December Randoms!

I have several random pictures from the month that I had on another camera and haven’t downloaded till now!

Arden in her cute owl hat!

Stratton sitting in the HUGE rocking chair in Branson.

Pictures from Stratton’s School Christmas party. . .

With Santa and a class picture

Dressed in another Christmas shirt!

It is impossible to get them both looking at the camera!

Eating at the Cracker Barrel. Stratton can tear up some breakfast from CB!

Again trying for the perfect picture of the 2 of them. . .

So, Stratton’s smiling and Arden’s a little cranky. . .

Now they both have an attitude!

And then they crashed!

But they’re ok! Well, at least Stratton is.

Really, mom?! Stop with the camera!

Scowling at Stratton’s Monkey.

Seriously, that’s enough!

A White Christmas!

It was awesome!! I think they said it was the first time in eighty-something years for our area! But it started around 2pm and just kept on throughout the night! By Wednesday morning there were about 7-8 inches in our yard! Jarrod had to work so Stratton had to wait for him to come home at lunch to get out in the snow and play.  I really wanted a picture of both kids but by the time I got Arden bundled up and outside she was hysterical, so our time out in the cold was short lived. BUT Stratton had a BLAST! Since they had been calling for snow for a few days before Jarrod went and bought Stratton a sled. It worked perfect in our yard, since there is a little slope!  He and Jarrod played out in it twice on Wednesday and then Dillon came over Thursday afternoon to watch Stratton while Arden and I went to get some groceries and Stratton talked Dillon into getting out and playing in it, too! Stratton would have played out in it all day I think! Even when he was turning blue he didn’t want to come in!! Sadey liked it as long as she had company, but she wanted to some in as soon as they did! She has been spending lots of time in the house (in her kennel) lately due to the extremely cold temps! She is so good, too. She doesn’t make a peep!

Our backyard

You can’t even see where the porch ends!

All he needs is a little push. . .

. . . and down the hill he goes!

Christmas day

After opening presents at home we headed for Hickory Ridge for Christmas with the Gibson side of the family for lunch and MORE presents! We had a good time visiting and the kids had fun running around like crazy! Stratton loves playing with his cousin Cooper! We ended up leaving earlier than we usually do, do in part to the bad weather! It was snowing and sleeting! BUT we did have a white Christmas afterall!!

The GIRLS!! Alexandra, Lainey, Isabella and Arden!

Attempt at a pic of all the great-grands

Piles of presents!!

Christmas Morning! Our first as a family of 4!

READY for presents!!

Good Morning!

Trying to get a picture of them both-impossible!

She was a happy girl!

Love her expression! Cracks me up!

Opening his Lincoln Logs- the only thing he asked Santa for!

Best picture of the day! I can’t wait to show this to his girlfriend someday!

We had a great morning. We slept later than I figured. Stratton got us up around 8 am. Of course I had been up at 5 am feeding Arden and had gone back to sleep, so I was out of it! Jarrod had to wake me up so I could get the camera before Stratton tore into presents! He was so excited to see what Santa left him! This boy is so into anything about Cars (the movie character stuff) right now, and Santa hooked him up with all kinds of Cars stuff! He also left Stratton a letter, which he thought was so cool! And he got his Lincoln Logs! That was the first thing he wanted to play with! I love this age, Stratton is so excited about everything! He did tell me after opening several presents “Mommy, I’m just tired of opening presents”. Haha! I guess that’s a good thing! Stratton also got a Spiderman scooter and helmet, from us, which he loves he is also really into Spiderman right now. I think he likes the helmet more than the scooter, though! Arden just chilled in Jarrod’s lap while Stratton opened all his presents, then he helped open some of hers. Jarrod and I also had a good Christmas- I think we both did pretty good for each other this year! Sometimes it’s hard after being together for almost 12 years! I love Christmas so much and tried to enjoy each moment this year, especially our Christmas morning together as just us. But it seems like it all just goes by so fast and like always we are always rushing to get to our next stop as the Christmas events continue!

Christmas Eve

Monday, Dec. 24th

At Gigi and Pops house for presents and lunch. . .

Poor thing. He didn’t get any presents

Uncle Dillon and Aunt Brandye got him a new game. Gee thanks : )

Arden slept through most of it!

 

Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa's house. . .

Wilson (Josh and LeeAnn’s son), Riley (Mark and Sarah’s daughter) and Stratton

 

Arden got passed around quite a bit!

 

Family picture

 

What cuties!!

Christmas with the Staggs

Saturday, Dec. 22nd

Branson Trip 2012

This was my 9th year to plan the Armor Seeds MAP conference in Branson! Crazy!! I just love Branson at Christmas time and I look forward to this meeting all year! The meeting was on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. I needed to go up Wednesday night so that I could be there first thing Thursday morning to make sure things were set up correctly and everyone’s presentations were up and running. . .ect. . . So, Arden and I rode up with my mom and dad on Wednesday. Jarrod had to work on Thursday so he and Stratton came up on Thursday evening. We had a great time. It was a little rushed and chaotic and my dad ended up getting a migraine, but other than that we had a good trip. We took Stratton to some shows and he loved it! Jarrod and Stratton met us at Branson Landing Thursday night and we ate at Texas Land and Cattle. Jarrod took him to a show Friday morning and then Friday after the meeting we headed to town to eat lunch at Mel’s and did a little shopping at the outlets (with both kids in tow and they were both really good!) We had dinner at Landry’s with my parents and let them take Arden back to the hotel with them then we went to the Haygoods. Stratton really loved that!! It’s a high energy show with lots of special effects, and (if you don’t know) the performers (all 6 of them in the show) are all brothers and one sister. They are younger, probably all under 30ish, and they do a great job. Saturday was Breakfast with Santa at the Chateau. And I couldn’t believe Stratton jumped right up on his lap and told him what he wanted! Santa was surprised to hear all he wants is Lincoln Logs! Out of the 200-250 kids he saw that morning I bet no other kid said they wanted Lincoln Logs! After that we went up to the room and took a short nap. Then Jarrod, my dad, Stratton and I went to the Dixie Stampede again while my mom stayed at the hotel with Arden. We went to the 3pm show so when it was over we went back to the hotel and got mom and Arden and headed down to Branson Landing and did a little shopping before ending the day with a trip to Coldstone Creamery. Then we got up Saturday morning and headed home. We only stopped once on the way home, at Mt Home to eat lunch and feed Arden. I started to feel sick to my stomach so once we got home Jarrod and Stratton went to church while Arden and I stayed home and I started on the mountains of laundry!

As usual I wish I had taken more pictures. But lugging my big camera around is so inconvenient and my small camera hadn’t been charged up and the battery went dead!  Here are a few I did get. . . 

Ready for Breakfast with Santa!

Here comes Santa!!

His shirt says “Willing to trade sister for presents” heehee

He wanted his pic taken with Santa by himself!

Stratton and Arden both did SO GREAT!!

Santa said “You want Lincoln Logs?!”

Santa rode in on this vintage fire truck, Stratton could have played on it all day.

Attempt to get a family picture. . .

In front of the horses at the DS

Thankfully, my parents get to go and are such a big help!! My mom and dad kept Arden in their room at night and Stratton slept on the pullout in our room. He did great, he didn’t get up once! But it was after 10pm before he got in bed every night! He slept till almost 8:30 on Sunday! That never happens!! Whew, It was a good trip but so busy! We were exhausted by the time we got home! Next year we will really have our hands full, I’m afraid!!