Christmas Day with the Jespersens

We went to celebrate Christmas with the Jespersens. Emily let me help her play with her new toy.

I opened up my presents with Mama. I got a new trike and some Thomas trains for my train tracks.

Then we surprised the Grandparents with a picture of all of us cousins. We took the picture in secret hoping it would stay a surprise and it did!

Christmas Eve at Great Grandpa Buds

Before heading home for the night, we stopped over at Great Grandpa Bud's house to see the Riedel side of the family for Christmas Eve. We got there right as they were singing Christmas carols. They even sang my favorite, The First Noel. I ask Mama to sing it every night since we saw a lady sing it while playing the hard on tv. So I sat on Mama's lap while she sang.

Giving cousin Abby kisses. I LOVE Babies!!

I found some pillow pets and decided I just had to play with them. But...being the boy I am...I put it on the chair, sat on top of it and then jumped off the chair. Yahoo!

Then the growups heard Santa on the roof. So I went in to the bedroom with Tessa and all of the other cousins and waited for Santa to come and leave us gifts. When I opened my present it was a truck and horse trailer with horses inside! Wow! I played with it until we had to leave.

Family Talent Show - Christmas Eve

This year during our Christmas Eve Celebration we all participated in a Family Talent Show. You could do anything you wanted with anyone you wanted. So it left a lot of room for creativity.

Tessa played Mary had a Little Lamb on her guitar.

Leah, Andrew and Henry recited a poem, "The Five Little Snowmen".

Then Kenny and Leah played Rockband and everyone got in to the spririt and danced. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of that because Mama and I were dancing too!

Tessa, Waylon, Andrew, Henry and me...sort of...all sang "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer".

Then Mama, Aunt Mandi and Grandma Dee played Christmas Song with their bird whistles. They were pretty good! But Grandma Dee couldn't stop laughing.

Uncle Chad and Wyatt demostrated the Perfect Baseball Swing.

Then Auntie Angi and her clan all showed us some yoga moves. Looks like that could be fun!

Mama, Daddy and I showed everyone how to do Ring Around the Rosey - Jespersen style. All the cousins wanted in so we huddled up and shared our secret. It was fun. Mama is hoping someone else took pictures so we can post one later.

Grandpa Dave dressed up like a clown and made us all balloon animals. This time he had new animals: a mouse, duck, dinosaur and a monkey climbing a tree. I asked for a duck.

Before we opened up gifts Grandma Dee gave us all present bags she had lovingly made for each of us. They were all different styles of camoflauge. The bags were so huge we could get inside them...and we did!

Christmas Boats

I went to Great Aunt Sue's house to watch the Christmas boats. They decorate their boats with Christmas lights and play music and then drive them up the river in a big line. It was an awesome sight. Mama was so busy watching me so I didn't fall in to the river so she didn't have much time to get many pictures.

Then Great Aunt Linda brought out some marshmellows to roast. A little sticky but very good!

Larson Family Christmas Celebration

We headed out to Garfield Grange again for the Larson Family Christmas. As the youngest, again this year, I was the first one to try and hit the pinata. One day I will be big enough to break it open.

All of the Great Aunts and Grandma Dee put this on for all of us cousins. It is so special to get to see my extended family and celebrate Christmas with them all.

Mama dished me up some ice cream for this special day and let me go to town. I ate almost the whole bowl! What a treat!

I ran around with the kids burning off some ice cream energy.

See, I do look a little like Mama. I think I even got her "look" down. The "oh great, the camera is back on me again," look. What do you think?

When Santa came I was so excited. When he picked me up I gave him a big hug.

Waylon and Andrew told Santa what they wanted for Christmas.

I opened my Santa present up and showed it to Daddy and Grandma. Thank you Santa.

Zoo Lights

Mama and Daddy surprised me tonight by picking me up from school and taking me to ride the choo choo train, Max, all the way to the zoo. We went to Starbucks to get my special milk, dressed in our winter snowsuits to stay warm, packed up Bob and off we went.

We first got in line to ride the Zoo choo choo train around to see lights. That was fun. I saw so many Christmas lights. I love to point them out to Mama and Daddy every night so this was extra special.

There were all kids of animals in the Christams lights. They had crab, fish, sea horses, alligators, hippos elephants and more!

We walked around the zoo to see the lights we couldn't see from the choo choo train. I loved getting to stay up late and walk around looking at all those Christmas Lights. Then we took the

choo choo train, Max, back to our car and went home. Wow, three choo choo rides in one day.

Birthday Bowling

Aunt Mandi was home for Christmas Break. She organized a bowling night for all of us for her and Tessa's December birthdays. So we all had a blast bowling and hanging out together.

I really love Tessa. I like hanging out with her whenever I can. I even wanted her to pick me up and hold me. I know I must be heavy for her to hold but she did it anyway. Thanks Tess!

Mama and Daddy helped me bowl. I didn't like them helping me. I kept telling them, "My do it," but every time I rolled the ball they helped it along. It was really frustrating. They said they were only helping to get the ball there faster. Patience is a virtue....right?

Hanging out with my cousins: Waylon, Andrew and Tessa.

Henry celebrating his great shot!

Andrew and Waylon waiting for their bowling balls.

Daddy and I making the "O" sign...Go Ducks!