Texas Trip - Christmas 2016

On Christmas night, we drove to Baton Rouge, LA and stopped for night.  We were on our way to Texas to visit for the week!  The kids did SO good in the car and never complained once.  When we arrived, they got their gifts from Uncle Evan and Aunt Melanie - scooters!  They had a great time riding them up and down the driveway all week.

 While we were out there, we kept busy out at the farm, going shopping, eating delicious Mexican food and watching Erin play in her basketball tournament.  

 Erin and Mason

 Erin and Kate

 Yummy lunch at Alex's!  Complete with a Mexican coke!

  Mason and Buck became fast friends on this visit.

Hanging out at the farm:

 Shopping for new cowboy boots:

 As if he didn't get enough toys already....more were bought.

While we were in Hobby Lobby one afternoon, there was a 7.5 foot Christmas tree on clearance for $80!  I have tried the past couple years to buy one at home but they are always sold out.  There were two left this time so I snagged it (once I cleared it with Justin).  I was a little concerned how we were going to get it home but we packed it in! 

One afternoon we took the kids to see the "Sing" movie in 3D.  That was the first 3D movie I have seen and I'm not a big fan but the movie was fantastic.  I want to see it again (not in 3D). 

The second half of the week we spent driving to Erin's Basketball Tournaments in a nearby town (about an hour and a half away). Unfortunately they got eliminated on Friday but we had a great time watching her play!

  The guys crashed in the car on the ride back to Blossom.

Enjoying lunch at a local gas station before a basketball game.  Never thought I would but it was good!

Car packed with my tree and two scooters.  It was a Christmas miracle!

We were sad to see the week end so quickly but we had a great time!  Thank you Uncle Evan, Aunt Mel, Erin and Ryan for having us. :)

Christmas 2016

We had another wonderful Christmas!  Since Christmas was on Sunday this year, it was a little tricky to arrange our annual activities around church.  On Saturday (Christmas Eve), we ate our traditional Christmas breakfast at my parent's house.   

 Nanny and Cooper

Blue eyed boys.

Later that evening, we had the Cowart/Olk Christmas dinner at Uncle Jordan and Aunt Katie house.  For dinner we enjoyed taco soup and afterwards had a great time playing the family white elephant game.  I ended up with four lotto tickets (won $15) and Lucky Goat coffee but the real winner was Aunt Katie.  She ended up with the box of chocolates with $50 hidden in the wrapper (Nanny's gift).  It's safe to say Nanny went over the $10 recommendation. 

 Christmas Eve!

  Dad ended up getting one of our gifts.  He drew #1 so he had the prime position to snag a good gift.  He opened ours first, which was a XXL t shirt with a screen print of Kate's Kindergarten class picture.  We accidentally received it when I placed my order back in the Spring and I knew I had to save it for the white elephant gift exchange this year.  The only other gift dad was interested was my coffee and lotto tickets (which had been locked since I was the second steal) and he didn't know about the money in the chocolate wrappers, so he kept his beautiful t shirt. :)

 We had a wonderful Christmas Eve!

Before the kids went to bed, we put out cookies and milk for Santa.

 Ready for Santa!

Before the kids went to bed, we let them open the gifts from mommy and daddy.  They were excited about the board games and movie.

On Christmas morning, the kids were excited to see this... 

 I filmed most of them opening gifts and didn't take any pictures but I did take a couple pictures of what they got: 

 After gifts, we quickly got ready and went to church.  After church, we went over to my parent's to open gifts with them!  Since we were fixing a big dinner at our house that night, Gigi fixed us a light lunch complete with melted ham sandwiches, fruit, chips and Christmas cookies! Again, I didn't take any pictures while we were opening but I managed to get a family picture.  Poor Gigi was really sick so we tried to keep a safe distance so we didn't get sick (thus the reason for no extended family pictures).

  Christmas afternoon, Mimi and Papa came over aroudn 2:00 to open gifts and spend some time with us before the rest of the family joined us later that evening for dinner.  

This year, we ate at 5:00 since we were leaving for Texas later that night.  It wasn't going to work out for us to visit at Spring Break like last year (Melanie and Erin are going to New York!) so Justin and I thought it would be fun to go after Christmas!  

We had a wonderful Christmas meal and the Boerstler family joined us this year (Kyle, Hannah, Ruby and Michael)!  It's always to fun to have friends join us  Everyone brought a couple side dishes to complement our Boston Butt (something I ordered at Thanksgiving and froze until Christmas - delicious!).  Justin and I had the car packed so as soon as our last guest left around 7, we jumped in the car and hit the road. 

We had another wonderful Christmas full of friends, family and love.  

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

More Christmas Fun!

The week and weekend before Christmas was packed with fun!  The week before Christmas break, daddy and I attended the kid's class parties.  I went to Roberts with Kate for a delicious class breakfast.

 While I was there we went down to Ms. Muy's class to visit...

 And we gave Mrs. Burnette our gift:

 A personalized Coton Colors ornament along with a Target gift card.

The next day was Mason's Christmas program and class party at Good Samaritan.

 Our little guy. He had two speaking parts but froze up when it came time for him to recite them.  Maybe next year!

 Mason's class. 

We also gave Mason's two teachers their gifts - two travel size bottles of body lotion from Bath & Body Works and Target gift cards.  I struggle every year trying to come up with teacher gifts so I usually end up going the gift card route.

I also gave Gigi an early Christmas present:

Uncle Jordan and Aunt Katie had us over for lunch one Sunday after church and I had to take a picture of the four munchkins since they happened to be in coordinating outfits (not planned). 

Kate attended a couple Christmas parties with friends...

Thank you Betsy for the picture!

 and brought home a Gingerbread house from one at Caiome's :

 Our Elf has been a big part of our Christmas this year...

One morning Skittles fell from his perch so I had to pick him up with our kitchen tongs...aka " Elf Relocation Services"

We also made our own Gingerbread house:

The Sunday before Christmas was another fun day.   

 Two cuties.

During bible class, the Faith Lane kids rode on the bus to Harbor Chase (an assisted living facility) and sang Christmas Carols to the residents (one being our member Mrs. Francis Booth). This is always a highlight of our holiday - I love going!

 This year, Mason wanted to go but he refused to sing.  Maybe next year he will participate.

 Kate and her besties.

For lunch, Gigi and Grandaddy invited us to the Southwood Santa brunch.  Another one of my favorite events!

 We sat outside this year on the back porch which gave us the best view to see Santa riding up on his golf cart!

 Here he comes!

 Someone was still afraid of Santa...sigh.

 Sneaking a peak at Santa's golf cart.

 Waiting to see Santa...

 Although Mason insisted he would sit on Santa's lap, he started screaming when it was his turn and wouldn't let go of me so the 2016 Santa picture (once again) is just with Kate.

 This was as close as Mason would let me get...

 Sweet Cooper loved sitting on Santa's lap...

 Cooper's 1st Christmas!

 And before we left I snagged a couple pictures in one of my favorite spots at the Clubhouse:

 Merry Christmas from the Evers!