Up to Date in December

As you can tell, I am desperately trying to get caught up on our family blog, so here are the last videos and pictures from December.

At the beginning of the month we had our Iowa Family (not related by blood, but related for all the reasons that count) come to visit us. It's so nice that we have returned to the Midwest so that we can see some of our long lost friends again.

We went to a local old train station that has a yearly tradition of exhibiting a huge train display at Christmas time. I sadly, didn't take many pictures and not nearly enough pictures of our IA family, but what I have will have to do. Above, Taylor (I can't believe she is 13!!) is holding Hayden. She and twin brother Michael were so great to help out with the kids all weekend long. Whether Michael wanted it or not he had a side kick every second by the name of Carter. Taylor even changed a diaper for us!!

Kim holding Hayden.

Some of the train display.

Hayden just content to be a long for the ride as usual.

Later in the month, Matt and Carter built a fort in the basement.
It even came with a secret handshake (oops, I guess it's not so secret anymore):

Hayden was just playing with the other toys and wishing that brother would let her into the fort. Alas, no girls allowed. (Mom got to go in once.)

Our snow amounts here have been pitiful so far (I'm not complaining). Only once, was it somewhat worthy of getting snow clothes on to taste some delicious snow. But it was much too cold for Mom, Dad, or Hayden to attempt to go out in it. So Carter was out for maybe 5 minutes and then he too decided it was too cold.

The video below is of Hayden at the beginning of her stair climbing days when she was trying to climb stairs every second that she could. Now, her thing is trying to sneak into bathrooms to play with the toilet. There is something about that white, sparkling (I try) throne. Really, it just grosses me out, so the rule at this house is the bathroom door is to be closed AT ALL TIMES!