Christmas Eve and Day, part 1

Not much can beat Christmas time, at least for me. We LOVE traditions in our family and continued them this year. Christmas Eve was spent at Patty and Trey's (used to be Meme and Granddad's house) with all of our extended family. It wouldn't be complete without dinner, the Nativity Play put on by the grandkids, the talent show, a visit from Santa, and presents at Nana's house.




Brighton was THRILLED to get a Nintendo DS for Christmas!

Then Christmas morning was so much fun - our kids are all at such wonderful ages for this. Sydney would ask every single morning for the past 6 weeks how many more days, and then count them in her head to see JUST how long until it came. And Carter really wanted a train set, and would wake up every day from his nap and say "Is Santa going to bring me a choo choo train for Christmas?". So sweet.

Christmas Joys, and Ice???

Sydney now thinks Christmas can't come without decorating a gingerbread house each year, and was thrilled when I told her we were doing one on Saturday.

Just some fun Sunday pics of the kids.



So we woke up this morning and assumed it was a regular day like any other. I got the girls up and started feeding them breakfast and thought I better just check outside since there was a light dusting of ice/sleet the night before. Nope, nothing, so surely we had school. Well, come to find out, school wasn't only delayed, but CANCELLED. Do you see all that snow and ice outside? ME EITHER! Crazy Texas.

Shy Stubbornness

This is the perfect term for Sydney, as you can see in her Preschool Christmas presentation. She flat out refused to sing one word or do one action. All the kids said "Happy Birthday Jesus" into the mic as they walked on stage, and of course, Sydney passed right by the microphone without even acknowledging it. He music teacher laughed and said "Sydney told me from day one that she wasn't going to say that. I knew she would stand by her word, too!"

My Boys

I found Carter reading a book and singing to Gavin this morning and had to capture it on video to remind me how sweet they are on those crazy days when they're driving me a bit bonkers!:)

Brighton's First Piano Recital

I realize this post may be mostly for grandparents, but had to do it anyway. I have been waiting for the day to have my children start piano lessons, and I finally started Brighton this summer. They had their Winter recital on Sunday and played fun, easier songs for this, but I loved seeing her perform. And she was even excited about it! Yea Brighton!

Ice Skating and Cross Dressers...

Chris took Brighton on a date this weekend and she chose to go ice skating, something she's always wanted to do. She really wanted to get all dressed up in a skirt and wear all white (it's all about the outfit, right?) but being the overprotective mom I am, I didn't want her to get cold so we opted for jeans instead. But had to have her hair in a bun, just like real ice skaters!



And as for Carter, well, the picture says it all. The kids were all being awfully good and quiet upstairs one morning last week, then came down and presented their "creation" to me. But Chris would be proud because within 5 seconds of my seeing him, he started ripping his wig and dress off and said "I'm a boy, I don't want to be a girl!". That's my boy.

2 months old

My, what big kids you have, Karina! My baby weighed in at 13 1/2 lbs. at 2 months. He's in the 90th percentile for length and height. At least he's on the charts, something Carter never was! I guess I won't have to worry if my boys will be tall!