Almost Christmas

Well only a few days until Christmas and we have two little boys that just cant seem able to contain themselves.  For those small few that actually read this blog we do not keep this up for witty little comments or political grand standing.  At the end of every year Haley and I print our blog off and put it in a hard cover.  It is simply our life, together, as a family.  Full of pictures and stories of our ups and sometimes our downs.  One of our favorite things to do for family night is to sit on the couch together and pull out our past years books and flip through them while reminiscing about past experiences.  We have truly been blessed in our short time together.  As I was talking to Haley last night we talked about alot of our challenges and trials that we have faced since being married, and believe me they are not a few.  Some self inflicted but others, well sometimes life just happens to you.  We have always tried take the high road, stick together and do whats right.  Some how, and I still have not figured out why, the good Lord continues to bless us and guide us along the path that we need to take.  I dont write or really say alot about my truly deep personal feelings but being the Christmas season  I have reflected alot about the birth of the Savior and what that really means.  What a marvelous gift that we have been given.  Every day we take a breath, every day we get to see the wonders and beauties that a loving Heavenly Father has created for us.  All he ask of us is to follow him, be like him, and He will give you everything he has.  I know for a fact that this is true.  Remember the reason for the season and have a very Merry Christmas!

No on to our last batch of pictures before Christmas

 Me and my boys in an early morning snuggle

 Out of 19 grandchildren these are the only boys that will carry on the Hargrave name (so far)  My brothers need to get on the ball!

 Jake, Janell and family stopped in to see us on there road trip from Idaho for their final destination in Texas

 Again, Patton is really coming into his own.  Haley put him up at the table for the first time and he just could not get enough of it....sadly he did inherit his Daddy's squinty eyes!

 Our Christmas tree

 Bennett and Patton hand made everyones ornaments this year.  He was very excited to "help" Maime and Pop open theirs.

 Getting ready for the "sleigh ride"

 Pop always wears his grandpas silver sleigh bells.  Pop was a little boy in Iowa and his grandpa used to drive them in a real sleigh and always put the silver bells on the horses when they road around at Christmas.

 Maime's porch decorations

 Kendall and Haley......Patton in the background getting in trouble :-)

 We were able to head south for little Emma Kaye Hargrave's baptism.  It was a very special occasion.

 My big brother Jake and his family

 These are all cousins that came to support Emma

 So Pop picked up a new toy at Tractor Supply.  Bennett and I making the rounds

 Of course I really don't know why I didn't put the helmet on my 4yr old.......

 Maime was a little smarter than me!

 Of course the highlight of the whole trip was Bennett got to drive Pops tractor around ALL BY HIMSELF.  No really Pop just sat while Bennett drove around the place.  He thought he was so big!

 I really like this picture of Patton and his Momma.  I love that all our boys have their Mom's blond hair.  Every time I  look at them they remind me of her.

 ....I mean there is a bucket on the front of tractor....who wouldn't want to ride in that thing

 Grandpa and Grandma Reppond are great porch watchers.

 Bennett, Patton and Maime finding "treasures"

 ...Go ahead and tell me I'm not cute...

 ...seriously who said our little boy could get so big!

 So we are sitting on the porch just relaxing and enjoying December 65degree weather when this little buck just popped out and just hung our right in front of us....don't worry he is still alive.  He needs a few more years before I would shoot him.

 Shelby was a great sport as Patton kept chasing her around the house.

 Early Christmas at Maime and Pops house.

Okay so in the last post I put a picture of our snowman with an inch of ice coated on him.  While we were in Texas enjoying the great weather Oklahoma was in the middle of an ice storm.  Here are a few of the pictures of our drive in.  The weirdest thing was that there was no ice on the ground or road.  Just on the trees and signs.  Looks like we are going to have a "white" Christmas after all.