Christmas Weekend

This was our year to have Christmas with Ryan's side of the family and they were kind enough to come to our to celebrate.

Friday all the girls (Mimi, Aunt Casey, Kendall, Taylor and I) went to the movies to see "Chipwreck". It was super cute and we all had some good laughs. After the movies the guys meet us so we could go see Santa! It was really cold outside and the line was LONG. So Ryan and I waited in line while everyone else stayed warm in Barnes and Nobles drinking hot cocoa!

Finally it was our turn

Kendall, Santa, and Taylor

After our visit we went to Steiner Steakhouse for some yummy dinner.

Poppy and Mimi

David and Aunt Casey

The next day (Christmas Eve) we did a little cooking, played some games, hanging out and enjoying each other.

Trying to get a good family picture before Church but we weren't have the best corporation from K & T. So this is the best of the bad.

After a great Christmas Eve service at church Ryan and I had some last minute wrapping and prepping to do.

Our tree

The next morning much to our surprise Kendall didn't get up till almost 7 (that is really late for her)!

Taylor has been talking about a guitar for months and that is the first thing she walked over and picked up.

The girls and their American Girl Dolls

(another thing they have been talking about forever)

The girls have been asking for these for months and they were so excited. Kendall named hers Bella and Taylor named hers Julia.

Daddy and Kendall having some cuddle time

Taylor and me with my new super cute Baylor hat!

We had a great day relaxing, playing with new toys, cooking, and hanging our with the fam!

Taylor and Poppy having a "jam session"

Kendall modeling her new Justice hat from Mimi and Poppy!

Nutcracker

I surprised the girls this year by getting us tickets to The Nutcracker. They had never been and since taking dance the last year or so I thought they would really enjoy it. When I told them they were super excited.

Posing with The Nutcracker

They were excited to get all dressed up and act "grown up". I was so impressed by their behavior during the show. They sat and watch the whole time and asked lots of question about the dancers, the story, and about the different music.

During the intermission the "mice" were walking around and we got to snap a quick picture with them.

Sea World

To finish off our fun in San Antonio I surprised the girls by meeting our good friends The C's at Sea World!

Mr D, Taylor, Miss A, and Kendall

Kendall and Taylor with Shamu

The whole park wasn't open but the part they had open was all decorated for Christmas and it was beautiful. We walked around for awhile and then rode the Steel Eel! It was super fun, made Taylor's tummy feel little funny so I got off with her while the rest of the crew rode it one more time.

Kendall posing with a snowman

After we watched The Polar Express in 4D we ran into an 8 foot tall Mistletoe Man walking on stilts. We was amazing to watch the way he could move.

Grams, Taylor, and Kendall

We got to visit Santa! He had on the most fabulous Texas suit and jolly spirit! We weren't allowed to take pictures but Grams snapped a quick one.

After watching A Dolphin Christmas we stopped to snapped a pic with some nutcrackers (I love Nutcrackers so I jumped in).

Peeking around a Christmas tree

Last up was the Believe show.

Mrs S, Drew, Taylor, Miss A, Kendall, and me

We got there alittle early and while we were sitting there one of the trainers came up and asked Mr D if he would like to be part of the show! He got to do down and give Shamu signals! It was super exciting to watch him and see him on the big screen. Such an awesome experience!!!

No matter how many times I see the Shamu show it is still just as breath taking.

It was a great day and a wonderful way to finish up our trip.

Early Christmas Fun In San Antonio

The girls and I rode with Ryan to San Antonio to have some fun while he worked during the day. He dropped us off at Grandma's house and Grams, Aunt Jennifer, and Avery meet us there so Grams and the girls could make their traditional gingerbread houses.

All the girls concentrating hard on their work

Taylor's had some structurally issues but she was a good sport and made a manger out of it!

Kendall and her finished product, she did an amazing job!

Taylor and her creation

Next up was an early Christmas at Nanaw's and Popeye's house. After eating WAY TO MUCH food (why do I always do that when she cooks) we opened some presents.

Taylor and her cute ballerina doll

Kendall and her new Pillow Pet Ladybug slippers!

The girls sporting their new "Lady Gaga" hair as Nanaw calls it.

The next morning the girls and I met Grams, Aunt Jennifer, and Avery at the Magik Theatre for Nutcrackers. I have to say I was alittle disappointed, it was told through history's greatest comedians (the Marx Brothers, Charlie Chaplin, Lucille Ball and others). I really did get alot of it and the girls certainly didn't but it didn't really seem to bother them to much.

It was a busy day and a half but full of fun and laughter and it wasn't over yet!

2nd Annual Ugly Sweater Party

Our good friends Carly and Joe hosted their 2nd annual Ugly Sweater Party.

Carly and I went sweater shopping a few weeks before and I scored Ryan's awesome sweatshirt for $10 at a store downtown. I didn't have much luck but good old Walmart came through with a beautiful turtleneck.

Kendall and Taylor were so kind and lets us borrow their light up necklaces from the evening.

We had a great time meeting new people, eating some yummy food, and having some good laughs at other peoples outfits.

Thanks Rods!

Looking forward to next year.

Party Time!!

The girls were willing to have a combined party this year and I was all for it (only planning 1 party, heck yeah!). Kendall has been talking about having an ice skating/s'mores/hot cocoa party for a while now and Taylor was cool with that idea but with her own twist. She wanted to have a princess ice skating. Easy I can make this work no problem. So we reserved the whole rink just for their party so we won't have to worry about big kids or to many adults on the ice with all of our kiddos on the ice.

So Saturday we celebrated Kendall's 7th and Taylor's 6th birthday together at the Oasis Ice Skating Rink!

Miss Kendall and me

Taylor only invited the girls since it was a "princess ice skating party" and she wanted everyone to wear pink! I told her that I couldn't ask all her friends to wear pink but that she could (which wasn't hard because literally everything in her closet in pink right now, she is quite opinionated about her clothes!). She also wanted everyone to wear a tiara, again I told her that we could "tell" everyone to wear one but she wore one almost the entire party. She marches to her own beat.

We haven't been ice skating since last year around this time so I thought I would have to really help the girls at first but Ryan and I were pleasantly surprised that they took right to ice with no problem.

All of our friends showed up, made a stop at Santa's Skate Shop to get their skates on!

And on the ice they went, some had some trouble!

Miss Caroline was having fun and being super silly!

Kendall skating around being the social butterfly she is (she comes by that naturally from her father).

We had hot cocoa there to warm everyone up!

Miss A, Kendall, and Miss B enjoying some hot cocoa!

I honestly think I took one picture the whole party but with about 30 kids and just a many adults there I was a busy bee but thank goodness Grams with there and took a million great pictures from me! Thanks Grams

A shot from the second level, it was so fun to see all the kids and parents skating around having a great time.

Carly came out to help us celebrate, we love her!

Cousin Avery getting in (or down) on some fun

Taylor and all (or most) of her friends

Kendall and her group of friends

Avery and Kendall

After skating we headed over to have cake

Taylor's princess ice skating cake

Everyone was singing to her and she wouldn't look up (she is still wearing the tiara).

Daddy and Kendall serving all our guest!

Kendall is so loving and caring and makes sure that everyone is taken care of. She has such a good heart!

Party Favors- s'mores!

I couldn't pull off s'mores at the party so we made them to go

Taylor's

After the party we were all hungry so Grams, Aunt Jennifer, Avery, and us went up stairs to Uncle Billy's for some grub!

Kendall being silly

When we got home it was PRESENT TIME

The girls did a great job taking turns opening presents so I could write down what and who for thank you notes.

I took Taylor shopping so she could pick out a present for Kendall and this is what she picked out! A Justin Bieber poster!

Kendall loved it and immediately hung it on her wall!

The girls wearing their new santa hats from one of Kendall's sweet friends.

The whole party was super fun for the kids and the adults.

The girls loved it and had big smiles and that is all I need.

I can't believe that my babies are getting so big, I love them more than anything.