Christmas Eve- WHAT a day!

After we put Korben to bed on Wednesday night (Christmas Eve Eve), we opened gifts as a family. It is easier to do our personal gifts without him awake, that way we can take our time opening one gift at a time, and make it last. This has been the second Christmas without my dad. It has already become our tradition before we open gifts to spend some family time in prayer. You know how every dad has their "chair"? Well, we circled around my dad's chair, lit a candle next to his picture, and all spent some time thanking God for him. It was wonderful to hear each other's hearts. We all shed some tears together, and I believe that was really healthy for us. Word can not express how much we miss Dad, however, we are all so grateful that we will see him again.
Thank you, Jesus, for the hope we have in you and only you.



Here are all of my Dad's girls (after we cleaned up our runny mascara).
























Christmas Eve morning we were able to give Korben 100% of our attention, because it was all about him and his Christmas gifts! Here he is opening his huge dump truck from his Aunt Kim!








































He couldn't wait to put on his new Elmo slippers. There is something precious about this side profile of Korben in this picture. There will be one day that it won't be cool to wear tight pajamas, and I'm positive that the "diaper booty" won't be adorable forever. But for now, this little profile of my toddler, is the sweetest thing on earth.


























CC got him more Baby Einstein movies. His favorite! This boy loves movies!


























Giving CC a "thank you kiss" while sporting his new Cookie Monster hoodie.



























His soul was made complete when he received these drums from my mom. Korben was born to be a drummer. He has rhythm that is not normal for a baby, I do not think. When our clothes dryer is making that banging noise that all dryers make, Korben will run in the laundry room and start dancing to the sound. He has a toy train that his Aunt MeeMee gave him for Christmas. His favorite thing about it is the button that makes the "Chuga Chuga Chuga" sound. Why, you ask? Because it is the perfect sound for dancing! I will post a video of my rhythmically advanced little boy soon!




























This was seriously the most fun day. We had tons of new stuff to play with, and had a Christmas party with all of our cousins to look forward to that night. We were supposed to be at our cousin's house for our family Christmas party at 4:30, and Korben needed to work in a 2 hour nap before we left for their house at 4:00. One second it was 8 a.m., the next second it was 1:30, and I hadn't even thought about putting him down for a nap because we were having so much fun with our new stuff! I love days like that. It all worked out though, he got a great nap and was raring to go play with his cousins by 4!


























We had to do a picture at the piano to compare his growth with last year.
























Last Christmas







































Family picture before nap time!























Awake from his nap, dressed and ready to go to his cousin's Christmas party. I promise you, it was completely Korben's idea to wear his new hard hat and vest. He took it very seriously.





























Christmas party time! We had to take a picture of ourselves...not for lack of people to take the picture, it is just sort of our trademark shot! Haha!






























Korben and his hero, Carson.






























Priceless memories with the best cousins in the whole world. They are screaming at the top of their lungs, having the time of their lives. (will post video soon)








































Kim pointed out to me that if we wanted a preview at what Korben will look like in a few years when he sings in his first preschool choir performance at church...here it is!





























God, bless these sweet little boys. Please let them grow up to love you and each other!




















We couldn't have had a more ideal Christmas Eve with our family. We are so blessed, and I refuse to take a moment of it for granted!

Christmas break: Monday, Tueday, and Wednesday

This year marked mine and Aaron's 7th Christmas break together. For every single Christmas we have had this wonderful schedule of spending the days leading up to Christmas with my family, and spending Christmas day and the days after with Aaron's family. We are so blessed that our hometowns are only an hour apart. We arrived at my mom's on Monday afternoon to start our wonderful break.

Monday night, the 21st, we had our Annual Christmas get together with the Sims Family. Billy Sims was like a son to my dad, having worked with him at the car lot for many years. Billy continues to run the business at Kellogg Valley Motors, and we still enjoy exchanging gifts with each other every Christmas. I never dreamed they would get Korben the gift they did. Here is Korben opening a four-wheeler, made for 12-36 month olds! He LOVED it! He has yet to get to ride it outside due to the either rainy, snowy, or riduculously cold weather. Until then, he just rides it inside until he quickly runs into a couch or a wall.


























































We went to visit my Grandmother on Tuesday the 22nd. I wish she felt as good as she looks in these pictures.












































My whole world!




























CC was there too!
























And Aunt MeeMee!

























It was so good to have Kim home with us! All of Korben's life he has been resistant to saying Kim's name. We've always tried to get him to say "Kimme", thinking it may be easier, then it sounded like he was trying to call her some form of "Baby", which was funny. It has just been mind blowing that he couldn't say it, because Korben can really say anything. Finally, he just started calling her "Kim." Who knew it could be that simple?































































That same Tuesday night, Kim and I had the privilege of going on our yearly "Cousin's night out." We are blessed to have so many girl cousins on my dad's side of the family (there are a few not pictured). We are actually going on a road trip together in January to visit Kim. I can't even imagine all the fun we will have!






















On Wednesday night, my mom invited Don and Julie down from Heber Springs for dinner. We had a great time! I made the comment SEVERAL times that it was fun to be with all grandparents (and a proud aunt) because we didn't have to feel guilty about being too obnoxious having Korben show off all his tricks. Of course, grandparents think everything their grandchild does is just wonderful! I love this picture of Aaron and his Momma. You can see how much they favor.

























I don't even know what to put as a caption for this picture. So, make up your own caption for what you think Korben is trying to convey. HaHa. Maybe he was thinking it was his turn to play the guitar?

Entertainment Fort Smith

Once upon a time, a sweet lady from our church named Donna Payne gave Aaron a call. Donna has a precious daughter in our youth group, and little did Aaron know at the time, Donna also just happens to be the Senior Editor of Entertainment Fort Smith magazine. Korben and I had actually never met her, although, she felt like she knew us because she was facebook friends with Aaron. She had been looking at pictures of Korben on Aaron's facebook, and thought he would make the perfect "New Year's Baby" for her magazine cover. We were thrilled with her request, although, we never dreamed it would turn out as well as it did. Korben was NOT the best little boy he'd ever been in his life. The day of our photo shoot was the day after I had taken him to the doctor with his ear infection (5 days post ear tube surgery) and also the day after I had been in the ER ALL night long by myself.

Most of the photo shoot, in my memory, Korben acted like this...
























But thankfully, we eventually got this!

























We would have NEVER gotten the picture above if Santa had been anyone other than this familiar face.






























And here is one little out-take with Mommy.























Donna and staff at Entertainment Fort Smith, You have no idea how much you thrilled this Mommy and Daddy by allowing us this opportunity. For the rest of Korben's life, this photo will be a centerpiece every Christmas thanks to YOU. Thank you for your patience with us during a very trying week.

Early December Fun

Let me set the scene for you. It was a Sunday Morning. Korben had been awake for about an hour. For 59 minutes of that hour he had been watched with at least one set of eyes. I look at Aaron for ONE MINUTE to tell him something regarding the church clothes he had put on, then I looked back down to see Korben having an "Adam Lambert" moment with my mascara on the floor. It scared me just how accurately he put on that mascara. He also accurately got it all over the carpet, but thanks to "Resolve" we were alright. As for that matter, I'm going to start giving carpet cleaner as a baby shower gift. I've used it far more than any diaper rash cream or baby lotion.
































My Mom had come up this Sunday to visit. Our church was having their Christmas "Night of Praise." There are very few people who enjoy great worship music in the way that my Mom and I do...so she couldn't miss this Sunday. She tried to take my picture with Korben before church, but he was too obsessed with taking a "pitcher" himself with his Finding Nemo camera we got him at Target the day before. Ever since then he has loved taking pictures all over the house. Then he "looks" at the pictures he has taken and goes "Awwwwww."























At the "Happy Birthday Jesus" party after "Night of Praise."


























Wearing his "doggie vest" he wore last Christmas. You don't believe he could possibly wear the same thing he wore the year before? Check out the next picture.

































Flashback to Christmas last year. Here he is in the same little vest and shirt!


















I bribed him with "smarties" candy for these smiles. You can totally tell that they are fake. All of these cheesy grins make me laugh.

































































































For some reason, on this particular day, Korben wanted his "doggie" to eat his lunch with him. He was very nurturing to his doggie, and wanted to make sure he had plenty to eat. I wish you could have heard the one-sided conversation he had with his sweet little puppy that day. Priceless.




































































Korben and his cousin Jack at the Cunningham Christmas party on the 12th.

Thanksgiving

These first few pictures were actually taken outside my Grandmother's nursing home the weekend before Thanksgiving. I can't believe I accidentally got such great pictures of him just standing outside...too bad I couldn't get any pictures of him with Mema.



























































































CC, Korben and Goldie











































Thanksgiving at the Rodgers' house in Heber Springs. Here is Don showing my mom pictures from their recent trip to Scotland.
























This is a terrible quality picture, but it is all I have from our AMAAAAZZZINGGG Thanksgiving lunch. Julie is not in this because she was still "slaving" in the kitchen. Thank you Julie for working so hard for our delicious meal.



















Here is Korben with a random remote trying to locate a TV (or the "TT") as he calls it!



























Showing something to Moppy





























Tennis in the backyard with the guys!





























Waiting for the ball to come down (on his face!).

























Kind of thought this looked like a Baby Gap Ad.














































Action shot of Poppy, Korben, and Aaron having a blast outside.























Hangin' with Moppy while eating his favorite food (popcorn) and watching his favorite show (Blue's Clues).




































One memory I want to record from Thanksgiving is when Korben walked outside to play that afternoon, he pointed up to the sky and said "MOON!". Sure enough, there was a crescent moon in the blue sky at 3 in the afternoon. We were all floored, because other than Baby Einstein movies in which they talk about the Moon, I really didn't think Korben had ever seen one in real life. I know that sounds weird, but we're just hardly ever outside with him after dark. This just was one more confirmation to us that Korben is a genius. Haha!




We had such a relaxing Thanksgiving break. We had great quality family time, as usual, but we still managed to do some things that were "out of the norm" for us...including: building a fire, roasting marshmallows, and Aaron and I both completed books! Rarities, I tell you! It was a stark contrast to the week of gallbladder issues I'd had the previous week. I'd rather not blog about that though-Just the great times we had at Thanskgiving!