goofy R

Ryker is so cute and silly that I just have to capture these moments.  Too bad the first picture is so blurry.

This is his spot for watching Dora and Diego.  Gracie took his picture.  :)

The kids drew names and we did a Christmas exchange.  So fun!

Caleb is so serious here because he's tired, but the other kids are so excited to open gifts.  Caleb got a baseball toy.

a floor puzzle for ryker

Elefun was a hit!  The kids love catching butterflies.  Gracie does it by herself, though, because the boys are "too crazy."

a truck and a shirt for lincoln

Baby Caleb got a fun infant toy with balls.  Gracie helped him open it.  :)

Santa!

This is the first year that Gracie and Ryker, well mostly Gracie, understood the idea of Santa and were excited to go see him.  As you can see, Ryker was a little suspicious of Santa and Mrs. Claus, but Gracie loved it!  After the picture she turned around and told Santa her list.  Once she had his attention she didn't want to stop.  He tried to say, "Ok, thank you," numerous times, but she wouldn't have it.  She had more things on the list she needed him to know.  The top three items are a monkey, stroller, and baby.  She told me this morning that she forgot to tell him she wanted a bathtub for her baby, "but he's smart so he knows."  

Decorating the Christmas Tree

The kids were so excited and helpful decorating this year! We turn the lights on first thing in the morning and they love showing them to everyone who walks in the door.

Thanksgiving

enjoying daddy's chex mix while laying in bed at the hotel

We had so much fun traveling back to Nebraska for Thanksgiving! We got to see lots of family, the kids traveled really well (thanks to Diego), and Ryker fell in love. We spent Thursday at the lakehouse eating tons of delicious food and playing games. Friday we traveled to Hastings to see Waid play basketball. (and of couse we squeezed in some swimming!) Saturday was more swimming and another Hastings College basketball game before traveling back to Pop's and Mimi's again. Waid played awesome! We are so proud of him and really enjoy watching him play! Sunday we rested up before making the trip back to Denver.

Ryker fell in love with Leslie. I've never seen him behave the way he did with her. He went right up to her and hugged her and wouldn't let go. He hasn't seen her for about a year so he must have been stunned by her beauty. It was so cute the way he kept going back to her throughout the day! I tried to capture a picture of him smooching her, but after about 20 attempts became frustrated. Mal captured the only picture of him actually kissing her, but I think the rest are super cute, also, and tell the story of his first crush.

My one regret of the weekend: no family picture!

pure exhaustion (driving home from hastings)

ryker learning bball from marcus




my little baller




he loved dribbling and screamed when it was time to go





superstar