Body art and braids

It didn't take the kids long to decide to use their arms as a canvas instead of the paper. Luckily the finger paints wash off easily from nearly everything.


I posted these two pictures because Avery's hair looks so cute in braids. It is very hard to get her to sit still long enough to get them in.

Avery finds a jar of vaseline

Avery came and found me today while I was doing dishes, held out her hands and told me "I messy Momma, i messy" Sure enough her little hands were covered in vaseline as well as her face. All I could imagine was also a rug covered in it but she was really pretty neat about it and kept it on herself and on a blanket. I had to laugh and get a few pictures.

Sledding

It was really cold out but we decided to try some sledding anyway on the little hill on my parent's lawn. The kids lasted longer than I thought they would and we all had a pretty fun time.

Mom, keenan and Eric at the bottom of the hill



Keenan doing a solo run.

Jess and Keenan having a run at the hill.

Here goes Gramma

Eric preparing to give Cade, Avery and I a big sendoff.

And down the hill we go!

My little super troopers!

After Jessica, Keenan, and Eric arrived in montana after the New Year we opened more presents with the cousins. We tried to get a picture of them all with Grampa and Gramma so dad biribed them with suckers


Carter and Avery playing with Avery's new baby.

We tried to get a picture of all the cousins and nobody wanted to sit still very long to do it, much less smile while they were doing it.

Christmas

We traveled to Ronan this year to spend Christmas with Rance's family. The kids made out like bandits and had a great time playing with Sydney and Kenzie. I didn't do very well taking pictures as I didn't get any of anybody except Cade and Avery! Christmas was busy though, we got to Dee and Larry's on Christmas eve in time for Christmas dinner and Santa then had to go to a Christmas party at the Jackson's. Christmas morning we took it easy then headed over to Grandpa Harlen's house for more presents and fun, after that we went to Tom and Val Bartel's for another Christmas party. Saturday we took it easy and Sunday we went home.

The ride home was a little long as the morning we were getting ready to leave Cade woke up sick. But all in all a great Christmas and the truck was piled high with presents when we left! After we got home my parents brought up more presents for the kids and Rance and I. The kids were quite spoiled this year. Avery got 5 baby dolls! They were even all different and she loves every single one of them. Cade also got a great tent that has provided endless hours of fun. Avery got a kitchen that I spent two hours putting together, but was worth it as the kids spend a lot of time cooking there now.

Santa Comes to Grandma Dee's house

Cade was the first person and the most excited person in the house to spot Santa walking in the door at Grandma Dee's house.

He was so excited he kept jumping up and down and telling all the other kids "It's Santa, it's Santa!" He even passed around a few hugs.

And then he waited and waited and waited while Santa handed out presents to everyone.

He started to get pretty concerned when his name wasn't called within the first eight people or so. He was just going over to Rance to tell him that Santa didn't have anything for him when lo and behold his name got called!

Sitting on Santa's lap.

The start of Christmas

We went to Ronan for Christmas this year and so instead of hauling all of our presents to the kids up and back we opened presents the night before we left on the 23rd. The kids thought this was great. They made out pretty well. Cade got the walkie talkie he had been telling us he was going to get since Thanksgiving and Avery loved her my little ponies. Next stop Ronan!