Christmas (at last)

We had a wonderful Christmas this year, sorry it took so long to post pictures.  My parents came in town and we celebrated with Kevin's family.  Josh was enamored with Christmas trees and would point them out where ever we went.  "Look Momma, they celebrate Jesus' birthday too!" We had a lot of fun with my parents and I'm always so grateful when they come because they give me a BIG break!  I got to meet with friends, have coffee, sleep in and I'm pretty sure I didn't change a diaper for five days.  Here are the pics to sum up our time!

Josh wanted to hang EVERY ornament.  We also did a Jesse Tree which I'd highly recommend to everyone.  Each day (30 days prior to Christmas) we would read from the Bible, starting in the OT and moving into the NT concerning the birth of Christ.  There are ornaments for each scripture and Josh loved reading each morning, coloring the ornament and hanging it on his special tree. 

 The Kennedy Family tradition continues...this year we made "collars" with holiday buttons.

 Josh and Dash got a gourmet kitchen from Grammo and Papa.  Lets just say the cherry wood, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances blow my kitchen out of the water.  

 Christmas Cousin Pajamas

 The Kennedy Family

 Grammo and Papa took the boys swimming (in the middle of winter, only in Texas!)

and they had SO much fun.  Josh has been taking lessons for 9 months and is quite the little fish.

 and of course every chef needs a hat and apron for their kitchen

Ginger Bread House

The Leatherman family came over  for an evening of fun on Tuesday and we decided to have a ginger bread house building contest.  The loser buys pizza next time we have dinner.  A couple of things that made this event fun: 1) The Leathermans have NEVER made a ginger bread house before 2) I grew up decorating one with my mom every year 3) We had toddlers helping us.  

The ultimate goal was to post pictures of both houses -unlabeled of course- and let the blogging world choose the winner.  Sorry to burst your voting bubble.  Our sweet and humble house decided to concede on its own and let the Leathermans win. (see picture at the bottom)  I guess it didn't want them to be too discouraged for next years competition!  

Dash stole a gingerbread snowman and snuck away to eat it

Jax ate more candy than eventually made it on the house

Kennedy house IMMEDIATELY after the final touches

Leatherman House

1 Minute later...

Cowboy Josh

One of Josh's very best buddies, Tye, had his 4th birthday on Saturday at a Cowboy Ranch.  What a cool place!  Along with the big wooden playground and zipline it included horse back riding, a hayride, and feeding the horses.  Happy Birthday Tye Friend, we love you buddy!

Pay attention to the progression of the next 4 photos....

feeding the horse straw and all is well

the horse starts moving upward, noticing some straw in Josh's hat

the horse starts eating Josh's hat

I couldn't get the rest of the story in pictures because I was needed in hat recovery but just know Josh put up quite a fight, he wasn't letting that horse have his cowboy hat!

The Hunt is On

Hunting for, finding, and chopping down our own Christmas Tree is one of my very favorite traditions.  It started years ago when the whole Kennedy family went out to the tree farm and Jen, Jean and myself sawed down the tree and drug it back to car while the boys stood by and watched.  But now I have a "big boy" who wants to do all the work for me...yay!  We had a wonderful farm we visited for years but they closed down in 2008 and so we've been on the search for a good place ever since.   Last years farm was way too expensive and this years farm was full of very ugly trees.  Of course that didn't stop us from finding the perfect ugly tree and bringing it home.  It actually looked pretty good on the lot even though Kevin swore it was too big for our living room.  I've learned my lesson.  Trust my husbands judgement.  Sure enough we got it home, drug in the living room only to drag it back outside to chop off the bottom foot of the tree.  It still hits the ceiling and while some may say it is rather big, I like to say it is nice and full.  Kevin says we will have the merriest Christmas ever because our tree definitely consumes our living room.  But what a great way to start the celebrations of Jesus' birthday!

 it may have been sunny but it was very chilly...perfect for tree hunting

 hmmm...not sure if this was the safest idea

 love them

 love him too!

 look at that concentration 

 Dash wanted to help too!

 poor Kevin out there working away after I promised him the tree would fit.
what love.

the picture doesn't do it justice.  I promise IT IS WAY TOO BIG and we love it!

Help Yourself

So my climber Dash decided to help himself to a snack the other day.  Sure enough, he moved the chair over to the counter, climbed up, grabbed an orange and proceeded to eat it.  He hasn't learned to peel an orange yet but it didn't seem to bother him.  What a reality check!  My baby is NOT a baby.  He went from 2 teeth to 6 teeth in 2 months time.  At his one year check up he was almost 22 pounds and although he doesn't look small the doctor said he was only in the 38% for weight at his age.  Maybe that's why he is helping himself to food!  He is using initial sounds to identify things, "Da" for daddy, "Ba" for Brother, "Ma" for milk, and no surprise his one and only word:  ball (although is sounds more like "baaawl").  Oh and the sweetest word is "A!" which he squeals with enthusiasm as we finish our prayers.  It is also pretty sweet that he folds his hands together when we pray.  He LOVES to play chase and is pretty fascinated with the dogs.  Wrestling with his brother will make him squeal with delight and he can officially climb up and down the stairs all by himself.  His grin can still stop my world it is so big and sweet.  What a blessing!

And for Grammos and Papa sake here are the other important members of our family!

so insightful....

While riding bikes today Josh says, "Stop momma I got some thing in my shoe". He removes the shoe, thoroughly inspects it and says, "My foot. My foot was in my shoe."

Dress Up Fun

Check out the fun we had at the church's Trunk and Treat!