Christmas break.....

The boys take turns opening a little door every day! Seems like yesterday, there were only a couple of doors open, and now there are only THREE days til Christmas!!!

Christmas cookie time! The boys set aside 5 cookies for Santa, and they'll eat a few and we'll deliver the rest to our neighbors. We've also made cornflake/marshmallow wreaths! Yummy!

It's doubtful that we'll have a "White Christmas", but we did get a dusting of snow today.

Despite the fact that there isn't any snow on their little hill, they boys decided to go sledding! They were having a blast and didn't actually care that they didn't have snow, or that they had to scoot themselves all the way down. They were laughing hysterically!

Makes my heart warm to have such imaginative and happy boys!!!

* * * * *

flashback friday...without words...

a thought....

This isn't actually our Christmas tree, but we used big light bulbs just like this

on our tree this year and it looks fabulous!!!

No additional christmas ball ornaments needed!! Less clutter on our tree! Sometimes, i think we over crowd our tree, just for the sake of decorating. We forget the novelty of

just having a tree in our house.

I love Christmas, but this year, we are doing it simple. I think Christmas this year is a turning point in the boys' lives. They are very aware of "wanting things" this year, and either we over-indulge them this year and set ourselves up for failure for every Christmas to come...by teaching them that we need to buy their happiness at Christmas. Or we choose to keep it simple and make sure they remember the REAL reason that we celebrate Christmas and are pleasantly surprised with the small gifts that they will receive!
We have great kids, and we want them to remember that happiness comes from inside of them....not from inside a box. They will NOT be receiving the latest and greatest toys that the world has to offer, and yet, i know that the gifts that they do get, will be received & treated as though they are the best presents EVER!!!

* * *

Merry Christmas to everyone!

flashback...the boys were only ONE!!!

pics from last night.....

I love this pic of Simon and me.....I can almost see a resemblance between him and I!! Truthfully, I don't think the boys look much like either Lance or I.

Austin and Lance spent 3 days camping over Thanksgiving while Mary, Colin and Simon went to Colorado Springs to see her sister and parents. The schedule didn't work out so we could all go so Lance and Austin did their favorite thing and camped and they made it home a little wet but safe.

Thanksgiving camping trip

Yummy Thanksgiving camp cooking
It gets dark very early this time of year

Our snowy camp site

We weren't expecting snow but it was beautiful

flashback friday...2004

Buffalo, NY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANCE

Here's to the NEXT 40 years....at least!!!

goofy children of mine!!!

No more words are necessary.....

two happy boys....goofing off!!