Snow Days

geared up and ready to play in the snow

having most fun beating daddy with snowy hands

cheezing for the camera

yes, I let him eat ice he found......it wasn't yellow!

it made him SOOOO happy!

sledding in a rubbermaid container.....it's the best I could think of since I never thought we would need a real sled since we never really see snow....ordering real one this afternoon!

daddy got his turn first getting the workout, I think his construction of "sled" was perfect and made little man VERY happy!

A Few of Ethan's Favorite Things

walking around in daddy's boots.....

Laying in mommy and daddy's bed to watch Mickey Mouse.......(daddy's side)

using daddy's bluetooth to talk on the phone.....

Noticing a theme here? I think somebody has a hero and a man he REALLY likes to imitate. Now comes a hard part of parenting, be the example you want them to follow. Luckily I have a wonderful man for a husband and father to Ethan, so we're headed in the right direction!

Daddy's New Toy

Brandon has been dying to get a new 4 wheeler for a while now and he finally gave in when he found a good deal on one, even though he drove 4 hours each way and through some snow to get it. Ethan is not a big fan yet, but I'm sure he'll love it soon enough!

Uncle Chris' Birthday Dinner

Uncle Chris was in Brazil over the Christmas holidays, but with a birthday in mid-January, he came through little rock on his way home to see family and meet baby Ella. We had family dinner on Friday night and let me just say....Ethan is too much like his uncle for his own good (or mine for that matter). You can even see the resemblance in that troubling photo of the two of them. Chris is wild and zany and always entertaining, so needless to say, Ethan is a big fan. We can't wait til we get to see him again....these 2 are gonna be big buds!!

Christmas Morning 09

coming down and seeing what Santa left for him

emptying out the stocking

so excited, he can't decide where to start!

getting really good at ripping the paper

yea!!! my choo choo!

figuring out the choo choo tracks

whispering "bbbiiigggg ttttrrrruuuuuccccckkkkk"

dancing to the radio in his new ride

driving the streets of the neighborhood

After getting Ethan settled from all the Christmas Eve activity, Papaw and Gagaw came down to spend the night with us so they could see Ethan open gifts. After he went to bed, I put together his new easel and then we engineered the train tracks for his new table and trains from mimi and papa. I didn't sleep b/c I kept being afraid he would wake up first so I got up around 5:30, mimi and papa got here around 6:30 and I finally had to go check on him at 7:30. He was just sitting in his bed waiting for someone to come get him. We had so much fun watching his excitement for his gifts and then we had fun using it all for the first time. What a fun Christmas!!!!

Christmas Eve in Plumerville

Ethan listening to Papaw read the Christmas story

the beginning of the Ethan & Garett "mine" game

Ethan and his Papaw

continuation of the "mine" game.....escalating with hunger and sleepiness!

cousin Jonathan dropped by!

We spent Christmas Eve in Plumerville this year. We had the traditional lunch and gift exchange at Nonie's house. She passed away a few months ago so it was an emotional time to know it will be our last Christmas there, but great to remember and celebrate her as the whole family gathered! Next we headed to Gaga and Papaw's house to exchange with Jared's family. Garett and Ethan are just close enough in age to really annoy each other. Neither is big on sharing and they surely want the exact same thing at all times. Made for some great entertainment!

Tacky Christmas Sweater Party 09

Rebecca and Sam

some of the girls

typical......

Tackiest People winners!

Jennifer and Brian hosted our annual Christmas sweater party. As always, I waited too long to go looking for ours....so I didn't participate except for the antlers with mange, but I found Brandon some treasures and thanks to his fabulous presentation and the surprise Christmas shirt underneath...he was able to win for the boys prize and got his fabulous Obama chia head. I can assure you this thing will be tended to with great care so it can be seen again next year :)

Christmas in the Wild

The weekend before Christmas, I took Ethan to Christmas in the Wild at the LR Zoo. We had cookies and milk near Santa (still wouldn't go near enough for a photo) and saw other fun animals that were carried around at Cafe Africa. Then we followed Santa around to take Christmas gifts to the jaguars, elephants, and chimpanzees. Ethan had a blast running after Santa's golf cart and seeing the elephants in their Santa hats. I'm hoping he remembers that ONLY santa is allowed to throw stuff into the animals homes next time we go b/c I have a feeling he'll think he can do it too!