The Arnold Family Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas from the Arnolds! Here at our house we are enjoying the holiday season with Christmas decorating, baking, and shopping. I have a lot of help this year! Our Christmas cookies may not be the prettiest, but we sure had fun making them! Hunter turned 5 in July and started Preschool in August. This was a BIG deal in our house, as our first child went off to school. Of course I cried the first day, but he had so much fun he couldn’t wait to go back! He is learning more and more everyday and just loves his teacher, Mrs. Pietila. Hunter is really into the Disney Cars movie and likes to pretend he is the really fast car, “Lightning McQueen”. He races around the house and spends hours racing his cars around the kitchen island. Hunting with his dad is still his favorite past time. Robb even took Hunter into a deer stand this year and that was quite a thrill for him! He even puts on his camouflage at home and takes his toy gun and backpack full of “gear” outside to his “tree stand” and will sit until it is time to come in. The other day he got a water buffalo, a caribou, and a bobcat. I would call that a successful hunt! I am afraid all of the hunting is ruining his ability to notice the beauty in animals because every time he sees a deer, bird, squirrel, basically anything that moves, Hunter tells his dad, “man we’d sure like to put him down, huh dad!” I’ll have to keep working on that one! Brylie is now 3 ½ and loves shopping, purses, playing babies, and helping mommy around the house. Sometimes I have to stop and remember she is only 3 because she is really a responsible little girl. In the morning she gets herself dressed, brushes her teeth, combs her hair, and makes her bed before I even know she is up from the breakfast table! She likes to change her outfit at least once during the day and loves to play dress up. We have a great time shopping together and just last week we went to the Disney on Ice show in Sioux Falls for a girls only trip with some of our other mother/daughter friends. She is an organizer and likes to put on plays for us at home. Her sweet personality is a ray of sunshine! Gage is 18 months old and busier than ever! He started walking at 11 months old, and running soon after that! He loves to climb and explore which means no rest for me! Gage is the comedian in the family and will do anything for a laugh. Hunter and Brylie think he is hilarious and he loves the audience! If he could spend all day outside he would. This fall he spent many hours in the combine with Robb, camped out on the floor with his toys just staring out the window fascinated by the work of the big machine. It was good father/son bonding time and a little break for mommy! Robb continues to stay very busy on the farm and selling Golden Harvest seed. Harvest went very smoothly this year and the guys were able to finish in record time. What a blessing! Robb was able to again take a trip to Colorado Elk Hunting with our good friends, the Edinger’s. He didn’t come home with an Elk but did come home with sore muscles and a lot of good memories! My days continue to be full of hugs, kisses, and a lot of “I love you mommy” comments. The kids and I make the most of our days taking walks, playing tag, reading, doing art projects, and just having fun. Now that Hunter has started school I realize, now more than ever, that these carefree days are limited, so we really try to make the most of them. We are enjoying having Robb around more now that the field work is done. As we approach the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior we have so much to be thankful for. He is the reason for this magical season. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Robb, Teresa, Hunter, Brylie, Gage