Christmas with Papa and Niecey!

We had Christmas with Papa and Niecey in mid-December! All the kids got new shoes, and they were so excited!

Brandt, of course, wanted to put his on immediately.

The girls got brushes with their names on them. I had no idea how important "their own brushes" would be to them. :)

Avaree loved these shoes, and she wears them to school almost every day!

  Felicity requested "kitty cat shoes" and loves them!

Bubbers always loves to read!

Felicity gave Niecey her gift, and Niecey was SO excited!!!

hehe!! She loves The Container Store!

Daddy loved his shoes, too!!!

hahahah! Modeling his shoes! I don't think he knew I was taking this! ;)

Helping Papa open his gift!

I have no idea what the girls were doing to Niecey here! ha!

Papa and Bubbers were reading the farm book! Look at my pile of clean laundry next to them, ha!

Plus one!

Sister reading the farm book with Niecey now!

Lunch AND entertainment! ;)

Be still my heart.

I love my boys so much.

That night, Brandon and I had our connection group Christmas dinner, and then we went caroling at Sundance Square in Fort Worth. B played his guitar, and I held up the music! ;) It was a beautiful night with friends!

The next morning, we took Papa and Niecey and the kids to see the Elf, Jr. musical in Hurst!

Daddy ended up taking Brandt to the foyer, but Ave and Felicity loved it!

Dad and Ave after the show!

That evening was Avaree's winter show at dance! I dropped her off with her class, and she looked so grown up!

She did one dance to a Kelly Clarkson song, and she did great!

Pretty dancer!

We were so thankful that Papa and Niecey got to be there, and we're thankful that they have paid for Avaree to take dance this year!

Bubbers was in such a funny mood, and he and Niecey were fighting over Papa!

Niecey and Avaree!

We were only inside Avaree's dance studio for about 30 minutes, but it dropped about 40 degrees during that time. So, Daddy had the babies and was headed to the car! I just love him.

#dadlife

We took the babies home, and Avaree got to have a special hot chocolate date with Papa and Niecey after dance. She was so thrilled!

Papa and Neicey dropped Ave off and went home, and we put the babies to bed and watched Elf by the fire! It was a perfect evening.

Thanks for spending a couple of days with us, Papa and Niecey!

December Days, Part Two!!

December is always extra extra crazy in our world, but I did manage to take the kids to the park in their jammies and take five pictures with my big camera. Luckily, I got one that I sorta liked! :) I wanted Felicity's eyes to be open, but this was the best I could get before we lost the light (and the children). :) This was our Christmas card this year! Yay for just getting one out!

Avaree had her showcase at school in early December. She and her class played two songs on the piano! I stayed home with sick babies, but Daddy got to go. This is Ave waiting with her class in the theater before they played their video and let them bow on stage.

Sister Sue was home sick. I can't remember what was wrong with her, but she must have had fever. I always love watching her sleep.

...and she's just beautiful.

I did get to go to Avaree's Christmas party later that week! She was so excited to give Ms. Bianco her gifts! We gave her a few books for the classroom and an ornament!

Ave sits next to the sweetest boy, and she and Xavier were so proud of the ornaments that they had just made!

She was proud to have her Mama there, too!

We can't leave our her bestie, Travis. These two are hilarious.

She got to decorate and eat rice krispie treats!

Playing a book exchange game!

How many marshmallows can you pick up with tongs in 40 seconds? Believe it or not, this keeps first graders occupied and excited--even though 22 of them had to do it! They were just as excited to count the marshmallows every time!

She wanted to sit in my lap! ;)

Avaree and Ms. Ortega, her Spanish, math and science teacher!

Brandt is obsessed with Niecey's chickens and Papa's cows. Every time we talk to them, he asks about the chickens, so Niecey sent him this picture of her and Thanksgiving, the chicken. He was so happy!

I love the evenings at my home during Christmas time. It is truly the most wonderful time of the year!

I love wrapping presents for people that I love!

More Christmas is coming up (in April, ha)!!!