Animal Noises

Video Clip - A little background for you before you watch the video clip... Thomas has an animal plate that he is eating dinner on tonight. He knows the sounds that each of the animals make (for example: cow - moo, dog - woof, etc). We have already finished dinner (Thomas is straggling), so Brian sits with him as he finishes. The two of them start imitating, repeating and trying to out-do each other when it comes to the animal noises. Enjoy!

Surf Fishing

After we washed the car today, we headed over to the beach. NO, not to swim - the water is a chilly 65 degrees and there were RED flags flying today (which means the surf is too rough). We actually went over to take a walk and also for Daddy to throw the fishing rod in the water and do some surf fishing. Meanwhile, Mommy and I played in the sand (and the surf).

Afterwards, Daddy had to wash me off (burrrr, a chilly shower) because I was loaded down with wet clothes, sand all over me, and a very heavy diaper that was weighing me down! We are headed there as Mommy runs to get fresh clothes and the dry beach towel out of the car!

Car Washing with Daddy

I know that it is only a few days after Christmas, but it has been extremely warm down here in Florida this week. So... Daddy decided that his truck needed a washing. Of course, I was his little helper today. Actually - I played in all the bubbles more than helped, but I sure did have fun!

Daddy is trying to show me how to scrub the tires and the chrome to make it shine!

Santa was certainly HERE!

Santa, Santa, Santa was HERE! He brought me this play table with a Thomas the Train set! Oh my gosh... I love it and can't get enough of it. Mommy & Daddy said if I was a good little boy this year that Santa would come and bring me a present!

I stayed busy ALL morning with the train & all the cars...

I also got a "classic" Radio Flyer Rider from my Grannie & Poppie - can you tell I LOVE it?

I also got a brand new chair to sit and read all of my books (which is a favorite past time).

Nana got me a matching white rocker to go on the front porch with Mommy & Daddy's white rockers. Now we just need to get a Santa Hat to go on my chair so it matches...

More "Ho-Ho-Ho" pictures

Christmas Pictures at the park

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Meeting Santa

Mommy & Daddy have been telling me that Santa will be coming to town soon and he is watching to see that I am a good little boy. I'm starting to really get into the Christmas spirit with the tree, the decorations and even wearing my red Santa hat. BUT... yesterday we went to have "Brunch with Santa" and I THOUGHT it would be fun and exciting to meet him...
... this is the ONLY semi-good picture that we got of us with Santa. ALL of the others are of me screaming and crying. I just don't know how I feel about the big white beard and the "ho-ho-ho" that he says. Hmmmm...

Working with Daddy

Today Daddy and I were outside working in the garage and tinkering with lots of things. Daddy needed to check out Mommy's car and see how things were running, so I decided to help. Granted I wasn't always looking at what Daddy was, I still wanted to do what he did.
Here we are checking out the tires and making sure tire pressure is good. What would he do without my help?

Dare devil II

Video Clip - We knew it was coming to this dare devil act...

An Amazing Honor

Mommy Blog - I am truely blessed to have the support & faith of my teaching colleagues who chose me as the Choctaw HS "Teacher of the Year"!

Me and Mrs. Gates (my principal)

Just a lazy & silly Sunday

Our Christmas Tree

(My favorite part are the bells hung on all of the low branches for me)

As Mommy baked Christmas cookies, Daddy and me played around...

Just crashed out in the afternoon (Daddy is actually sound asleep)!

Merry Christmas from the 823d!

Mommy Blog - I thought it was going to be like any other 823d RED HORSE Christmas party... good drinks and good company! Everyone would have a chance to visit and relax after a long 7 month deployment this past year. Well, there is no way that I thought at the beginning of the party that the night would end with...

... the Hecks winning the grand prize!

Yes... it really is a big screen TV. Crazy! A 42" Big Screen TV! Our reaction was both shock, excitement, giddiness, and just plain happy (as you can see by our faces)!
But here is the thing - we already own a big screen TV - we don't need another one (I had to convince Brian of that), so the next day we returned and it and padded our pockets with lots of money that we will spend on something we really need. I'm thinking a diamond necklace, but Brian was thinking something for the boat. Oh well, we'll see. Meanwhile - Merry Christmas from the 823d RED HORSE!

Jingle Bell 5K Run

Well, it sure was a cold morning (40 degrees) to go on the Jingle Bell 5K run... but we did it and had fun. The last time Mommy ran a race, Daddy was deployed and I was on the sidelines with Grannie. This time all 3 of us were in it. Mommy ran solo and Daddy and I were the "team" (he pushed me in the running stroller). Nana met us down there at the race and afterwards we all had breakfast together. This race is always neat because everyone dresses up in Christmas colors or Santa outfits and Christmas music is playing the entire time... people even bring their doggies and dress them up in Christmas costumes... too funny!!!!

Update - Apparently Daddy won 3rd place (bronze) in his age division! Not too bad for his first time running with me & the stroller. Mommy just laughed at him and reminded him that some speedy, running chick pushing her baby beat him in the final stretch... Hmmmm, I think Mommy was making fun of Daddy! :)

L to R: Marilyn Gentry (mommy's department chairman), Mommy, and Kelsey Calderone (Mommy's former student, now in 10th grade)

Couch Monster

Video Clip - Here is our little daredevil... no fear!

Santa's Little Elf

I hope no one out there thinks that I don't pull my own weight at the house. Here I am "hauling" my dirty diapers out of the Diaper Genie - for those of you who don't know what that is, it's a tall bucket with a lid that keeps the awful smell of diapers trapped away. So - I'm bringing it to Daddy so he can throw it in the outside trashcan. Just call me "Santa's Little Elf!"

Here I am just sitting on the 'fridge ledge and playing with the salad dressings and marinades one evening this week. OK, so I'm not exactly helping... more like getting in the way... but I'm still very much apart of the nightly cooking that happens in the kitchen.

Winter baby

December is here and that means that Christmas is on its way and its cold outside. We are hoping that everyone has had a great start to the holiday season so far.