Merry Christmas

We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve this year. Rose and Zane started early with stockings. For those of you who couldn't be here this is the fun you missed.

Zane was beside himself when he discovered his Pokemon games.

The Carpenters soon arrived and we settled down for our traditional Christmas brunch.

Reid and Zane are happy at the counter.

My grandsons, Flave and Reid, will graduate to the table when I get a larger table!

Flave received the shirt to go along with Splosion Man, a recent game written by my nephew's company. Watch for Ms. Splosion Man to be out in time for next Christmas.

Leon and I are so cute in our matching jammies.

It was a real delight to have Zane and Rose join us this year. Dude on the right is Jeff!

One of the family gifts for the Carpenters seemed to evoke some grins.

Jeff is proud to have some water. I need more explanation on this.

Hmmm! An electronic Christmas perhaps? 

Flave is ready to be a rock star!

Leon is quite proud of his grandson Gunnar!

Jeff seems to get hats every Christmas. I guess folks just worry about his head staying warm!

Kay came dressed as a pixie. Reid was more interested in the pixie sticks!

Lola dressed for the occasion as usual.

The Carpenters headed back to Searcy with their loot. I can never get all of their eyes open in the same photo. New Year's Resolution: Always take 2 photos.

Later in the day Will arrived from Fayetteville so on Christmas day we had a Little brunch. I know, I could not find the larger table cloth that fits the table.

Rose had a sack full of goodies. Will carries scissors and tape in his pocket with his red and green markers and wraps as he goes!

This was good for some laughs. It matches the mola that Jeff already has.

Leon got his first Rubix cube.

Won't Will have fun on Dixon Street.

This was an excellent Christmas. Wish y'all could have all been here.

A visit to the Blacks' the day after Christmas took care of our holiday season! It was fun to visit with so many friends. Thanks, Sara, Joy, and Chris.

Christmas Eve Eve

 My grandsons, Flave and Reid, were in town for the holidays so we seized the opportunity to bake some Christmas cookies after our afternoon of geocaching.

While the cookies were baking Flave dashed out to the fire Leon had prepared in the back yard to cook a hot dog.

Soon little hands were busy again!

Zane, Jeff and Rose got back from the movie "Tron" and Zane wasted no time heading to the fire!

Now how did this happen? I am not sure about that boy!

It was interesting how all the boys had on black shirts - but not for long.

Jeff, Kay and Flave are watching the slide show video that was running of Christmases past.

Reid and Flave are wondering who is who while Rose texts in the den.

Flave and Reid put the finishing touches on some of the cookies.

Then Reid serves Kay and his dad some of the finished product.

Reid and Flave at the gingerbread house in the Arlington Hotel.

Roasted marshmallows and cookies! What a sugar high.

Reid: "I think I can cook these with my eyes shut!

Zane had time for a little Wii fishing early in the day.

I hope Flave did not eat these after I had him wait while I got a photo!

Garvan Gardens

Our annual trek to Garvan Gardens was delightful and the weather couldn't have been better: nippy but not too cold!

Flave, Zane and Reid pose for us.

We couldn't begin to capture all the lights. They have added many!

These flowers are among our favorites.

Leon and Zane having fun in the gingerbread house!

These beautiful lights twinkled above the pavillion.

Flave, Kay and Flave studying the overhead lighting.

We shared the experience with Jeff, Zane, Reid, Flave, Kay and Flave.

Reid, Flave, Flave and Kay sipped some hot chocolate while watching the train.

Zane and Jeff were impressed on their first visit to the gardens.

Geocaching

There is nothing like a pile of crystals in the yard to interest young boys in a little yard work. Reid and Flave selected a few to take home with them.

Then it was off for a few hours of geocaching. They are quite good only having about 20 under their belts. Reid returns a cache to the "Fish Tree."

From there it was off to Hollywood Park alongside Hot Springs Creek. Time to do a little running and frolicking in the fresh, cold air!

Hmmm, now which way could it be?  Flave soon spied it under an oak tree.

For another cache they had to pretend they were skipping rocks as three muggles came by.

Trickling water seemed to be an inspiration.  Too bad I don't still have my creek in the back yard.

The smirk on Flave's face shows that he has already found the cache at the Boys' Club baseball field.

As dusk descended they made a short trek into the woods to find "Shark loves pink."

So this is how the firemen find those fire hydrants at night! One more after this was a nano in a cemetery. What a fun few hours and 12 new caches to add to the list.