Circus

This was the last year Ringling brothers is traveling with elephants so we decided to get tickets. What a great show...Wade and his parents loved it!!

Cousin Time

We got to spend time with Landon on his birthday this year and with Marshall on his!!!  Wade loves his cousins....

Landon got a quilt made from the tshirt we brought him back from China almost three years ago. 

And we all went skiing on Marshall's birthday which fell on Presidents' Day this year. 

First snow of 2016

Wade sure enjoys playing in the snow a lot more now than his first Winter home. We will need to find a bigger sledding hill to give him a challenge. 

We had about 5 or 6 inches before it turned to sleet.  Mike was home today too as the maill did not arrive from the hub in Greensboro. 

And a nice finish to some sledding was a cup of hot chocolate (thanks again Miss Pat). 

We are supposed to get more overnight but so far this storm has been less impactful than the forecasters had us believe. That's ok, I like electricity and all its comforts. 

Throwing snow at Mommy Is always fun. 

My Christmas Treat

Dad always gives us a check for Christmas and as I get older I really look forward to getting to splurge on something I might not otherwise buy.

 This year I bought a really nice pot. I am trying to get away from Teflon and read up on several kinds before deciding to get a Staub. It's cast iron with an enamel finish. The interior isn't exactly like grandmothers cast iron as its been annondized for better non stick features. 

So with the new pot I got a Williams and Sonoma cookbook called "one pot of the day" which literally has 365 recipes and they follow what is in season during the year. 

Tonight I am trying the porter braised chicken with root vegetables. The picture looks like this:

Wish me luck

All while Mike and Wade are working very hard on homework. Pretty awesome

No Grinch in this Boy

Wade woke about about his normal time Christmas morning but didn't hesitate to remind us that Santa may have come! 

 He has been very excited this year about both Santa and learning about Baby Jesus. We hosted Grey Grey and Teenie so they got to witness all the joy and noise. 

"Helping" Landon work his new BB8 droid

And what a ham, he got a toy trumpet and took it church so he could play along with our small ensemble. Nobody seemed to mind he was a little off key. 

 

Christmas 2015 is in the books!  Here is to a great start for 2016...

A very full December

We kicked off the Holiday season by spending Thanksgiving in Georgia. 

Some Christmas card photos were taken

Some fishing (or playing with worms) happened. 

And we got all spiffed up for church!!

This December we have gotten ready for Christmas a day at a time. Here it is Dec 24th family is in town, leaving work at noon to start cooking and finish wrapping presents. Not much free time these days!

Oh and we squeezed in a ride in the Polar Express,a trip to the ER and the new Star Wars movie!  

Ready or not it's Christmas time!  We will go church tonight and enjoy a full day with family tomorrow!

And finally here is Wade in Daddy's old Jeep. He was thrilled to be in the Boonville Christmas parade. 

No doubt which car he has his eye on!  But we still have 11 years before the learners permit is issued!

But as fast as the years are flying by, I am afraid it will be here too soon. 

Look who's 4

When your birthday is the day after Halloween you just stay in a sugar high all weekend!  But this year at least I had time to make a cake. We went with a backhoe theme. 

He loved having Max and some family over for dinner.....

....because the jumping at the mall didn't go so well. All Wade has wanted to do for the last 6 months is do the bungee assisted jumping thing at the mall. He would tell everyone when he turned four he got to bounce at the mall. But today he watched some older girls go before him that were doing flips and really getting high. By the time it was his turn he was crying....so maybe we will try again next year. Max however had a ball and even went back for another turn ( but he is a big boy of 5 1/2 )

Happy Birthday Wade Michael, it won't be the last time things in life get overwhelming, but hope you can always find that smile again quickly.