Chrtismas with the Whitmore's

We had a photo shoot with the grand kids outside. What fun. Russell and Chloe really liked having Reid and Haeli around to play with.

Getting ready to dig in.

We also set up the camera and took some family pictures. The last time they had a family photo done was when Haeli was a baby. So that means no Reid, Lana, Russell, Chloe or me. It was past due.

Wes and Lana stuck a quick kiss in there!
Uncle Alvin shoveled off part of a slough so the kids could skate. The weather was beautiful and Chloe had a ball with the hockey stick. Uncle Alvin showed her how to have a face off. The ice was fairly smooth as well.

We are heading home in the morning. We have a had a great holiday and have enjoyed visiting with lots of family near and far. When we asked the kids about the whole Christmas experience, they replied it was getting to play with their cousins and skate outside.

Christmas #1 and #2

We started the Christmas festivities at Mom and Dad's on Christmas Eve. Curtis did not move too far from this chair the whole evening. He sat there and snacked.
Russell and Chloe both received these beautiful Nathan Green paintings from Grandma and Grandpa to hang in their room. Both kids love to look at the things on their walls when they go to bed and get up. These paintings are very special.




Russell has wanted a house coat for a long time and finally has one. Now he does not need to wear PJ's to bed since he has something to wrap up in in the morning. He is a very hot person and sweats during the night. We have tried to convince him to just wear underwear to bed but have not succeeded until now.
On Christmas morning, we opened some presents are our house before the rest of the company came over. Because the kids opened presents the night before, they were not that anxious to open first thing in the morning. I had a chance to get the turkey in a finished preparing the rest of the food for lunch before we opened gifts. Sunday we are heading to Curtis' parents to have Christmas with them, his sister and her family, and his brother and his wife. We will be there for the week.

Winter Fun at the Whitmore's

Briana was over on Thursday for a visit without her parents. Russell and Chloe could not wait to take her outside. She does not look overly impressed here because Chloe tried to get her in the calf sleigh by sending her face first. She was centered at her waist and was balancing there. Once she got going she had fun.
Russell ended up doing most of the work. Russell got her out of the sleigh and she walked around in the snow and tried to keep up. Soon she will be going down the slide and able to run in the snow. The temperature was around 0 degrees and beautiful. Chloe and Russell got their exercise from pushing and pulling the sleigh and Briana got hers from trying to walk in the snow.

These pictures are when it was a little colder but still fun to play outside. Russell and Chloe love to pose for the camera.