Christmas with Papaw

When you head from a fairly large town to a small town in Kansas, you can't do much but sit back and enjoy the company and the relaxation. That is what is nice about going some place else. I don't have my house to worry about or anything in it to do, what a blessing and just what I needed.

Papaw and Grandma Debbie spoiled the kids as usual. From toys to making donuts. The joke of the week was to tell Papaw to smile and he would say he is. The verdict is still out if one can consider it a smile. He would have been great in taking pictures in the wild west days.

A girl always loves a small box and Papaw gave Jill and I matching necklaces. you an see it in the photo dangling around my neck. I also got the pretty scarf I tied around my head, I didn't get around to doing my hair before we opened presents.

Papaw gave rides around the block and the kids really enjoyed it. Mason is sitting in the back with dead pheasant and smearing blood all over. Ewww

Lots of lounging was going on, if you can consider all the kids on you lounging?

One of my highlights was updating Jordan's status on facebook. She used the macbook and left herself signed in and I posted some great ones, yet she felt the need to delete my posts? It was funny I said something in one post on how great her family was and to "text me" and I'll tell you all about it, and some of her friends texted her about it! Priceless!

Uncle Todd and family Visit

Oh to sum up the visit in Omaha. Jill really enjoyed snuggling and holding Bryson. I am lucky I breast feed or I don't think I would get to hold my baby much when she is around. Isabella is really into Bryson and very curious when he eats. She states she wants a baby sister, but I convinced her she wanted a baby brother like Bryson.

Jordan painted toes and nails including Mason's. She decorated them in Auburn colors, but the orange could pass as red and the blue is dark, but it could pass as KU colors if one wasn't looking too hard. The kids were really excited. The girls later headed out for real pedicures where Jordan got her nails painted in bright green with a flower bling. Jill and I laughed we were not offered flower art on our nails, they must put an age limit on it and we clearly didn't make the cut off.

Isabella really enjoyed chasing the cat. She could be playing and mid way through her play she would stop playing to go find or chase the cat. She at least referred to her as DC this year, unlike last year where she was known as CD.

I could ramble on and on, but I will contain myself. I wish we lived closer to this bunch. I think I need to start job searching for my brother so he can move closer to us!

Christmas with Nana

We had Christmas with Nana again in Omaha this year. We had Grandma Gray over, but I never broke out the camera. She witnessed the shredding of paper and the kids playing with toys. Nana gave the kids winged PJ's again this year and they are a huge hit and yet again I never broke out the camera.

Another huge hit was the baby doll Nana gave Ellery. It jumps up and down and giggles. Ellery and Bryson really enjoyed playing with the new doll.

Uncle Todd and Aunt Jill gave Mason Buzz wings. I don't think I need to elaborate anymore on how thrilled he was with this new toy.

Lastly we had some fun on the Wii. Nana brought up Wii Dance and oh boy was it fun. Isabella gets the gold star on dance moves and improvising. I was impressed with my kids dance skills as well. Rob refused to even try, bah hum bug!

A Trip To the Zoo

We hit the Omaha zoo today with the family. Our zoo really is amazing and a lot of fun. The highlight of this trip was seeing a Bernese Python eating a white bunny rabbit. We missed the initial feeding. We didn't get to see if bunny was alive when put in the cage or the capture. We did however get to witness the squeezing of the bunny and the jaw unhinge to eat the bunny. It was a mixed emotion moment. Initially I wasn't going to let the kids see or explain what was going on, but they were really into watching the snake eat. We went with the survival of the fitness explanation with emphasis on everyone has to eat and that snake eats bunnies. I don't know why I keep saying bunny it was a full grown rabbit. We watched until all we could see was two bunny feet sticking out the mouth of the snake. I think everyone really enjoyed the zoo experience. We also had a duck that was interested in trying to eat everyone through the glass.

Visitors from Alabama

They plowed our street early this morning and just in time for my brother to get here with his family from Alabama. Nana was supposed to arrive this evening as well, but she hit some ice on the way up and ended up in a ditch. Luckily she wasn't hurt and pulled out quickly, but she decided to stay at a hotel for the evening and is coming up in the morning. A little too much action for my taste, but we are happy she is ok. My brother and his family were excited to see so much snow and really enjoyed playing in it. The things we take for granted and are soooo tired of they are excited for.

Hamster Ball

Jordan got a human hamster ball from Santa and she is lucky it had a weight limit or I would have been secretly playing with it as well. Only in my dreams. We should have taken her to a hill and let her go, but we were nice and kept her in the flat yard.

Holding hands and hugs

Mason is having a great time with his cousins. He loves to hug them, follow them around, and hold their hands. I'll just leave out where he steals toys from them and has trouble sharing trains.

I need a Jordan

Jordan is so good with Ellery and you can see she truly loves her. I need to figure out how to get her home with me to help me out with the kids. She is a great big sister to Isabella and a wonderful cousin to Mason and Ellery.

Uncle Todd Visits with his clan

Uncle Todd and Aunt Jill arrived at Nana's today with Jordan and Isabella. Isabella and Mason are a almost exactly a year apart. Isabella brings back flashbacks for how Mason was a year ago, just a little more petite and talks a lot more than Mason ever thought about talking. We were greeted with kisses and I think the girls are all going to be buds. I see poor Mason getting dragged into dress up and playing house in the future.