Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and much more!

Happy 2014!  I can't believe January is almost over.  As always we are in a time warp.  We survived Christmas and now we are full speed ahead in 2014.  Here are some pics of our holiday season and some of January.

Sawyer has been tying flies with Kyle, he got his own little vise set up next to dad.  He makes some pretty awesome flies.

 Garrett got the tip of his pinky finger taken off at preschool.  It's one of those days I will remember very vividly for the rest of my life.  Kyle picked him up from school and I met them up at the ER.  When I walked in and Garrett wasn't crying and you couldn't see any blood on the massive bandage (they had him seriously wrapped up).  So I ask the dumb question, "Kyle have you taken the bandage off to check it out, do we really need to be at the ER?". Kyle doesn't say a word, reaches into his pant pocket and pulls out a paper towel.  He opens it up and there is a pea sized chunk of finger.  I thought I was going to pass out.  I just looked at him and said "Ok I'll sit down and shut up."  Garrett was a trooper, the kid is one tough cookie.  He never cried, honestly never cried.  I guess he did a little right after it happened but I never saw a tear.  We lucked out and just missed the bone.  The worst part of the whole thing was Haddie thinking Garrett's bandage was a toy, eekkk.  He is all healed up and his finger nail is coming back already.  I think in a couple of weeks you won't be able to really notice, it's crazy how fast kids heal.

Sawyer had his first school program.  He was in the back row, it's hard to see but he is 4th from the left on the top row (plaid shirt).  He was so excited and they did How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  He was not prepared for a real life sized Grinch though and forgot to sing any of the songs.  We are lucky he didn't scream and come running for us, he just stood there paralyzed.  The program was good though, kindergarteners are so cute.  

 We made sugar cookies and this year I actually let the boys help me decorate all of them.  We did this the same day as Garrett's finger episode and I had to explain at preschool the next day that it was red frosting on Garrett's bandage.

The boys got to see Santa.  They were pretty excited about it this year.  What a change from previous years!!  Sawyer talked to him like such a big boy, he was very serious telling Santa what he wanted.  Garrett wouldn't talk so Sawyer helped him out.  

 Garrett couldn't stand all the presents under the tree.  Once we got to my parents house and there were lots of presents he just sat by the tree and rearranged presents.

 Sawyer was so excited for Mary to get to grandma's house!  He just sat in the chair and watched out the window for about an hour.

 Christmas day was awesome.  It's so fun to have the kids be so excited.  Mary was just beside herself with everything.

 Garrett got three 4-wheelers from Santa.  He kept changing his mind of which 4 wheeler he wanted so Santa just got them all.  This remote control on was SO much faster than Santa thought....

Sawyer got a fooseball table.  He was pretty excited.  He is also surprisingly good at it and can beat me!

 Aimee got Sawyer legos for Christmas but I'm not sure who was more excited to play with them?

The kids had so much fun.  We stayed for the whole week and they played the whole week.  The one day Mary and Garrett stayed in their pjs all day and built a fort.  They attempted to sleep in it but they couldn't stop giggling.

 A big highlight for me was Aunt Aimee teaching Sawyer to tie his shoes!

 After we got home we had a couple of days before school started back up.  The boys were going crazy, luckily we had all our new toys to play with.

 We had rootbeer floats to celebrate the New Year.  Kyle and I actually made it to midnight this year, talk about party animals!

 Sawyer started little skiers a few weeks ago.  I was so nervous for him.  We have been x-country skiing with him since he was tiny but he has never been down hill skiing.  So we sent him on a bus with people he didn't know for his first time, sounds like the right thing to do right?  He did awesome!

 The first day they just did the rope tow. We went up and spied on him just to make sure he was ok.  He could make it about 15 feet and then he would wreck.  He came home pretty sore and super tired.

By the second weekend he was actually skiing!  When we got there he was getting on the lift, talk about giving this mama a heart attack.  We waited for him to come down and I was shocked at how much better he was doing.  This past Saturday we just stayed home and he came home and said it was fun.  I'm so happy he is enjoying skiing.

 We've been taking Garrett x-country skiing while Sawyer is at little skiers.  He has enjoyed being by himself all day with mom and dad.  He talks the entire time and is so happy.  He is a little mad about having to go "uphill" skiing but I'm scared to put that kid on downhill skis, he is too much of a daredevil!

 We made a chore chart at the beginning of the year so that Garrett could earn his toys back.  He was having some toy issues after Christmas and got some taken away so he had to work to get it back.  Sawyer wanted in on it too.  After they got their charts filled up Garrett got his crane back and Sawyer got these fish to paint.  He even shared one with Garrett!  I was so proud of them for filling their charts up and being nice to each other.

This is just a reminder to myself to not volunteer to make 50 snowmen pancakes again.  

 The neighborhood crew.  These boys love football!

 Aimee took this picture of the boys when we were home.  They look so grown up, I'm so impressed she got the boys and Haddie to hold still long enough to get a picture!