Roller Skating

Trying out the Christmas gifts...Mariana was only allowed to skate holding my hand. ;)

Super Stephen

The girls tied this cape on him, and we all thought it was too cute...especially Stephen himself. He really enjoyed it!

The Sand Box/Table

They love it!


Stephen wasn't so sure, so he played with a trashcan instead (which had just been cleaned ;) )

Family Christmas

On Christmas Eve we did our baking, including some gingerbread men for the girls to decorate


A little story with Daddy


Christmas morning (Allia earned this new bike for Christmas by working extra hard to play the recital piece that she and Austin performed together)








Ready for Mass


Back for gift opening... This gift had a note from Jesus talking about thankfulness and a bag of sand inside. The girls didn't get it but tried hard to act thankful for a bag of dirt! Then he showed them that it goes in the box they have been working on...a sand box/table!


Gloria has been Mommy's little helper lately, and especially loves sweeping. She was so excited about this broom!


A big girl doll from Lala


The soon-to-be newlyweds

Lita was here too, which the girls were SO happy about.

The girls saved their HEBuddy game points to send off for a new insulated lunch bag for Daddy. It arrived just in time!


Another favorite gift from Lala!


Christmas is exhausting!

Merry Christmas!

from our home to yours...

More birthday celebrating

Pawpaw and Manah came to celebrate Christmas with us this weekend, so we had a little late celebration of Stephen's birthday when they arrived!

Waiting for them to get here


A new train


Stephen remembers his "buddy" from Thanksgiving :)

Little Artists

Austin and the girls have been building this "mystery" box together and finally got a chance to paint it with the warmer weather we had for a few days.

Celebrating

A Birthday picnic in the park with Daddy(since we had record high temperatures!) The wind even blew his candle out for him! It is cute to watch him try. He does push air through his lips making a pffft sound!






He loves to climb at the park and learned to go down the slide by himself yesterday! He carefully lays on his belly and goes feet first. Good boy!


Then a Birthday dinner at home. Mommy made him Brisket which he devoured...the boy loves meat! And of course more cake and singing afterward!




Then we had a few little gifts for him to open. His big gift is his new carseat since he has way outgrown the baby carrier!

Happy First Birthday, Stephen!

One year old already...wow! You are such a joy! We are all so incredibly thankful for you sweet boy.

Then


Halfway


Now (a preview of our Christmas photos...so cute!)

Final touches

The ornaments went up Sunday, and now we are just waiting for Baby Jesus!



As the song (People Look East...a fav advent hymn of ours) says it...
"Love, the Lord, is on the way."

Christmas Recital

Allia had her piano Christmas recital yesterday. She played "The First Noel" as a duet with her teacher then played a song called "Carol of the Children" that we have sung to her at bedtime every night since she was about 6 months old. Austin sang while she played.

The First Noel


Carol of the Children

A Full House

Our sweet friends, the H family came this weekend for a family graduation, and we had the honor of having them stay with us. It was tons of fun to have a house so full of energetic kiddos (7 of theirs and 4 of ours!) and friends of our own to chat with. We have secret plans to try and find them some tickets to an Aggie game next fall so we can lure them back! In the meantime, we can reminisce on this visit...


These two were soooo cute together




Backyard fun


Such sweet buddies