Merry Christmas

We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

We are on the road to South Carolina for the holiday.

Stay tuned for pictures of Joshua's first Christmas!

11-months old

It has never been easy to get a picture of Joshua, and 11-months old means more of the same. Joshua's new favorite pastime is picking up and throwing anything he can get his hands on, including things that are almost bigger than he is.

Naughty and Nice

Amelia and Joshua were able to go to Jackson this week and visit the Gladneys and Hunsbergers (who live there now!). Joshua and Abigail enjoyed their new found mobility as seen below.

We are certainly celebrating the Christmas "season" by opening presents wherever we go. Nana allowed Joshua to open a present from her so he could use it on our upcoming trip to South Carolina. We plan to pack his clothes in this bag but it is good to know that he will fit in it too if space gets tight. (That's right, the bag says, "That's it! I'm going to Nana's!)

Additionally, Joshua met Santa this week. The two seemed to get along just fine. Although Santa seemed more impressed with Joshua than the other way around.


We assumed a free Santa at a local bookstore in Starkville, Mississippi would be pretty bootleg but were pleasantly surprised by his real beard and nice suit.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

A little elf was rumaging through Aunt B's bathroom cabinet

Then the little elf threw a fit when he was told to stop pulling the towels out of the bathroom cabinet.

Joshua and Dave ready for church

Joshua and Dave putting the tree together

Amelia and Joshua hanging a baby's first Christmas ornament

Joshua and Dave topping our Charlie Brown tree with the star.

There's nothing like being there

Dave and I got tickets to the SEC Championship game as early Christmas presents from his parents. We had a great time and enjoyed our baby-free day. (Thanks Aunt B for keeping JP!) Here are a few sites from the game:

A Family Thanksgiving

Every other year we get together with 60+ of our closest extended family members. We all meet at Camp Dawson and spend the better part of 4 days eating, sleeping, playing games (all sorts), talking, eating and watching football. While all of the excitement can be exhausting, we are already looking forward to Thanksgiving '11 when everyone will come with their sleeping bag and favorite Thanksgiving dish to share and catch up on the last 2 years.

The traditional "big" group photo

Coach gives Joshua a lesson in the rules of the game before heading up to the softball field

Picking teams for the softball game

Uncle Gully showing off his batting skills

Uncle Tom Tom and Uncle Gumby survey the huge mud puddle surrounding 3rd base

Joshua and Dave brave the cold to watch part of the softball game

Travis trying to catch up on the sleep he lost the night before thanks so the snoring of countless unnamed family members.

Joshua and Monica Lee getting to know each other.

There will always be hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch on Friday. You never know how many people will be out there "getting the fire ready."

Captain Uncle Gumby and First Mate Joshua
(I bet you didn't have pirates at your Thanksgiving celebration.)

Ready for an afternoon of football games.

Abigail and Chad

Travis wasn't the only one catching a nap where ever possible. Joshua made the most of Nana rocking him and got a few extra minutes of shut-eye.

The food line

If we could read Joshua's thought bubble it would say, "I can't believe how much food he got on that plate."