Christmas Photo Dump

It may be about a week late, but I wanted to post some (non iPhone) pictures from Christmas. I don't know about you, but our Christmas was awesome. It was fun this year with the hooligans being a little bit older. And not to mention it being Jericho's first Christmas! Now we are looking forward to the next big event around here: Jericho's first birthday! But for now, he's a glimpse of what Christmas looked like around these parts.

Baby Season

I'm not a hunter, but I doubt this guy has a permit for this. (No babies were harmed in the making of this video, I promise.) It also wasn't my idea...but I'm always available to video my kids' shenanigans to be used for blackmail and/or my own entertainment. ;)

Love, The Barrons

Just wishing everyone a merry Christmas. Hope it was as awesome as our was. Full of flying wrapping paper, screaming kids, chocolate, and a good 8 miler. Ok, so maybe the run was just over here...but whatever makes you merry, I hope yesterday was full of it! :)

Silent Night

As we get ready for Christmas Eve and Christmas over the next few days, I wanted to make sure I spend time focusing on what's really important around here. (Not making sure I get the blog posts in, or keep all the crumbs off the counter, or keeping the kids from killing each other. Well...that last one is probably important, but ya know.) So it might be a little of "silent night" over here on the blog.

So I may post a picture or a little snippet or two during this week, but if not, have no fear. The hooligans' shenanigans will be back with a vengeance when we come out of our Christmas family-time/chillaxation coma. I use the term "chillax" very loosely, for I know one does not, in fact, do any of the sort when they have three children.

I am continually excited to hear the hooligans reminding everyone that Christmas isn't about toys, but it's about Jesus. So following their hooligan-wisdom, we hope to have lots of that in the next few days too. The reason for this season, and the reason for any and every season

Hope your Christmas is filled to overflowing with peace and joy, and an awe for the Source of that peace and joy. Merry Christmas, y'all!

Just Add Friday

...and a little instagram. Here's a little peek into our week, as seen by my iPhone.

Although he hasn't done it since, Jericho did stand up on his own this week! Big guy!

So, taking a poll. Would you wear those shoes? I say they look like a hospital visit waiting to happen for this girl. If I gotta break an ankle, I'd rather do it in my running shoes. ;) Although I can do without that as well.

That would be the face of mischief. Beware.

As requested, Merrick got "a funny line" on his corn dog, just like on the box. I may not be a chef, but I can handle a funny line.

Did a little "express Christmas" with my family, since they won't all be here on Christmas day. It was lots of fun, and Jericho got a pretty sweet new hat, as you can see. He kind of looks like his hat, come to think of it. ;)

Oh, and last but not least, Jericho apparently has a thing for dog food. Who needs cheerios? ;)

Weird is the New Normal

Me and the hooligans built our first fort the other night. It was a lot of fun. They really seemed to enjoy mostly running in and out of it and yelling, but who am I to say how a fort needs to be used?

Jericho didn't do much running, as you can see. But he is pretty determined to figure out how to scale this bookshelf like his siblings before him. And he gives new meaning to the term bookworm, since he liked to eat them for snack.

They can't go 5 minutes without being weird, which I guess makes that normal around here. So I wasn't surprised when playing in a fort turned into what you see above. Not surprised at all.

This is about where the fort met it's end. When Tirzah decided to try to start using it as a slide we called it quits. I know, I'm such a party pooper. ;)

Every Piece of This

Every year for the last few years, we've taken the hooligans to see the "Tacky Light Tour" in our local town. It's just a route you drive that goes past the most ridiculously tacky and festively cray-cray homes nearby.

What? You don't go look at lights in costume? They would do everything in costume I think if I let them. I figured we'd be in the van, no one would care...so why not? Anything to keep the peace ya know. Pick your battles, all that.

And no drive around town looking at lights is complete without a good rock version of a Christmas song, right? Well, that's probably just us, but ya know. This family can't go very long without a little Shinedown karaoke.

There were some really amazing light displays. Merrick kept reminding us that "he wished we had lights like those". Awesome as those lights are...I cannot imagine the headache it was to put them up/take them down. I think I would definitely pull a redneck and leave those suckers up all year long if that was the case. But we definitely appreciated their hard work and willingness to pay out the wazoo for their electric bill.

There always seems to be someone who is either too young to care, or playing Scrooge. This year it was Tirzah. She fell asleep after literally about the second house...and that was after throwing a huge fit getting into the car. We all decided it was better that she was asleep. Oh, and it's tradition that someone always poops mid-tour, as well. One of the kids, that is. Billy is totally house-trained. This year, since we just have one hooligan in diapers, Jericho fulfilled this tradition for us. Bah-Humbug just a little.

We really did have a great time driving around looking at lights, even though the fragrance wasn't exactly pine and holly. I've loved watching Christmas happen through the eyes of the hooligans, who are a bit older and more understanding, this year. It's fun to watch the wonder on their faces, and remember yourself how much there truly is to wonder about.

Merrick's only lament over the trip was that Tirzah did fall asleep and, as he put it, missed "every piece of this". She may have missed a few thousand lights, but we are definitely enjoying the every piece of this. :)