Festivities, Family, and Friends - Christmas/New Year 2014

This Christmas season was busier than usual.  We took a cruise to the Caribbean and returned home 3 days before Christmas.  It was a whirlwind of family and friends and lots of fun!  We filled our days with memory moments and good cheer.  As always we are thankful and blessed by so many this time of year with Christmas cards and letters from near and far.  Our life has led us to many zip codes and each holiday we are reminded of places and people and time and crossed paths....its a wonderful feeling to have met and been a part of so many lives.  We are the lucky ones!  Prepare for a  photo bombardment! 

 

I LOVE school breaks!  I get my sidekick back!  Me and my best guy.  :-)

 

 

Nothing like filling a brand new truck with hay and chocolate for a Christmas parade!

 

 

Complete and unfailing admiration.  Always.

 

Luke and his favorite treasure hunting companion, Ima!

 

A day out on the water with....

 

....the Captain!

 

 

We got the gingerbread house done JUST in time!

 

Okay, so this photo is probably only hilarious to us but I had to put it in here because I want to remember it forever.  All three of us were laughing hysterically long after this was taken!  Those faces!!  Hahahahahahahaha

 

 

Tis the season!  :-)

 

Didn't know whether to reprimand him for standing on the sink or praise him for his good oral hygiene.  I couldn't decide so instead I took a picture. 

 

Brunch with friends.  A morning of joy and love.

 

Christmas Eve.  For us it has become a tradition of a day of service and reflection.

 

 

Christmas morning!  Stockings in bed!  Bless this little boy's heart.  He savors Christmas morning as if he wasn't five years old.  He is in no rush but instead seems to be wise beyond his years.  The present part of Christmas morning could very easily take our little family about 10 minutes but instead we slow down and take our sweet ol' time.  Bless him!

 

A simple but full Christmas this year!

 

A boy's life

 

 

On to Christmas at Daney's!!

 



Together again!

 

A family of master builders

 

L and Hallie - an unspoken connection

 

Who says "three's a crowd"?!

 

Precious

LOVE

Uncle Mit, the "go to" guy for fossils!

 

Gosh, they are getting SO big!

 

First annual family snacktime Chopped competition!  Hilarious and so fun! This year's ingredients:  marshmallow, almonds, pretzels, pepperoni, and strawberries.  I am pleased to report that all final dishes were indeed edible! :-)  Thank you to the judges (Ima, Sheshy, and Daney) for your "expertise"

 

Twins

 

There are so many good photos of these three!  Luke loves being with his cousins and we so wish we were closer but it makes our time together all the more special! 

 

 

The kids!

 

Happy New Year's Eve!  Riggs' second least favorite day of the year!  Poor guy. :-(

 

Holiday break means time with friends!

 

And a glorious visit from our ladies!  Gosh, we LOVE this crew! 

 

Riggs has the idea!  Our holidays were awesome and full and simply wonderful!  We are exhausted in the best possible way!  School has started again today and I don't think there is any fluke in me working on the blog today.  I already miss my days with my little guy but taking this time to post and comment on these pictures fills me with smiles!  These are the days! 

 

Happy New Year!