Henry Getting a Video Message From Santa!!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from me and my cousin Joey!

Gingerbread and Candy

Mom and I decorated a gingerbread house today. I say "decorated" because we didn't bake it, we bought a kit, and just decorated it all Christmas-y like.

Lock, stock, and barrel,
HAJ

They're All For Me!

Someone left all these presents under our tree! They're all for me!

HAJ

Remembering The Alamo

I thought I better share a few of my favorite photos from our trip to Texas over New Years. We spent a few days in Dallas, then a few days in Houston with the cousins, and then a few more days in Dallas. We got to see a lot more of Texas again this time, and the weather was amazing. Although Mom wasn't used to the heat, so she spent the whole vacation sweating.

We went to Frisco, TX to the Holiday Festival, and Dad bought me some pickle flavored popcorn from Love, Peace, and Popcorn. Believe it or not, it was YUMMY and I ate the whole bag. Then we went to dinner at a restaurant called Celebration. Daddy used to go there all the time as a kid. Mom ate fried okra for the first time. I was in a great mood and had a lovely time.

We got to Houston on New Year's Eve, and all the "adults" went to dinner and had bananas foster. Wow, what a flame! Then everyone came home and hung out and wore silly hats. On New Year's day we opened Christmas presents, and uncle Larry set off fireworks! I was a little nervous about that, but we all made it out alive.

Here are a few shots of me and my cousins. All Mom wanted was one nice picture of all of us. But no one felt like cooperating. I love being goofy with my cousins!

Hear no evil,
HAJ

I Wanna Sleigh Ride

The weather was awfully cold and snowy when we were in South Dakota for Christmas. But ya know what's good about that? Sledding! With a little help from Daddy and Gpa, and with Gma pulling me on Mom's old (border line antique) sled, we buzzed all over the neighborhood. I had so much fun!

Don't eat the yellow snow,
HAJ

Holiday Hijinx

Happy New Year! I know I've been gone a while, but we're finally home for good. We'll, we're home, Daddy is gone again to his annual fishing trip up north. Must be good to be Daddy. Anyway, we're just happy to be home in our own beds, with our own remote controls for the TVs, and good to hear our own radio stations. I'm sure you're all just chompin' at the bit to hear what's been going on the last three weeks, so since the next few days are packed with absolutely NOTHING to do, I'll recap:

We spent Christmas in Aber-dabber with G&G E. Not to relive it, but the drive there was less than ideal, and let's just say Mom and Dad are still married. We were able to stop by and lunch with Auntie M and Big Jim, and that saved the day! When we arrived, we all got hugs from Gpa E, and all was better.

Christmas was amazing. We went to church, and "That was fun!" I couldn't believe all the presents, and food, and candy. Just between you and I, I really don't think I was that good. I left cookies and milk out for Santa, and carrots out for the reindeer, and they ate them all right up. Well, Santa left half a cookie but I was happy to finish it off for him.

Christmas day was great because my Great Gma E came over with my Great GREAT aunt Lydia, and we watched the horsie movie and GGma made STRUDLES! They were amazing!

The highlight of my Christmas was my new horsie racing game that Santa brought for me. I played it the whole rest of Christmas, when we got home, and that's all I could talk about on the plane ride home from Texas yesterday. From now on, if you need me, you'll know where I'll be.

More tomorrow!

HAJ

Walking the dog...little Sugar.

Five Days Down...To My Tummy

I tell ya what, these Christmas traditions just keep getting better and better everyday. The other day I received a package from my Great Grandma Nelson. She sent me an Advent Calendar. Now, this is amazing. It has 25 little doors that you're supposed to open every day in December to count down the days until Christmas. AND THERE'S CHOCOLATE BEHIND EACH DOOR. EACH. DOOR. Honestly, life is good. Oh, and its hard to smile with chocolate in my teeth.

So Hungry He Could Eat The North End Out Of A South Bound Cow,
HAJ

My Dad Used To Be Scared Too

Last night I par-took in another Christmas tradition and watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I thought it was a great show....until......THE MONSTER! If you look closely between the slats, you can see my dust!

It's all about pride,
HAJ

My Christmas

On Saturday we went through our yearly ritual, and headed out to Goldenman Farm to pick out our Christmas tree. We drove through the frasers, and the pines, and then there it was. Do you see it? It's this one! A beautifully fragrant balsam fir. Daddy broke out the saws-all and went to work to cut 'er down. As you probably predicted, I was not a fan of the saw, and wouldn't get very close to the tree at all. Once we were heading back to the truck, I was a little more cooperative.

We drove the tree over to the teenagers, and they shook the old needles out, and then threw 'er in a bag and brought her to our truck. One the way home, we stopped for a hot chocolate and listened to Christmas music. Mom decorated her up and there she stands. My Christmas. Its not a tree, its my Christmas. Dad says its the best tree we've had yet!

Stickler for the rules,

HAJ

A Study of Behinds....

While going through all my photos from the past holiday, I noticed a theme in a lot of the photos. Seems there are a couple of big bottoms in my family, and these bottoms have snuck into a few of the photos. For example, here's Gpa E, taken by GmaE. And then here's a shot of Mama. What do you suppose GmaE was trying to take a photo of?

And the craziness also happened in Texas. Starting out with one on purpose by Mr. Hilarious himself. And here's Gpa Jack. My crazy cousin Annie even got in the spirit.

Last night Pman and his mom and dad came over, so I decided to keep the tradition alive.

Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,

HAJ

A View Of the Molar

In case you want to see a good shot of the chopper in my mouth. I can really show off my molars in just one smile. Just click on the picture above, and take a gander. Truly though, I just have some great pics from Christmas that I want to share with you, and I'm trying to make up stories that fit them. I think there will be only one more installment, and then we'll move back into present time.

Nurses call the shots,
HAJ

Round Out Christmas

I wanted share this photo of me by the Christmas tree......does this have Christmas spirit written all over it, or what? GmaE took it on our Christmas night, along with this one. We put the camera on a timer, (thanks to New Auntie, aka - technological queen), and it looks like I'm the only one who didn't quite make time it right.

Hope springs eternal,
HAJ

Best Time Ever

I have to say, my favorite thing to do on vacation in Texas, was to jump on the "tramp" with my cousins Annie, Cody, and Presley. They are better at it then I am, and Cody can even do a flip. Sometimes they double bounced me or landed on my head, but I just couldn't stop giggling. The only time that was bad, was when Mom got on with me. She'd never been on a trampoline either, and she ended up double bouncing me at least 4 times in a row, all the while my face banged onto the trampoline. Jeez lady, I'm just little. Oh yeah, how cool are the palm trees in the background? Can you believe it was Christmas?

As luck would have it,
HAJ

The Grandma Tour Has Ended

Well, we're finally home from the Grandma Tour of 2007. Honestly, I was just thinking about it, and I hit every grandma on this tour, along with 2/3 grandpas, and throw in a few great aunts and uncles, great great aunts, and a cousin here and there, and let's call it a family reunion of sorts.

Its nice to be home. We got home yesterday and are completely wiped out. I went back to school today, and Mom's at work for one day, then we're going to be home together for a few days to try and get back on schedule. Mom and Dad say I need to be deprogrammed from all of the spoiling I got from the Grandma Tour of 2007. I say, let's do it all again next week!

Been there... done that,
HAJ

PS - I have to send a shout out to Beau in Colorado. I missed his birthday on 12/31, when already turned the big 0-1!

Presents Galore

We had yet another Christmas yesterday! I just can't believe all the presents. To be honest, its a bit over whelming for me, and I haven't gotten through it. I can only do about two at a time, and then I need a break. I can tell you so far I've gotten the greatest dog book and a train. Today we're off to great-grandma E's for....wait for it.....yeah, you know.....STRUDLES! Don't be jealous!

As luck should have it!
HAJ

Noel

Merry Christmas everyone! Santa came to Aunt Niki and Uncle Larry's house. I can't believe he found me down here in Texas, but he did. We all must have got our apology letters in to him in time, because we made quite the load. He even ate the cookies, and the reindeer ate the hay. All of the reindeer even signed a letter for me, so now I have all of their autographs. I can't believe that this guy just comes and leaves presents; its too good to be true! I'm going to be good all year this year, just to make sure he comes again next year.

Merry Christmas!
HAJ

Waiting Is the Hardest Part

Today my cousins and I are in full on prep mode for the BIG MAN's visit tonight. Some of us a little more desperate than others. There has already been one "I'm sorry about yesterday" letter written to Santa this morning, along with a "last minute" letter when someone remembered they forgot to ask for a certain toy. We have cookies, milk, and a bag of hay for the reindeer sitting by the fireplace ready and WAITING! Oh the waiting...its TORTURE!

Happy Christmas Eve from Texas!

HAJ

Texas Day 1

We arrived safe and sound in TX yesterday. The flight was great, and if I do say so myself, I was great! I didn't cry once, and I loved looking out the windows and playing peekaboo with the kids in the seat in front of me. I think we'll be doing a lot more of this flying thing.

When we got to Fort Worth, Gammy and Grandpa took us to the Fort Worth Stock Yards, aka Cow Town. We saw an amazing parade with long horn cows in it, and then we got our picture taken with a real horse with a real cowboy (he thinks he's John Wayne.)

Then we did a little shopping and went to dinner at a place called Booger Red's Saloon. Where they specialize in Buffalo Butt beer. Here's why they call it Buffalo Butt. And this is what it looks like on the other side of that wall! But there were a few things that concerned me. Like I'm not sure if this is up to code or not. And I wonder what this beer tastes like? They had super cool saddles as barstools. Its Daddy's dream to have these at his bar some day, even Mama was down with it.

Today we're doing a little more last minute shopping, and then steaks for dinner! Yay! We're off to Houston to see the rest of the fam tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Eat and run,
HAJ

PS - Special shout out to G&GE celebrating their 38th anniversary! That many years is way beyond my brain works. See you next week, and I love you!