The Music...

is not playing, but he likes to wear the headphones anyway. Apparently, so does bear.

It's Finally Here!

Christmas eve service in my spiffy outfit:



We all had a major cold, so he was pretty mellow for the service (not his normal mode) and people were asking us if we had been practicing with him. Hmm...at least he was good. Plus we missed the first few songs while he and mommy were back at the car with a massive diaper change. Merry Christmas to me.

I gave in and let him play with the antique Tonka truck so he wouldn't get his church clothes messy while we were getting ready.

Christmas eve the boys watched some Rudolph while I made the Christmas coffee cake. Bryce brought over a blanket so he could sit next to daddy.

Here's one of the tree and loot before we went to bed. Hmm, I wonder what that pyrex pan shaped one could be for me...Andrew was very proud of this wrapping job.



Well, it's finally here, baby Jesus' birthday, and boy was our son excited. When Andrew brought him out to the Christmas tree, he was more excited that the cat was sitting on my lap than to see the presents under the tree, but I think that's probably a good thing.

Baby Jesus got some of Bryce's stocking goldfish.

So the picture is bad, but mostly because he was so excited about this present that he was flapping his arms. It's a tool box.

Ripping into the presents with my hammer. (we had to do them all this way, some of mommy's too)

Cool dude! A helicopter!

Some good books from Auntie Amber.



Then off to Nana and Baba's for a Christmas/Birthday dinner. (And some more fun-thanks uncle Ryan for letting us borrow these)


My Christmas hat!

A Very Halverson Christmas

We went up to Fresno last weekend to celebrate with Andrew's side of the fam. We packed a lot of Christmas into a very short trip, and even got to go out to Dai Bai Dang for someone's 30th birthday (thanks Doug and Shelley!). As if that wasn't enough celebrating, Andrew planned a surprise overnight getaway for me and him to Newport Beach, so we left the kiddo with the grandparents (thanks even more) and took off. He even got a new haircut out of the deal.

Here he is checking out the loot.

Already worn out and we haven't even done presents yet.




Playing with cousin Leah

Stockings! (doesn't he look excited? in the first picture he was already ripping into it and had his face covered)


The whole gang.

Papa reading his favorite book to Uncle Eric.

Wearing my new shark towel.

More Christmas

Wearing my hat and reading the current fave, his Joseph book.

Quirks in the Life of a Game Warden's Wife

A little break from the Christmas festivities here. I'm sure a lot of you would consider me a very understanding wife. Sometimes when I walk through our garage to hang up Bryce's diapers, I think my understanding has gone too far....If you are reading this with your young children (cause I'm sure some of you do when you want to put them to sleep), please avert their eyes. Actually these shots are quite tame compared to what is sometimes in there, but I digress.

Essentially, our herd of robotic animals is expanding. I give you Robo-deer and his friend, Tom the animated turkey.

I think Tom may be molting (or whatever it is robo-turkeys do) cause there seem to be an awful lot of feathers strewn around the garage. Either that or Kahuna saw his big chance to practice taking down some real game.

If I were robo-deer, I'd be hiding too. who wants to look down and realize your head's no longer attached to your body. (Note to concerned blog readers: there is not a rifle in the bag that is just flung on the floor of the garage, those all are locked in the safe)

Cookie Extravaganza

We waited to do the sugar cookies til Andrew came home. At bedtime Bryce was still amped, so I'm thinking he got more of the dough than we thought.

This would probably fall pretty high on the list of things I thought I'd never let my kid do...(the sitting on the counter bit, not the making cookies)


Yes, he is picking up every single scrap of sprinkles and eating them. I was a little afraid he was going to get down and lick the counter.

And one more for good measure. Just in case we needed more proof that the kid takes after his mommy. See the lower right of this picture. Yep, there's a penguin in the nativity! That's my boy. :0)

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Doing the Christmas soldier countdown daddy made.

Making cookies! At this point he had snuck at least 3 chocolate chips from the batter, so if he doesn't nap I guess I have no one to blame but myself. There may be a permanent Bryce face print on the oven door.

O Christmas Tree 2

Bryce really likes the tree this year. He is excited to turn it on in the morning, and as a little bit of the Christmas spirit seems to have passed down to him, I am enjoying it.

Admiring the first ornament he put up.



Who knew that tree hide and seek could be so much fun?

Baby Jesus

Bryce is pretty enamored with Baby Jesus from the nativity my grandma made. And since it is the only soft nativity we have, he gets to play with it whenever he wants.


Baby Jesus gets a lot of rides. Horsey rides, car rides, and the wheelbarrow too (along with the rest of his family and some shepherds)


Uh oh, he fell off.

Sheep gets a ride too.

He wanted Baby Jesus to smell the tree.

Windmaggedon

On Wednesday Bryce and I went to have a Christmas visit with my parents. My mom and I like to go to Stats in Pasadena, (which we give 2 enthusiastic thumbs up for visiting during the Christmas season) and to make some Buckeyes. The timing of our visit was not the best if any of you have been watching the news for the Pasadena area, but how were we to know that we would arrive just in time for the craziest windstorm I've experienced in my short (but soon to be longer) years. This first picture is of the front yard after 90 mph winds. Thankfully our house, cars and the church were not smashed, but a lot of other people's were. The car 2 houses down lost the back and passenger windows. On a happier note, Bryce was captivated for a very long time by the chainsaw and backhoe they were using the clear the tree blocking the street.


Other fun times:

Popping the bubble wrap with Nana

Looking coy while I draw

Me and "baba", who I really like to play with.

About to get tossed in the air. Hopefully I don't hit the ceiling.

Upside down time. Way more fun than it looks...also, this reminds me I really need to give him a haircut.