Christmas 2015

Jay and Eli are making sure Santa knows just what to bring them this year.

We tried (again) to show June that Santa is very nice...she is studying him hard

Nope, she is still not a fan. ha!

This is Jay's best bud in his class, Jake. They sit across from each other and I hear every day about what tall tales they've discussed. I finally got to meet Jake's mom the other day and she says Jay is all she hears about after school too. They really have a great friendship.

Here June is in her Christmas ruffles on Christmas Eve

She is waving to Mama Ross

showing off her presents

We did not have to explain how to open presents....she dove right in!

Look at that face!!  haha! He is just too much!

Proud of his star wars legos!

June loves to say, "kack kack!" so she was proud of her own duck to push around

Love that face

Eli said he needed a really tall fishing pole to catch big fish with...

Drinking hot cocoa on the porch in their new Ninja Turtle pjs!

After Christmas we went to Steinhatchee to fish while the weather is still warm. Eli is in his happy place when we are here!

I managed to catch everyone in the middle of chewing up their food...haha...Uncle Larry and Jay were enjoying that lunch as you can tell!

We walked up to find this cute pose while Eli listens to Uncle Larry talk about where they will go to find some fish

Eli passed out on Wes before we could get out too far though

good napping

Jay is pulling in a big one!

so happy!

Driving us out to find the big fish

Jay is taking pictures now

Eli got to help his daddy pull in this one!

June has discovered the joy of jewelry!  She found some necklaces and claimed them as her own. Anytime she sees them she puts them right on. And if I take them off she yells until I give them back to her. What a bossy little girl she is!

She started sitting herself down in the bumbo a few weeks before she turned one. So funny....until she realizes she is stuck and then yells angrily until we rescue her. 

Eli is loving on his little sister

Cutie pie playing on the calculator

Mom and I found this jacket on sale for $4 so we grabbed it. Eli said it was "his best jacket ever!" What a bargain!

The kids had a good Christmas this year. Jay's main presents were a BB gun with a scope (which he had been begging for since last year) and a sketchbook and tools to help him learn how to draw more things (he is really into this and is very creative and detailed in his drawings). One of his favorite things about Christmas is seeing what Santa will surprise him with. He asked me, "mom, how does Santa find these things that I will like and I didn't even ask him for them?" He always has a few gifts that he thinks of himself but really gets excited about the element of surprise in the ones he didn't ask for.

Eli asked for a skateboard and a sling shot. I told him that I don't think they have skateboards for boys his age. He said, "but Santa can make me one!"  So luckily they do sell them for smaller kids and Eli was very happy....but that child hasn't been on it once because it is "too hard". Exactly how I thought it would go!  He did get a slingshot and several other small toys. He was funny this year...I think the idea of "Christmas morning" was built up so big in his head that when it actually came around, he was disappointed. I think it's just the age but I did feel bad for him....he got so many toys from everyone and he is so proud of them now, but in the moment he was let down. It was like he wanted to continuously open presents...not actually slow down and enjoy them. I hope next year he will have a better attitude because by the 4th or 5th pouting session I had lost my compassion! Of course, part of the problem was that, since Jay was pretty sure he was getting a BB gun, Eli had been asking for one too. But we knew that would be a big mistake! So we've been telling him for months that he can get one once he is 6 and that Jay couldn't have one at 4 either. Even though he knew he wasn't getting one, he still didn't like that Jay got such a "cool" present and he couldn't. Oh the trouble these poor younger siblings have to go through!

Well that sums up our Christmas. It was pretty low key this year. With my side of the family, especially. I know it was because Colton was not there to celebrate with us. What a wonderful celebration he had in Heaven I am sure! Clay and Gwin have been through so many "firsts" this year. I am amazed at their strength, even though I know they probably don't feel like they are strong. It is a burden they cannot bear, and I (we all) pray daily that the Lord just carries them. I believe that is the only way people make it through something like this...just being carried each and every day. It is still so hard to believe and we all felt the loss even more so on Christmas day. I missed his sweet smile, he amazed me every year with his maturity and kindness. He was an amazing kid....I said that every time I was around him. We all miss him so much. And even though we didn't talk about him a lot that day, I know we all felt such a hole in our hearts that whole day....of course we are heartbroken daily along with his parents and sisters, grandparents, friends...the list goes on and on. He touched everyone he met and, even in his death, is impacting so many lives. Colton is complete now. And although those left to go on without him are mourning so deeply, I pray that they feel God's presence in even the darkest times. His promise is that He will never forsake us. He is the great comforter. He is the one who Heals.