Putting 2012 to Bed

2012 is in the books, but I haven't finished our final chapters!  I apologize for my woeful delinquency with blog updates. I endeavor to do better in 2013.   Should there be no new additions to the HSFB (And trust me--there are none in the making!) I should be able to stay on track with my resolution.  So, before I look too far ahead, I'd like to do my best to package up our final weeks of 2012.

In the days prior to Thanksgiving, Auntie B came to visit, and she came bearing a plastic chicken, gunpowder caps, and a bag full of little boy tricks.  She could go by the alias, Mary Poppins, because she has the same magical aura about her as does the beloved umbrella-wielding nanny of the silver screen.  We were too busy having FUN to take many still shots.  And, besides--there is no such thing as a still shot with four boys under the age of eight!

Parachute Play

Scene Stealer

A James!  A James!  I Have Him By The Toes! (Name that children's story.)

Plastic Chicken...And you thought I was kidding!

Books with Auntie B

Brotherly Love

Cozy

Medieval Stained Glass Coloring

Dressed to Impress

Auntie B, Meet Daniel
Daniel, Meet Auntie B!

Circus Animal 1

Circus Animal 2

Circus Animal 3

Gramma-Inspired Thanksgiving Collage

Gramma-Inspired Thanksgiving Acrostic

Samuel is thankful for rainbows and cannonballs. 

      
We were lucky enough to have cousins Perrey, Haven, and Katherine celebrate Thanksgiving with us.  Perrey taught the boys new tricks in the fine art of conversation (Let's face it--no one can do talking quite like us girls!).  Haven basically ran the show.  You could find her chasing her cousins in the hallway or telling Grandpa who was boss.  She gave Samuel a run for his money, which is saying something since that is usually Samuel's expertise.  Katherine made her desert debut with all the class and flair we would expect of a little Durkin-Haven.  I think she loved the hubub of cousin central.  This was the first holiday in a long time that all three grown Haven siblings were together in one place.  I took a picture to commemorate.  And Martha cried.

Katherine
Oh--and Andy, Carl, & Lis

The Beautiful Acra Girls and Grandpa Grandpa!

The camera is getting father away by the year!

Haven Kids All Growed Up

Pre-Dinner Bike Riding

Perrey Scootin' Along

This is a typical "Smile!" Response
What is the DEAL with boys and cameras?!  : )

Make Way, Folks!

Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie ~ Hoping the Time Will Fly...

Cookie and Katie

Proud Papa

Aunt Elisabeth Meets Daniel

A Bonding Moment

Katherine Cuddles for Auntie Amy

The Living Desert's Wildlights Display

Miniature Trains--Always a Favorite

Wildlights?  Who Needs 'Em?!

Scene Stealer

Ready to Ride Reba !

Matilda, the COW

Fearless--A Mini Becky

Fuggedabouta Helmet

Stable Monkeys

Perrey's Turn!

Handsome Boy (naturally, I'm biased)

Could we go any SLOWER? (to Mama's delight)

Joshua in Claver Blue (Matt's Xavier House Colors)

What's Up, Doc?!

Haven held Daniel's hand the whole way home.

First Smiles for Grandma

The Cousin Clan
 (minus an uncooperative Sam, and a napping Daniel)

Until We Meet Again...

And then there was Christmas!  Actually, I'm getting ahead of myself. First, there was the month preceding Christmas, which was chock full of school cramming, decorating (I took the box out of the garage and let the boys go crazy. Truly--I didn't do a thing but hang the wreath), soccer, basketball, cookie baking, and a piano recital.  We were asked to do a small reading at our church's Christmas Eve service.  They got right up there with their little notecards and read in front of a packed house.  Public speaking, semester 1:  CHECK!

 Following is a link to their Christmas piano recital.  James played Joy To The World, and Joshua played Away In A Manger.  James was a bit thrown by the pedal part because it has an entirely different feel from his wimpy keyboard pedal at home, so there are a few tinks where there should be tonks (yes, I know that my music terminology is impressive). The next links are a couple practice pieces from home.  James has a classic James moment at the end, when the piece isn't up to his standard.  The last link features Samuel tinkering to the beat of his own drummer.  What's not to love about that?

Christmas Piano Recital

Joy? To The World

Samuel Does Mozart

Spiffed Up And Off To The Recital

Jamers, Warming Up

Joshua Warming Up

Miss Alyssa, Their Teacher

James The Bengal: Final Soccer Game
Halleluiah!

Just in case those last pictures looked terribly impressive....this is an action shot...meaning the game is in FULL swing

Off To The Living Nativity (only to discover we were a week late. We hit up 5 Guys Burgers instead)

RAIN!

Hot Chocolate

Joshua Wears His Food Like No One's Business

Getting Lots of Grins These Days

Packing Air...Their FAVORITE

It takes Sammy a few more hops than the big boys to get the desired POP!

LEGO Helicopter Project

I never tire of this thumb-sucking cuteness

Trampoline Fort

We had the pleasure of a visit to Grandpa Grandpa, who not only spoiled the boys with a fresh dollar bill each, but engaged them in a fascinating lesson about the P-38 (model in hand), the plane he flew in WWII.

Blow Pop Damage (the spoils from Grandpa Grandpa's gift)

Gingerbread Train (they put this together with Grandma)

Christmas Morning

The boys chose items in the Samaritan's Purse catalogue to donate toward families in need, instead of receiving stocking gifts this year.  These cards detail what their gift will mean to the recipients.

Reindeer Chai (at least for the two seconds she had it on)

Future Astronaut

Christmas Hat

Christmas Is For Sweets

No Christmas is complete without a good light saber battle.

Sammy's New Trick Bike (or so he thinks).  He still prefers to ride his strider bike, but he uses this baby in the hallway.

Property Of The Haven Army!

Christmas Cookies

Ready To Munch!

The Bounty
(75% of which is still currently taking up too much freezer space!)

Christmas Dinner Dessert

Loving The Long Locks

The natural light of the afternoon really served to illuminate his unique complexion.  He's the fairest of our boys--our auburn baby!  We're loving getting to know him.

Did I mention how much Sammy looooooves his lil' bro., or did the strangle hold give him away?!  I love this Papa pose.

And that's "it!"  We're up to date--and you're probably asleep at the keyboard, or bleary eyed...or BOTH.  We look forward to what 2013 has to hold.  We're trusting in God and trying to squeeze the most of these precious moments with our boys...because they're flying by.  We've made our resolutions.  Mine is to pray-pray-pray more consistently, and bury my nose in the Bible, as well as cut the sugar by drastic amounts.  Someone has got to lose this baby weight, and I suppose I'm on the hook!  James' resolutions are to listen better and seek adventure travel, such as Joshua Tree National Park, The Preserve, and the Indian Canyons.  I best buy some boots!  Lastly, Joshua decided he wanted to be more thankful, so we've started a thankfulness journal.  His first entry?  New York City.  He's thankful for New York City--he even drew a killer skyline.  And I have no idea where that came from.  But, this is status quo with Joshua.  We just go with it.  I think he knows.

Love To All,

The Haven Army