Dear Lucas (6 years and 5 months),

I just love, love, love this time of year. You are out of school for most of it and I just love all of our holiday traditions and developing new ones with you.

The first thing we did to kick of the Christmas season was go to "The Journey." It's an interactive living nativity that lets you experience the night Jesus was born. This was our second year going. Afterwards just the two of us went out to dinner. I let you pick the place and we wound up at WAFFLE HOUSE. Boy, are you a cheap date. We were the only ones in the whole place and you thought that was pretty cool.

Two days later it was time for another Christmas tradition, the Santa Train. You were even in the ad for this years event. You decorated ornaments, drank hot chocolate, talked to Santa, and we topped it all off with a train ride.

I love that even though I am a part time working Mom I still get to go to your school events. During your class Christmas party everyone got to decorate their very own gingerbread house. I know I've said this before but I really mean it, I love any chance that I am known only as "Lucas' Mom." I also love getting to bring you home early from school after classroom events.

Yet another Christmas tradition is to go and see Christmas lights. I've taken you to see the Halderman's lights every Christmas since you've been born.

This year we created another tradition when we went to Madrac Farms in Rincon, GA with your friend Preston. They had a Christmas tree farm, a hayride through Christmas lights. Santa was there and they had all these campfires for roasting marshmallows. It was really neat.

Another new thing we did this year was to go ice skating. You were so excited to finally be on a real ice skating rink. It was a little tricky to get the hang of and you probably spent more time on your knees and your bootie than on your feet but that's okay. I was so proud of you. You never gave up or got frustrated, not even for a second. You just kept on trying.

To take a break from all the time we spent out of the house we invited your cousins over and you decorated Sugar cookies with them. I ordered a Sugar Cookie decorating kit from Preston's Mom (she made all your amazing birthday cakes the last 5 years.) I loved being able to watch you guys get a sugar rush without having to actually bake the cookies myself!

The last Friday before Christmas the two of us always head to downtown Savannah. Your Dad always has to work at least half a day so we go to the Westin to look at the Gingerbread houses and the gorgeous Christmas trees. We always ride the ferry over to Riverstreet (this year we saw Dolphins playing in the water) and we always end up at the candy store before riding the ferry back and returning home. This year it was so hot outside we skipped the candy and got ice cream instead.

This year we had a guest that I am sure will be back next year. We adopted an elf from the North pole and you named him Tweetie. You were so excited when you realized he had brown hair and blue eyes just like you do. Tweetie was here to watch you and report back to Santa each night what was going on back at our house. To keep himself entertained he would land in a new spot in the house each day and often played a little joke on us. One day he toilet papered the tree, another day he drew funny faces with a dry erase marker on a few framed pictures and on Christmas eve you woke up with a "Rudolph nose." When Santa came on Christmas eve he hitched a ride back to the North Pole. You were so sad to see him go but I have a feeling he will be back next year.

On Christmas eve we headed to my parents house and we played our annual game of Dirty Santa/Chinese Christmas/Racist Santa (depending on who you ask) Everyone brings a random wrapped gift and draws a number and we go in that order to pick a gift to unwrap. You can steal someone's gifts or decide to take your chances. Some of the gifts this year included light up snowmen signs, bacon flavored popcorn, and a trivia game based on MTV's Jersey Shore. You ended up with a big fluffy teddy-bear.

After Christmas eve with our family we headed to our church. Before the first Christmas carol was over you were sleeping snuggled up across my lap. You slept through the whole service. I couldn't even wake you up for the candle light singing of "Silent Night" that you were looking so forward to.... talk about sleeping in heavenly peace! You didn't wake up when I carried you out to the car or on the whole drive home.

You woke up just as we pulled up to the house and you were awake long enough to take a bath, get dressed in your new PJs and put out cookies and milk for Santa before you were back to bed.

Christmas morning we woke up to you snuggled between us and we all ventured out to the living room together to see if Santa had come. He brought you just what you asked for... Harry Potter Lego sets and a hammer and nails. We also opened family presents. You were so excited by everything but the first thing you opened was the Chess set that was from us. You've been wanting your own since the beginning of school when you first learned how to play in your gifted class.

We stayed in our PJs and headed over to your Grandpa Hunter's house for breakfast. We visited for a little while and headed back home to take to nap and play with your new toys (we napped, you played.) Then your uncle David and Aunt Ashley came over with your cousin Aubrie. We ended the night together grabbing Chinese food.

Sweet-pea, I love you to the moon and back,

Lucas' Mom

Dear Lucas (5 Years & 5 months),

It's hard to believe Christmas has come and gone and soon you will be going back to school. This has been the best Christmas yet. It's been so magically watching you get excited about every little thing. We've gone to the Roundhouse to watch "The Polar Express," you decorated a gingerbread house, we saw the nativity story acted out in front of us at the journey, and we wrapped tons of presents. In all the excitement and craziness I think the best moments were just cuddled up next to you singing Christmas carols and drinking hot chocolate.

Right before Christmas your aunt Sam and your cousin Caden moved in with us for a while. So far so good and it's been nice having them around. I think the only one having any problems adjusting is you. They are staying in your playroom so you've had to give it up for now. Also, suddenly you have a little person there trying to "mess with your stuff."

The very same day that Sam and Caden moved in three of your cousins came to stay with us for a short visit. It was a loud but fun house for a couple of days. You really had fun playing with Levi. One time he was not listening to his Mom and she was joking and told him that if he didn't behave she didn't want to take him home. You immediately said "that's okay, he can stay here and be my brother," and for the rest of his visit you kept referring to him as your brother. When his little brother Isaiah did anything you thought was wrong you would run to their mom and say "that boy is being mean to my brother." When it was time for them to leave Erica explained that she had to take Levi home because all his Christmas presents were at their house. You were fine with that but you keep talking about how now that Christmas is over your brother Levi will be back soon.

Before Christmas I took you to see Santa and luckily there was no line. You were able to talk to him for a few minutes. The only thing you asked Santa for this year was a Nerf gun and a hot wheels track. Christmas morning you were so excited to see a nerf gun next to your stocking you didn't even notice any of your other presents for over an hour.

Since we are in a house with a whole lot more room we were able to get a decent Christmas tree. Since we've had you we've always had a tiny Christmas tree. This year that little Christmas tree went in your bedroom and served as your night light. Christmas morning the tree was packed with presents and our house was full with family and it was such a great feeling.

The day after Christmas we were just hanging out at the house and I looked out the window and noticed a few snow flakes floating down in the air. It was so exciting and pretty to see snow falling around all the Christmas decorations. Just as the sun was starting to go down some of the snow started to stick and covered the roof and started to stick to the ground. You drank hot chocolate while we watched the snow fall around us. It was the perfect ending to a perfect Christmas.

Sweet-pea, I love you to the moon and back,

Mommy

Santa Baby

Dear Lucas (5 years 4 Months),

So here we are and another year is coming to a close. We just had a wonderful Thanksgiving and we have so many reasons to be thankful. It has been so much fun to decorate our new house for the holidays. I'm also thankful that we have more room to have family and friends over more often.

Your cousin Steven has been coming to spend the weekend with us once a month. You really enjoy him being here. He is 12 but he is so awesome about treating you like a big kid. When he was here this time you guys built a tower of books at the Children's Book Festival and built periscopes at the Lowe's kids clinic. When he left this last time you were so upset to see him leave that you cried. It was so sad.

A few weeks ago your Dad helped build a house that is going to be on a show called "Extreme Makeover Home Edition." He helped his co-worker install shower doors and mirrors in all the bathrooms. We went down there a few times to see the house being built and you thought it was so cool because for once you could see "where" your Dad was working. I can't wait to see the episode when it airs in a few weeks! We might have to let you stay up and watch it too!

Last week we got together at your Grandparents' house to celebrate your cousin Colby's 7Th birthday. It was the first time since Joshua was born that all six grandsons were together in one place. Matthew is about to graduate from High School in a few months and Joseph and Joshua may be moving away soon so opportunities like this one will become few and far between.

Before school got out for Thanksgiving your teacher put together a special feast. You guys got dressed up in costumes that you made and sang three songs. Then it was time to feast on things like fruit, cheese, veggies, pumpkin pie, and apple juice. I love times like that when I get to be called "Lucas' Mom" and get to see you interacting with your teacher and classmates.

This weekend we went to Holly Days in downtown Savannah for the first time. You got a chance to play in "snow" and you loved it. You ran around and threw snowballs, made snow angels, and just had a blast. I hope one day before you are grown that we can take you to somewhere with REAL snow on the ground but until then this was pretty awesome.

The other cool thing we did at Holly Days was go "ice skating." Well, according to you it is "board skating" because it was more like you were skating on a big cutting board. You have never roller skated or ice skated but you were a natural. I was worried that you were too young and that I was wasting the $5 renting you skates. You sure proved me wrong, You were a natural! You begged to take the ice skates home with you. I can't wait to take you in a few weeks to go ice skating at the Civic Center.

I just know this is going to be the best Christmas yet. You are so excited and it is rubbing off on me. Before Thanksgiving you were begging to put up decorations. I let you have our little old tree that we used when we lived in the trailer and it is now your night light. Some days you will decorate it with your toys. One day you put a construction hat on the top and toy tools on the branches and one day you had a Super hero action figure tree. I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

Little one, I love you to the moon and back,
Mommy

Where Are You Christmas?

Today while Lucas was in school I decided to pack away all the Christmas decorations. Usually, I wait until after January 6th but I wanted to feel like I got something accomplished today. Every year we add one of two new ornaments to our tree. This year we added Lucas' first school picture in a "2009" frame as well as a Peter Pan.

When Lucas got home from school he asked me, "Mommy where did Christmas go? I wanted to keep it around longer!"

It's a Wrap

The Sunday after Christmas we went to my parents' house to celebrate with that side of the family. Lucas' cousin Joseph had more fun playing with the wrapping paper then what the paper had actually wrapped.

Christmas Day

Christmas morning we woke up to find that Santa had come while we were sleeping!

Santa left Lucas' presents laid out under the tree.

Lucas was really excited to see his own set of tools in his stocking.

After checking out the loot from Santa it was time to open presents.

Lucas was excited to see a Buzz Lightyear (and a Woody)

He was also VERY excited to see the bike that Daddy picked out just for him.

Christmas afternoon we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Hunter's house.

Uncle Michael helped Caden open his presents.

Talking about trains with Grandpa Hunter

Curt enjoyed some snuggle time with our youngest niece and nephew.

Aubrie wanted to hold a real baby.