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Some of my Favorites from Christmas

These PJs were just too cute to pass up and the kids wearing them are even cuter!!

Papa G., Hogan, and Tia singing Away in the Manger at the Christmas Eve service

Hogan asked Santa for a circle sled for Christmas. We never thought the sled would actually see snow, but amazingly Santa brought snow to Plainview Christmas Day. It was a Christmas miracle. What's more amazing is that we actually found a hill in west Texas to sled down!

Halloween

It was a happy Halloween for Hogan. Festivities started at his school with a costume parade, games, and snacks. Next we went to the Fall Festival at my school (where Hogan experimented with green hair!).

And finally it was time to trick or treat. Hogan had waited all day to trick or treat. If we'd left it up to him he would have started ringing doorbells at 8 in the morning! Oma and Opa joined us for our first trick or treating in our new neighborhood. It was fun to have them there for our inaugural trick or treat!

Most surprising to me was that Hogan's favorite part was opening the door for all the trick or treaters that came to our house. As soon as the doorbell rang he ran to the door to pass out candy. He even had a little system about how he would pass it out. If only one or two kids came to the door they could have several pieces of candy, but if a whole line of kids came, only one per person. After several doorbells in a row, Hogan wiped his sweat and said, "Boy I sure am working hard here aren't I?" So fun to have a real house with a doorbell and trick-or-treaters stopping by!

Strong Daddy

There are just some things dads can do that moms can't, or at least this mom can't. Yesterday when Hogan and I were in the pool he asked me to throw him like dad. I kept trying and after every attempt, my encouraging little boy would say, "Let's try again. I know you can do better than that." Really I couldn't. It was sweet to know how much he believed in me, but the truth is, there is no way I can catch air like Troy when I throw him across the pool. It's really just a sad attempt on my part. I think I'll stick to the things I'm good at and let Troy strain his back on this one!

Batman Mail

Hogan dressed up to check our mail this week. How could you not enjoy life when this is your mailman?????

Summer Days

This summer we have lived outside and it has been magnificent. We start in the morning by taking the "walk around" in our garden. This consists of checking for weeds, watering, and noting any new growth in our plants. Then we check the filters and skimmers on the pool to make sure everything is acceptable and then we GET IN!!!! We swim off an on all day and then in the evenings when we are sufficiently pruned, Troy and I retire to our chairs in the front and Hogan plays in the yard as the evening cools and the sun begins to set.

Hogan has his own puttering routine for evening play. First, he rides his jeep out to the mailbox to check the mail. Then after the mail, he tries out all of his riding toys- giving each one fair play. And then come the balls and frisbees. Sometimes he entertains us by hitting golf balls across the lawn. Sometimes he gets us going for a little game of baseball. But whatever he chooses to do in the yard he always looks like this half-dressed ragamuffin- bare chested, swim trunks, often times galoshes, but more often just barefoot, and tireless energy that is entertaining to watch. He works so hard when he plays.

Ahhhh...these summer days. Can't imagine life getting much better!

First Rainbow

Hogan mentioned a few weeks ago that he had never seen a real rainbow. Until he said it, I had never given rainbows a thought. But he was right. Rainbows are a prevalent symbol in children's books and cartoons (i.e. Carebears), and something Hogan has been drawing in some form since he was 2, but in all his 4 years he hadn't ever witnessed one. The problem is I couldn't just take him to a museum to see a rainbow. We had to wait.

And then one evening on our way home from gymnastics, there it was- a piece of a rainbow in the sky. We could only see one part of the arc at first. Hogan kept asking when we were going to see the whole thing and I tried to explain the logistics of rainbows. Hogan was excited but kind of disappointed. This piece didn't seem to count as a "real" rainbow. Troy and I went inside to go about our parently evening duties. And Hogan stayed outside. Minutes later he came running inside to tell us that he could see more of the rainbow. Skeptical, I ventured outside, and sure enough, there was half of the rainbow. All three of us continued to watch as little by little the rainbow unveiled itself to Hogan. He finally got to see a rainbow. Not just a piece, but the whole thing.

In true 4-year old dramatics, he told us it was his dream come true.