Christmas 2010

Christmas Pics... Take 29

So this year for our Christmas card I had already decided that there was no way I was going to attempt just a single picture of all five boys or even a family shot with the chances being slim to none of getting a good picture, everyone looking at the camera.... etc. So we opted for a card with several different slots for pictures and I just took lots of shots of each boy or some with a few of them together. It turned out great. This first shot of all five was taken on Christmas Eve so it didn't make it in time for the card... not too bad, um Judah!

Hickman boys- Christmas Eve 2010

Goofballs

The three oldest

Asher Kirk- 6 1/2 years old

Maddox Andrew- 6 weeks

Caleb Leslie- almost 5 (6 days shy!)

Nathaniel Jackson- 3 years old

Judah Riley- 2 years old

Elliott and Timothy

Both Caleb and Asher have classroom "friends" that each student in the class takes turns bringing home for the weekend. They each have a little book that comes home with them that the kids get to write about what they did with their "friend" and they are encouraged to draw pictures and put pictures of themselves with their "friend" in it so everyone in the class can share in their adventures. We had Timothy over Asher's Thanksgiving week long break... he actually brought him home the day after Maddox was born and Elliott came home a week or so later from a Thursday to the next Tuesday. Too bad they weren't both here at the same time to meet each other!!

C at Monkey Joes with Elliott the Elephant

Asher at the hospital with Timothy meeting Baby Maddox for the first time!

Alot of This

Had to get a quick shot of this the other day when the boys were watching one of the many Christmas shows we have been enjoying around here lately! Nate, Judah, and Asher.... Caleb was the lucky couch sitter :)

Reindeer and Legos

two Rudolphs, a Star Wars set, and a Toy Story set

Asher and Judah with their lego purchases

Caleb and Nate "building" their Rudolphs

The week before Christmas we took the boys to Crabtree (a mall for those of you non-Raleighites) to spend their Christmas money from my parents (Nana and Papaw). We were quite the sight on that Monday before Christmas.... all SEVEN of us trooped out with two strollers (one double!); seven winter coats; 5 children age six and under... one of which was 5 weeks; stops at two of the busiest kids stores; especially right before Christmas; not to mention just a very crazy, busy, crowded mall! Yes, we were crazy, but fortunately we survived and the boys had a great time and were super excited about their presents. It was Nate's first time at Build A Bear and Judah just sat in his stroller mesmerized by the whole process! (Of course he was clinging tightly to his "Buzz" legos the entire time!) We tried to talk Nate into building the abomidible snowman from Rudolph, but he was insistent on doing a Rudolph like Caleb. Thus we now have Rudolph and Rudolph! Thanks Nana and Papaw for such fun gifts!

Coming soon to a mailbox near you...

Just a sneak peek of one that didn't make this year's Christmas card!

Who's Two?

Can our little Judah Bug really be two? It is truly hard for me to believe that my sweet baby isn't my baby anymore! We had such a fun, crazy night celebrating J complete with cake and Buzz! We got Judah a Buzz Lightyear and a Jessie doll to go with his Woody. Judah has always loved these characters and has always affectionately referred to Buzz as Bum! J has been a big brother all of two weeks (he and Maddox are exactly 2 weeks apart!) and has done great! I tell everyone he is cautiously interested in M. He likes to pay attention to him when no one is looking at him! Judah is most definitely a little cuddle bug and loves to cuddle with mom and dad :) Of course we both love it too! He loves being anywhere that the older boys are and can usually hang with their rough and tumbleness. J has been slower to talk than any of his brothers, but I think it's just that he can't get any words in with all the talkers we have around here! Might not be a bad thing to have a quiet soul! We love our sweet Bug and are so thankful for the sweet blessing he is to our family! Happy TWO Judah!

playing with the Little People nativity

BUZZ! (Although as J would say, "Bum"!)

Brothers

What? Just eating my cake!

Ready to blow out the candle

December Snow in Raleigh!

Am I back in Colorado again??? Unbelievable that it is only the fourth of December and the boys are outside playing in the snow! It started falling around 1:30 and as soon as Asher saw it he got SO excited and started talking about how he was going to go out and play in it as soon as his quiet time was over. Of course Blake and I just smiled and told him that it was just supposed to be a dusting and there wouldn't be enough snow to cover the ground, so it probably wouldn't be the kind that you could play in! Well an hour and a half later it was still snowing and Asher was exclaiming that "This is what I prayed for, God heard me and let it snow alot so we could go outside and play in it!" It has now been snowing for 2 1/2 hours and it's still coming. When you live in the south, it is a very rare treat to get snow that actually sticks to the ground. Everytime it is forecasted, you learn to take that forecast lightly because chances are it will change before the projected snow comes! We are loving it though and it's fun to have the Christmas tree up and just all be home and cozy to enjoy it!

Nate, Asher, and Caleb watching the snow