Christmas memories

When Vance and I talked about different aspects of Christmas, he kept talking about "the Christmas guy." It took me awhile to figure out that he was talking about Santa Claus.

When I sat Caleb on Santa's lap he was good for a few seconds, but right when I went to take a picture he started to scream. That was when I realized that my memory card was full. Poor kid sat there crying while I was trying to delete an old picture so that I could take a new one. Luckily someone else had a camera and took a picture for me.

When someone on the airplane asked Vance if Santa would find him at his Grandma's house, he replied, "Santa already came to see me." He had seen Santa at the ward Christmas party and he figured that was it. My first thoughts...I wonder if I can count that as Christmas?

When we arrived in Salt Lake, we had little time to do anything except eat dinner and go to bed, but Vance was already to go the next morning. His first question - "Have any kids come to play with me yet?"

The Primary dressed the kids up for the Christmas sacrament meeting program. Vance was so excited about his costume. I asked him who he was supposed to be. "Mary."

We took Vance sledding. Vance greatly dislikes having even the remote possibility of getting his eyes wet. Hence he won't swim without goggles and last year I let him wear my ski goggles while sledding. Well he didn't forget about that. Unfortunately, my ski goggles were in a box somewhere in Alabama (where they will get much use I'm sure). Luckily, Grandpa came to the rescue. He didn't have ski goggles, but he had the second best thing - safety goggles. Yes, we took Vance sledding in safety goggles.


On the upside, Vance was ready to do the sledding thing all on his own, which he told us every single time he came back up the hill:

"I want to go by myself this time."
"That's fine Vance."

One of the first things Caleb discovered Christmas morning was his candy cane. We tried to get him to open his presents, but nothing was as exciting as his candy cane. He didn't pay attention to anything until the candy cane was all gone and he was a red sticky mess. We cleaned him up and he played with his toys for a little while, that is until he found the blue candy cane...

Love sac

The Love Sac was an instant hit. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Stapley!

Bonded as brothers

Every night at bedtime, when I ask Logan to tell me the best part of his day, he always answers: “Playing with Dylan.” When I ask him for the worst part of his day, he also answers: “Playing with Dylan.” Suffice it to say, they’re bonded as brothers.

-Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

This quote reminds me of my boys. Despite all the fighting, pushing and crying, there are many times I walk in to find them having a grand ole time. They seem to have gotten a lot closer now that Caleb has gotten old enough to actually play. It's been fun to see their bond develop.

Trimming the tree

We put up our tree Thanksgiving weekend. This is a far cry from our usual timing, which is the week before Christmas. Of course Vance is old enough now to remind us that once Thanksgiving is over, it's time for Christmas.

Vance and Caleb both helped out this year. Vance wanted to make sure that I read the instructions, "because they tell you what you're supposed to do with the tree."

Caleb was quite intrigued with the whole process, and did all he could to thwart it.

I let Vance take pictures. He started taking ones like the one above, but soon digressed to more creative angles.

Ryan was in charge of the lights.

Vance was in charge of the bobbles.

Caleb was in charge of entropy.

Caleb enjoyed the ornament container.

Which soon went on the head, because that is where everything goes.

Then Vance had to copy it, because that is what Vance does.

Despite instructions to the contrary, all the ornaments ended up on one branch as usual.

Vance put on the final touch.


Ta da!

Mammoth Caves

Ryan had some time off during Thanksgiving weekend, so we took a trip up to Mammoth Caves in Kentucky.

We took the historic tour through the caverns. They were so big, it didn't seem like we were in a cave at all.

Caleb just wanted to run around and play in the dirt.

I asked Vance what his favorite part of the cave was. He replied, "The tunnel."




It was a long trip to drive up and back in one day, but we had fun.

Heavy reading

Autumn in Alabama

We had a very beautiful autumn this year. I wasn't expecting much as everyone told us that it didn't get cold enough here for a real fall. They said that the leaves just gradually turned brown and fell off. Luckily for us, this year was different, and the trees were very colorful. Of course the kids and I had to go out and play and Vance collected leaves in a bag like he was trick or treating.

Caleb loves being outside, though he was a bit frustrated that he couldn't walk on the uneven ground.

He was more interested in pine cones and sticks than in leaves.

Vance was excited that I let him wear his rain boots.