HAPPY NEW YEAR

OUT WITH THE OLD DIRT, IN WITH THE NEW

WASHING OFF 2006

Time Honored Tradition

Each year, just before Christmas, we gather at Grandma Reyes' to decorate cookies. This year was no exception, and Donovan was inaugerated into the business of frosting and sprinkles. He actually did really well....but near the end he stopped using the spoon to scoop frosting onto the cookies, and used it rather to scoop frosting into his little mouth!

Ho Ho Ho, Y'all!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, REYES STYLE.

Everything is bigger in Texas, and Christmas Day is no different in this family!

Its all about the numbers here....lots of love, lots of people, lots of presents, and lots of food (of course).












If we look tired, its because we were up all night helping Santa:)

Daddy & Draven Between being overwhelmed and overjoyed, Donovan still manages to look as cute as ever! He was actually in awe of the pretty wrapping paper, and rather underwhelmed by what was underneath!!! :)

Avery asked for no pictures please, he was rather the Grinch this year:(

Such holiday hulabaloo was just too much for his 9 months to handle.

Better luck next year!

Merry Christmas to all....and onward we march to the New Year & all of its many blessings in store!

Pre-School Christmas Musical

And so it was that we found ourselves "those parents" standing up in the crowd, and crawling down aisles, multiple camera's in hand, desperate to capture each one of our rising star's 15 second of fame. Behind the lens we wondered where the time went, when just a Christmas ago Donovan was barely toddling between pieces of furniture, and eating the paper off of the presents under the tree. Today he is a sweet & courageously fearless ever-exploring toddler, gallavanting before us on stage, drum-sticks in hand, tapping out an off-beat rythym to "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" next to a handful of equally miniature & rythymless classmates...none of whom hold a candle to our son's cuteness, but whose parents all disagree;)

Last night was Donovan's long anticipated school Christmas program. He did so well, which we figured since there is not a fearful bone in his body. He climbed onto the stage & looked into the crowd with great curiosty. Their first song was "Jingle Bells," and they all bounced around on stage in organized chaos, shaking little sleigh bells with glee. Halfway through that song, Donovan noticed that the Church has 2 big flat panel screen flanking the stage which showed the kids doing their sogns in real-time. The second half of Jingle Bells was spent mostly staring at himself on the big screen! Song #2 was "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" and they all traded their bells for drumsticks, and they tapped out toddler beats. This one Donovan loved, and you could tell, he was tapping those sticks together with gusto. When the song ended, all of his 9 classmates paraded off the stage, but not Donovan, he just held onto his sticks, gazing out into the crowd....finally Miss Anne came to usher him off stage;-)

The grand finale was when the whole school (all 4 classes) came up together to sing their final song. The stage was crowded, so Donovan's teachers just had all of the littlest ones sit along the steps stage right....but us parents couldn't see them! Donovan decided then to take matters into his own hands, and he hopped up on stage with the big kids and danced a little jig! He remained on stage until the end of the song....and when the music faded we all heard a jolly "HO HO HO!" fill the church! Yes indeed, St. Nicholas had come too, and there he was strolling down the aisle in all of his authentic big red jolliness right toward the stage! Donovan stood as if in disbelief, and then he moved, trancelike- joining all of the other children scrambling for Santa's lap. St. Nick sat in a big throne-like chair and all of the kids lined up around him. Donovan was quick to join the formation, and yes he got his FIRST EVER chance to sit on St. Nicholas' lap. He was rewarding with a yummy candy-cane from the jolly old elf, and that cane was open & in his mouth before this mom carried him off the stage!

See that cute little face in the center? He could not take his eyes off of St. Nicholas, despite all of the commotion around him!

Avery promptly swiped the beloved candy-cane from Santa as soon as Donovan returned to where we were sitting. A cute tug of war ensued, and Donovan won in the end, but not without Avery getting a delicious lick or two!

BIKER BOYS

VROOOM VROOM! The cutest little bike enthusiasts on three wheels.

Donovan's long legs make up where Avery's fall short,

but they both have the sound effects down pat.

Anything Daddy can do, I can too!!

Joe & Donovan are inseperable these days, now that Donovan is reaching the long anticipated "little companion" stage (as Joey calls it!). Now whenever Joe has a project to do, he makes sure DJ is by his side, toy tools in hand, reasy to assist. They are quite the team!

Sawing logs in the backyard.

(Later they sat in front of the BBQ pit, each tipping back a cold one- juicy juice & Miller Lite;-)

Adding a fishing pole carrier to the back of daddy's truck! Donovan likes to operate the drill!

Fa-la-la-la-la

Of all the decorations, my favorites are my STAR & my ANGEL!
Christmas is coming! Deck the halls!!!

Pilgrims in Pre-School

PILGRIM'S FEAST

Who knew the first celebratory meal of the New World was chicken nuggets and cheese sticks? It is these and other marvelous lessons that Donovan is learning in school!

Well, politically correct or not, Donovan got to enjoy a memorable

Thanksgiving Feast with mommy & daddy at his pre-school, learning that the true purpose of Thanksgiving is to praise God for all of the many blessings He has given, especially the special people in our lives.

And yes, that is a pilgrim's collar taped around his neck:)

The Terribleness of Two

Captions please? Post your comment if you think you have the winning quote for this picture worth a thousand words!!!

Trick or Treat: Puppy Feet!!

 

IT'S A PARTY!!!!

Donovan's 2nd Birthday Bash!!!

Speaking of bashing....

Blowing out those candles like a pro!

PRESENTS!!!

Daddy & his boys...Draven & Donovan

MILESTONES!!!!

Avery is officially crawling EVERYWHERE! There is no stopping him now, and he is thoroughly enjoying his newfound freedom. Donovan is taking the opportunity to educate little brother on all of the cool things one can get into once one has reached mobile status. AJ is also sitting up on his own, and he will crawl to toys and then sit and play with them just as if he's been doing it from birth. Such progress never ceases to amaze us, and Joe is already pining away for another baby, as he says his baby is growing up too fast. I agree on the growing too fast part...as for the new baby idea, GREAT, I'm all for a new baby....does anybody know of a little baby girl who needs adopting???

 
 
  

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