Christmas Eve/Day

Well I made it!  All of Christmas is posted before the New Year.  Yay!

Christmas Traditions

Fishies

I have wanted to go here and was so excited when my mom said we were going as part of our Christmas present (along with Lion King/Phantom tickets).  Of course it was fairly dark and my pictures don't due it justice.  Such a cool place!

The Strip

More Vegas...

Swim - Games

Vegas Trip (part 1 of ....)

(Non) Christmas Card

I didn't do Christmas cards... combination of many factors.

(Can you name that movie?)

Anyway here is a quick snap shot my mom took of us in Vegas after church.

Marshall was not cooperating and it's the best we could do at the moment.

Christmas 2011

We've been gone for 10 days and we're finally home & unpacked.

We had a wonderful holiday with family and it was a much needed break.

This year I've been thinking how blessed I am and how I really don't need anything.

I realize I need to share my time, talents, and means with those around me.

Life is busy, but I need to make the time for the most important things.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

And get ready for a full week overloaded with pictures and blog posts.

I hope to get it all done before the New Year and get my photo book ordered.

Can't believe 2011 is ending this week... wow!

Golf Course Photos

The last three years we have sculpted the golf course.

This means we allow (and force) some of the edges to go dormant during the winter.

It's a very beautiful look because of the sharp contrast in tones.

The peak condition is Dec-Jan and we haven't had any professional

photographers at our course during this time so we don't have many pictures of the sculpt.

Last week I grabbed my camera and attempted to get some shots.

I thought I would share a few with you and show you the course.

It was a beautiful day in December.  I didn't even wear a jacket!

These boys were my drivers for the day.

Marshall LOVES Rob!  Every time Marshall's at the course he runs into

Rob's office and put his hands in the air so Rob will pick him us.  He seriously

doesn't do that with anyone else.  He will follow Rob around all day and beg to

sit on his lap then he won't get off.  When we leave he always gives Rob a long, LONG

hug and sometimes I have to tear Marshall out of Rob's arms because he doesn't

want to leave.  It's so funny how kids pick favorites.  And Rob is one of the favorites!

Early Morning and Early Christmas

About one day every other month Marshall man wakes up super early, screams bloody murder,

and won't go back to sleep.  He's an odd child.  Anyway we had one of those mornings

last week and I decided to let him open one of his presents early.  The day before he received

a gift from his little girl friend Braylee.  She gave him an adorable wooden puzzle with vehicles.

Marshall thought it was the coolest thing ever and he's been playing with it non-stop.

I was worried Marshall would get into the tree and presents and rip things apart.

So I put all the gifts for Marshall, friends, and family in the spare bedroom.

We did receive a few gifts and those I've put under the tree since it's not

really a big deal if he gets into them early.  But to my surprise he's left them alone!

Even after I let him open the present from Braylee he didn't try to open the others.

But apparently he thought the tree was a little sparse and added a few of his toys.

Silly little boy.  I hope he enjoys Christmas this year.

Juice

I was making banana bread...

And Marshall found a half-opened can of peaches in the fridge

and decided to drink the juice.  I'm shocked he didn't cut himself!

Loving the Drums

I really need to get this kid in some music lessons.

I also need to find him some drums that actually make noise when you hit them!

(He plays with the Rock Band guitar and drums all the time...

I can only imagine how excited he'd be if they actually made sounds)

Signing

Marshall was a little whinny (and has some serious bed-head).
He was hungry and distracted by CMT music videos.
But I wanted to capture him signing a few things.

Ducks

$1 Sweater Vest

We had a $10 coupon...

I'm a total sucker for plaids and argyle!

Surprise Guests

I love ALMOST everything about living in the desert.

I love the weather

I love the mountains

I love the sunshine

I love never seeing snow...

But one thing I don't like is the bugs!

I hate cockroaches

I hate spiders

(especially hairy tarantulas)

I hate snakes

I hate all of them!

Our house is sprayed often and we are lucky that we haven't found many surprises.

With that being said, I have a story.

A few weeks ago Mark was in bed and felt something crawling up his leg.

He brushed it off and rolled over.  But then he felt it again.

So he brushed it onto the floor and got up to turn on the light.

And he found....

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A baby scorpion!

Yes lovely..  A sweet little poisonous critter sleeping with him.

Luckily he was in the spare room sleeping and I was safely in my bed across the house.

Mark doesn't like to sleep with me because I toss and turn all night.

About half the time he sleeps in the spare room.

Anyway I heard about it in the morning and we sprayed the house again.

Really well!

I don't love the idea of scorpions in the house (obviously)

but I didn't stress too much about it because it's bound to happen.

I mean we've been in our house over 6 years and we do live in the desert!

So the other night I was getting ready for bed and Mark came in and said,

"Bad news!"

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WHAT!?

Another scorpion... In our bedroom this time!

The mom?

I guess we're making up for the last 6 years.  But I hope there are no more siblings...

It just scares me for Marshall's sake.  

He has an obsession with picking things up off the floor.

If he sees a crumb or lint or anything he'll pick it up and bring it to me.

He's a little 16 month old OCD, clean-freak baby.

I can just see him picking up a scorpion and dropping it into my hand.

Then signing "thank you" because he knows he's done a good job.

Yikes!  We sprayed again and have our fingers crossed.

Fake Smile

Giving Kisses

Marshall is a lover and a kisser lately.  It's kinda fun!

Donuts

Golf Fore Kids

To make a long story short....

7th Annual Golf Fore Kids Tournament

440 golfers at 4 golf courses

Lunch, raffle, prizes

Dozens of volunteers

$40,000 in cash & toys

Will help over 800 children

Merry Christmas!!