Rod's Wedding

Everyone looked so nice int here dress clothes - but underneath, we're all still our same goofy selves.

The decks of cards were a huge hit, Hadrian talked his neighbor into a never ending game with ever changing rules.

These are the bracelets Grammy left for her Granddaughters.  We wanted them to all be at Rod's wedding.  She would have been so thrilled to see her Grandson so happily married!

Along with the cards, the boys had great fun entertaining themselves with the photo booth while the bridal party took pictures.

But then, the fun really started.  Trajan and especially Hadrian loved the dancing.  Even Percy got out there two or three times (after much persuasion).  

And now, three weeks later, the boys are still spending much of their time planning their future weddings.  Hadrian is focusing on the dancing, but Trajan is all about the cake.  Rod and Nicole had an incredible replica of an aspen tree, but Trajan's is going to be shaped like a giant popsicle.  Yep, you read correct, stay tuned for a couple decades or so to see if he changes his mind! 

Colorado Springs

It was so great to get to see our Jacobs/Ellis family again so soon.  I wish we could get together twice every year!  We all stayed in the same fabulous hotel, so we got to spend lots of time hanging out together.

Nicole had everyone over to her house the day before the wedding.  It was great to get to meet her family and have more time together.  And the kids had an incredible day.  They swam in the morning, sledded at Nicole's house (where the  hill must have been designed for sledding) and then swam again that evening.  Future holidays are going to have a hard time living up to that!

Paul and Carols

What an incredible winter break!  Our trip to Colorado after our week in Merrill was incredible.  It was so great to see the Bynum clan!

 This is Sofia, Carol's Christmas present from Paul.  She was just nine weeks old when we got there.  Very shy when we got there, but completely over it by the time we left.

Carol had the house decorated incredibly for Christmas.

I took this picture from inside, looking out the Kitchen window.  They would come in almost every day to pilfer from the bird feeder!

Christmas

We took a break in our very slow gift opening process to eat our Christmas morning breakfast OUTSIDE!  It was hard to believe, but it really felt like we were in Napa, instead of Merrill.

Dad was so surprised to find the sander unwrapped under the tree marked, To Dave, from Dave :)

And the big hit was definitely the kids kayak.  It has had many, many adventures already, before its even touched the water.

Christmas Eve 2014

As has become our tradition, we had a special program on Christmas Eve,  Each of the boys did a solo this year, and boy did they ham it up!  Somehow Bella managed to get outside for the fire works and magically lose her Mrs. Clause outfit.  I'm sure she's devastated not to have it for future Christmas's.  Fortunately, Dante's is still safe (much to his consternation).