Holden is FOUR months old!

"Happy" is such a good word to describe our Holden.  He is a lover of life already!  I took him to his four month well-baby check and our pediatrician confirmed what we already knew.  

He is perfect...and GROWING!

At four months this guy measures:

15 lbs 12 oz (62nd %) and is 25 1/2" tall (66th%)

 Blue eyes and red hair...YUP!

 A quick wink at his mama.

Holden continues to strive to fit his entire fist in his mouth!

***

Sweet baby boy, we LOVE watching you grow.

It SNOWED!

We were glued to the weather reports yesterday. Snow coming?  We are pleased to announce the weather man was right...we have SNOW!

After about an hour of sorting out warm-weather clothes for grown-ups and children, our snowy landscape beckoned.  Fun, fun, FUN!

 Holden patiently waits for the other children to get ready.

 The Jeep's first snow encounter...a SUCCESS!

 The Jeep needed more of a challenge, so we headed to the nearby playground.

 Henley LOVED running through the snow!

 (Bella LOVED running in the snow too!)

 Our cool little lady.

 Don't you throw that at me Mr. Garner!

 The slide was daddy's idea.  Henley was cautious...

 He became torpedo Henley with his slick suit on the slick slide.

Before heading back to the warmth of home, Henley took a spin in the Jeep.

***

More snow is in the forecast...so there MAY be a part 2 to this post!  (Hope so!)

New Year's Eve

We had a belated "Christmas" with Caspian, Seth, Grandma and Grandpa on New Year's Eve.  It was fun to host the group at our house.  (Thanks again guys for coming to us.)  My camera didn't last long...but here are a few pictures from our afternoon celebration.



The cute expecting couple.

Richie took the Jeep for a spin!  (Hazel quickly determined he wasn't nearly the safe driver that she is.)

Grandma treated the kids to one of her traditional scavenger hunts!  They really had a great time. 

(Camera battery died after this.  Sigh.)

The only thing that would have made our evening more fun would have been a dusting of SNOW outside.  Oh well.

Happy NEW YEAR!

SANTA came to our house TOO!

We arrived home from Nana & Papa's house to a rather large gift from SANTA!  The jolly guy left a note saying the gift was too big to take to Nana & Papa's house.  How did he know that Beau has always longed to buy the kids something like this?  And how did he know that Becky was longing to see Beau enjoy watching his kids play with something like this?  Santa...you are good!



Henley is content (so far) to be co-pilot.  Hazel took to the wheel like an expert.  She maneuvers her Jeep "Ruby" surprisingly well. 

Once she had figured out how to drive, we figured it was time to head to the market for the Jeep's first official errand.

Then we had to check mail. 

Many hours of fun lie ahead for the Garner kids.

Thanks Santa!

(Holden is eager for his legs to grow so they too can reach those pedals!)

Christmas at Nana & Papa's House

What a treat to have all the grand kids together for Christmas.  Jack may have been overwhelmed at times by the attention of my tassel of kids, but love was in the air.  Here are some pictures to reflect the family Christmas we all shared up at Nana & Papa's house. 



Brother and sister, each holding the other's son.  We are blessed.

Holden sneaks in a snooze, or two...three...four.  He can snooze just about anywhere.

Jack was rather worn out too.  Love his snoozing on his daddy's shoulder. 

Papa and Holden and their look-a-like noggins.

Poor Beau was sick most of our time up north.  He was even sick on Christmas.  Holden enjoyed a warm snooze spot next to his daddy.

The kids even left a shot of SYRUP in case Buddy (the Elf) came with Santa this year.  (He did!)

LOVE our new stockings that were hung with such care....and then FILLED!

Christmas morning Hazel was eager to empty her stocking of all sorts of goodies.

Jack too was eager to see what this big sock was all about.  (Note the festive sock covered cast on his left arm.  Poor kid had surgery just a week before.  He shocked me by how well he got around with that heavy cast all the way up his arm!)

Santa baby and his Nana.

Henley was more interested in his hot chocolate than he was his stocking treats.  This hot chocolate mustache was a winner!

Later the kids decorated the gingerbread house.

Hazel was delighted with a new dolly.  Beau just delighted to feel well enough to get dressed.

The hall closet made for a great fort.  (Why do we buy them toys?)

Nana bought the grand kids matching holiday attire...in hopes of a photo of all the little rascals.

Hmm...this is a challenge...

Hoping uncle Patrick got some better pictures...

By the time Papa got in the shot, they were DONE. 

Henley was long gone (and grumpy).  Hazel and Holden were happy to pose with their Nana and Papa.  Merry Christmas!!