Christmas...Black Eyes and Pony Cart Rides

My cousin, Matt, and his family came down from Bakersfield to join us for Christmas dinner. Matt and Molly have 4 children...Kassie, Sam, Nick, and baby Nathan. Gabe has been talking about Sam coming to Christmas dinner for weeks, he was so excited to have "a Sam, my age" come play with him! It's fun having them come to visit, especially since all the boys have a cousin their age to play with...poor Kassie is the only girl amongst six boys, but she handled it well!

Before dinner, the kids played with their new toys and enjoyed getting reaquainted. And, this was the first time that they had met Sam and we had met Nathan (born in October). Dinner went suprisingly well, considering there were five kids and two babies!

Grandpa has a neighbor who has ponies and a cart. Larry was kind enough to hitch up the ponies and take the kids and a few adults for a ride. While waiting for ponies to get hitched up the kids enjoyed playing on the swings and running around the property (under the "watchful" eyes of their dads). Mark and Will were playing "catch" with the disc swing...I'm not exactly sure what transpired, but this was the end result...

It doesn't look that bad in the picture, but as time went on it got worse (I should have taken one a few hours later!). He called it his "Christmas Boo-Boo."

Will was very embarassed and wouldn't show me the injury, so it took several of these types of shots before I actually got one of the injury...

It doesn't look that bad, but by the end of the night the bruising had spread...the morning could bring black eyes, we'll see!

Nick on the swing that hit Will.

Gabe looking both confused and rugged in his new head lamp.

Everyone loved the pony cart ride, even baby Sam...I saw Molly get in with a baby, but assumed it was her baby! As the ponies turned onto the street, I turned to my sister and said I'd better go take care of Sam...she replied with "there he goes!" Oh, I guess I'll go help take care of Nathan!

Leaving on their ride...I took the picture and never noticed that it was Sam sitting on Molly's lap! I should have recognized that little blue cap!

Larry (my dad's neighbor) trying to help "Big" Sam keep his ears warm.

After the pony rides, we headed back in for dessert and to set up the train. Gabe and Will had been looking forward to the train for awhile...I think it may have taken more time to set it up than it was actually played with!

Will and Grandpa putting the train together.



Will, Kassie, and Gabe enjoying the train.



While the big kids played with the train, sweet little Nathan played on the floor and...

Sam chewed on everything in sight!