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Amelia and Noah got to start celebrating Christmas early this year... at GG and Grandad's! We're heading to California this holiday for Christmas with the Kemps, so it was off to Salisbury this past weekend. Boy, did we have fun! Thankfully, Santa found his way and didn't mind making an early drop-off. The kiddos had a ball opening gifts, especially Amelia who pretty much opened everyone's for them. Noah loved getting some toys of his own, but learned quickly that he'd have to protect his territory or Amelia would swoop in for the steal. He'll need Uncle Scott to teach him a thing or two about securing a perimeter. Once again, Burt and Gayle spoiled us all. It was touch and go there for awhile if we'd make the "good list," but according to Lee's Mom and Dad, we passed the test. Thanks for a fabulous kick-off to Christmas!
Today we received our first holiday card for 2008. It's from my mom & dad and includes a great picture of our family taken this summer in Vail, CO, at Four Eagle Ranch. We Brinsons love, love, love holiday cards! It wouldn't be Christmas without the wonderfully creative cards from our dear family and friends. They all get hung around the opening from our kitchen into our den. Each one is admired over and over... Amelia loves to tell us who's in each photo.
It got me reminiscing about the cards Lee and I have sent out over the past seven years. I went searching, and delightfully, found them all. I can't wait to add this year's card to our growing collection... especially, because it's sweet Noah's first appearance.2002
...in front of our new house, shortly after we got married...2003
...a favorite photo my dad took of us on the train in Asheville, NC...2004
...at Federal in LA for the X Games wrap party... secretly pregnant with Amelia (joy!)...2005
...our wonderful friend Lauren took this first family photo in Duke Gardens (Durham, NC)...2006 
..................................................................it was too hard to pick just one photo for this year... dad took another great family portrait of us on our 2nd favorite beach - Ulua, in Wailea Maui; our favorite photo of '06 - dad took in CA on a little train; Halloween with our dog Gus in Chapel Hill; playing at home....2007
....family portrait on our favorite beach - Crescent Bay in Laguna (pregnant with sweet Noah!); Amelia at home; our little surfer girl at Holden Beach, NC...
Late July found us celebrating family in Vail, CO. Sixty-plus Kemps rendezvoused in Colorado for a family reunion and celebration of Uncle Jack and Aunt Joanne's fiftieth wedding anniversary. What a time!Although I completely underestimated the task of chasing after two little ones on vacation, we had a ball. It was exhausting, but we wouldn't have missed it for the world.
It was a whirlwind weekend that passed far too quickly. We started off celebrating Uncle Paul's eightieth birthday Thursday night. 
Friday saw the boys playing golf, the girls enjoying the spa, and the kids swimming in the pool. Our day ended at wonderful Four Eagle Ranch for some trail riding, horse-shoes, line dancing, hay rides, and delicious Western meal. It was the highlight of our 2000 Vail reunion and didn't disappoint this year!.
Saturday found us exploring Vail Village and playing in the local fountains. The little girls (Maddie & Amelia) were thrilled! The NY Philharmonic was the evening's special entertainment and was thoroughly enjoyed outdoors at the Ford Amphitheater. The littlest kids (Maddie, Amelia, Thomas, Noah, Coco, Jonah, Marco, Benji, Tommy) did remarkably well, lasting until the intermission. Then the lure of the playground was too much to resist. 
We ended the day celebrating Uncle Jack and Aunt Joanne's fiftieth wedding anniversary. What a joy! The speeches, tributes, and roasts were highlights of the evening... many times there wasn't a dry eye in the ballroom.The weekend concluded with a delicious brunch at Jack and Joanne's. It was hard to say good-bye. There were far too many family members I hadn't yet spoken with... again, chasing two wee-ones makes it hard to chat. .
Amelia is still talking about her new "best friends" - Joe, Coco, Caitlin, Jonah, Marco, Benji, Tommy... She wants to know when we're going back to "the Rockies" to see her family. Admist all the wonderful extended-family fun, some of the sweetest moments were spent in the hall between our hotel rooms. Maddie and Amelia had such a ball playing together in their rooms across the hall from each other. (Thanks Mom and Dad for such a luxurious treat!).
Many thanks to Jack and Joanne for hosting such a fabulous weekend. Here's hoping our next reunion is sooner rather than later! 
Magical! That's the only word that can properly describe our recent trip to Disneyland. Magical.
Cousin Kristina is the one we have to thank for the amazing adventure we had April 14th. She treated - all twelve of us - to the best day ever at Disneyland. We are so lucky to be related to a Disney employee!
Our great group consisted of Kristina, Aunt Georgia, Gina, Maddie, Thomas, Matt, Noah,
Amelia, Lee, me... Grandma and Grandpa too! We were only missing Jon who was in Alaska on business. There were plenty of willing helpers to take care of the wee-little-ones, Thomas and Noah. Gina and I were very grateful for the extra hands. Every where we went, we were a small parade of four strollers... or "Chariots" as Amelia and Maddie liked to call them.
Amelia and Maddie couldn't resist dressing up as their favorite princesses, as our first stop was the princess meet and greet. Once again it didn't disappoint... if you don't count Pocahontas that is. What will Noah and Thomas think when they have to wait in line to meet Cinderella, Aurora, and Snow White?! Pirates anyone?!
Aunt Georgia thoughtfully treated the little girls to one of their most favorite things... face painting. In honor of cousin Andrew, 
Amelia desperately wanted her face painted as a pirate. What a combination - a Cinderella pirate! She was steered in a different direction and ended up with a super-cute Tinkerbell on her cheek. Maddie made an superb choice in her butterfly.
Amelia and Maddie loved riding the rides with Kristina and Uncle Matt. They can't wait to go with them again. The Tea Cups, Dumbo, Rockets, Boats... and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Not sure Pirates was Amelia's favorite ride. She finally took her hands off her eyes about half-way through. What was her mom thinking?!
Kristina expertly planned our whole day. It was like having our very own VIP Guide. E-ticket all the way! She knows the park like the back of her hand, including the best restaurants and snacks.
We don't ever want to go without her again! Although next time might be adults-only... the big rides were teasing us all day. Thank goodness I was able to sneak in a ride on Space Mountain. (I didn't go on any "adult" rides last time, as I was pregnant with Noah.) It's been redone since I last rode it. Boy, was it a thrill!
Hard to believe that come August, Amelia will have visited Disneyland THREE times in one year. Noah will make his second visit before his first birthday. Crazy fun! Such lucky ducks. There will never be another visit like the kids' first one with Cousin Kristina... it was very very special.
We all can't wait to go with her again!
Click the slideshow below for more photos of our fabulous Disneyland adventure...
Amelia and Noah got to start celebrating Christmas early this year... at GG and Grandad's! We're heading to California this holiday for Christmas with the Kemps, so it was off to Salisbury this past weekend. 
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