Carter has become such a little chatterbox. His thing right now is to recount our mini-fireworks-extravaganza from Thursday night. You wouldn't know it by the way he talks about it now, but he wasn't a big fan of the fireworks. He watched his daddy and Josh light the fuse and then trembled as he watched it go up. By the time the "boom" came, his head was buried in my shoulder. I think he may have actually seen the "boom" once or twice.

Anyway...here's a little clip of our dinner conversation. I tried to translate as we went, but he threw me off at the end. See if YOU can guess what he's saying...

Give up?

He's saying "Santa Claus" and "ho ho ho" and "Merry Christmas." (It took me watching this about 3 times before I figured it out, and I speak fluent "Carter-ese".

The way he talks is so funny -- one word at a time -- over and over -- until you repeat it back to him. I guess that way he knows you got it. Even though his vocabulary is pretty limited, he's quite adept at getting you to understand him. Hand signals and full body language is helpful, too.

Christmas and New Year's was wonderful for our family. Everybody was healthy, and we got more than we possibly needed. I even put some of the kids' toys up (on top of the china cabinet), and I'll pull 'em down in a few months when they're tired of the rest of them.

Hannah's favorite gifts were "little miss pet shop" toys; a big Radio Flyer spring horse (which Carter thinks is his, too ... but then Santa didn't exactly put a nametag on him); several games, a smaller horse with a saddle, brush, etc.; and a stuffed "Mada-NASACAR" Alex toy.

Carter got a big pedal tractor -- too big for him but just right for Mommy to drive with Carter on the hood; tractors; and a big truck hauler full of hot wheels.

Mommy got a digital video camera that Daddy picked up at the Walmart after-Thanksgiving sale and took back the day after Christmas when it quit working. Still waiting on the new one to come in. Hannah and Carter gave me a pretty necklace and a feather all wrapped together. Before I opened it, Hannah said, "You're gonna like this so much you're gonna cry." She meant the feather...not the necklace. Turns out that the day she went shopping with Pop, she picked out the necklace for me and found the feather in the parking lot. She's so thoughtful!

Daddy got new seat covers for his Jeep and a t-shirt from us. It was kinda crude humor, but so totally Jason.

Even though I say this every year, I think we're really going to scale back next year. Focus more on the important stuff than the gifts. We have everything we possibly need and want...we are so spoiled! (But blessed).

~0~

In other news...did y'all notice that it's a little chilly outside?