Christmas Eve

Wow...and so Christmas has come...and gone...once again!  We had a great holiday!  Here is round 1 of photos...these are from our Christmas Eve celebration with my side of the family.  Everyone came to our house, we enjoyed a delicious lasagna dinner (thanks again, Mimi Bear!) and had fun exchanging gifts and just hanging out.  It was an awesome way to start the big weekend!

 Present time!  Bear Cub's favorite time!

 Aunt J and 2 of her kiddos...good-looking group, aren't they??

 So happy to have M here from New Mexico!!

 Aunt and nephew...you can tell we belong to the same family, can't you?

 Outside with his awesome snake hook that Aunt J made for him! 

 Cousin H and BC...check out his "catch."  He called it a snake...really just a worm!

 New Christmas Eve jammies on and checking Santa's whereabouts online before bed!  Santa was just leaving Ireland when BC went to bed...perfect timing!  ;)

Getting things ready for Santa and the reindeer.  Poor reindeer...had to share 2 carrots amongst all 8 reindeer...hope they were ok with that!

Almost time for Santa to take flight!

Hi everyone!  Merry Christmas!!  Just wanted to share some pictures of Bear Cub from the last week or so.  He is excited for Christmas and KEEPS adding to his Santa list...Santa is D-O-N-E!  He's getting ready to take off tomorrow night, so I'm SURE he can't add anything else to BC's pile o' fun!

I'll be sure to post Christmas pictures soon...until then...from our family to yours...Have a Very Merry Christmas filled with lots of love and joy!

 Santa came to Bear Cub's school a couple of Fridays ago...he told Santa that he wanted, "1,000 long-tailed lizards..."  Oh my...I hope Santa explained that he can't always bring live critters on his sleigh!  The reindeer might freak out over that one... LOL!  Such a cute and happy pic of our lil guy though!

 BC's new friend, the zoo llama!  We had a great family day at the zoo last weekend!  One of BC's most favorite places!

 Just a LITTLE tired one afternoon last week!  He stayed like this for 2 hours!  Unusual for a boy that rarely naps!

 Oh, excitement!  Santa sent BC a TREASURE MAP!!  

 Off he goes!  On a mission to find his "treasure!"

 Still looking....

 Ooh!  Bingo!

 Just a few goodies...some gummies, a new Christmas book, and a snow globe.  :)

 Zoe Belle likes to get in on the action, too!

 Wish BC's eyes would've been open!  LOVE this one of Zoe...she looks like a little puppy here!  Sweet girl pup!

 Our tree...looking less lonely now with some presents!

 Camouflage and cookie decorating...what a combo!

 We had a fun visit to the Manatee Center with some friends this week...some manatees spotted, but the boys never did find the mangrove snake they (well, BC) was hoping to find!

 3 cuties pretending to be fish...

 Tonight we went to a place nearby called "Christmas Lane."  It's a house/strawberry farm that is all decked out for the holidays.  They sell t-shirts, cotton candy, hot chocolate, Santa is there, a ride-on train, and lights galore!  And the entrance is free!  It was a fun holiday outing!

 Ugh...claustrophobia alert!  Kids jammed into the caboose...BC is in there somewhere!  He enjoyed it though!

Merry, merry Christmas!! 

Just one week away!!!

Hi all!  Wow...I can not believe that in ONE week it will be Christmas Eve!  Where has this month gone?   AND...our fresh-cut Christmas tree is still taking water everyday and we've had it since the Sunday after Thanksgiving!  Could this be the best tree EVER!?!?  We may have that thing until March!  LOL!

Bear Cub had a great week at school and I had fun yesterday going into his class and reading a couple of snowman books and doing a craft with the kids.  Working with 4 and 5 year olds is different than talking with my high school students...most definitely!  One random comment while I was reading a snowman book..."Ya know what?  I have candy canes on my tree and I can eat them!!"  So cute!  Bear Cub did AWESOME during my circle time...I was so proud of him!  School is officially out, but BC has said that he would like to go to his school's science camp a few days next week...which works out great because I'm not officially off from work until next Friday.  Camp will keep him busy and I can be somewhat productive too!

Enjoy the pictures!  Happy last-minute shopping and wrapping!  'Tis the season!

 We visited new cousin A...she is the cutest!  This outfit made me want to squeal with delight!  :) 

(We gave it to her, too!)

 Haircut time!

 Handsome boys!  Don't they look alike!?!?

 Fun at the pirate park!

 We've been going on morning run/walks/explorations before school to get some energy out.  We both have been enjoying these times out!  He looked so cute on this cold morning in his sweatsuit!

He brought this coral snake picture home that he'd made at school.  The pattern is perfect...how about that artwork!?!?

My handsome Bear Cub :)