Winter Break Recap

  Like many of you, we've had a busy two weeks with parties, playdates and presents!

Abby's class had their holiday party on the Friday before Christmas. The kids decorated cookies and played pin the nose on Rudolph. It was cute and low key!

Abby sits at Table #5 with Jonas and Sawyer. Brook sits with them, but poor thing had the flu! I'm so grateful Abby already has such great friendships built. They protect her from peanuts, help her each day and she has missed them like crazy over the break! She has already asked why they can't all be in first grade together.

Marcus worked the first two days of the break, so we girls planned fun! We had a friend over and did lunch with another friend on Monday the 22nd and then did lunch and painted ice cream cones with Addison and McKenna. Carrie and I laughed we would have never entered a ceramic store last year. Fun things are ahead as littles get bigger!

We have explored lights in our area and downtown all month long! Jammies, Starbucks and a doll are requirements.

The week of Christmas, we even drove to nearby Georgetown to see the lights and visit an old-fashioned toy store. I love Georgetown!

 Marcus was off on Christmas Eve, so we took a train ride downtown and had lunch at Uncle Julio's. Abby brought along her camera and captured each train station and all of the big buildings! I love her interest in photography. It's cute!

Wednesday night, we got dressed up for Christmas Eve service. I love that service- everyone is full of cheer and we sing carols together before a good reminder about Jesus' birth and the importance of His plan for our lives.

Abby was excited to wear makeup and have her hair curled for the first time. I love having a girl!

It was fun to run into friends at service!

I love our church and loved seeing them do family photos on stage after service. Such a nice gift to have.

After church we ate an easy dinner and sent this one off to sleep. We kept presents pretty simple this year and since we don't do Santa, everything was already wrapped and ready. We just had to stuff the stockings.

Abby was up at her normal 6 AM and we were opening presents by 6:15. One day, she'll sleep in!

Her big gift was a new bike... she opened the helmet and then Marcus rolled the bike around from our bedroom closet where we tucked it the night before. It had been fun for Marcus' co workers for a few weeks now.

She has taken it for a spin a few times and it doing great! She rides very slowly and cautiously, but without us holding onto her!

After doing breakfast, we got dressed and headed out to deliver fun little toys to area Starbucks and the police and fire department. Everyone loved getting little gifts and Abby loved the hospitality returned to her at the fire department. We went and saw Annie that evening- super cute movie!

On Friday we drove to Kingsland and spent the day with Marcus' Mom. We had lunch at the Grand Central Cafe and visited the trains. I want to come back her and do family photos. It was a near little area.

Saturday, we hosted Christmas with my sister's family and my Dad & stepmom and her Mom. The highlight had to be the Jelly Belly challenge they participated in. Nothing like a barf flavored jelly bean to make the day festive!

My sister's family and Marcus and I stayed up late on Saturday night playing cards and welcome my Mom and her friend Chuck on Sunday for Christmas #4. 

They made Abby a pink doll closet for her American Girl and filled it with clothes and accessories. She has loved getting her dolls all dressed.

Winter break has been fun and busy! We celebrated Abby's 6th birthday on Monday and party today. More to come on that!

2013 Christmas Day

Our Christmas Day was fun filled!

We had to wake up Abby about 7:30 because her Mimi was almost here and we didn't want her to miss out. We have minimized Santa in our house, so there were no new presents under the tree from overnight. We had left her a note from Holly (our Elf on the Shelf) that she was gone until next Christmas and she had fun and will miss Abby. She also praised her to all the times she saw her share, encourage and give grace to others. 

Before Mimi arrived, we sat on the floor and opened our stockings. Lots of great little things packed into those big plaid socks this year!

Mimi arrived about 7:45 and it gave me just enough time to put this beauty in the oven. I love Cinnamon Roll French Toast casserole on Christmas morning. We also had sausage balls and fruit salad. 

Abby opened new Little Mermaid legos and had fun impressing us with how well she can assemble them by herself. The directions on those were all pictures, so she did great!

Mimi opened a new tablet and had fun learning all the bells and whistles. She has an older laptop and flip phone so the world is apps is all new and exciting.

We assembled pizza balls (recipe coming soon!) and our Jesus birthday cake before heading to my Dad's house for a late lunch.

We played a new game- on the blog here- and had the most fun! The adults were into it as much as the kids and Abby was the big winner! She got a Target gift card. The rest of the prizes were little fun things- like Peppermint Oreos.

Cohen opened a new airsoft gun and the guys and kids had fun shooting in the country. We also played mafia together and learned quickly who is a good liar and who stinks! Cohen and Kyleigh could not fool their parents!

We were home by dark and brought Kyleigh home for a few days. It was a wonderful day!

2013 Christmas Eve and Eve Eve

I am going to break Christmas up into two posts....

On Monday, the 23rd we joined our friends in Cedar Park to walk through Chianti Court. They live within walking distance, so it is wonderful to grab a drink, bundle up, and walk over to the most well lit and decorated street in our area. 

Every house goes ALL OUT and in the middle of the cul de sac, they have food, drinks, Santa and even had Monday night football on a big screen. They are serious and we love going!

We started a new tradition this year.... opening wise men gifts on Christmas Eve. It is three gifts in the vein of the gifts of frankincense, myrrh, and gold that the wise men brought to their king. We talk about Jesus being born, how He still is our King and what gifts we would bring.

Gold is something of high value and therefore it was something Abby really valued this year. She opened a baby doll that you can dress, fits in a stroller, etc. It is the Target version of an American Girl and she has not left her side since. We named her Goldie and then Kia Luca Cora. Who knows what will stick!

The gift of myrrh was given as a perfume- it made you smell good. So, we did Disney Princess bath toys. There are the five major Princesses. These were bought on the cruise in September and she loves them. We had to balance out the Star Wars. They will be great at the pool this summer.

Frankincense was an emblem or prayer and a perfume in sanctuaries, so we viewed it as something spiritual. Abby received a new Veggies Tales DVD and CD to represent frankincense. In future years, I imagine a devotional for the new year.

After our wise men gifts, we drove to my sister's house for Christmas with her and my Mom. We had a yummy BBQ lunch and my aunt and her boyfriend joined us. We did gifts to and from Mom and with the kids.

My Mom and the grandkids.... age 12, 9 and almost 5.

After spending the day with my sister, we came home, changed clothes and went to Christmas Eve service. It is always wonderful to stop with "santa", light a candle and sing Silent Night with other believers. I love Christmas Eve service.

Christmas Day coming soon.... it involved shooting guns and playing mafia!

Christmas Program

Abby had her Christmas program at school on Wednesday night. It is always fun to see the kids sing and dance an entire song since we've been hearing bits and pieces for weeks now!

Nana came into town to see Abby's program. Abby was so excited to have Nana there that she called out to her from stage two times. Oh the lack of shame a kid can have!

They did a great job singing a handful of songs and doing sign language and dance moves with each. Her school does a great job with the kids.

Abby has become smitten with this sweet boy, Micah. I understand from the teachers that all the little girls like him. They bring him gifts, want to sit with him, etc. He is sweet as can be!

Abby has two little friends at school with her, just in other classes. Lila was all decked out for the program in the most beautiful dress! She was so sweet to give Abby Lu some of her roses.

Abby's other friend is Lilia that we met in dance class more than 2 years ago. She turned five the day after the Kindergarten cut off, so she is in the Fab Fives class with a bunch of boys that were held back! Abby is always so excited to play with Abby on the playground, during music and at chapel. Abby shared a rose with Lilia. :)

One more day of school and we are out for two weeks. We have a low-key, but super fun holiday break planned!

Busy Times

Here are a few snapshots from our past two weeks....

I am busy prepping for Abby's 5th birthday party with a candyland theme. There will be lots of candy and fun bright colors!

Gymnastics is going really well. Abby just blends right into her class which is a far cry from earlier in the year when she would cry, throw fits, and refuse to try. Her sweet friends Addison and McKenna are loving gymnastics, too!

Abby brought cookies to a Christmas party last week and took her job of decorating VERY seriously.

We had planned to see Main Street Bethlehem in Burnet Friday night, but it rained all day. So, we had dinner with our friends and then drove through the lights display in nearby Round Rock. It was nice to be warm in the car and see all the lights.

Watching the lights was exhausting!

Wednesday after school I took Abby to get her hair trimmed and we had her ears pierced. We had talked about it numerous times and just did it. She had them pierced at age 1, but an earring fell out, was lost, and the whole closed up quick. So, we waited until she wanted them and did it again. No tears at all. And, among all the sparkly earrings, she chose these simple crosses because "Jesus died on the cross." 

Saturday morning, Abby had breakfast with Santa at the local YMCA. It is our third year and always lots of fun! They do a craft, take a picture, and eat treats with Mrs. Claus.

I just love her Christmas dress this year! It was under $20 on Zulily a few months ago. She'll be wearing it again to church on Sunday and Christmas Eve, plus I am certain it will fit next year!

Our elf Holly has been visiting us each night. One night, she wrote a little note to Abby in candy!

Saturday was Abby Daddy day, so I went to New Braunfels to see my sister and spent the day with Kyleigh. We had fun talking about school, cheerleading, friends, homework and the like. Loved it!

I asked Abby if she wanted to paint her nails red for her Christmas program. She was all excited to have them painted and asked that "they be gold like the bright star when Jesus was born". Girl is rocking the "reason for the season" this year. Thank you church, school, bible study and choir!

One night last week Abby took it upon herself to spray her perfume before bed.... into her right eye. It was awful. She laid down with a wet washcloth on it and eventually let me add some drops. She was super sad and very brave.

We have been baking like crazy. I made over 250 cookies for Marcus' clients and then on Sunday took these pretty cookies to our Sunday school party and cookie contest. They won Prettiest cookies. I think they are quite pretty and tasty, too! 

Hope your busy holiday season is enjoyable, too!