Dinosaur Madness

The boys are quite into dinosaurs these days. I think it began in August with the new cartoon Dinosaur Train on PBS...check it out it is great! Then we got a book or two, started memorizing names, etc. Then over fall break I forced them to watch Land Before Time. Carter was all for it, but of course Caden and his movie phobia had some issues. I made him watch the whole thing, I mean physically held him on my lap reassuring him every millisecond that it would be okay. Think what you will but that boy needs to not be scared of movies...anyway, I digress.

While away for fall break we received some hand me down toys from our friends in Houston. There were all sorts of dinos but the best were these massive T-Rex's that roar and move and their eyes are red and light up...FABULOUS! So this began the obsession. We watched the movie lots of times, watched Dinosaur Train over and over, and read every thing we could on dinosaurs.

So for Christmas I get this great idea to put a few in each boys' stocking. I can handle 6 dinosaurs in the house...right. Well Grammie got the same idea then we got Carter a Dino Mountain thing that came with dinosaurs (I didn't read the fine print!) So now we seriously have close to 40 total dinosaurs! WOW...

The boys know them all by their correct names and how they fight, what they eat, etc. Caden plays with them often, but really loves to read about them. He also got some great books on dinosaurs for Christmas and keeps checking one out each day from the school library. He is like his mother and gets bored easily and moves on to different toys constantly. Carter on the other hand is ADDICTED! He will line them up in an army, fight with them, tell stories with them, and all sorts of stuff. Today he had me playing with him and he kept instructing me on what my dinosaurs could say and who they could kill...he really knows his stuff!

Here are a few pics of Carter the other day. He must have stayed at the table for close to 45 minutes playing with his dinos...so precious!





Before you go, I must also explain the horse. Carter is also obsessed with the horse at Wal-Mart. He affectionately calls him "Old Paint". We have to talk to him every time we are there. Caden found this horse for Carter and wanted to get it for him for Christmas. Carter named the above horse "Old Paint" and wouldn't you know Old Paint can even fight dinosaurs! This boy did not get his imagination from me that is for sure!

Cabin Fever

Here are a few of the pics from the cabin. We spent the entire week after Christmas there! The kids loved to sled down the driveway, climb the mountain behind the cabin, go tubing down the ski mountain, and most of all play with their cousins! They had a great time!

I wanted to snap a few shots, so I had the kids push each other at first...didn't work so well!

Brooklyn was really trying to get Carter down that mountain!

Mya and Brooklyn

Caden and Carter

5 of the 7 cousins...Cole was napping and didn't get to sled today and Jada stayed home :)

Proof that I was out there! Caden snapped this picture of Carter and me.

Tate being goofy and climbing the mountain.

Tate and Caden

Cole really loved being out there! He was only out there about 10 minutes before we left to go tubing and that was not long enough. He screamed and kicked the entire time to the mountain!

Look closely and you can see a few deer on the mountain to the left of the cabin. They were right next to the driveway where the kids were playing, while the kids were playing...WOW!

Cory and the boys ready to go tubing down the mountain!

The Last of the Christmas Madness for 2009

Here are the rest of the pics from Christmas morning at the Reid's! Since we did the adults on Christmas Eve, we thought this wouldn't be too bad with all the kids...IT WAS CRAZY! We had to put Cole in a high chair at one point with a sucker so that he could watch and we could assist the older two. Wow...can't work a zone defense on Christmas presents :)

Coming upstairs to find the gifts left from Santa... I love the look on Caden's face :)

Carter has his eyes shut in almost all the pics, but he does love his new bike!

Caden loves his bike too, although he was ticked at first that it had training wheels but we convinced him that it is so much bigger that it needed them. Now he wants them to stay on and we had to convince him to let us remove them!

Cole wasn't sure what to think!

Crazy Santa - or Grammie thought these would be so funny! I think those teeth are gross, but I have to admit this picture cracks me up!

Caden is so well trained! He posed like this and got my attention each time he opened a gift! Here he is with his Lego Combine/Harvester.

Cole had a great time too!

Papa got the boys a battery powered Razor for the back! It is awesome!

Happy 3rd Birthday Carter

Happy Birthday Carter! I can't believe you are 3 today! Carter lightens our lives every day! I love watching him grow and change. He is so his Daddy it is strange! He is so different from Caden which is good, but just so neat to watch! We love you Carter...Happy Birthday!

Here he is with Daddy, just a couple of weeks old! January 2007

Around 7 months old, standing in his crib...he was so proud! August 2007

1st birthday party - December 2007

I think around 18 months old...goofing around as usual! Summer 2008

2nd Birthday party - December 2008

Not quite 2 1/2...trying to potty train! How do you get irritated with that cute little thing?!?!? March 2009

Helping pack up the old house in September 2009

3rd Birthday Party - December 2009

His 3 year old pics (again taken by Katie Karn) December 2009

Christmas Eve

Two years ago when we were with Cory's family for Christmas, the electricity went out after the kids had gone to bed on Christmas Eve. We decided to go ahead and open the adult gifts while we were trying to pass the time! It worked so well we decided to do it again this year. It is fun to watch what each adult gets and be able to focus on the kids on Christmas morning.

We started out the night with the lights out and flashlights spotlighting each person, but it got a little old...

Kaci opening her first gift.

Ryan holding Jada and trying to open presents.

Kayla checking out the necklace we bought her.

Cory and I being cheesy...

Cory got a Joe Montana jersey...throwback from 1989, he LOVES it!

Mom R got some kind device that massages your eyes, sinuses, etc. You can put headphones in and relax while getting your massage. It is pretty neat, we have all passed it around. But I loved this pic because she told me not to take it and it was just too funny to pass up!

Getting Ready on Christmas Eve

Each year we set out cookies for Santa and leave a little note...
then read about the real reason for Christmas. We used to read the story from Luke, but I found this children's book that tells the story from a different perspective and I LOVE IT. The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado. Must read if you haven't before!

Cooking with Gigi

While in Duncan for Christmas, my mom of course had to cook with the boys! She loves doing this. It is usually cookies, but for time purposes she did rice krispie treats this time! It was a huge hit and the boys loved it...ALL of them!

We got a chair out for Caden and Carter to stand on while getting some things ready to cook and Cole just climbed right up there like he belonged :)

Gigi and her boys with marshmellows!

Christmas Part 1

We are in Duncan and have been for a few days. We were supposed do Christmas yesterday but my sister got snowed in in DC so we had to wait (not really patiently) until today. The boys were of course the main attraction and everyone just watched them open all their stuff first! Then the adults had a little fun!

All 3 cuties in front of the tree!

Caden helping Carter open his present. Caden picked out this horse and cowboy especially for Carter...it was so sweet!
Mr. Smiley again, loving his books!

Cory got a new drill! Thanks Pops for picking it out...he needed it badly!

The big boys got a really cool race track! It is Hot Wheels Trick Tracks with dinsosaurs all in it! It is great, they love it!

I got a new iron. If you know me well you know I hate to iron! I was sold on the marketing for this new iron. It is a Panasonic 360 and said that it will make your ironing faster! I sure hope so!

Grammy Flo got a new calendar of all her boys :)

Carter helping to put the track together.

The boys love their new race track.

Caden making one of the cars fly.

We travel home tomorrow for quick unpacking and repacking then off to Guymon on Christmas Eve.