Dad and Dave Day

Dave and I had been talking about this day for a few weeks.  Sam was going to be gone to Florida College winter camp, so we planned to have some fun at Oak Mountain then go check out some motocycle shops.  Well, the motorcycle shop visit did not work out as everyone around us was closed on both New Year's eve and New Years Day.  So instead I told him I had always wanted to hike up to King's Chair at Oak Mountain...and it didn't take any convincing for him. 

We began our day picking up some picnic sandwiches for lunch at Publix, then once in the park, we started riding our bikes around the lake trail.  It was a cold morning, and Davis and I both realized quickly that we were out of shape.  Hard to breathe in that cold air, and our legs were killing us by the middle of the trail.  At one point I hit a bump and slamed the pedal against my shin, which was PAINFUL! 

After a round trip of the lake trail, we then took our bikes to the BMX trail.  We rode over the trail a couple of times, and it was kind of sad, but Davis during a break told me...I think the hills have gotten smaller.  Nope bud, you just remember them being much bigger.  But maybe one day he will look back on this day and remember it as big and fun as I will always remember it.  But we did share a laugh at how much "smaller" the hills seemed...even though neither one of us could peddle up to the starting line.  haha.  And as we were about to leave, Davis stopped near the van, tipped and then just fell over.

And for the last portion of our journey, we parked at the north trailhead and hiked all the way up to King's Chair lookout.    We had lunch on the rocks up at this view.  Dave found a cool tree that grew against the rocks on the way down the mountain.  A beautiful view to end the year, and a wonderful day with my buddy Dave.  Not many dad and dave days out there, but glad to have captured this one.  And after 3 miles on bikes, laps on a BMX trail, then 4 miles hiking...it was time to rest.  

Christmas at Granny's...and Grandaddy's

I think the crazier side of Christmas is at the Junkin house, but perhaps magan would disagree.  We had some great soups that Granny cooked, and a really fun day.  Sam made both grandparents a family tree with his 3D printer.  We took a family trip down the road to the new basketball court in the neighborhood, and Magan's funniest line she remembers was Colby asking Melissa "Are you playing basketball in a cardigan?"  Haha...that still makes me laugh.  

Christmas at Home

I believe I was supposed to have been doing this every Christmas...including a picture of the ornaments we purchased over the previous year.  I also am pretty sure I have not done it before until this year, but I did remember, so Magan, here they are...I may need to backblog the other ones one Christmas while they are out.  And what a year...Universal Studios, Disney, Boston, New York, and Washington DC...and the credit card balance that shows it really happened.  I am hoping that next year we just have an ornament with our house on it. 

Christmas Eve is always fun where we open the presents from the kids.  They know I love Mike and Ike's and Swedish Fish, so my gifts are always spot on.  I also received a desktop cornhole from Davis and a chicken with goo egg from Ruby.  Belle painted mom a pretty UP picture, and Sam made some really cool wand holders for Davis and Belle.  For Ruby he made her a "hunicorn" as we have called them since the girls were so little.  And Sam asked her what they needed to paint on the unicorn, and she thought abit and said "We should paint its hair...and its tail...AND ITS HUNA".

The magic is still left in our house, although the magic is down to only 50% now, which is somewhat sad.  But cookies and milk were left for Santa, and the reindeer should have had plenty of food.  And our Christmas morning was magical at 06:00AM! (You heard me say earlier only somewhat sad).  As both girls were up, Magan and I snapped pictures half asleep, and somewhere in that slumber I heard my girls opening the LOL surprise dolls.  And I believe I was dreaming, but I distinctly remember anabelle telling ruby "You can keep that stuff around the edges, and use it as kitty litter for your LOL cat."  Wow, I have no words...I had no idea what to say, I just made sure not to throw that stuff away, because I don't want to have to buy LOL kitty litter if we have so much of it right here. 

So the boys got a dartboards and after an attempt to superglue it to bricks, I ended up building holder for it.  Boys...if this is like 5 years from now...say 2025 or later and that wooden contraption is still up for the dartboard...please make your momma proud and hang it proper somewhere.  I have no skills as such as that.  Magan got a new echo show and amazingly I bought her the exact sheets she had been wanting (and had purchased and placed in the closet next to the wrapping paper to wrap it with).  Ruby did get her "real" baby, Anabelle got a big LOL surprise, Davis a year subscription to gadgets, and Sam a Kindle.   As for me, what did I get...more grumpier at Christmas, that's what...I will not taint the Christmas spirit with my humbug juice, but I did receive a very nice luggage bag and a rubix game.