Christmas with Grammie & Papa...

We celebrated Christmas with my mom and Jim on the 26th this year. I can't remember what, exactly, Gavin was "helping" my mom with in the above picture, but you can hardly keep this child out of the kitchen! He loves to cook, stir, measure, dump and, of course, eat. Grammie got her grandson a stool for her house too. Among other great gifts, Gavin was given his very own sleeping bag for our next camping trip. Now we just have to buy a tent big enough for me and Gage to come along!


It's always wonderful to see Uncle Zachie and Auntie Lorna when they're back home. (They live in Austin, Texas, and are expecting their first child on May 1, a special day in our family since it was Grandma Borger's birthday.) The greatest gift that we got from my brother was an unexpected visit one late afternoon when he was home that he stopped by and hung out with our family. Gavin had SO much fun playing hide 'n seek with Uncle Zachie, and it was wonderful for me to see memories being made in front of my eyes. It's hard for me that Zach and I are living in different states right now, especially as we anticipate the newest addition to the family with their daughter's arrival. It meant so much that Zach took time out to spend with us and invest in his relationship with his nephews.

Classic Gavin...

Need I say more? And yet, I will. This is how Brent found Gavin a day or two after Christmas: just a man in his undies, gettin' the job done.

Christmas with Grandma & Grandpa Mike...

We had a great time celebrating Christmas with Brent's family on Christmas day this year. How cute is Gage mounted on his new Radio Flyer rocket ship?! I've loved watching him at home with this, as he's gotten more and more proficient getting on and off of it. At first he just pushed it around, but now he's really starting to ride it. You might imagine that there's another certain someone in our home that enjoys taking it out for a spin as well, and it's not Daddy.

This was the giant box that the boys' basketball hoop came in from Aunt Jackie and Uncle Karl. It's this great adjustable hoop that we can use indoors or outdoors, I imagine, and it made a great combination gift for the little guys. If you're wondering what Gavin is using to get the box open it's one of his power tools. Grandma & Grandpa Mike gave Gavin a tool bench for Christmas, and we gave him the accompanying power tools. "Handy Manny" has had a big presence in our home recently. I love to see/hear Gavin "fixing" things around the house with all of his tools.

Christmas with Grampa T...

These pictures are very special to me since my dad (aka Grampa T) and our kids don't spend much time with together. Dad and Sandra (aka Gramma S) came over on Christmas Eve this year, with gifts and a Christmas ham in tow. We made scalloped potatoes for the first time in years, and we had a nice meal together. I love this picture of Dad directing Gavin with the puzzle pieces from the chair.

Grampa T thought that he might wait awhile before holding Gage...until, that is, Gage reached out to him. It was precious to see.

Grampa T and Gramma S chose some wonderful Christmas gifts for Gavin and Gage. Gavin wore this fire chief helmet 24/7 for days after their visit, and just today (yes, I'm writing this Christmas posting on January 24) he donned it again with his fire boots and informed me that my eyes were on fire....but, not to worry, that he'd use his "super dooper" long hose to put out the fire. (And, by the way, it's no wonder that my eyes were on fire, because they were probably so tired of being open after trying for ONE HOUR to put Gavin down for a nap today. WHY does he only take naps for Daddy?!)

Cousin Carly and Rohan's new baby...

This is my (Brent's) cousin Carly and Rohan and their new baby, Amara Dawn. Carly and Rohan made the trip to Kansas from Chicago where they live these days. Most of my mom's side of the family drove in for a 24-hour gathering. It was great to spend time with my extended family that made the trip.

Gage is working his way up in the world...

I took this picture at the top of the stairs. Gage has become such an avid stair-climber, and it just seems like these things happen overnight. Brent taught him how to turn around and work his way down, too. My favorite is to watch him turn around 360 degrees and forget what he was doing altogether.

Our Christmas finest...

My, my, my! We have to use this precious little sweater vest as often as possible these days before our last little tike outgrows it. Gage: What a precious piece of work! (And Daddy too, of course.) He's been doing so much fun, new stuff lately. The other day he started hiding things in his crib, and then we'd play "peek-a-boo" to find them and get 'em back again. The smiles on his face at his own new discoveries are really priceless. And the best games, by far, are the ones that my kids make up themselves.

Gavin is saying and doing such grown-up things these days! Just look at him, for Pete's sake!! He threw on his little red backpack today and played "school" with me all morning. "Ok, Mama, it's 6 a.m. I'm going to school." He'd go to his room to fill up his backpack with the funniest, most random collection of things, and then he'd run downstairs, say "hi" to the "teacher" and swiftly return to me as if he were home from school. And what's killing me lately is how much he can repeat the same scenario over, and over...and over again. My part in today's little drama was pretty funny too. I'd look at his random collection of things dumped out on the floor and start looking for themes: "Oh, it looks like you were learning about the letter 'W' today. Here's a whistle and a wagon, and what else do we have here?" Don't doubt it: The teacher in me always finds a Way to Work herself into the scene.