THANKFUL FOR AUNT CAROL

Usually at Thanksgiving Carol and Liz take pictures of the family and kids. Here are a few snaps from our "session"

Every year Woodlands Elite has a guy fly in from California to do their individual and team cheer pictures. He's apparantly very well known for his pictures. In my mind he's very well known for taking terrible pictures. So every year I tell Calli that we'll get Aunt Carol to take them but I never do. This year I PROMISED her that I would ask Aunt Carol to take them. So here are some shots from that session.

THE THREE D'S

Drums...Dog....DUMB!

Because our place was much too quiet we got this

And because we had too much space in our little barn for the 4 of us we got this

And that my friends may mean Wes and I have lost our minds. Or that we really have just thrown our hands in the air and said "Whatever"

The drums are for Colson and part of his Christmas present. He is very excited about starting lessons. They are LOUD though!

And the dog was bound to happen sooner or later. Dakota's previous owners posted on Facebook that they needed to get rid of this sweet blue heeler and Wes posted "I want him". And then he texted me to tell me to go look at the post and his comment. And that's how I found out we had a new member of the family. I was just glad she is 3 years old and out of that puppy stage...and already fixed! The kids LOVE her! Jax and Lucy not so much! Wes had been wanting an outside dog to roam the place with Colson and I think this one will work just fine. Although he's not really an outside dog right now. But it is really cold outside...and she's really fast at sticking her nose in the door and powering through when you crack the door.

NOW THAT'S OLE BIG

I let Wes take Colson out of school 2 days early so they could go down to Harris' (my cousin) infamous ranch that they talk about all year. I mean what kind of mom would I be if I deprived him of this opportunity. Wes, Scott and Colson went and lived like the rich people do for 3 days and came home with this

Well they really only came home with the head of it. Apparently the meat was left in the cooler. The ranch hands are saying THANK YOU! Colson reminds Wes of his err every time he tells the story of the hunt. This deer was HUGE...especially for a 9 year old to kill. He's spoiled now. It was a great deer for him to kill because one of the tines had broke off. Someone like Jeff Bagwell, who visits the ranch, wouldn't want to kill it but Colson sure did. He also killed a doe and a hog. And he was in hog heaven!

So fun for him! Making memories with his daddy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS

"And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everylasting Father, Prince of Peace"

Thank goodness for the birth of that sweet baby Jesus, the Savior of the world, born as a baby. That was the true celebration of Christmas Day! We enjoyed time at the barn with presents and paper overflowing in our living room/kids bedroom/kitchen.

And then we headed over to the Schubert's to enjoy lunch with Wes' side of the family. A whole bunch of people who either 1. Talk really loud or 2. Can't hear a thing. Maybe that's why #1 happens?!?!  Regardless, all sweet people that we call family.

As the year winds down, I just can't fathom that 365 days have passed. Seriously, why does it go by so fast. My to do list is NEVER short, the kids activities are always eventful and life is full of love!

LOTS OF CHRISTMAS CHEER

I LOVED having Christmas fall on a Tuesday this year. Sure wish it was some crazy formula like the 4th Tuesday after the 3rd half moon of the year....like Easters crazy formula is. And I LOVED having the kids out on Friday before Christmas. That week before Christmas is ALWAYS crazy and it ends up being a wasted week of time off for the kids because I still have to go and do to get things done. Now they don't go back until the 8th....lots of down time for them (and me). Work was closed on Monday and then the 2 day weekend before and the 3 days vacation after has made for a really good week.

We started our Christmas celebration down at my aunts with my cousins. We do our usual white elephant gift exchange and the 2nd cousins all have fun playing together. It's such a cute group and they all get along so well.

 Georgia (far left) and Bailey (far right), Harris' daughters play well with Calli and Colson. They always enjoy their time together.

 How cute is this little girl? This is Layne, Marks daughter. She's ADORABLE!

 And so is Marks son, Charlie!

The only one I didn't get a picture of was Harris' son, Austin. He's one and cute!

Colson ended up with a Nutcracker that he talked my mom into stealing from him so he could score on black Santa.

After Saturday with the extended family, we spent Sunday preparing for our Christmas Eve production. I sang in the choir....I really just lip sinced because I had not been to one rehearsal (except Sunday). But Wes was the star of the show. The skit was centered around auditions for the Christmas play...only they only had 4 people show up for auditions so those 4 people told the story as they "auditioned". Since there were only 4 people, they each played several parts. Wes had the most costume changes. He was...

An angel

A clock

A (perfectly casted) donkey



A sheep

A frightened shepherd

A wiseman

And of course the best bass guitarist around

It was a cute way to tell the story. After two services of that, we went to Grammies to celebrate with my side of the family. Of course we had dinner and then the Christmas story read by Calli. Everyone listened quietly in their own way.

 And then the opening of presents. My presents to Hudson and Cam were a hit. I got Cam a miniature roller coaster that I am sure Scott is thrilled with...it's kinda big. But Cam loved it.

Too bad he doesn't know it was from me. If he did, he might at least smile at me when he sees me. Oh well, I delight in seeing him have fun even if he doesn't want anything to do with me.

Hudson got a police man bike. Pretty cute!

Cam may not want anything to do with me...but he wants everything to do with Calli.

And Hudson is glued to Colson.

Judging by this picture you would think Calli was the only one who had a great evening. On the contrary, it was a great evening which quickly ended and it was time to head home to get ready for Santa.

KEEPING TRADITIONS ALIVE

So even though we are in the barn, a VERY small space, I tried to keep some of the traditions we do at Christmas time. We did have a tree....

it just wasn't 3 dimensional. I tried to do an outline of a tree in lights (I had seen it on pinterest) but I couldn't get the lights to hold. So I did the next best creative thing (also seen on pinterest) which actually turned out better I think. I cut a gigantic tree out of green felt. And then instead of hanging ornaments on the tree, I taped the Christmas cards we received throughout the season on it. It turned out really cute.

We also had Jack join us again...that hasn't nothing to do with me though...Santa sent him knowing that my kids needed extra guard and reporting on their behavior :)

Every year they both get to pick out their own ornament. Calli picked out the Hallmark ornament of the year where it does the countdown with news from the North Pole every day. I ended up picking up Colson's one day a couple of weeks before Christmas worried that by the time we got around to going, everything would be picked over and he woudn't find one he liked. I picked him out a Texans football since he's OBSESSED with the Texans. Of course he loved it.

I usually wrap up all our Christmas books every year and then each night they open up one to read. This was the first thing Calli mentioned not being able to do....all our books are in storage. In addition, I buy a new Christmas book every year. I was obviously able to do that part of the tradition...they opened it on Christmas Eve and we read it together. They also opened up their Christmas fun gift. I buy Calli a snowglobe...this years was one of a tree...since we didn't have a tree this year. It sang Deck the Halls which just happened to be the same song that her and Colson had made up their own song too. So it was a good fit to remind her of this Christmas 2012. Colson's was a Surfboard looking Santa that danced to a beach boys song. Kinda reminded us of our Rhode Island trip this summer where he learned to surf.

Regardless of the size of space we live in or how crazy the season gets, it's still possible to keep some normalicy with some traditions.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

My kids sat down a couple of weeks ago and made their lists for Santa.

CALLI (age 12....7th grade)
IPAD (with several arrows and underlines)
Cheer Air Floor
Cheer clothing
Chi Straightener
Vera Bradley "Berry Paisley" hipster
Netflix on my TV
Cake Boss baking book
Laptop
Bike
Toms & Sperries (again with several arrows and underlines)
Bubble Chair
Sit down Razor Scooter
Volleyball with net
Soccer stuff
Earrings
Surfboard
Giant stuffed animal
3D IPhone case
Money
Bath & Body works stuff
Miss Me jeans and Capris
Spinning Cheer Stunt Stand
Make Up
Clothes
Lots of other things
Thanks Mr. Clause!
Calli S. (age 12)

COLSON (Age 9....3rd grade)
Basketball shoes (high tops_
Phone
Basketball
Tablet
Paintball Gun
New Baseball Bat
Hunting stuff
Nerf Gun
Airsoft rifle
Basketball goal
Rocket
Guinnea pig
Camera
Bob the Tomato costume
Football
Movies
Longhorn shirt (Too bad Santa is an Aggie and wouldn't dream of bringing him this)
Reindeer bell
Helicopter
Skateboard
Texans stuff
Foosball table

WOW I hope Santa thinks they've been good!

IS HE BIPOLAR OR PROTECTIVE?

This is our attack dog...how can he be so sweet one moment and attack the next minute?