Finishing up 2008

Warning, lots of pictures. (Nana, I have LOTS more, I'll bring you a CD sometime).

I know, I know.  It's a week past Christmas and I haven't posted pictures yet.  I've been busy.  Most of the ones from KC are from Opa's camera, he had the better angle on the kids so....

Anyway, we'll start with a few from before Christmas.  Eli created a Rudolph costume all by himself.  Leaves attached to some of Emily's barrettes (his idea since we told him not to tape them to his hair).  Colored a red circle of paper and stuck it to his nose.

Then he upgraded to one of the flashing red lights from his halloween costume.

Eli talked Ethan into putting it on during the Byrd Family Christmas Extraviganza.

Eli gave Emily his old bike for Christmas, she was excited.

Rachel gave Emily a dressup kit.  All the kids enjoyed it.

Nana got Eli a ginormoumous (I know it's not a word Nana but it fits) Lego set.

Then we moved onto KC for round 2

Let's see, we hit snow just outside of KC, then it snowed more Monday night.  It was a very dry snow.  For those of you sotherners reading this info on dry vs wet snow.  You get wet snow (good for building snowballs, snowmen, etc.) when it's close to freezing.  You get dry snow (doesn't stick together very well, closer to ice pellets) when it significantly colder.  That's the jist of it anyway.

Ben came over Monday night so he and Lauren could leave for Wichita from the closer side of KC.  He helped Eli build a tower.

Eli created a snow angle while Opa and I started clearing the driveway to make him a pile of snow.

Eli built a snowman as best he could from the snow Opa and dad shoveled off of the driveway.  As you can see Oma was kind enough to park outside so our car could be inside.

Setting out milk and cookies.

There was a bit of a misscalculation on Emily's part Christmas morning.  She thought the K'nex were for her and the MP3 player was for Eli.

It all got straightend out.

Yummm, blueberries. (Eli got some too).

Stockings are done so must be time to sort everything out.

Emily got Oma's mom's mom's so that's what, her great-great-grandmother's doll bed.  She loves it.

Eli put a bow on his head.

Oma and Opa got Emily a sit-n-spin.  She loves it.

Emily got Alicia a new "carrot" spoon.

Oma and Opa got me the entire 4 season collection of Fraggle Rock (Opa's jelious).

Emily got a bead theading set (she wound up with a couple actually)

Eli got Alicia a nutcracker.  He came up with the idea all by himself.

Eli got a new Bow Tie (we managed to pull him away from his K'Nexs long enough to get a picture.

He moved into the hearth room and coerced (took lots of arm twisting) to get Opa and dad to help him.

Giving the new roller blades a spin

Yum, blue berries and music.

Jesus's birthday cake.  Hard to argue with the kids when they want to make him a birthday cake.

Oma and Opa got some new toys from neighbors.

Ben and Lauren came over Friday night for round 3

After opening their new balls the kids decided they made good seats.

Ben like's putting rip cords on his gifts.

Ben tried out Emily's MP3 player

Hope everyone had a wonderful 2008 and will have a wonderful and prosperous 2009.

Wow, he's 6

Hard to believe that 6 years ago we became parents.  Here's a few quick shots of the b-day boy with his new bike, his cake, and him gratiously sharing his new stuff with his sister. (I think he's figured out if he lets her play with one thing it keeps her occupied and out of his other stuff, either that or he was being nice.)

The b-day boy enjoying his new bike.

Emily was playing with the marble run.

The cake Alicia created (with help from directions she found somewhere).  she claims to be no good at cake decorating but I'll let the evidence speak for itself.

Christmas Tree Time

Well, this weekend was the time for the annual Christmas Tree hunt at Motley's Farms.  Oma and Opa were in town so they joined us.

It was a bit chilly so step 1 is gearing up.

Emily liked this one.

Then Eli decided to study this one.

But we picked this one, guess we didn't get a shot before we started cutting.  The kids held the branches out of the way.

Then drug it to the road for the hayride.

While our tree was "prepped" we watched the pig races.

Eli got to "top" the tree this year.  We think Emily got to last year but haven't checked photographic evidence to determine for sure.  Though I'm sure we have a picture.