Holiday Fun (part 2)

Warning- this is Christmas overload! and there will be a part 3 before I even get to actual Christmas! yikes!

Alex had a school performance...adorable of course! This year was so different from last- he did great and was really excited about it! He had been singing the songs (Away in a Manger, Jingle Bells, Up on the Housetop, to name a few) at home on his own for several weeks. I was so impressed! He was thrilled to see Nani, Papa Wes, Honey, Daddy, Ellie, and me all in the audience beaming back at him! I am so mad at myself for not bringing the long lens!!! Next year, remind me! Love that our friend Madison is in the front row, center, in her precious bright green and striped tights ;) Alex is in the front row, next to the kid in plaid, with a red shirt and brown pants.

then at the end they did a few more songs with all the classes and Alex is smushed there in the middle

I think he is waving to Papa in the balcony who is videoing

This is a picture of his teachers taking them out of sanctuary. Alex is mouthing to me that he wants snack...what else is new?!

Ellie LOVED the show and cheering Alex on

After the show I wanted to get some pictures of Ellie in her cute Christmas outfit. The big lollipop was a mistake. Love and admiration at first...

but I couldn't get the girl to sit still for long. And it made a MESS!
switch to smaller lolli and outside :)

Our Church puts on an amazing event called Walk Through Bethlehem.

Everyone LOVED the camel and needed a camel picture :)

Alex was really scared at first, but warmed up :)



my sweet friend was Mary at the time we went and that is one of her sweet baby boys (she has twins) Aren't they perfect for the job! :) As expected, Ellie was a fanAlex said his favorite part was the soldiers AND the camel. I have to admit it was all pretty cool!
And for some "extras" of the month....

Ellie in her winter wear, loving her boots! :) and busted pulling ornaments off the tree... and thats why we have soft ones at the bottom!
We had a fire and "hot cocoa" one night. More like warm chocolate soy milk :) I hate this picture of me looking scrubby but I want to include it bc it is me. a rare shot. and I think its funny that I am totally using the belly as a coffee table
Our Elf came back again this year- Alex named him Elfie. The kids BOTH LOVED finding him everyday and would revisit him and laugh throughout the day. Best is showing him to Daddy when he gets home from work.

pirate Elfie was huge hit- argh

and the kids just had a lot of fun together! They love playing together and this day, it was making the one seater, a two seater. And Ellie held on all by herself. She is getting so grown up! *note Alex's "summer wear"- pretty sure it was not appropriate but he was going through a huge anti-warm clothes phase. Still prefers shorts and tshirts but has not been fighting it like he did at the beginning of the season

Holiday Fun (part 1)

We had a great time this year celebrating all month long! The kids were really into it and it makes it so fun!

decorating the tree- We let the kids help and do the decorating this year, with thoughts that I would go back and fix it and add the breakables up high, and it never happened but I kinda liked it that way

and the angel on top!
yes, our tree is a beast...thats what happens when you get your tree in a huge warehouse that throws off your sense of proportion

Alex was thrilled about all the ornaments and he couldn't stop checking them all out
opening up all of my snow globe collection was like opening up gifts to the kids. THEY LOVED IT! and the snow globes had to be one of Ellie's favorite things this year. Sadly, when I didn't want to wind them all up for her I had to tell her they were sleeping and this only kept the whining away half of the time. :)


we topped off our day of decorating with a candlelight dinner...another family favorite!

We went to visit Santa up at our church (It was easy and cheap and I knew it wouldn't go well anyway)

Ellie seemed very interested from a distance! Alex was very anxious for our turn but was very patient.

as expected, lil one was NOT having it. Alex went ahead and told Santa that he wanted toy helicopters.

mean momma made her do it anyway

and then Alex got his time not worried about sister

one more try, and its still a no-go

this helped the pain go away

Thanksgiving

Not sure if anyone follows me anymore because its been WAY too long since my last post, but I will keep posting! and I WILL catch up! Its my New Years Resolution! Pick it back up, and be better about staying current! With the baby coming in just a few short months, I really want to be back on the ball. The holidays have always been hard for me to blog but being largely preggo, with 2 kids, and the holidays...it was just too much! Enough excuses though...so I will start with the big things and may have to go back on some of the things I am missing.

Thanksgiving was at my parents house this year! Always a day full of blessings and reminders of how thankful we are. The hard and sad part was that my brother couldn't make it- he was struggling through a kidney stone in San Antonio. Nothing could be worse- not only was he missed dearly, but knowing he was in pain was very tough on all of us.

ducks!

cousins!

so thankful for his Daddy! and the candy bribes he was getting all day to take pictures...dont let the cooperative model fool you :)

the whole gang, including Vinnie's parents and Gigi

my adorable parents
so thankful for them!

my sweet sweet boy and baby to be! about 24 weeks along

pretty girls

us girls have to get in our ad shopping! start em early!

Alex got this Aggie football outfit from Daddy who couldn't pass it up...to say Alex was super excited about it was is an understatement- WHOOP! But for record, it was not a win this year, lets not talk about it :(
That weekend we also met up with my Dad's side of the family in Waco to celebrate my cousin Amy's 40th!

Alex, Me and Ellie, Amy, Jo and Kalyn, KellieAnne and her two girls Annsley and Grace

Aunt Barbara is so sweet and brought treats for the kids :)

Happy Birthday Amy! I can only hope to look as great as you at 40!

It was so great seeing everyone and catching up a little- it was a quick day trip. Only wish we got together more often!