Christmas 2011

I LOVE Christmas! I love carrying on traditions and starting new ones with our family.
Here are some of the highlights from our Christmas celebrating this year...

Going to the Gaylord With Becky, Kasey & Baylee

Going to see Santa at our neighborhood Christmas party.
(Sarah is still not a fan of this tradition!)

Our Christmas Tree Decorating Party!

Our Elf, Mickey

Baking cookies (and "puppy chow")

Spending time with family
Celebrating Christmas with my family at my mom & Dad's

Garrett family party at our house on Christmas Eve

Going to the Christmas Eve service at church with these beautiful little ones to celebrate the one who this day is truly all about...Jesus!

Getting new pj's on Christmas Eve
Reading the Night Before Christmas and the Christmas story from the Bible

Spending Christmas morning opening gifts, eating breakfast, playing with new toys, having a fire in the fireplace, staying in our cozy new pj's, just being together! It really is the most wonderful time of the year! I don't want it to be over yet!

Lake Murray

We had fun camping with my family last weekend. We went to Lake Murray in Oklahoma. We used to go there with a group of friends when I was a kid. We even stayed in the same cabin that we used to stay in back then! It's always so fun now to go back with my kids!

It got cold while we were there! I was glad that my Aunt Cathy had made this adorable sock monkey hat for Chase!

We spent lots of our time just hanging out by the campfire. I love it!

On the last morning we made homemade donuts.
This was a favorite tradition in our family too!
I love getting to share these fun times with my kids and my parents.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! We had a nice Thanksgiving. My sweet mom made an amazing meal like she always does. My family was all there along with some of our close friends. We missed Grams and the Estess group this year! It wasn't actually Chase's first Thanksgiving but this was the first time he got to eat Thanksgiving dinner and he loved it! That evening we went to visit Jake's side of the family. It was a really nice day. That night my mom and I started our Black Friday shopping by lining up at Target at 11 for their midnight sale! We came home for a little bit and were back out and at the mall at 6 the next morning! Crazy, but so fun shopping with my mom!

12 Months!

Well it happened. My cute little guy turned the big o-n-e. I'm happy. I really am. But I am a little sad too. Remember the Sesame Street book There's a Monster At The End of This Book, where Grover does everything he can to keep the reader from turning the pages? He ties them together with string, builds a brick wall and begs you not to turn the page especially as you get closer to the end of the book. I have felt like Grover these last few months as I have turned over the pages on his one year calendar. Each one just went by so fast and then it was time to turn over another one. I just wasn't ready to turn over that last one. When Grover gets to the end of the story it turns out that the book was about him and the monster isn't so scary after all. He's cute, lovable, furry Grover. Like Grover, I have reached the end of the one year book. As I flipped over that last page it turns out this "monster" isn't actually so bad after all. He smiles and claps and has the cutest little dimples. When he gives hugs he puts his sweet little face on my shoulder and pats my back. I'm sad with how fast the first year has gone by. But I am very thankful and blessed to be right where we are today with our cute, lovable, furry ,little monster baby boy.

At 12 months Chase is still cruising around and trying to stand a little bit but not walking quite yet. He is a good eater. He likes to feed himself. If we try to feed him he just wants to use the spoon himself. He usually eats what we are eating. I know my Hullinger family will be proud that he loves pizza burgers! He loves to open the cabinets and get everything out or just climb in them. He especially loves the one in the bathroom with the toilet paper...that's fun to tear up if I'm not looking! He can climb up the stairs and loves to go up and see what the big kids are doing. He plays with their toys and just loves to be around them. He is such a joy to have around! Happy Birthday sweet baby Chase!

Moon Sand

Yesterday I was working on my Bible study homework in the office. Adam walked in and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was stuck on one of the questions so he asked what it said. I read it to him. "Describe a time in your life when you got something you thought you wanted but it didn't make you as happy as your thought it would." Without even stopping to think he says "I would just write moon sand." "Remember we got some of that and it just wasn't as much fun as I thought it was going to be? I think you should just put that." He makes me laugh.

Happy Halloween

Arrrrggghh! We had fun dressing up as a pirate family for Halloween this year. We went to a few carnivals this weekend. Then tonight we went trick-or-treating around our cute neighborhood. I love our neighborhood especially around holidays. People go all out with decorations and lights. There were even people giving out free hot dogs (hallo-weenies) and drinks and people riding around on a hay ride. Lots of fun!

Captain Jack...

Cute Baby Pirate on his first Halloween! (he was not loving the hat!)

Sweet Pirate Girl wearing her "golden" shoes because "pirates love golden."

Of course after all of that candy, you can't forget to brush your teeth!

My Blue Eyed Boy

I am so in love with this sweet, smiley face!

Bike Riding!

My sweet big boy has finally worked up the courage to ride his bike without training wheels. He is so my kid...we are a little on the cautious side! At one time he said he wanted to keep his training wheels until he was seventeen. :) I'm sure soon he'll be riding all around the neighborhood. For now he is determined to get the hang of it...
There have been some discouraging moments.
But I think he is proud of himself! I am proud of him!