Sedona Red Rocks

Mommy would never do this!!

Slide Rock State Park

Will was perfectly content throwing rocks in the river

%#@* barber - that's all I see in this photo!! Thankfully, his hair grows fast. He loved the water, too.

My little cliff dweller loved rock climbing and hiking. He did not inherit my paranoia.

Had to take pictures of myself, since the others were off on a disapproved adventure, crossing a deep, moving river on nothing but sticks and stones!

A rare relaxing moment. It's just so nice to be outside, away from heat and cactus. The boys did not want to leave.

We spent the weekend in Flagstaff, where we got over 10 inches of snow. We took a 30 minute drive south to Sedona and spent a day in the 'red rocks'. The weather was gorgeous and the boys loved hiking around the creek and in the rocks and caves. I was scared of drowning, freezing, falling, and cave dwelling animals. :0)

Happy New Year

AJ with Grandpa Ross on the Jazzy!

Candy from Aunt Donna - he clutched this bag in the car for an hour...poked a little hole in it and said ' I no eat it yet, just smell'.

Me with my almost-walking little man. He wanted to get down so badly!

Will couldn't get enough of the old tractors

Old Borges Ranch

Evidence that it does actually happen

Ryan at Grandpa's

Ryan with his cousin, Charlotte

Christmas morning

Putting out food for the reindeer

Every year I'm amazed at how quickly time flies. I cannot believe that 2008 is over! December was a blur and we're still in the post-holiday slump. Heath and Ryan have the rest of the week off, which doesn't help to motivate me to jump into the new year yet. Gym visits in '09 = 0, Days of breaking my diet in '09 = (what's today? the 8th?) okay, so 8, I guess. We had such a wonderful time in CA last week. We had the whole family together - it was crazy, loud, chaotic, and perfect. We also had a chance to visit with all of Heath's family, including his 95 year old grandfather, Ross.

Ryan's line

OK, so I dragged Ryan to the Christmas Program practice every Sunday for the past month. He memorized his line, knew it backwards and forwards. The big morning came and he was so excited. I was poised with my camera and video camera, looking through the lenses - one eye in the cameras one eye on him when I realized someone else was saying his line!!! He did, too, because his eyes immediately filled with tears and then they handed him the microphone for a line the whole group was supposed to say together. I was trying to hold it together, but I was so MAD and sad for him; anyway - I realized it was him speaking so I got just the last bit recorded here.

Our baby is 6

12/17/02

12/17/03

12/17-ish/04

12/17/05

12/17/06

12/17/07

12/17/08

I cannot believe how fast time flies. It really does seem like just yesterday that he was a baby with us in San Antonio and now he is 6...way beyond me bragging about walking and talking, past learning how to read and taking his training wheels off. Now his life revolves around school, friends, and, of course, Star Wars.  I just love him so much that it hurts to know in 6 more years he'll be in middle school and 6 past that he'll be off.   Once he gets this quantum physics thing figured out I'll have him start working on that time machine... Here's a look back!

Christmas Parties

This photo does not do the tree justice! 

The Wimberleys with Santa. We do not have 1 photo of all 5 of us looking at the camera!

AJ with the big guy

AJ in Daddy's Jet

Will with Santa

Ryan with Santa

Santa's other method of transportation!

December is always a crazy month for us with the holidays, birthdays, and anniversary! This year we have had so much fun spending time with our friends getting ready for Christmas with parties, tree decorating, cookie swaps, and even a few visits with Santa, himself! These pictures are from a party at our friend's house, which was decorated so beautifully, and from Heath's work.

Will...what happened to my no guns policy??

Before I had kids I always said, "my kids will never play with guns or Barbies." HA HA. Will makes guns out of everything...EVERYTHING. Even Heath admitted that Will may be the only kids who uses his macaroni noodles to shoot with! Here's how the pleasant hike behind our cabin turned out this weekend...

The Polar Express

We made our annual trek to Flagstaff this weekend for a ride on the Polar Express. Ryan and Will were so excited to see Santa; Will, because he's amazed by this incredible man and Ryan, because he knows how it works - mom and dad aren't buying anymore toys and Santa is a means to an end. We all got decked out in our new jammies and headed to the train station to meet the big guy. Ryan stood in line and rehearsed his wish list. When it was our turn AJ and Will both willingly sat on Santa's lap for pictures. Ryan chose to stay off to the side and was very business-like. It went something like this:

Will (wide-eyed) - "I want racecars and a racecar track"

Ryan - "Hello, Santa. I have 7 things on my list. 1. Wall-E, 2. Eve..." he couldn't remember #5 and got so flustered. Good on him though - he kept his cool, though red in the face - and said, "Well, I'll have to come back to #5" and continued his list and then remembered #5 just in time. My heart melted at how stinkin' cute it was to see him there, braving his fears. 

The train ride was great and we are all now ready for Christmas!