New Year's Eve 2008

My last blog post of the year (sort of!)

It's actually January 1, but since we were in Emmett and I didn't have an internet connection to do this last night, we will pretend that just for this post (and the Christmas post below) it is actually still December 31, 2008.

Luke watches all the "big kids" play with the Wii. This little copycat then walked over to the tv and started waving his arms around like he was holding the controllers. He'd been watching too much tennis, bowling, baseball, and boxing.

Uncle Sam and Daddy took pity on the poor thing and let him hold the controllers to box with Uncle Sam. Luke did not win the match.
But he sure had a great time! Luke knows that winning isn't everything!
Luke also got his first taste of hot dog tonight. He wasn't a fan of the chili dog, but he couldn't get enough of his hot dog with melted cheese on top! (As if anyone is surprised by this? He would eat cheese all day if he could.)

Then we went outside to light sparklers and shoot fireworks. Just one of the beauties of having in-laws that live on a bunch of acres in the middle of nowhere! Luke LOVED holding his sparklers and he did pretty well with the fireworks. We sat by a campfire and enjoyed the night until the fire died down and we all got cold!

Luke's first New Year's Eve sparkler

He was in awe.

Hayden, Austin, Melissa and Karlee light their sparklers.

Kennett was NOT a fan of the sparklers.

Luke thought he was big stuff, holding his own sparkler and all.

Hayden loved to roast marshmallows, but not to eat. He would let them catch on fire and then blow it out with all of his might.Everyone around the campfire. Can you see Lily's silhouette back there on the left? She decided that Catherine was her new best friend.
Happy New Year, everyone!

Here's to a GREAT 2009!!

Christmas 2008 (Part 3)

Well Christmas is officially over for the Stroder family. We celebrated today with the Stroders, Andersons, McLanes, plus McAfee, Tubba & Granny. It was crazy, as usual, but what can you expect with 20 people in one house? I don't think anyone would have changed the crazy factor, that's what keeps things interesting (and FUN!) when we are all together.

The Christmas tree, overflowing with presents!

Luke and Daddy started opening gifts before all of the presents were distributed, even though they weren't supposed to!

He wasn't 100% sure about Tigger at first, but they got acquainted quickly and I know they will have lots of fun together.

Some of the group with their presents.

Here's Luke surrounded by all of his loot, and he'd rather play with a bouncy balloon/ball thing that Kennett got. Go figure.

Jake got to open the family's gift - a Nintendo Wii. I think he was pretty excited.

Hannah and Jaryn had each other's names in the Secret Santa drawing so they opened at the same time.

Sarah and Collin pose before opening their gifts.

Nate got a shirt and some comfy pants from Samuel. Nate said Sam was trying to get him in style.

Luke models his new clothes - and he would NOT put down that red balloon thing. I need to figure out what those things are called and get him one!

And that concludes the Christmas portion of the blog. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas with everyone special in your lives. It truly was a blessing for us to celebrate Jesus' birth with our families. :)

Enjoying the Sunshine

Horsin' Around

Nate went to the deer lease over the weekend so once again, Luke and I headed to Dallas. We went to see Trigger on Saturday and I got to play with my new camera lens. It is so awesome! I LOVE that you can get up-close pictures without having to be right up on something. I can't wait to figure out more things to do with it. My dad got to play with it, too, because he took pictures of Luke and me riding. Luke has decided that he LOVES to ride horses. He's been on Trigger before, but he only lasted a few minutes before he would bail. Not this time! We walked some, we trotted some, and then we walked some more. When we got back to the group, I asked Luke if he wanted down and he started bouncing, which was his way of saying "no way!" So we walked and trotted some more.

Giving Trigger some love...

This is so much fun, Mommy!

Finally I just got off because it was not so comfortable to share the saddle with Luke. Luke was more than happy to ride all by himself. My mom led Trigger around while I held on to Luke to make sure he didn't bail off. It's a good thing I did because at one point, all of a sudden he was in my arms. Still don't know what happened there, I'm just glad that I caught him! It didn't faze him, though; he wanted back on and told us to go "more".

I love riding by myself!

More!!

We had decide for Luke that he was done riding. Beth and Justin both wanted turns and if Luke had any say in the matter, he would have ridden all day!

This picture would be even better if Trigger wasn't so hairy!
Luke was so excited to get to ride with "Bee". My dad started singing "Happy Trails to You" and Luke had to dance:
Beth and Luke get tricky...

All three of them were looking at the same thing!

Justin showed off his mad skills - you can tell he's been riding since he was younger than Luke!

Justin asked my mom for a gate opening demonstration, so of course she was happy to oblige:

Luke was so excited to get to ride with "Mammie", too!

The first thing he wanted to do was open the gate, I don't think he counted on being smashed against the saddle horn!

And finally, playing with chase with Big Papi after we were all done riding.

Oh, no, Luke got caught!!!

Christmas 2008 (Part 2)

After our little Christmas celebration, we loaded up and headed to Dallas to celebrate with the Jenkins and the Burgins. We got there just in time for the traditional Christmas brunch - yummy eggs, bacon, cinnamon toast and grapefruit.

Luke loved the yummy eggs, too bad that is strictly a Christmas Day food!


After breakfast, my mom, Beth and I had to model our matching shirts. My mom got this shirt a few weeks ago from Target and thought it was perfect for her - it says "be ever green". She's all about going green these days. Anyway, Santa must have liked the shirt, too, because Beth and I got one in our stockings! Isn't Santa clever? So of course we had to wear the shirts all day!

Luke didn't like the fact that there were pictures being taken without him in it. Actually, he was trying to get us all to do "Saw Varsity's Horns Off" with him.

Then Luke decided it was time to open presents. So he tore into a gift from Grammie and Big Papi before the rest of us could even sit down to watch!

Luke got a pull-along grasshopper! We call it a cricket, though. Awhile back our house was infiltrated by crickets and Luke would laugh hysterically at them. Especially when Lily would chase them and eat them. He would always point out the "ki-kit" to Lily and then show you where she ate it. So he was so excited to have a wooden cricket to pull along with him.


Luke poses for a "look at all the presents under the tree" shot. He had to make sure his "menemen" cup and his "ki-kit" were in the picture, too.

Gulping down some water from his snowman cup.


Okay, it's time for presents! Beth and I distribute all the gifts.

Luke helps Grammie and Big Papi open their gifts from him.

They both got "The 2009 Calendar of Luke" for their offices. I think they were excited!


Luke thought Grammie's presents made a good chair. He couldn't figure out what he was sitting on until he pulled the bow of the package.

Then he had to help Nate open his gift from Beth and Justin. It was a toolbox for all of his small hunting equipment.

When it was time for Luke to open another present, all he wanted to do was play with the bows.


When we got him to put down the bows and open the box, he was excited to find a wooden train set, complete with an engine, a caboose and cars hand carved to the shapes of animals - a pig, a duck, a horse, and a rabbit.

The engine also has a spot where you can blow the whistle and make it sound like a real train. Luke tried so hard to make it whistle, but he just couldn't get enough force to make it happen.

Also in the box with the train was "The Little Blue Engine That Could". Grammie shows Luke the book.

We had to pause the present-opening to read the book.

We should have just given Luke a box and some bows to play with. That's what he was the most interested in today. I will remember that for his birthday and Christmas next year!


Luke wanted to take some pictures of the rest of us opening gifts with Big Papi's camera.

He also needed a close-up shot of Big Papi.


Then it was back to the present-opening! He was very excited to see the gift from Beth and Justin - Alphabet by Matthew van Fleet and a stuffed puppy dog wearing a Texas A&M shirt.

We had to check out the book before we could do anything else.


Finally it was Big Papi's turn to get his big present. My mom wrapped up a letter telling him that he would find the gift in the bed of Nate's truck. We all went outside and he found - a new gun safe!


The aftermath...


After all the excitement, Luke was exhausted so he went down for a nap. My dad ended up waking him up because he was going all over the house, measuring for the perfect spot to put his new safe. So Luke had to cuddle with Daddy while he tried to wake up all the way.

Okay, he's ready to play! Luke thinks Christmas is SO much fun!

Luke and Beth read Alphabet again.

He still had one more gift to open, one from Big Papi. He only wanted his daddy so Nate held him while Big Papi helped get the wrapping paper off.

By now, Luke was wondering what he was opening.

What is this?!

My dad continued the tradition of getting Luke keepsake coins - this year was the 2008 Presidental $1 coin collection. Luke is so lucky to have this special collection started thanks to his Big Papi.


Luke pulling his "ki-kit" around the kitchen.


We had a very yummy turkey dinner that evening, complete with stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pea and artichoke salad. Luke tried all of the food, but his favorite was the cranberry sauce!


And last but not least, our family picture:



Christmas 2008 was definitely a HIT in Luke's mind. He loved to help open gifts, but mostly he loved to play with all the boxes, bows, and wrapping paper. He really enjoyed all of the food (what else is new?!). But most of all, he loved being the center of attention!

We still have one more celebration to go before Christmas is officially over for us - we will have the Stroder family Christmas on New Year's Day. We can't wait!