December Happenings

Where did December go?

We've built lots of fires and spent hours sitting on the hearth.

We've done a little school, but not as much as I had hoped.  I think I say that every year.

We've eaten lots of these.  They were my grandmother's favorite candy and we always have a bowl of them lying around in December.

We've worn our Christmas jammies.  But not as funny as these Christmas jammies.

Samuel was in a piano competition.  Could he be more handsome?

I've had many cups of coffee in my favorite new mug.

We hosted a dinner party.  I got to use my Christmas Spode for the first time.

It was a delight to have the Cupps in our home, all the way from Uganda.

And doesn't a clean counter feel good any month of the year?

We've been to Costco about a million times.

We've twirled, which is very important to do at Christmastime, I think :)

I made these cookies.  Oh my.  They're good. 

I baked them in my Christmas apron.  Thanks KDS.

He saw this and squealed and wanted to buy it for "someone's baby."

He wanted to know how much his head weighed.

We've done some Christmas shopping.

I've played Guess Who with my favorite seven year old.

We watched It's a Wonderful Life.  I love that movie more every year.

Superman became Santa.

We made this collage card.

And passed out these goodies to our neighbors.

Assembly was the most fun part.

Delivery was a pretty fun too.

Who wouldn't want a plate of deliciousness from this cute kid, right?

Merry Christmas Eve Eve to you and yours!

Lunch at Sundance Square

This was written pre-"Fort Worth Ice Blast."

It's hard to believe that we were doing this yesterday as I sit here right now watching Sound of Music Live with the boys near our roaring fire while there is a winter storm brewing outside.  It was 80 degrees and so we decided to go have lunch with Chris and see the Christmas festivities while it was warm.  We packed a lunch and headed downtown.

We're loving the new and improved Sundance Square.

This is where I told Graham to smile.  

But it wasn't quite working.  I think it's an almost 12 year-old thing.

The inability to be serious.

Or being overly serious.

Or looking kinda rebellious.

Needless to say, I find that whole sequence funny.

They have fountains that are fun to run around in.  I love that in Texas, we can run around in them in December.

It's so very fun.

These are days that I'm glad we home school.  We can lessen the load on a pretty day, and do things that kids are meant to do... like run in fountains and have lunch with their father :)

And one last smile in front of Christmas trees.

Just Mommy and Samuel {Our Trip to Colorado}

Graham and Asher went on a trip with Chris to LA when they finished the first grade.  At the time, Samuel was sad he couldn't go, and we told him we would go on a trip with him after he finished first grade.  Well, he never forgot it and since he's now in third grade (some major life events got in the way), we figured it was about time.  We picked Denver, partly because I found very cheap airfare, but mostly because I have family there.  My dad's sister and her family live in Greeley and I'm close to all of them, but haven't seen them in four years.  My cousins Amanda and Melissa lived in Dallas for a year when the boys were little and were a HUGE part of our lives.  They served and loved our family in the day when we needed the service and love.  Graham was four when Joseph was born, and we needed any help we could get :)

Back to the Colorado trip...

We drove up to Estes the first day we were there.  It was picturesque kind of day.  Light snow, Christmas music playing in stores, snow covered the trees, little bells on every door you open.

Here is Samuel with Melissa.

My cousins, Seth and Amanda, with Amanda's daughter Grace.

Starbucks in the mountains!  It tasted even better up there!

True, I think.

There was this beautiful old industrial looking barn on the side of the road.  I made us stop and take pictures, even though we might have been trespassing.  It was the perfect color.

He wasn't overly enthused to get his picture taken, but he cooperated anyway.

Me and my blue barn :)

Samuel and I went to Boulder before we headed to the airport and hung out on Pearl Street.  

I wish I could have spent hours there.

A stop at the Cheesecake Factory to use the restroom.

And a few phone pics... 

Ready for take off.

We had Starbucks every day, because we were on vacation, of course.

Samuel was in love with Melissa and Scott, and their games :)

He had fun being the oldest cousin.

We went to the grand opening of Panera in Greeley.  They were giving away free coffee travel mugs to the first 1,000 customers.  Amanda and I were #999 and #1,000!  I'm not sure why, but things like that make me happy :)

The best toy store I've ever been in... on Pearl Street in Boulder.

Amanda and her adorable crew.

Second cousins, or something like that.

This note was his idea.  He wanted to make sure he thanked everyone.  So sweet.

I love Frontier Airlines.  They got us home and back when the DFW area was completely iced over.  This is Samuel's happy place... Monday night football on the plane while eating laffy taffy and drinking Dr. Pepper.

What a privilege to go on a trip with just one child.  When you have five kids, you tend to do what's best for the whole group of them.  They get used to it, but it's nice to be able to focus in one just one of them.  Samuel was my little travel buddy and I'm glad we have this memory together!