Christmas in Houston

We headed to Houston on Sunday to start our celebrations down there for the next 4 days. It went really quick but we were able to visit a lot of people. We went to the Funkhouser, had dinner with Deann and Dwayne and met Dana for lunch on Monday. We even got to go to the movies on Monday night without the kiddos.  We spent most of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at my parents hanging out. Mom has mistletoe hanging when you walk in the backdoor, and Toby stole a kiss with Palin under it.

We opened presents on Christmas eve from my parents to the kiddos and to Toby. Toby got gun reloading gadgets, so Dad and him spent the afternoon on Christmas eve playing with his new toys!

The kids tracked Santa off and on all day on the computer. They kept having Papa pull up where Santa was. Once we knew that Santa was close they ran and got in their Christmas PJ's to be ready when Santa arrived.

Annual tradition mom buys them both gingerbread houses to make and decorate with her every year. The made them on Monday.

Christmas eve as always we had to make sugar cookies and decorate them so Santa had fresh cookies to eat when he came. Cash also insisted that we have carrots for the reindeer, so off to HEB we went with everyone in Houston! It was a zoo. But we did get the carrots for the reindeer.

I love how Cash spelled Raindeer, on the note that he left for Santa. The kids got tablets from my parents for Christmas. They loved them and spent time that evening playing them.

Santa brought Palin a bike! Its what she wanted, but she was unsure about riding it. She was not sold on the idea. We had a good trip to Houston for Christmas, as always the holidays go too fast!

Christmas #1

We celebrated Christmas with Toby's parents on Saturday before Christmas. Palin helped me cook in the kitchen some goodies before we left to go out there for the day. She likes helping cook, she always tells me, I helping you mommy.

Cash served as our yearly elf and passed out gifts to everyone to unwrap.  He liked to help pass them out and then see what everyone unwrapped and talk to them about what they got.

Palin got an acordian to play with! So Fun! I had a blast trying to figure it out.  We stayed till it got dark and then headed home to load the car to head to Houston the next morning.

Dance Recital and Happy Birthday Oma

The week before Christmas Palin had a parent viewing at her ballet class. This was not a recital but a chance for Parents to come and watch. She was a hoot. She danced to the beat of her own drum and did what she wanted. You can tell that she started with her tutu on and then by the second song changed her mind and took it off.

I was worried that she would cry with all of the parents watching, she did the opposite and was all over the room dancing and acting crazy! At least she is having fun.

Thursday before Christmas was Lois's birthday. We went to dinner and then went to the house and opened her present. Friday morning I was off work and went to Cash's class party for Christmas. He is having a blast in Mrs. Hayes first grade class. We made ornaments and ate cookies at the party.  

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!! The holidays are upon us, and I have taken a few days off to get ready! So I wont have many posts up till we get through Christmas. Look for them to be up after Christmas of what we did to celebrate!

Open House

 Last night Palin and Cash had open house at their daycare. Ms. Emily is one of the kids favorite teachers, she has had both of them since we moved here and works part time and goes to school at Tarleton. She does not have either of them now in a classroom, but she is always there in the morning when we get there and Palin is always excited to see her.

 Palin has two teachers in her preschool rooms. Both of them graduated from Tarleton State Univeristy last year with degree in Early Childhood education. They both love Palin and she really enjoys them too. We got to go to Palin's room and got a bucket full of ornaments that she had made for us with her feet and handprints.

I am so glad that the kids love going to school at Happy Days!

Seeing Santa

We went and saw Santa on Friday. Palin is still not sure about Santa. She likes him till she sees him and then its downhill. I am hoping that maybe by next year she will be past this. Until then this is what you get when you attempt to take Palin to see Santa.

Snow day Round 2

Sunday afternoon when we got back from Palestine and the Polar Express, we headed back outside to spend some time in the snow. We built a snowman, and used coal for his eyes, a scarf of mine, and we used hershey kisses for his buttons.

 Since Palin got her boots for Christmas, they have been a staple in our house. She wears them all the time. They have already gotten used almost everyday.

 We also had snowball fights in the front yard.

We came in at supper time and unloaded the car and hung my new stocking holders that mom and dad bought for us, since our last house did not have a mantle we did not have any. They look great, and I hung out new stockings that I had made for use this year! We are getting ready for Santa!!

Polar Express

Saturday morning against our better judgement we left being snowed in Stephenville and headed to Palestine to meet my parents for the Polar Express train ride. The drive to Waco was horrible what should have taken a little over an hour took almost 3 hours to get there. And then we still had to go on to Palestine. Thankgoodness once we got to Waco, it was clear and we were out of the ice and snow.

 We arrived at the Polar Express just in time and only had to wait for about 20 minutes before getting to board. I think that they boarded us early since it was so cold. The kids were so excited for their annual train ride to North Pole.

 We were the first ones to board our train. We got the seats that we wanted on the side of the train so that the kids would be able to see the North Pole once we arrived.

 On the ride up there they read the book the Polar Express and passed out hot chocolate and cookies to eat along the way.

Once we got tot the North Pole Santa and his elves boarded the train and came and visted the kids. Cash was much more excited to see Santa and have his picture taken with him this year. Palin on the other hand was not. She hid under her blanket when she heard he was on the train. Eventually we got her out but she did not want much to do with Santa this year. We spent the night in Palestine at the Holiday Inn and then started the drive back through the snow to get home.

Snow Day Round 1

Last Thursday night I was in Waco for work and a huge ice storm blew into Stephenville. The kids woke up to the yard covered in snow and ice on Friday morning. School was cancelled and I was in Waco. Toby stayed at home with them and let them play outside in it, I got home around 4pm that afternoon, after a LONG drive home from Waco. When I was driving into town, I saw people at the park sledding. I thought that Cash would have a blast.

 My car was in the work parking lot and was covered in so much snow that I could not drive it. Toby and the kids came and picked me up and we headed to the park with a tote lid to use as our sled. It worked great and the Cash had a blast going down the hill over and over.

 Palin was not so sure and only would go down if I went. It was fun, and I even had a blast.

 You can see how cold it was, Cash's face was so red from the cold. But he had so much fun. What we did not know that this was only day 1 of many more snow days to come this week. After the park we headed to dinner where it was warm before going home and snuggling in for the night.