The nearly impossible gift!

This is the picture of the grandsons that we had made for Butch and Sally for Christmas. Let's just say that next time we attempt to pose 5 children together I hope they are ages 15 to 20!

Dear Santa...I would like an iphone for my Daddy!

Every year we head to the Gaylord Texan to visit Santa and this year was no exception! We got the boys "dolled" up and headed out right after church (early birds get to see Santa very quickly!) The resulting picture was marvelous! Look at these 3 handsome dudes! This might be the best picture I ever get! Next year Dane will have stranger anxiety so I already have a vision as to what that picture will entale and in a few years Nolan's going to protest sitting on Santa's lap! So, this was my year to enjoy!

Look at this sweet face waiting in line to ask Santa for a Thomas toy and an iphone for his Daddy! (Yes, he really asked Santa for that!)

Checking out Santa's workshop while we are waiting.

I got this great new camera and if you look close enough you can actually see the spit being flung from Dane's lips! Now that's some quick shutter speed! Can anyone resist those giant baby blues staring at you?

Our attempt at a family picture!

I wish the sun hadn't been so bright that day. It shone through the atrium and while the natural light was beautiful it cast shadows everywhere! This was the best picture I got of Dane and the poinsettas.

And of course, Dane's biggest fan Nolan had to scoop him up for a picture together!

Luke peeking at his favorite train display! I think if given the choice to see the trains or Santa he's actually pick the trains!

It's a Grinch Christmas!

The Binkleys and the Wilsons got our warm clothes on and headed out to the Gaylord Texan to see ICE - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. This first picture is looking up at the Texas star in the atrium of the hotel at night time. Isn't it beautiful all lit up? Makes we want to break out in song..."the stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas!"

We posed for our picture as we were heading in to see all of the fabulous sculptures carved of ice portaying the story of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. I loved this story as a kid and looked forward to watching it every year! Luke loves it too! Guess he gets it from me!

Cousins! Alexis, Mariah, Nolan and Luke

The Binkley ladies!

Drew and the boys! Luke looks like he's up to no good!

Gail and Vicki posing with the famous Grinch!

A White Christmas...in Texas of all places!

Can you believe it? A white Christmas in Texas?! And it came on Christmas Eve?! The snow couldn't have been more perfect (minus the bad weather that Vicki and family had to drive in to get to our house). The boys and I were decorating our sugar cookies when the snow started falling. It was like a modern day Norman Rockwell moment!

We managed to capture a family picture before we headed to Christmas Eve church service.

Santa arrives! Nolan came and woke us up this year at 4:30am telling me that he got Dane out of bed and handed him to Alexis and then came downstairs to get us. As I was walking Nolan back upstairs he had to pass by all that Santa left for him and he says, "Did you see that cool Hotwheels set?" It must have been terribly hard to go back to sleep. And poor Dane, he was plucked out of bed and had no idea why! Nolan woke up again at 6:45am (a more reasonable time) and announced that Santa didn't leave anything for Lukey but that he got TWO Razor scooters...hummmmm...sorry to break the news to you Nolan but I think one of those scooters belongs to your brother!

Dane gets a new helmet so he can stay safe when riding on the back of Daddy's bike!

Luke got more GeoTrax! Could life be more perfect?

Nolan got Widgits! And a marble game and a scooter and a Zhu Zhu pet and a ....

You better watch out, you better not cry...

Although it seems as though the Christmas season begins earlier every year I found that this year was the funnest year for the boys thus far! Nolan received a "pay card" (a gift card to you and me) for his birthday so I took him shopping to pick out that special gift. He choose a hotwheels set and we headed to the counter to make our purchase. As the clerk hands me my receipt Nolan sees "IT" as a beacon of light shown upon the "Elf on the Shelf" sitting right behind the counter. If any of you haven't heard about this new phenomenon let me share...it is a very old fashioned looking stuffed elf and a book which describes what that elf is all about. That's it...no batteries, no game, just an elf and your ability to believe in that elf. Nolan immediately requested a "re-do" so the clerk returned the hotwheels (believe me, I asked him several times if he was sure) and he instead purchased Elf on the Shelf. Now, this elf has special Christmas magic and each night he flies to the North Pole to report on your behavior for the day. While you are sleeping he returns and picks a new spot which to keep watch for the next day. It is amazing how much influence our elf (who Nolan named Melvin) has instilling good behavior. Melvin traveled to Santa Fe with us and once when Luke was annoying Nolan, Nolan leans over and says, "Lukey, Melvin is watching you!" Unfortunately, Melvin returned to the North Pole on Christmas Eve as his work at our house is through (he returns again the following Thanksgiving). However, when times get tough throughout the year Melvin might just have to make a "guest appearance" at our house!

Snow Sking in Santa Fe

It's the weekend before Christmas and where do we go, we head to the mountains to see lots of SNOW! On Friday, December 18th Nolan was officially beginning his 2 week Christmas break so we packed up the family truckster (aka minivan) grabbed 2 of 3 boys (Luke got some extra special Grandma & Grandpa time as he got to head to Santa Fe 2 days earlier than the rest of us) and headed to Santa Fe (with an overnight stop in Amarillo). During Luke's alone time with Grandma and Grandpa his wishes came true when not only did he get to SEE lots of trains on the way to Santa Fe he actually got to RIDE a train to Albuquerque! The rest of us arrived in Santa Fe on Saturday afternoon and after a quick stop to the cutest little book store in downtown Santa Fe (and yes, I purchased 3 of the cutest children's books ever!) and a brief exploration of all that downtown Santa Fe has to offer we retreated back to the "casita" for dinner and headed to bed early to rest up for our first big day of skiing!

Sunday morning we got up early, got some warm oatmeal in the boys tummy's, got dressed as warm as possible and headed to the slopes. I highly recommend Santa Fe for skiing with kids...the accessibility to their children's ski program made the process of getting all their gear to the mountain so very easy! Nolan and Luke joined ski school and made good progress by the end of day 1. We were all in bed by 8:45pm that night! The next morning we woke up and did it all again. Luke was a little sad that he wasn't going to ski with "his Daddy" so we promised to come get him in the afternoon and take him skiing. Nolan's class got to do practice runs on "Easy Street" and he got to ride a real lift! At the end of the day both Nolan and Luke got to ski several runs with us down the mountain and Nolan was in heaven! Nolan even jumped over a level and when we return he'll be a "black bear"! Growl! What a wonderful trip! Now we're just trying to figure out how we might be able to squeeze in one more trip this season!

It's never too late for an update!

In December Nolan and Dane had their 6 year and 9 month check ups (respectively) with our family Pediatrician, Dr Robert and both checked out to be fabulously healthy and here are some of their stats:

Dane - 9 months old

Height: 27 1/2" - 10th percentile (a jump up from the 5th percentile last visit!)

Weight: 19 lbs 6 oz - 25th percentile

Head: 18" - 45th percentile

Dane turned 9 months old on December 10th and 2 days later took his first independent steps! Over the past several week's he's been practicing his skills and just this week we've seen him attempting to walk more than crawl. And, after 4 weeks of "we need to get the video camera out" we finally did! I'm pretty sure that Nolan's first steps were video taped the day he took them. Oh to be the 3rd baby!

Nolan - 6 years old

Height - 46 1/2" - 60th percentile

Weight - 51 lbs - 78th percentile

Nolan continues to grow up, up, up and should be at least as tall as Drew when it's all said and done. (Not sure Luke and Dane have the same prediction based on their doctor visit height percentiles!) I suspect that Nolan will also mimic Drew's love for adventure. Speed is Nolan's personal motto! From snow skiing and water skiing, water slides and rollercoasters to riding his bike and scooter his latest request is to do gymnastics. He got to take an introductory class last week and his favorite part with the trampoline! Of course it was, why wouldn't it be!!!