gifts, which is nice!

Four years ago you changed our lives forever and made us a family.  Happy Birthday!

Birthday preview

The birthday celebrations started this evening at the Hardcastles...

(to come - your actual birthday on Thanksgiving this year, a combined birthday party with Kate next week, and a small celebrations at preschool a week from Tuesday.  (Sorry about not doing a friend birthday this year... next year for sure!)

Overheard...

During prayers... "Bless everything we do and bless fighting monsters"  & "Bless dad in Michigan, or where ever he is".

To me (talking about my red chin) "I see that owie on your chin.  There is one thousand of them."

How you start a lot of sentences these days... "I have good (or bad) news"

To me again, "Will you be my valentine?"

When you hear the heater click on in the evenings, "Oh, there's dad!" (It sort of sounds like the garage door opening).

"Knock, knock"
Who's there?
"I win"
(I'm not doing a very good job of teaching you knock, knock jokes.