Hissyfits Photography Blog

HOLY COW I have been gone forever!! Did anyone notice?! Although I already miss home {as in Kansas} like crazy, anyone who has ever traveled anywhere knows how nice it is to be back home {as in your own house} and to get back into the swing of things.

And that is where I find myself on this dreary Arizona afternoon. So sad to be way out here in the desert all alone with my sweet little family, but glad to be back in my own bed and climbing out of the HUGE mess that being gone for days on end creates. Not to mention the added mess of oodles of new toys and goodies to find homes for! I have a feeling I am going to be unpacking and putting things away the rest of the week!! I can’t find much motivation today {or yesterday for that matter} to get going on unpacking…so I guess tomorrow when Chris heads back to work and life returns to normal around here, I’ll deal with it! I am pretty sure it isn’t going anywhere!

So, we happily headed out on December 19 and took our ride aboard the Polar Express that night and left bright and early the next morning for Kansas…where we spent two ENTIRE weeks!!! {Well, minus two days travel time, but you get the picture!} The Polar Express was nothing short of amazing this year. This was our third year to go and by far the best. The sheer joy and magic that poured out of the kids was enough to bring tears to my eyes. Huntler was in heaven due to the fact that there simply was a train involved…but that comes as no surprise! And Gentry, well, she was sassy little Gentry girl through and through and talked non-stop on the drive up about it. Both of the kids seemed very concerned that we were ALL going. Apparently they didn’t want Mommy or Daddy to miss out!! It was really cute!!

And we had a first this year. In the five Christmas’ we have had kids, we have never had a trip to see Santa without someone crying. This year…no criers…which made ME want to cry! The reality that they are getting SO big sometimes just overwhelms me. Anway, they were just happy, excited little munchkins who were fascinated by jolly Old Saint Nick! We got THE CUTEST Santa pic I have ever seen in my life so I’ll have to try to scan it in and share it with you all!! I knew going in I wouldn’t be able to take my own photos and I was a little bummed, but their photographer got a great one! Now, if I only had the digital file!!!

WHEW! I have SO, SO, SO much I want to say and share, but remember, we have been gone for two weeks and I have TONS of stuff to do around here!! So, today I am going to stick with our trip to the Polar Express!

Before our trek to the North Pole, we managed to get in a little fun in the snow!! We had to make a stop in Flagstaff to find the kids some snow boots. As always, the fabulous Kohl’s came through for us!! The kids were bundled…warm clothes, snowsuits, coats, hats, mittens and boots!! Now I on the other hand was freezing! I think before we head up to go sledding I need to find some long underwear!

Here comes Huntler, “snowball” in hand!! I love how Gentry is in the background watching!

Where there is Gentry, there is drama. Enough said.

Do I not have THE CUTEST little family ever? I like this shot so much I wish I was in it!! But there was no one around to take a picture for us…and even if there was, I am not so sure I would trust them with my new camera!!

Sweet, sweet boy. As I type he is throwing a fit because he wants someone to go play trains with him. Chris JUST came down after spending over an hour up there building the most elaborate track I have ever seen. Ay, ay, ay…it is going to be a long week around here.

Our snow angel…

And the “boy version” of a snow angel!

The rare shot of me…Gentry was trying so hard to get my face cold and wet with her snowy little “glubs!”

While sissy had fun being held {and pretty much insisted on it}, Huntler wasn’t so much into it. He wanted to be down playing!

Just as the train was pulling up to get us…I love this shot!! We have one just like it from last year that is equally as sweet!

Can you FEEL how excited he was?!

And of course no trip to the North Pole is complete without Santa boarding the train and passing out bells!! I couldn’t zoom with the lens I was using so I didn’t get as much of Santa as I would have liked, but I kinda like how this turned out with him just peeping in on the side and the kids looking up!

And that my friends is a snippet into our Polar Express 2008 trip! What a wonderful one it was! Full of priceless memories and more love than these pictures can even begin to portray!

And now I need to get moving…if I can! I got a Wii Fit from my parents for Chris
tmas and for anyone who doubts that you can get a work out with one…you MUST try it! My legs are so sore it hurts to move!! Look out 2009…I am going to get in shape this year!! And have fun doing it!! More on that later though!!

*And I promise to be back in the blogging swing of things now!! I have missed it!*

Edited to add: AHHH!! I am so frustrated that my pics are so tiny!! I was having issues uploading so I changed the pixel size and now they seem so tiny!! I tried to make them bigger but they are too blurry so I am going to leave them how they are for this post! A lesson learned for sure!!

Filed under uncategorized, by Bethany