San Antonio and the Gillis Family Reunion

Last week we spent four days in San Antonio for the Gillis Family Reunion. We got to go to Sea World for the first time (I know - how can we have spent as much time as we have in this state and never visit Sea World until now). Of course we also visited the Alamo, as well as the other missions and took the river cruise one evening. Here are some of the pictures from our trip.

Thatcher Christmas - 2010

Christmas Holidays - Relaxing and Playing the Cowboy Way!

So the Christmas Holidays are here and what did we do first? Go riding of course. We went out yesterday with Grandpa and Jon. It was quite a pleasant ride; a bit chilly but relaxing all the same. Now it is time to spend today getting ready for the Big Day tomorrow.

Holiday in the Park

A tradition that we do every year is go to Six Flags, Holiday in the Park.  We always go with the Gee Family also.  We have so much fun!  This year REALLY cold!!!

 Noah and Caden on a roller coaster...makes me sad they can go without an adult sitting next to them!!

 Leave it to Caden to do some sort of funny gesture:)

 You can see Landen and Noah on the bottom, and Caden, Connor and Summer on top.  Best ride ever!!

 The family in front of the Christmas tree.  What a fun night!!

Noah's Christmas Party

 I was Noah's Room Mom this year.  I had a blast being with him!  We had tons of fun things planned for his class. We started off with Musical Chairs.

 We of course had to frost and decorate Christmas Cookies:)  We also made a really cute craft...which you can see here.

 We all stuffed our faces with tons and tons of healthy food:)

Noah's class...they are all so sweet and fun!  It also helps that he has an awesome teacher, Mrs. Stevens.

Caden's Christmas Party

 Caden had his Christmas Party today...they did lots of crafts and ate and ate and ate.  Which is always the hightlight!

 Caden at his table coloring.

 Posing with his friends

 Getting ready for the much anticipated book exchange...

Bass Pro Christmas

 Bass Pro Shop has the best set up at Christmas time!  You get to do all sorts of fun activities and then visit Santa!  What more could a little boy want!  Uncle Logan met us there as well as The Gee Family.  They started off by writing their letter to Santa.

 Landen, Caden and Noah getting ready to see Santa.

 After, they got to shoot some guns!  I guess to go with the "Christmas Story" movie..."You'll shoot your eye out":)

Uncle Logan helping Noah shoot his eye out.

Oh Connor....

I can already tell that Connor is going to be ONE of THOSE boys...always causing mischief!  Here are a few things he has been doing lately:

 The toilet paper thing is ALWAYS a humorous thing for Connor.  He just can't help himself!

 This was the same day...He found the Cootie game and threw all the pieces EVERYWHERE. He Pushed chairs everywhere, so he could mess up what was on the island and threw it on the floor.  Oh the fun!!

 Yeah...it is a good thing he's so stinking cute:)

 Then we made Banana Bread and of course he had to lick the batter...

 This was a later day...he got into some yogurt...well...I gave him yogurt and this is what he did to it...

The toilet paper thing...again...this time he was playing IN the water and making the TP wet and gross.  This was NOT fun to clean up:/  At least we know that Connor will be making life interesting!!!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

One of my favorite Family activities each Christmas is decorating the tree.  It always gets us in the Christmas spirit.  We drink hot chocolate or egg nog, we listen to Christmas music...and I have to not let my perfection get in the way while we ALL decorate the tree:)  I love that there are huge grouping of ornament in one little section, while the rest of the tree is bare...but that's ok!!

 Here is Noah putting on the star...love that Ben has him on his shoulders and Noah is squishing his head.

 This year Caden was asking for his "Two Front Teeth" for Christmas:)

 Noah putting on some ornaments.

 Connor doing his best to help out...which is taking out everything in the box and throwing it everywhere!!

Now he is checking out everything he threw on the floor:)

Thanksgiving on the Farm

 Thanksgiving was at my parents this year.  Not only was it just the Gillis Family, it was my Dad's brother and all of their kids!  It was a fun, crazy holiday that you would expect with tons of people!  We had so much fun!  One day we went to our Family Friends home, The Bailey's.  They live on a farm...we thought it would be a blast to let the kids run around!  

 They started off by feeding the cows bread.  They all got to experience a cow's really long, sandpaper tongue!  Ewww!!!

 They loved it!

 Connor was mezmorized by the whole thing, then he wanted to try:)

 Then the kiddos decided to play fetch with the dogs...they had so much fun and burned off tons of energy:)

 Connor found the dogs...and just stayed by them the whole time!  He just wanted to lay with them and pet them all day long!

 This is Diane and Megan...

 We ate Hot Dogs and then roasted marshmallows...This is Aunt Katie helping Noah out.

 After we ate...it was on to explore the farm...there is tons to see!  Jennie and I got to sport these awesome boots...I really want some!

 This was definitely a highlight...Miss Piggy...the BIGGEST, FATEST pig you have EVER seen!

 Brent, Noah and Caden...about to ride the row boat.

 This was so much fun!  I have never been on a row boat before;)

 After the row boat...the kiddos were off climbing the massive tree...to get to the tree house!  I'm telling you...the farm has everything any kid could imagine!!

 Taylor and Caden made it up there!

This is Caden...realizing he has to climb down!!  Hahaha!!!  We had so much fun there!