Flashback

It's Sunday afternoon and I am having a major flashback to being four years old! Kaden has one of his best friends Mariah over to play this afternoon. It all started when it was time to leave church and Kaden started crying because he didn't want to leave Mariah. Matt's gone for the weekend so I figured it would be fun to have Mariah over and something special for Kaden. All of the sudden, I remembered being four years old and planning with Julie or Bethany who would ask whose parents if we could come over to each others houses to play. I remember going up to the parents with big smiles and saying "PPPLLLLEEEAAASSSEEE!" and trying to look hopeful but not pathetic all at the same time. And I remembered how excited we were when they said yes! And now flashforward to 2007...I'm not four...I'm the mother and I got to say yes to two hopeful little faces and watch how excited they were to have the afternoon together. Amazing how some things never change!

Blocks

Grandma Wood bought Kaden and Caleb each a set of wooden building blocks for Christmas. Today, Kaden made his first (of many, I'm sure) tower- building-house- castle...it went by several names! He was so proud so we snapped a picture...and I thought I'd get the picture of Caleb crawling toward the blocks to knock them down! :)

Christmas pictures

Stockings in Bed

Caleb figured out he could make his flute into two pieces...


And now those pieces are weapons!

Playing with Rocket

Strong boy!

Armed and dangerous!




Caleb playing in the box...lots of fun...until it tipped over!

Just a few pictures from Christmas morning. We had an amazing day. Even though we missed family, it was so nice to just be home and enjoy a nice, quiet, slow morning. When the boys first woke up we did stockings in bed. Then while the boys played with their stocking toys, I got our special cinniamon roll breakfast ready (Kaden has been asking for them for weeks, since I've been making them for everyone else! After breakfast, we read the Christmas story and opened gifts. The boys really enjoyed all their gifts, but I took pictures of them playing with Rocket (from the Little Einsteins) since that was their joint gift and they LOVED it! And so far they've done really well sharing it. After presents, we just played and got lunch ready (dad and the boys came but mom was working). Once lunch was cleaned up we watched a new Bibleman video with Kaden and then headed out to play T-ball and golf. I was so impressed how fast Kaden caught on to the games! Christmas evening we went to a friend's house to play games and then home to bed. Just a good day, thank you Lord. Matt and I just kept praising God for the gift of being together. I know so many who are apart from their family, and they are in our prayers.

And now I'm off to take down the Christmas decorations...So much fun to put them up but not so much fun to take them back down! :)

Merry Christmas

I just wanted to tell everyone Merry Christmas. I hope that your Christmas is blessed by the joy of the Lord no matter what the circumstances you find yourself in. May His peace by yours now and always. My prayer and my hope is that this year, I can just sit and enjoy the people that I love and the blessings that I've been given. And treasure these things as the gifts that they are...all the while realizing that I have done nothing to deserve such grace and love, but that God is good and chooses to be gracious. Not that life isn't hard and frustrating and oh so very painful at times...but God is still good and still gracious and always sovereign on His throne. May this hope be yours and mine on Christmas

Binky

Neither of my children have ever used binkies or pacifiers. Kaden prefered nothing and Caleb loves his fingers. So I found it hilarious on Sunday when Caleb came out of his room sucking on a binky...backwards! He found it in his basket that we keep up on his changing table and thought it was just the greatest thing. I didn't bother to show him that it was the other side that was supposed to go in his mouth...why get him attached now especially when he's just as happy to use it backwards!

Zoned

This is what happens when you put moving pictures in front of my children...especially moving pictures that sing and dance...I'm thinking it's a good thing we don't have cable! :)

Christmas Party

Just wanted to put up a few pictures of the teen Christmas party. We had a blast. The kids were awesome at helping us put together a fajita dinner (yes, I know very Christmas like..but her we are in Del Rio) and it was awesome. The only problem being we made so much food...and our teens eat nothing...you think we would have learned that by now...oh well we're having fajitas for dinner again tonight! After dinner, we played a game where everyone has a piece of paper on their back and everyone runs around writing nice things about that person...it's a feel good game! :) Then we did the white elephant thing (hence the neon orange hat in the pictures), and another present game...after that we headed down to the chuch to play sardines (think hide and go seek backwads in pitch black...lots of fun!) We are just so blessed that these kids think we're cool enough to hang out with! They are so much fun and we can't wait to see what God does in their life!

Christmas Cookies

Yesterday, Kaden and I made Christmas cookies together...so much fun! I was amazed at how much better he did this year as compared to last year. He was great at cutting them out, picking them up, putting them on the pan, and eating cookie dough...so much so that when I was done taking pictures and went over to help him he said, "Ummm...why don't you go back on the other side and take pictures." :)

We also decorated Gingerbread houses yesterday... we didn't make them from scratch though! A lady at church gave us some to decorate and the boys did great. Even Caleb did a good job putting on the candy...as long as mommy kept him from eating them!

Hope your Christmas season is blessed!

Christmas Party

Saturday night was the 85th Squadron Christmas Party. We really enjoyed the evening out and it was so nice to come home and have the boys fed, bathed, and asleep! Thanks Jeremy! Matt and I had Jeremy take a few pictures before we left and then the boys ran over by the fireplace so they could get their pictures too. Whenever I want them to pose they won't but when we're running out the door they both stand there and say "cheese"! :)

Winter Days

Our "big" pile of leaves

In Del Rio this is our winter activity...playing in the leaves! The leaves have finally started to fall off the trees, especially in our neighbors yard and they've all blown into our yard. I decided to rake them up for the boys and they had SO much fun jumping in them and throwing them around...especially Caleb, my little tactile boy, who just loves to touch everything! This is my kind of winter fun! :)

Computer

We've just recently started to let Kaden be on the computer by himself. He does amazingly well navigating around through the games on Sesame street and Litte Einstein. I'm just impressed with him. :) I love these pictures cause I love the look of concentration on his face! So focused and intent...my little nerd! :)

Major Van Hook

Matt found out on Monday that he is going to be promoted to Major! I'm very excited for him and that he is receiving this honor...and we're both excited about the pay raise! Thank you Lord for the way you provide! Last night there was a major select promotion party....which all the new major selects had to pay for...nothing like throwing yourself a party! It was fun to go and see everyone so happy, but slightly anti-climatic since Matt doesn't actually "pin on" major until next year! So the actual promotion and pay raise doesn't come for another year...but hey let's start celebrating now! :) And actually he'll have to throw himself another party when he does pin on...yeah I don't understand Air Force traditions! :) And I did mean to take my camera and get a picture of the new major select...but alas by the time I got myself, two boys (just woken up from their nap), AWANA gear (that we had to run to after the party, and two pans of cinnamon rolls out the door I forgot! Oh well...I'll make sure to get pictures next time.
Hope every one's having a good week! Oh, by the way...it's finally cold in Del Rio! It was like 45 yesterday! Granted it's in the 60-70s again today...but it was cold yesterday! :)

Weekend updated

We went to the Del Rio Christmas parade last night and really enjoyed the family time. The plus of the parade was all of the nativity scenes and praise music and the name of Jesus being proclaimed and cheered in a public place. The negative of the parade was the 50 or 60 miss Del Rio or miss something floats! Seems like everyone gets to be a princess in Del Rio!

The other big news of the weekend...Kaden is watching Star Wars for the first time. This is a very big day for daddy and son! Oh, the privileges of being 4. :)

In the Kitchen

This is how I cook breakfast in the mornings. Usually just one child is in the cabinet but I got tired of them fussing over who got to be in an who had to be out, so I moved the pans from the other side and they both climbed in. Some kids sit on...mine sit in!

Kaden's favorite thing to do is slide the drawers out from underneath the cabinet. Which is fine until he hits you in the stomach while your cooking or run it to when you turn around! :) At
least it keeps them happy for about five minuets!

For Real This Time

Kaden with his friends the Estrada's...and this is his "girlfriend" Mahria.

I Love all the black super hero capes in this picture! They were having so much fun dressing up.

Caleb Estrada and Caleb Van Hook. I couldn't get them to look at the camera at the same time.

Caleb and Amanda

More Cars!

Are we having fun yet?

"Diego just what I always wanted!"

Showing off the Diego cake

Happy Birthday

Spitting on the cake...I mean blowing out the candels

My "little" brother

Caleb wanted to sing Happy Birthday again!

It was officially Kaden's birthday on Monday. So now I'm officially the mother of a four year old...which would make Matt the father of a four year old but since I update the blog we'll focus on me! :) Kaden loved being celebrated again...even if on a smaller scale this time. We had some friends come play in the afternoon and Mom and Dad and Chris and Jeremy came over for Tacos, presents, and cake. The theme of this celebration was Diego...which we've seen all of like three times but Kaden really likes him from those three times. :) Now Kaden's planning next year party with a Scary Guy (Darth Vader) theme! At least we can start planning now!

We're finally getting back into routine although the boys are still sleeping on California time. So they're not waking up until like 8:30 which is great until you need to get somewhere in the mornings. But I don't think that this will last much longer. Other then that things are back to "normal" with Christmas festivities on the side. Hope you all are having a good week. God Bless and keep you.