Christmas 2009

--- The whole gang (except Jason) ---

Six Pilgrims' Christmas Picture '09

We had a houseful of Santa Babies!

Tressa, Charlotte, Evan, Hayden, Meghan and Noah before bed on Christmas Eve

Late night photo after Santa left some gifts!

Gathering for Christmas Day dinner.  I love my little santa doll!

Meghan:  "Enough with the hugs.  It's time for poppers!"

The popper tradition in action.

 

Little prince Noah.
 

Granddad and little man Hayden sharing a laugh.

 

Who could resist that face?

And last but not least, my little drummer girl...

Christmas Piano Recital

Meghan played Jingle Bells in duet form with her teacher.  Craig and I were a little apprehensive because the day before the recital Meghan was still making mistakes.  But her playing was surprisingly flawless at the actual recital!   Way to go, Megs!

First Snow of the Season!

And the snow was large and in charge!

Behold the Christmas Cuteness

Hayden is doing his midget impression.  yuk, yuk.

Okay that's better.

Hershey Park - Thanksgiving Weekend

Brrrrrr!

Yes, I did indeed photoshop Evan onto the frog-hopper (top right picture).

A house made entirely of Hershey's candy products... YUM.

The handsome old guy is Craig's dad.  The beautiful teenager is cousin Brittany.

Strawberry Enthusiast

When it comes to strawberries, Hayden just has no self-restraint.  No boundaries.  Last month he grabbed this brand new package of strawbs off the counter and started eating them.  Unwashed.  (GASP!)  But it gets worse... this morning at the grocery store he turned around in the cart, seized the package of strawbs, opened them, and before I could stop him, HE SCARFED ONE-- STEM AND ALL!  Seriously inappropriate, not to mention unsightly.

Tressa and Hayden

The other day I found Hayden in the playroom hiding behind the rocker and under a table.  Look at that grin... he was happy to see me!

Tresster the Jester (Crazy Hat Night at Awana)

Playing with the grandies...

Hayden is captivated by all things electronic.

Meghan and Evan covet enjoy Granddad's iPod:

Sudoku with Nana.

(And something about holding your pinky high to show how ridiculous classy you are.)

Awwwwww.

The Leaf Vacuum

Mesmerized!

How 'bout aiming that badboy at our yard?  Sorry, curb only.

Farm - Petting Zoo - Horse Center

The kids had Monday off school so we headed over to a local park that "preserves a piece of Fairfax County's rural heritage with it's working demonstration farm. [The farm] recreates the era of 1920-1950, when family dairy farms blanketed the landscape."  This place is great -- all sorts of farm animals, hiking trails (including several letterboxes - we found a new one!), a huge horse center (you can bring your horse here for free to use the facilities, riding rings, and roam free over some 80 acres filled with jumps and such), a playground, a country store, a hayride.  Here are a few pictures from the very old cemetary behind an old church adjoining the farm property:

Evan's big find:  A Camouflage Frog

Meghan grabbed the little guy up asap.

Let ME see the... WHOAAAAA!

Be gentle, Hayden.

Frog bite???

C'mon, guys, let's get outta here.

Hayden's Room

Behind the rocker... Hayden's secret hide-out.

Hayden sleeps better with Ringmaster Pablo on the crib waving at him.  Notice the wallpaper ripped off the wall behind the crib.  Horrifying, I know.  ALL of my other three children have slept in this crib in this corner without ever daring to rip the wallpaper from the wall.  Hayden, different beast.  My mom tells me I did this too as a baby -- only it was twice as horrifying because it was at someone else's house!

Trick or Treating

Hayden