16 Days of Family Time --- Christmas Vacation 2014

The holidays with kids are magical…just magical. Although both of the boys had some upper-respiratory yuckiness, we had a great time together over the holidays. Truly a great time.

So many fun memories --- JE's 1st Christmas and RF's 3rd, cousin-time, the Georgia Aquarium, lots of Finding Nemo, Planes, and Curious George while curled up on the couch together, arts and craft projects, and sleeping in (sort of, sleeping in for our boys is 6:30).

We are so excited for what 2015 holds for the Hawk family and are thankful for the blessings 2014 brought to us.

A gingerbread train for RF to put together...

Making a big ole' mess in mama's dining room...

Christmas morning…

Well our Christmas morning at home. We spent Christmas in Georgia, so we did Christmas at our house the weekend before. 

Loving his car from Santa...

Ellis wondering what in the world he is looking at...

I don't know about this, mama...

Opening his Harold the Helicopter (his want - we do the four present rule - a want, a need, a read and a wear present) from his daddy and me. 

Alright, mama. I see how this works...

RF's favorite spot in his Nana and Babu's yard…the fish pond. 

Picking flowers (dandelions) for mama...

Playing peek-a-boo with daddy...

Playing with his new train table and his new Toby engine from Nana and Babu on Christmas morning...

Ellis's first Christmas (wearing the same pajamas as his brother did on his first Christmas)...

This is why I call Ellis my Happiness…all smiles. 

Something else to chew on, mama…teething stinks. 

Playing trains with Nana…

How cute am I, mama? 

RF teaching Ellis about his trains...

RF exploring a train car...

"Robert's on a train, mama!" 

RF at the Georgia Aquarium seeing all the fishes...

RF is in a Finding Nemo phase so he was excited to see a Dory fish...

And a Nemo fish...

RF and daddy watching the Beluga whales...

Shadows of mama, daddy and RF...

Gracie watching over her baby brother…

RF and JE's gift to their grandparents this year…

Brothers...

RF on the top and JE on the bottom…

Christmas Eve 2014

We decided to spend Christmas in Perry this year with RA's parents and although both of the boys have been a bit under the weather, they are having the time of their lives with their Nana and Babu. 

We've baked and decorated cookies, driven around looking at Christmas lights, gone on a walk around the neighborhood, colored, played trucks and tractors and laughed and laughed. 

I cannot even begin to explain how much RF loves his Nana and Babu. The whole car ride here he would remind us that we were heading to Georgia by saying, "Robert go see Nana and Babu in Georgia." 

Seeing the joy on his face as he plays and makes memories is such a heart-warming experience. Seeing the world through their eyes is the best gift ever. 

Merry Christmas Eve from the Hawks! 

RF's favorite spot in Nana and Babu's yard...

Such a big guy...

A flower for you, mama...

A walk around the neighborhood with two of my boys...

Run, little boy, run...

That smile...

That playfulness...

Those eyes...

And these eyes...

Cookie decorating time with Nana...

Naps at Nana's house are the best...

Merry Christmas, folks...

A little art time with daddy...

Crazy amount of Christmas lights at a house in Perry...

Camping, A Four-Month Old, and Thanksgiving Day

Pretty random topics to put together into one post, but hey - time is of the essence here in the Hawk house right now, folks. Life is crazy busy, but oh so much fun as a family of four. :-)

Camping.
A couple of weekends ago RA set up the tent for he and RF to camp in the backyard. Things went really well until RF realized I wouldn't be sleeping in the tent with them at which point he made it clear that he was done and wanted to come inside. We'll try again another time. Maybe when Ellis is a little older and he and I can camp out, too.

The tent ready to go...

A camping essential...

Playing in the tent...

Roasting marshmallows...

Enjoying his first-ever s'more...

Take me inside, mama - it's freaking freezing out here...

And they're done. This photo makes me laugh out loud. 

All three Hawk boys entranced watching Star Wars...

A Four-Month Old.
JE turned four months old on November 20th. He had his four-month check up earlier this week and we received a clean bill of health and some stats showing that our early bird is growing quickly as he is up to 14 lbs, 7 oz and 25.5 inches long.

Cuteness...

Thanksgiving Day.
We spent today hanging out at home and enjoying the day together as a family. My mom came in town last night to spend today and tomorrow with us and RF loved having his Meme around. He stayed busy, busy, busy all day.

This is what my main hallway looked like at 7AM this morning...

JE and RA enjoying the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade...

A THOMAS BALLOON, mama! A THOMAS BALLOON, mama! 

I heard this over and over and over. He was so excited to see Thomas in the parade and as equally ticked off when the parade continued and he could no longer see it. 

Out for an afternoon stroll around the block...

Wagon ride to see the lion statues in our around-the-corner neighbor's yard...

I kiss Ellis, mama. 

I pet Ellis, mama. 

(Can't make this stuff up…that's actually what he said.)

Impromptu photo shoot with the Christmas lights as we were putting up the tree...

Brothers...

Little hands and little feet...

What in the world is this thing, mama? 

Be. Still. My. Heart.