Cheering on our Dallas Cowboys

January 9, 2009

We had a Cowboys Party at our neighbor Joe's place to watch the Cowboys take on the Philadelphia Eagles. I dressed Ethan and Eliana in their Cowboy gear and we gleefully watched the Cowboys march to victory. Let me tell you that Joe is a diehard Cowboy's fan and there was definitely much screaming and jumping and excitement. Alas, the excitement of the win did not last long due to the fact the Boys lost their very next game! There's always next year...right?!?

The gift of friendship

December 29, 2009

While in Colorado, we got to spend a couple of days with Desha and her family. I have been blessed with some amazing friends over the years and Desha is one of these! Despite geography, I have been able to see Desha at least once a year (sometimes more) since graduating from college.

We enjoyed our time together and our kids had a blast playing together. We were looking for something inexpensive (preferably free ;-)!!) for the us to take the kids to so we all would not go crazy! After much searching, we ended up deciding on a tour of a candy factory. I think the kids had fun...I mean how can you not enjoy getting free candy while you are waiting and then again after the tour is over!

Mainly, we talked lots, ate lots, and laughed lots. It went by way too fast but in the wise words of Dr. Seuss "Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened!"

Desha & I

Okay not the best pic of me but check out my prissy girl ;-)

Desha w/Eliana, Zoe, and Simon

Hammonds Factory (YUMMY!)

Zoe, Simon, and Ethan watching them make candy
Ethan enjoying some candy

The kids waiting for our group to be called

Thank God for Free Candy!!

Christmas Day

December 25, 2009

Christmas morning has a new excitement for me as a mother as I watch my kids open thier stockings and play with their new toys. The joy I see on my children's faces I think is better than anything I experienced as a child. True to form, Ethan spent all morning and I mean ALL morning playing with his remote control car. For the longest time he just sat in one spot and watched the car go around and around and around. Eliana drug her baby doll and stroller up and down stairs and had a blast.

Later in the day we all enjoyed Christmas Dinner together cooked by my mother-in-law. Of course, it was excellent and I hope to be half the cook Marilyn is one of these days! Ethan ate the typical 'man' food (turkey, mashed potatoes, and corn), while Eliana tried everything! It was discovered that Eliana loves black olives. She could not get enough of them. She must get that from her daddy!

As always, Christmas was over quickly and we were left with lots of pictures and memories. However, I guess Christmas really is never over if the true meaning of Christmas..the baby named Jesus who changed the world forever....is lived throughout the year!

Our attempt to get a pic of me with the kids ;-)

It's Christmas and I can cry if I want to..for some reason I love this pic!
Ethan & Eliana enjoying Christmas Dinner

Santa's lost reindeer
Another lost reindeer and an elf!

Ethan playing with his new car (Classic morning hair!!)
Ethan opening his stocking
What else is in here??
Eliana, Aunt Jamie, and Cousin Adaline

Christmas Eve

December 24, 2009 (like you did not know when Christmas Eve took place)

We opened presents Christmas Eve. The kids had a blast, of course!! Among Ethan's favorites was a remote control Lightning McQueen, some new Thomas the Train tracks and Eliana loved her baby doll and doll stroller. Before opening presents we found a little church and went to their Christmas Eve service. It was interesting because I missed most of it because I kept having to walk outside with Eliana, but it was nice anyways.

Christmas Eve Service

Nana & Eliana (not sure why this is fuzzy!) Ethan, Eliana, and Abigael playing with the ornaments
Ethan and Eliana opening presents

Ethan studying his new car

Cousins

Ethan & Eliana got to spend lots of time with their cousins over Christmas. Ethan and Abigael (who is only 5 months younger than Ethan) played so well, until a cute little tornado (AKA Eliana) would come behind and cause trouble ;-)!! Cousin Adaline was only 5 months old at the time, but we'll be running with the rest of the big kids next year! This extended time with family was such a blessing. We're not sure when the next opportunity like this will come along again so we treasured our time together. I got many cute moments on the camera...here are a few.

The aftermath of Ring around the Rosy ;-)

Eliana & Abigael

Abigael & Ethan pretending to sleep (my favorite pic of them)

Ethan & Abigael Watching a sing along video in their PJ's

Abigael, Eliana, & Ethan playing with the musical snowmen (they loved these things)

Ethan and Abigael playing with the magnetic letters

Sledding

December 24, 2009

Mommy and Eliana sledding

Jamie and Shane along with Josh and I took our adventurous little girls sledding Christmas Eve. Ethan stayed home with Nana. We were 100% positive he would not like sledding. I think he did not mind..when we got back he was watching CARS..his ultimate favorite. Both Eliana and Abigael loved sledding. Eliana had no fear, although she did not like the cold snow flying up in her face. Who can blame her?

Getting ready to go sledding

Cousin Abigael

Daddy getting ready to take Eliana sledding for the very first time

Mommy and Eliana

Winter Wonderland

December 23, 2009

Two days before Christmas, Colorado got hit with a huge snowstorm and we got our White Christmas after all! It was beautiful and I loved it! This was really the first time the kids were around any snow of significance. Eliana loved the snow and wanted to play in it any opportunity she got. Ethan did not want to have anything to do with it and avoided it like the plague. He did not even want to walk in it..poor guy! By the time we left Colorado he was comfortable enough to walk through the edges of the snow.

Get a Texas girl around that much snow and she goes camera crazy, needless to say I ended up taking a crazy amount of pictures! I'll just choose some of my favorites!

Before the big snowfall hit...there's Ethan walking around the patch of snow and Eliana going right into the middle of it ;-)!!

Mommy and Eliana

No mom, my hands aren't freezing!!

I love this pic!

Ethan & Eliana's first plane ride

December 17, 2009

3:00 a.m. - Wake up kids who wonder what in the heck is going on
3:30 a.m. - Hit the road to head to DFW airport --kid's are wide awake and think they are on an adventure. Our neighbor, Keron, graciously went with us so he could drive our car back to our apartment.
4:00 a.m. - Arrive at DFW. Unpack and wait and wait for the lines to open up. So glad my husband said we needed to arrive early. The line got REALLY long while we were waiting.
5 something- Go through security line..get up the front of the line and realize we need a "mock" ticket for Eliana. Josh went back to line while I waited. Not for long though. Went through line. We had to take the kids shoes off, coats off, get all the bags and car seat through...quite the experience. Ethan did not know why he had to take off his shoes and why they took his milk so he had a mini meltdown. I felt sorry for the people behind us.
Finally get through line and find some breakfast, which made the kids happy.
6:30 - Board plane and have to wait for about an hour for everyone to board. Eliana got a bit antsy at times but did super great overall.
7 something - Take off. Ethan stared out the window for the longest time while we were taking off. Super cute. He looked at books and toys all trip and hardly made a peep. Eliana, on the other hand, did not have her own seat and got somewhat fidgety. She went from Josh's lap to my lap and from toy to toy throughout the trip. However, she did GREAT considering she was only 15 months old.
9 - Arrive at Denver and are super exhausted but so glad we are there.

Waco Christmas

Decemeber 12, 2009

We had an early Christmas with my family before leaving for our trip to CO. Here are a couple of pics.

A rare picture of the cousins together...this was the best one out of the five I took. This was a funny moment because Dad, Lindsey, and I were all taking pictures and trying to get all the kids to look at the camera. I even think there were some bribery in there ;-)!

Ethan looking at his new book
Eliana in her Christmas dress with her baby doll