Christmas 2010

This year was our turn to be in Waco for Christmas.  After much debate (it's getting tough for Santa to haul around these gifts every year!)  :), we decided to spend the night with Mom and Dad one last time.   



Here's Clark's loot---notice how we're slowly building up our "boy toy" selection.




Sister's




Funny thing is, Bubba's FAVORITE present was the box of Teddy Grahams in his stocking.  Hmmm..Santa could have stopped right there!  (I love these cute little Crocs he got!)




AnnMarie tested out her new bike right away!




I wanted to stop and pose for a (early morning a little crusty) pic with my peanuts.




A cute hat and gloves for Missy!




Daddy helping Clarky learn to "swing"!



He shoots!  He scores!



Santa picked up a few things at the American Girl store...



And thennnnnnnnnn we had to put evvvvvvvverything together and WHAM here ya go.  :)




That afternoon we ventured outside into the CoLd weather to take Lila Catherine for a ride...




Bubba was all bundled up!



Gigi and Papa got the boys this tractor to ride around at their place.  Is there anything cuter???????????




That afternoon J, J, and B came over to open presents and have dinner.  Gigi puts together "grab bags" for the kids with all kinds of goodies.  Here are the stinkers playing with some of their stuff.




AM with a couple of her goodies



Matching PJs! 





Sister also got TWINKLE TOES which if you don't know what these are you clearly do not have 4/5 year old GIRL.  My goodness, they are tacky with a capital T, but it was #1 on her list. 
Bubba stole one...




And, Daddy gave her a Tie Dye kit which was a good activity to fill our time before school started back. 




Um...it was really fun doing it, but it turned out a little pale?  Ahem, first time for everything! :)



Gamma and Pepaw drove all the way from Midland to have Christmas at our house the weekend of New Year's.  Here is AM diving in to the present bonanza!



The Clarkster had just woken up but was loving hammering away!



Gamma gave AM a coooooooozy sheepskin and carried on the tradition with Bubba.  He loved it as you can see!!!  He is now sleeping on it every night (and day) in his crib.



Uncle Kenneth and Aunt Jana (and cousins Emily/Mackenzie/Madison) sent this darling toy for Clark.  It's a little John Deer four wheeler!!  He loves playing on it.




Peace out, friends!  See ya next Christmas!



It went by WAY too fast for me, but we still made sweet memories, and it just made it even more fun to look forward to next year.  Yes, I already am! :)

Christmas time!

Christmas time is so much fun! 



We kicked off the season at "Breakfast with Santa".  Here are AM and Creighton.  I love how they're sitting really far away from each other. :)



AM and Karoline

We saw Brooksy!  (Clark stayed home with Daddy.)

Another random BU cheerleader sighting (which MAKES my daughter's day)

Gigi took us to the Nutcracker ballet.  It was beautiful!  And I guess since I had just gotten back from NYC, I was really into the live production!  AM got a Sugar Plum fairy nutcracker, and I purchased a "Clara" to add to my collection.

The cousins posed in their matching PJ's so we could hopefully get Gigi a Christmas card picture.

Posing again---the boys were not having it.

AnnMarie had an open house at her dance studio. 

The best part was watching her shake her hips in Jingle Bell Rock!

Bad picture, but just documenting her class singing at the Christmas chapel.



Random--one Saturday I found Sean napping with AM's babies all nestled in around him.  Can you find all six?



We decided to make AM's school party a "Happy Birthday, Jesus!" party.  After all, that IS what Christmas is all about!  (Bless her heart, that night AM ended up getting sick, and looking back at these pictures, you can tell!) 

The "princesses" of her class.  (All the kids got to open up a gift at the end---their "party favors".)

Looking in the mirror that Amanda's mom passed around to show them that the best gift you can give Jesus at Christmas time is YOU!

Duck Time

Well, it's that time of year...hunting season. Annnnnnnnddd, Daddy Sean has been making lots of quack shoots lately.  Here he is beaming because he is 2 for 2 in the "kids loving to hold dead ducks" category.  :)
Kidding, but I do love this picture!

Bubba could have played with them all day.  Don't worry, we did thoroughly sanitize after taking these pictures!

In fact, he loved them so much...

...he gave one a kiss.

17 months

Little brother is 17 months.  My sweet friend, Kimberly, captured him perfectly at this stage!

And she stole my heart with this shot!

Clark LOVES books.  One of his cute moves is when he wants you to read him a book, he backs his way into your lap and plops down.  So sweet!  Sister is still #1 in his heart.

Got caught sneakin in the freezer at Gamma and Pepaw's

He is defnitely moving into a "daddy" phase.  Which, I know is as it should be, but don't think it doesn't make my heart hurt a little! ;)
p.s. Life with a firstborn gIrL---pink blankets abound



I no longer have a tiny tot and a baby...........I have a preKer and a toddler.  Time is flying!

Let me break in here and say that I am fully aware of Clark's "Lloyd Christmas" cut (dorky character from a hilarious 90s movie).  I really try every time to express my disdain for this to the lady that cuts his hair.  Sometimes it just comes out.  Anyway, we're working on it!

My kids are opposite in so many ways.  The first being that big sister LOVES posing for the camera, little brother does not see the point.

Somebody got caught pantless!

Gigi and her babies

It's so cute to watch Brooks and Clark begin to really recognize each other.  Last week they got some wrestling in.

Bubba also loves to sing Old MacDonald, Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle, and as he's showing here, "If you're happy and you know it, your face will really show it!"



The face that has perfected the art of tugging at Mama's heartstrings.  sheesh.  I am mush when he pulls this one out.

 Clark at 17 months:
*still taking two naps 
*sleeps about 11 hours at night
*his vocabulary this month has really taken off!  words currently: mama, daaaaaeeeeee, sissy, ball, nana (banana), dog dog (hotdog), ni ni (night night), dog, cause (santa claus), muh (movie), wi wi (wiggles), soos (shoes)----ok i will quit spelling them the way he says them---bear, bird, socks, book, cracker, cookie, water, hat, bowl, milk, duck, cow, car, bath
*only 4 pounds lighter than his sister :)
*wearing size 7 shoe, size 2T clothes
*tricks----blinks his eyes when we say, "close your eyes!", can identify his tongue, eyes, nose, belly
*likes to dance
*has a new love for Barney (Bah)
*still sucks his thumb like his sister
*doesn't like to eat anything cold
*LOVES to wrestle with anyone who will