Auld Lang Syne

Happy New Year!

Hope and Joe came to spend New Year's Eve with us. We had a great time eating dinner, shooting fireworks, and making smores. Haley and Hope gave us a fire pit for Christmas and Hunter was more than ready to get one going. It was a great night for one.

Here is Joe with the girls. We had to come in and let them recoup from the fireworks. They both were a little scared. Once they settled down, we dressed them up for the countdown. Here is one of the fireworks. Hunter and Joe were our pyrotechnics. They put on a great show.

Winny was excited about her first New Year's. This picture of Lucy sums up the night. We were all ready for some rest after such a fun night.
Thanks guys for a great New Year's. We are so glad you could come and thanks for bringing the fireworks!

Yay, I am finally caught up on my blogging!

Family Affair

We had a great trip home for Christmas with our families. I hate that it went by so fast! I guess I'll officially in the real world...no month off from school anymore!

Mema even got stocking stuffers for the babies.
This kept them entertained while we opened our presents.

The weekend after Christmas, Terri, Billy, Will, Sydney, and Piper all came down for Christmas and the Rhoden Christmas dinner on Sunday. I guess I was busy handing out presents, because this is the only picture I have. Then I forgot my camera on Sunday!

We had a great time and were go glad you all got to come. A house with 8 people and 4 dogs was quite a change! Can't wait to see you on the slopes...only one more week!

Our first Christmas

Yes, I know it's January and I'll a little behind on posting, but...

Merry Christmas!!!

This was the USC tree that Hunter put together. The foam finger was the topper, but it fell off. It only had two ornaments, but that will change over the years.

Hunter's hunting and fishing tree was in the office. Complete with gun shell lights.

This is my favorite tree. My white flocked "sweet treats" tree. I had gotten a lot of ornaments last year at the Christmas shower I had. That really helped us have decorations for this year! I gave Hunter a gingerbread house ornament to mark our new tradition. I also got an ornament from Disney that is the Magic Kingdom castle decorated like a gingerbread house.

And here is our tree! Had to do the pre-lit, fake thing, but my allergies wouldn't allow us to have a real one. Hunter liked it once it was all plugged in a ready to go in under 30 minutes!

Here is my "mantle" Hunter and our neighbor built. I was so worried about where we would hang our stockings and display the village where Winny couldn't wipe it out. I had been asking about a mantle, but I love my new table. It was perfect. As you can see, Hunter and I didn't even have stockings. We used the ones I got for the dogs.

Hunter was very excited to get...

...the Wii!

I waited in line in August to get this thing! Then had to hide it at Mom's so Hunter wouldn't find it. I really got the Wii Fit because I wanted it, but I let Hunter open it. I have reclaimed it and we have had a blast playing Sean White Snowboarding. I was excited to get a Nintendo DS. Here I am opening my Brain Age game in the PJ's Hunter got me. I was go surprised he thought of things I had just mentioned in passing. I also got a new ditty gag and a gift card for a massage and facial. Can't wait to book that once we get back from our ski trip.

Gingerbread Tradition

Haley and Mike have always made gingerbread houses at Christmas. Last year Hunter and I started making that a tradition of our own. So we all got together to do some decorating.

Here is our final product. Complete with Santa on the roof. The two candy canes on the roof are his sleigh. Hunter's anal engineering self, had to have all the same colors in sequence and the sides matching. I didn't mind and started with the landscaping.

Here is Haley showing off her masterpiece. (Mike was opposed to having his picture taken with the house.)

Mike decorated the uniform sides with the candies perfectly spaced and colors alternated. Haley goes for more of an abstract approach as seen here. Haley decorated the roof and Mike did the side of the house.

We had so much fun eating dinner and decorating our houses together!

Universal Studios

We also went to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure while we were in Orlando.

Found another pharmacy what was located right across the street from...The Beverly Wilshire, which is in the movie Pretty Woman.

There were several blimps from past Macy's Parades.
I stopped by to meet Cat and...

the Grinch!

Our favorite ride was the Hulk roller coaster.

We had a great time going somewhere we had never been before. Glad we went, but can't say I liked it as much as Disney or that I'll be going back anytime soon.

Animal Kingdom

Saturday morning we went to Animal Kingdom. This was a first for both of us.Each park had a Christmas tree out front decorated with the park theme. Hunter and I in front of the Tree of Life They were filming shots for the Christmas parade that aired Christmas day. Here is the guy from Kyle XY (I think?)

Expedition Everest did not disappoint. It was great and would cool you off on a hot day.

Us with our "bug eyes" on for It's a Bug's life 3D.

We saw lots of neat animals on the safari. I was surprised how realistic the habits looked. You easily forgot you were in Florida. Here are the hippos swimming. Not my favorite part. Can't even begin to tell you how many Crocks were in one area.

Giraffes

Momma and baby elephant

We had a great first trip and will have to go back when we could spend some more time.

Hollywood Studios

On Saturday afternoon, we headed to Hollywood Studios, formally known as MGM.

This was the first time I have seen Chris in his show, Indiana Jones.

Here he is on the right as a "bad guy" and is getting beat up by a girl.

He played two parts during the show we saw. Here he is doing the ladder stunts.
Now he's getting kicked in the face.

Chris with the cast and crew of his show. Me with my favorite stunt man

If you have ever thought about going to Disney for Christmas, you'll be booking your trip after you see these next pictures. If you like Christmas lights, this is worth the price of admission. By the way, the first week in December is the best time to go since most kids aren't out of school yet.

Angels fly high above you as you enter the lit street.

Then as you turn the corner, you see this... Every inch in covered in lights along with a Nativity Scene.

We are standing under a light canopy here. Every 30 minutes or so, the lights dance to music. It is FANTASTIC!

Oh course, I found a Pharmacy at the end of the street. I think I'll relocate and work at this one.