Merry Christmas!!!

WOW! Okay, first off, let me apologize for being a really, REALLY bad blogger the past few months. SO many things have been going on in our crazy lives and I just can't find the time to sit and blog! (However, I can find the time to sit and read everyone else's blogs...:) It's one of my favorite things to do, so I am now committing myself to be a MUCH IMPROVED blogger in 2010.

December came and went so fast, like it always does, but we shared lots of fun memories with family and friends. Our first family Christmas was in Claude, with the Campbell side of the family. Aunt Diane so graciously opened her home to ALL of us, and ALL of our crazy kiddos! I am SO glad we were able to see each other and visit, even if it was just a short while. The kids sure had a blast, and even got a surprise visit from Santa! The two and a half hour drive home was not so fun...Cayden ran and played SO hard all afternoon that he just cried and cried with leg cramps the whole way home. Poor guy! :( And then Cole...who talked my ear off the entire trip home...even talked through Cayden screaming...he just talked louder! I was so glad to reach the Lubbock city limits that night!

Dean and I were able to share some special time with just the boys before we headed to Clarendon for Christmas Eve. Family days is what the boys called it...we cooked a big dinner, read the Christmas story, and open gifts from each other at home. It was a lot of fun, and the boys were super excited to find their four wheeler and jeep awaiting them outside! They spent the afternoon riding, racing, and being wreckless on their new toys! We ended the evening with Sheridan's ice cream, and looking at Christmas lights...blowups specifically. The lights are cool, but the blowups are even cooler to our sweet boys! I can't even imagine how many times Coley asked Dean if we could find some blowups...have I mentioned he talks a lot? I mean A LOT! just precious...

We were on the road to Clarendon a day early because of the snow, and SO glad we did that. The snow storm was awesome...but I was more than happy to be watching it from the inside rather than driving through it. We spend the next few days enjoying our time at Gigi and Papa's. Chad, Christy and the kids made it over on Christmas Eve as well, and it was nice to all be together. The kids decorated cookies and sprinkled reindeer food outside, and then crawled in bed with Gigi and Papa (I know they just LOVE it when we come to stay...the boys always end up in their bed one way or another!) Christmas morning is always a blur, and with toddlers....they open presents so fast I never can keep up! The boys are huge fans of Toy Story right now, so basically everything they got had something to do with Woody or Buzz! My favorite gift this year was the framed picture that we all gave my mom and dad. We had pictures taken of Kaylee, Karson, Cayden, and Cole in November and they just turned out beautiful. We had a wonderful lunch together, and my favorite quote from sweet Coley...as the last person sat down at the table for lunch, he says "Now we are a family!" I will never forget that moment! I am so thankful for such an amazing and supportive family.

We had a short nap and then it was off to Amarillo for Christmas with the Keister's! We had a great time catching up and snacking on lots of yummy food! The kids played SO well together, and it was fun to see them dancing and laughing with each other. The kids exchanged books, and opened their matching pajamas together. I just love this tradition for them...Aunt Karen and Gigi get the kids matching pajamas every year and they all take a group picture together. Fun memories for all of us! The kids played outside in the snow, and even got to see a few deer pass through the neighborhood. I doubt the deer will be back to Aunt Karen's after Kaylee was snapping photos right and left, Cole was roaring at her like a lion, and Will was throwing snow balls at her! Poor thing! We ended the evening with lots of Christmas carols and worship songs...singing and dancing...and the hokie pokie with Aunt Karen and Gigi! Thanks Uncle Brad and Uncle Alan!

We arrived back in Lubbock with lots of snow on the ground, so we let the boys loose! They had SO much fun playing in the snow. We attempted a snow man, but the moment we got one built...what do they do? Of course, they tackle it, kick it, stomp it...you know, what boys do right? They threw snow balls at windows, at daddy, at each other, and my car...go figure.

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!