Miss me?

My blogging came to a sudden halt mid January when it was brought to my attention that I was out of space to post pictures on my blog.  What's blogging without pictures?  I'm going to have to move to another site, somewhere besides blogger, if I want to continue blogging.  Any suggestions?

Santa brought a trampoline!

We have considered buying the children a trampoline off and on for several years, but Dale never deemed them safe enough.  For whatever reason, when I suggested it again this year Dale simply said, "OK."  I ordered the trampoline in early December as the children's big gift.  Now I didn't have to think about what individual "big gift" to get each child, it was done!  Most of what the children received for Christmas on an individual basis, were things they needed, and I would have bought them anyway... shirts, leggings, socks, underwear, lip balm, their favorite shampoo, etc.  Fortunately for me, these were also the items they asked for.

 We hid the boxes that contained the trampoline in our camper.  Christmas morning the children found a note from Santa that said one gift was too big to fit down the chimney, and to please look in the camper.  They were very excited!  Brady and Ashton set to work almost immediately on putting it together.

 Most of the other children soon joined in on the trampoline assembly.

 Dale checks in on the progress.

 It's always good to stop and check the directions!

 Brady is such a handyman, just like his daddy.

 Dale prepares to help Kenzie with the finishing touch:  the ladder.

Kaden was the first to bounce solo!

Next came Bryson.  I even got my turn that day.  Dale didn't try it out until days later.  I have a lot more trampoline pictures, but blogger apparently has a limit now.  I don't get it, but this was the last picture it would allow me to post.  I'll try again later on another post.  Anyway, Brady heard that ten minutes on the trampoline is equivalent to 30 minutes of running.  Now if I could just get myself to do ten minutes on the trampoline!  It's exhausting!  The kids are having a great time using it, and that's what matters.

Christmas morning 2010

Here are a few pictures from Christmas morning.  Kassie made Dale and I each a gift from her pottery class.  The bowl is mine and Dale gets the mug.

 I was suppose to get a color printer two or three year ago and it never happened.  This year is came!

With Dale's new job he needs to dress up a bit, so Santa brought him two new shirts, only the Burgundy one was too bright for Dale's taste and had to be returned!

 I wrapped each of the children a gift and marked it from Pappy.  They now each have something that belonged to my parents, that was in my childhood home growing up.  They were all so tickled with their keepsakes from Pappy!  These bookends were hand carved and always on the top of Mom and Dad's bookshelf, never really being used as bookends.  I don't know their story, but as a child I always thought they were so neat.

 Kassie had actually asked me if she could have Nana and Pappy's petrified wood, so now it's hers.

 This large shell and starfish are authentic, coming from the California coast.  They also always sat on the top of Mom and Dad's bookshelf when I was a child.

 Brady got Pappy's binoculars.

 Avery and Bryson couldn't have been more thrilled!  They each got one of Pappy's ball gloves.  Avery asked me if he could actually use it, or should he put it on display!  His glove is actually signed by a ball player with the last name of Avery. 

Kaden's own magnifying glass broke about a month before Christmas, so I thought it only fitting that he should receive Pappy's.

Of all the gifts my children have received from my parents over the years, there are a few that stand out above the rest... love, kindness, patience, understanding, appreciation for the simple things in life, the list goes on and on.  Again, we have been blessed.