December 24: Merry Christmas everyone! The last night before John had to return to Iraq. Everyone was dreading the morning, but all are comforted that he will be able to return in 3 short months! What an awesome, unforgetable Christmas. Now we look forward to April! (or maybe May, that is just how the army is! But either way it is close!)

December 24: Patriot, Liberty, Dad and cousin Max! We were blessed to see Uncle Richard and Aunt Mary Atkin after Church, all the way from New York City! Max will be 3 in April, so he is about 9 months younger than Patriot, and 8 months older than Libby! They don't get to see each other very often, but that didn't seem to matter, they had a great time playing together!

December 24: Merry Christmas! With dad leaving at 6 a.m. on Christmas day we decided to do Christmas on the day before. The kids got loads of awesome toys, and they LOVE all of them. This is about the only picture I have of Christmas morning, it is captured, but on video. The bikes are from G and G Pyne.

December 23: After the gingerbread house Aunt Amanda took the kids to the duck pond that is quite close to the house. This was the second time she had taken them so they were excited to go. Aunt Amanda is awesome! Plus I just love this picture, I think it is just gorgeous!

December 23: No school, and no work, Aunt Amanda is ready to spend the day with the kids! She went out and bought a gingerbread house and then decorated it with the kids. They were both very maticulous (sp?). Patriot preferred to have the icing allready on the house and then he would place the tiniest candies very carefully in a straight row. Libby preferred to ice each candy individually and then place it carefully on the house. Of course not all of the candies made it all the way to the house!

December 19: Action shot of Patriot launching a snowball. I'm not a hundred percent sure how it got started, but I am pretty sure they heard Uncle Ben say "Oh yah?" after being hit with a snowball while scooping up a fresh one in retaliation, because everytime the kids made a snowball they would say in kind of a taunting voice "oh yah?" It was adorable!

December 19: Happy Birthday Uncle Ben! You get... SNOW! Uncle Ben, Dad, Patriot and Liberty had a blast playing in the snow, they went sledding, built a snowman, tore down the snowman, and threw snowballs at eachother!

December 17: Lots of presents for Uncle Ben and Grandpa! Patriot and Liberty helped them open every single one! While Patriot was sitting looking at his dad he suddenly said "Dad you have a fat snake" It took us a minute to figure out what he was talking about, but discovered he was talking about John's mohawk! John loves the name and is currently trying to get his army budies to call him 'fat snake!'

December 17: Happy birthday Grandpa, and Uncle Ben! Grandpa had his traditional yellow cake with chocolate frosting, and Ben asked for cheesecake. Patriot was just excited to help blow out the candles!

December 17: I wanted to go to a studio and get family pictures taken, but it just didn't work out. So instead we did Sunday morning pics! Liberty is in the dress that Aunt Amanda bought her for her birthday, and we went out and bought Patriot a new shirt and tie to match!

December 15:Happy Birthday to Grandpa, and Happy Graduation to Aunt Amanda! Grandpa and Patriot being silly coming out of Zio's restaurant where we ate to celebrate Amanda's graduation. Grandpa's birthday was postponed this year until the 17th!

December 11: Party number three for Libby! We went to Peter Piper Pizza on Monday! The kids had a blast, expecially because their cousins Brandon, Wesley and Lexi were able to come too! Left to right: Great Grandma Aslin, Patriot, Dad, Mom, Aunt Saydie,Wesley, Aunt Mindi, Brandon, Lexi, Aunt Emily, Liberty, Grandpa Pyne, Grandma Pyne, and Great Grandpa Aslin.

December 10: Liberty recieved many wonderful gifts from aunts, uncles, and grandparents. This is a box full of dress-up clothes from Grandma and Grandpa Pyne, when Libby opened it Patriot saw the Pink dress, and the purple one, but when he saw the blue one he said "I get that one, I want to be a boy princess!" I guess we really need dad to come home!

December 10: Happy Birthday Liberty! Yummy mini chocolate cupcakes were her birthday cake, and she even helped decorate them! Two years old she should probably have to cupcakes, well... she ate at least that many!

December 9: Gifts for all from Iraq! John brought most everyone watches, with the exception of Bekah who recieved a bracelet that is supposed to be a protection from evil. It was neat to see the Pyne boys together, it has been awhile. Earlier this same evening we went over to my sister Saydie's home for a birthday party. Her birthday is on the 10th, the same as Libby, and she is exactly 20 years older! John later said that the drive across town to Saydie's was very difficult and he was having difficulty adjusting to being home. Luckily this wore off pretty quick and he was able to enjoy himself!

December 9: When I recieved my wonderful surprise I could not believe my eyes. My man was home. Everything was good.

December 9: What made the end of the day so great was that John was there. Notice Addie and the kids are not present? I was complete oblivious to the fact that my husband was in the Albuquerque airport at this moment. The Pynes are great secret keepers!

December 9: I would never have guessed that this day could end better than it started. It started with Aunt Amanda and her boyfriend Stephen taking the kids to the aquarium in Albuquerque, my kids love fish!

December 3: Before we left Arizona to spend most of the month with the Pynes in NM, Grandma had to give Libby her birthday present from her, and Libby loves her baby and stroller!

December 2: It's December we can finally go see Santa! I prepped Patriot for a few days before we went because I didn't want him to cry, I told him that if he wanted Santa to bring him something for Christmas he would have to sit on his lap and tell him. At first he said he wouldn't do it but I told him Santa wouldn't bring him anything if he didn't so he said ok. Pretty soon he was excited to go see Santa. When it was finally his and Liberty's turn they both went right up and sat down on his lap. Patriot is not looking at the camera because he is telling Santa Claus that he wants a brand new bike for Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!! This is the Atkin family, or at least all those who could make it. Plus one, because we had Kim's little brother Skyler with us too! (He's the one with camo shorts on) Kind of a terrible picture, but it is the only one I have with everyone in it. We've got Saydie, Chris, Jason, Jessica, Grandpa, Emily (you can just see her forehead sticking out from behind Kim), Tyler and Addie. Next row starting on the right is Kim holding Lilly Grace, Grandma holding Walker, Taylor, Dayton, and Liberty. Infront of Libby left to right is Skyler Passey, Patriot, Sara, and Emma. ( I think Laura Ann was taking a nap)

November 23: Libby just couldn't wait for dinner and she shared so sweetly with her cousin the spoils of her refrigerator raid.

November 23: Supervision at the park consisted of Uncle Chris and Aunt Saydie Steffensen, and Aunt Emily Atkin. I guess Taylor is old enough to count as a supervisor too! He turned 12 this past May and is the oldest grandchild.

November 23: Patriot and Walker reunited. Being just ten days apart we always felt like they should be best friends, and they have been! They were so excited to see each other we had to tell Patriot nearly everyday for two weeks that yes Walker was coming, but not till Thanksgiving! They had such a great time together!

November 23: Thanksgiving Day. Cousins playing at the park to work up their appetites while moms and Grandma cook at home! (Left to right: Walker Atkin, Patriot, Sara, Emma, and Laura Ann Komarek.)

November 21: COUSINS! Laura Ann Komarek is the little blonde on the left and she is just two months older than Liberty. She Patriot and Liberty had lots of fun together and with all the other cousins who came to visit for Thanksgiving Day!