Christmas in Williamsburg

This cool wreath has burlap made into rosettes!

This one has various notices of coming events.

At breakfast in the hotel.

This might be handy to have around. :)

Emerging Personality

There are a couple of things to say about this picture.
First, Caden got this little scene ready so when Daddy came home they could battle forthwith, and not have to waste time deciding who was who. (Interjection from Dad: I still have to teach my boy to pick the guy with the blaster over the guy with the sword.)

Secondly, he's recently been wearing these glasses quite often. He calls them his nerd glasses, and for some reason likes to wear them. He was even thinking about how he could put tape in the middle to make them look even nerdier. Not sure why. (Dad again. I'm ok with this because he is just honing his look to one day manage other people's money.

So decadent

She has taken to sleeping with two lambies. Oh my.

Alyssa and the big man

This is a funny thing. I've never made a big deal at all about Santa. In fact, in years past, I've flat out said, 'Santa is fun to pretend about, but isn't real'. But yet every year, the kids seem to want to talk about whether or not he is real. I think they want to believe. While Alyssa and I stood in line to get her free picture taken with Santa following the Christmas parade in Creedmoor last weekend, she asked me about him. I said, 'well, look at him, he seems like a real guy'. She was so excited and nervous to talk to him.

Afterwards, she told me she asked him for an American Girl doll. And she said he was SO nice, and she l-o-v-e-s him. I'm so torn. I never wanted the kids to have a giant love for Santa. I want Christmas to be about Jesus. But in spite of several doubting things I've said this year, she really wants to believe. So be it for now.

yes, it says what you think it does

Raleigh Christmas Parade

We met some friends, the Klicks, downtown. Here is Alyssa, Caroline, Caden, and Caden.

Scotty McCreery was the last American Idol winner. He's from Raleigh.

Mountain Hiking

I put a lot of pictures in this post. I just couldn't seem to weed out very well - it was so beautiful! We were amazed at this tree, seeming to grow right out of the rock!
Our hike was a bit treacherous because of all the water. Grandpa is helping Alyssa across a stream!
Blackwater Falls!


Lots of Mountain Laurel. We were told that it is more leggy than Rhododendron. Otherwise very similar looking.

Thanksgiving in the mountains

This year, for Thanksgiving, we met my mom and dad in West Virginia, at a cabin in Blackwater Falls state park. We hiked, made applesauce, swam, played games, and had lots of great conversation! A game grandma brought: You're supposed to sneak up on someone and attach a feather (glued on a clothespin) onto them, and whoever has the most feathers loses. Caden and Alyssa are still learning how to do this surreptitiously.

Applesaucing! (Note the attached feathers...not surreptitiously placed).

Since we forgot part of the applesauce-making equipment, we had to be a little creative. Cut out the core, boiled them, and stuck them in the Vita-mix. Very smooth. So we all chewed on a few cores, so as not to waste too much.

Thank you, Aunt Carol for this very special apron!

Our new backyard!

Here is looking towards the backyard of our future home! Right now, there is an existing foundation on the lot that will have to be taken out. Another builder had started a home on this lot and then the buyers backed out, so its been sitting in this condition for awhile.

I'll continue to post pictures throughout the build process!