My New Toy...

I finally got one!!!

This is my new Fujifilm Instax MINI 7s White Instant Film Camera!! It is the cutest thing in an odd sort of way...

I included the  9volt battery so you can see the size of all this mini! (Why a 9 volt - it was the only small thing within my reach!) The camera is like the "old" poladoid cameras.  The photo actually comes out of the top of this camera...boys loved that!

The pictures are 2x3...about the size of a business card. HOW FUN!! Won't these be fun to scrapbook AND they fit perfectly in baseball sheet protectors (which I use a lot in my albums.) the only draw back is that you get one chance to get the picture taken correctly and the film is a bit expensive, about a dollar a photo...but thankfully my sister included 50 sheets! Meanwhile, I will start checking the Internet for "deals" on film. :)

Cousin Christmas...

We had Cousin Christmas this week...the boys really look forward to this day!

The cousins got the boys a deer hunting video game. jack wasn't sure if he was hunting deer or trying to look like a gangster!


Doesn't Sam look like a natural hunter? Look at my sister-in-law in the background.
She is thinking, "Maybe I shouldn't have gotten this game for two city boys!!"

It was all business when it came to shooting deer!

Cousin L. whipped up some deer jerky. The boys and I were a little taken aback with the white stringy things in the raw jerky meat. Reminded me of when the boys say, "I have a loose tooth, but it has a stringy thing holding it in!"

A fun picture of the cousins together...

Oh, Happy Birthday, Cousin Mer!!!

OOPS!

So I was THINKING about changing the look of my blog.  I was messing around with templates THINKING that I could change it back to the original and play around with it more this weekend...as you can see...OOPS!  No changing it back...so you are looking at a new look, that may be here tomorrow or may not be here tomorrow!!

Belding Christmas Photos...

I really have to work hard to get one good family picture...

We started with the boys. My dad told them to look to the left for a different "look" to the picture. Sam didn't get that idea and it shows on his face!

Typical Jack...

Typical boys with Aunt!

Moose loves her Sammy!!!

Jason and Sam had a contest on who could sit up the straightest!

Moose just passing through! My mom is admiring her freshly brushed tail!

I didn't make this photo and Jason couldn't take his eye off the football game!

Words of encouragement for me to get into the picture on time!!

Jason can't STAND trying to get a family picture and it is starting to show..

Megan walked around with wrapping paper most of the night...

I did get some great photos that I will share with you...but these are more "true" to our family Christmas!!

The Last Happenings of Henry...

Henry spent his last week with us...and we were sad to see him go...

He spun around on the ceiling fan one day...(I think I need to dust..eewww!)

...which lead to more of this!

He jumped in the car and rode around with us all day...

...buckle up for safety. Though i do think he should probably be in a car seat as jack suggested.

He participated in a wicked snowball fight with some other friends...

Henry has a wicked right..took Kermit OUT!

 

After the boys got home from school, weI started to throw the "snowballs" around..they were pretty hard and Sam took one in the forehead..can you spot the red circle just above his right eye?

jack was a sneaky attacker...

Sam started to launch several snowballs at once!

Jack and Moose fought for marshmallows that landed on the ground...Moose got about 90% of them.

Back to Henry...

He found a nice resting spot (after all that spinning and throwing) in our birdcage.

He literally took his life in his own hands and snuck up on Moose one day for a free ride...

Look at them eyeing each other!! (He remembered to buckle up for safety!)

Then an impromptu jam session broke out on the couch!

Moosie May (named before our "real" Moosie May!) played the mariachis!

Henry laid down some sweet licks on the guitar...

Clarence had a few moving harmonica solos...

A rare appearance by the little drummer man...

And Ella the elephant pounded the skins on the drums. It was very soul moving!!

Will post how Henry left us on Christmas Eve...

A Visit with Santa...

Last week we headed to the mall to visit Santa.

We waited in line...for a long time. Long for not having many people in front of us!! Only two people were running the show...and a slow show that was! Sam wasn't sure if he should go this year...he totally believes, just didn't know if he wanted to "sit on Santa's lap." That could be creepy...

Once we got around the corner and saw that you sit BESIDE Santa, he was good to go. Then he worried about how many gifts he should ask for. He didn't want to seem spoiled or greedy (bless his heart..meanwhile Jack asked for a pen and paper to add to his enormous list..just kidding!)

Sam got right up there and once the kid starts talking...it takes awhile for him to stop. He asked for some Legos and a book...so it didn't seem like he just wanted toys! Meanwhile, jack is preparing his speech...I can tell because when he counts, he begins with his thumb!!

Well, Sam had more to say...

...and more to say. I think Santa and jack were starting to fall asleep!!

Love the gigantic tree in the background...so cool!! (yes, Sam is still talking!)

this picture isn't the best because you can't be on the "floor" (the red carpet) and take pictures. So i was far away snapping as many as I possibly could!! thank goodness I did...see story at the end!

And now Jack's turn...

He must have had a lot to share because Santa handed a book to Sam and told him he could start to read to pass some time!! (another joke!)

AND THEN...i asked the lady helper if I could look at the pictures...she looked at me and said, "Oh, I didn't know you wanted me to take any pictures, so I didn't take any pictures of your boys." WHAT??? WHY IN THE WORLD DO YOU THINK WE STOOD IN LINE??? I must have looked aghast..because she started talking FAST..."Well, I did take one...it's a candid shot....i love taking those kind...look how the three of them are giggling together...some of these candids are really turning our well this year...blah blah blah..." I looked at Jas, he rolled his eyes and whispered to me, "it will probably be the last time that Sam goes up to see Santa, just get it." (*sob*) I must have had my ninja killer mom look in my eyes and he was trying to keep the peace. So I looked at her and said, "I take it." She printed off while STILL talking fast, "blahblahblahblah..." I was rude, because when she handed it to me, I didn't even say thank you. (shame on me.) And when I looked at it, as I was walking away, I said, "There is dust on the chair." Seriously Katie???...good come back...so mature... You are NOT passive aggressive!!

Jack in His Arizona Outfit...

The other weekend, Jack came down all dressed...for summer!

Shorts, a "beach" shirt, a white muscle shirt and a lei. "What's up with the outfit?" I asked. "When I go to Arizona, I am going to wear this." "Well, I don' think we are going to be able to go to Arizona this year...we went to Disney World," I explained. "You never know," he answered.

He wore it while I baked cookies for my work cookie exchange (someone even asked for the recipe! FIRST TIME EVER!!!)

And while he and Jason played Monopoly that afternoon...
At one point Sam went outside to play basketball and jack followed him out...with flip flops on!!
Where does the kid get this???