Lake House

We have loved going to Lake LBJ to "our" lake house.

Our favorite thing is the daily adventure hikes.

We found some animal bones on our first hike.

Finding the bones was a huge victory because Isaac was intent on finding fossils (and this counted big time in his book: "This is the best day ever!")

We brought the bones back to the lake house and tried to lay out the skeleton.

We think it was a racoon. 

One of the many swings on the property.

Bingo!

Morning play/snuggle time. 

Boat trip.

Another walk.

Amelia got upset at one point because the bigger kids were running too fast for her to keep up...

...so Isaac gave up the lead and walked her carefully by the hand (at least for a few minutes).

Sweet.

Holiday Fun

CHRISTMAS

I didn't take many pictures this Christmas because I think the moments start looking so much the same from year to year.

But we did take the traditional family photo on Christmas Eve...

...and I wanted to capture the first reading of the yearly "Lagosh" book (a new story each year that my sister and I write / put together, starring our kids as the characters).

NEW YEAR'S EVE

We had the families from Adel's men's bible study (all close friends of ours) for a family NYE party.  First we celebrated an early New Year with the kids upstairs.

The girls with their crowns.

Watching the countdown video (from Hong Kong, but they didn't know any better!). 

And then the party started!

This picture does nothing to help you feel the deafening vibrations of a dozen party horns being blasted in an enclosed room.  After getting the kids riled up, we promptly abandoned the baby-sitter to calm them down with a movie and try to get them to fall asleep.  About half fell asleep and half (including the 2-year-old triplets) stayed up until midnight.

Celine and Nathan had to leave before we took pictures, but here's the rest of the couples waiting for the countdown.  

Notice how everybody is cozy and snuggly with their spouse?

   

They lean in together and look cute...

They actually look like they enjoy being together...

...And then there's us...

This is the snuggliest I could get Adel to be.  

Notice he's the only guy who's facial expression seems to communicate that showing affection for your wife is embarrassing? Yep, that's him.

Sometimes I could strangle him.  

I probably would if he didn't treat me so good.

But I kind of like him, so I think I'll keep him around.

We wore ourselves out over the holidays and spent last week getting the house and routines back to normal and the kids off to school.  Abby, on the other hand, found her first day back at school to be more exhausting than any of her vacation days...

 She slept from 5pm until bedtime, woke up and ate dinner and then went back to bed.

Now we're all rested up and ready for the year ahead!  Happy New Year!!!