Cheese!

We're still working on it.

Sometimes it looks like it hurts to smile

Maybe a head tilt will help

Hmm.

Maybe not.

Better with Mom?

We'll keep working on it...

It came!!!

CHRISTMAS!!!!

We woke up nice and early

and waited as patiently as we could on the stairs.

We even broke out into a spontaneous round of

Jingle Bells

while we waited for Mom and Dad

Finally,

they said we could come down...

Booking it...

As fast as we can...

OMG!

What did Santa bring???

MICE!

Meet 

Tucker's Kevin (brown)

Beckett's Batman (black)

Weston's Pipsqueak (white)

Jack's Mr. Squeaks (black and white) 

To say we were thrilled

would be a huge understatement.

Our first real venture into pet ownership...

It was a good day--

we got more electronics

than anyone probably needed

met with lots of smiles

Well, mostly smiles

We spent the morning with Kurt and Amanda

and GiGi and Grandpa.

There were lots of good gifts

and good times.

Mom had to work today,

so she ran around the city seeing babies

while we rested up for round 2

We spent the evening

with the Reed side.

Our awesome trip to Branson was our gift this year,

but everyone still got a gift to open

A good time was had by all!

We had dinner,

played some games,

and spent some good ol' quality time together.

It was a good Christmas.

Christmas Eve is here

We are SO EXCITED!!!

The days couldn't go fast enough,

and now it's finally here!

Christmas Eve!

We hosted the Woods Christmas Eve dinner

again this year.

I set up the Santa Tracker

so we could keep an eye on

The Man in Red

as the night went on.

Everyone was there--

Cousin Aaron and his girlfriend Jasmine

and me and Beck

Grandpa, Uncle Mark, Aunt Peggy

Jake, Carol, Matthew, Vince, Chelsea 

GiGi, Weston and Aunt Mandy

Dad and special guest Grandma

(they finally accepted our invite!)

Kurt, Papa, and Mom

And Uncle Steve and T

We ate and drank,

opened presents,

and were merry.

It was a perfect start to the holiday!

We were up awfully late

(almost 11?!?!!)...

I hope Santa didn't pass us up...

Happy birthday, Grandpa!

GiGi is really good about always celebrating

Grandpa's birthday

even though it's just before Christmas.

We ate out at Habaneros.

Grandpa thought that meant he was safe from singing.

Oh, no.

He was wrong.

Because there was cake involved,

he went along with it.

Mmmm.

And boy was it good.

Choo-choo

Grandma has brought us to Union Station

to see the Christmas trains

every year we can remember.

This year, Mom AND Dad came along too!

It's always awe-inspiring

Tucker was here last year,

but he doesn't remember

There's so much to look at!

There was something to point out everywhere!

We could have stayed for days

So cool

The other cool part is the huge bridge

that runs over the rail yard

We always wait until one rumbles by

Thanks, GiGi!

What a fun morning!

We topped the morning off

with lunch at Winsteads

and our first Skyscraper milkshake

Yes, this is what our family

usually looks like...

chaos.

Definitely in the Christmas spirit now!!!

Boy life

Our parents get asked a lot about

what it's like to have 4 boys.

This.

Another round

We took swim lessons this month

so we were ready for swim team in January.

Unfortunately, even though he said he wanted to,

Beckett ended up sitting by the side of the pool

and missing out.

Maybe next round.

Here's Wes braving the diving board

waaaay on the other side.

The awesome news?

I passed level 5 and Wes passed level 4.

Let's see what January brings...

The silver lining

There is oddly an upside to a funeral.

Lots of family gets together 

from far and wide to spend some time together.

This one was no exception.

We got to meet our Texas cousins,

Reed and Ella

and see Great-great Aunt Patsy again.

I think she was a little overwhelmed

with all 8 of us...

It was really great to see everyone,

even if it started for a sad reason.

The oldest and youngest Reed

On Thursday, December 8,

 little did we know this would be

the last picture of me and Great Grandpa Carl.  

I've been visiting him every few days

for the last few months

since he got sick and 

was moved to the hospital,

then the rehab facility,

and back and forth and back and forth.

I think I get as big a kick out of our visits

as Grandpa Carl does.

Maybe it's all the suckers

I get to eat when we visit.

Or maybe it's just Grandpa Carl.

This visit was unusual in that

Grandpa Carl was really out of it. 

But when we got ready to say goodbye,

Grandma and Papa told me to tell him we were leaving.  

Grandpa Carl picked me up

and I gave him the biggest hug around his neck and patted him

on the back. 

That evening Grandpa went back 

to Research Hospital and declined from there.  

We lost him on

Friday, December 16. 

We love you and miss you already, Grandpa Carl!

We'll think of you when we hear

a train whistle blow

or the roar of a B-17 overhead.