Santa came! (over 2 weeks ago!)

OK, so this is the final installment of Christmas 2009. Ridiculous, I know, but this is the only way for it all to make it in the scrapbook! Santa came to our house while we were in San Diego and left the girls presents to open when we got back so we wouldn't have to worry with shipping them home. Santa brought Avery the Wedding Day Sparkles Barbie styling head that she asked for, and he brought Kendall the Fisher Price Loving Family Dollhouse. They also each got to open some furniture and the minivan that goes with the dollhouse since technically it is for both of them to play with. Avery was very excited about her Barbie styling head and they have both played with the dollhouse every day I think. Here are a few pics of our delayed "Christmas morning."

Kendall made a b-line for the dollhouse and immediately started playing

Avery's expression says it all!

Wedding Day Sparkles Barbie Styling Head

minivan, furniture and extra dolls to go w/ the dollhouse

Avery likes playing w/the dollhouse and dolls too

Christmas Installment #3

For those who didn't read my previous 2 posts, we went to San Diego this year for Christmas, so I am having to blog about our Christmas celebrations and our vacation in installments. So I think I left off at Christmas Eve. That night we made S'mores using Mike and Amy's firepit outside and the girls had fun decorating cookies for Santa. Amy said she thought the dye in the icing was permanent, so that's why my kids have their shirts off!
Christmas morning we headed back over to Mike and Amy's to let the kids open presents from aunt, uncles and Memaw & Dedaw. Avery got a Cabbage Patch doll, a Tag book, and a digital album filled with pics of her. Kendall got a Laugh and Learn toolbench, a Tag book, and a name puzzle. Santa also left them stockings full of small toys and fun things to do on the plane trip back home. He left their big presents at our house so we wouldn't have to worry w/ getting them home.
Avery's favorite stocking stuffers were M & M's and this light up squishy ball. Kendall's favorites were her Hershey bar and the 4 mini Disney princesses. In this pic the princesses are dancing on the chocolate-- I would love a dance floor made of chocolate myself!
Avery stayed busy Christmas Day playing with her cousins. We also went to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel."
Kendall was really clingy for most of the trip, but Dedaw and her cousins did manage to squeeze in a few hugs :) She also had a lot of fun playing "Mother May I" and Tickle Tag with Avery and her cousins on Amy & Mike's front lawn.

Before heading to the airport the following day, we went to the Children's Museum downtown. It was a little more artsy than others we've been to, but it had some really neat things and all the kids had a good time.

Brooklyn, Avery, Braden and Bailey across the street from the Children's Museum in dowtown San Diego.

Braden gave Avery a ride on these self-propelled carts

On one of the balconies they had tables and chairs set up for working with clay.

This tunnel shaped rainbow inflatable was a big hit.

They looked like little bumblebees in the velcro pants. They could stick to each other or stick things on the pants as well.
Kendall enjoyed coloring with Daddy while the older girls were experimenting w/ the velcro pants.
Kendall also really liked the bubble station on one of the patios outside. I never thought of using looped pipe cleaners for bubble wands!

The adults were having as much fun as the kids playing with these little wooden blocks.

Scott, Avery and Kendall inside the 3 story Trojan horse

Kendall and Avery both enjoyed these bouncing donkeys

Avery was proud that she climbed to the top of the "rock" wall w/ out any help

Overall we had a good trip. We got to do some neat family-oriented things and see a few sights, although I would like to go back someday to see and do more. But having most of the family together was definitely good and made for a Merry Christmas!

Christmas 2009- Installment #2

Tuesday before Christmas we flew out to San Diego to spend Christmas with Scott's sister, my brother-in-law and my 8 month old nephew Mason. Scott's parents and his brother's family of 5 went as well, so we had a whole crew on the plane. I was nervous about how my girls would do on the 3 hr plane ride, but thankfully they did great coming and going! I would not recommend doing that w/out a portable DVD player and a backpack full of new books, coloring books, etc. however.

Brooklyn (my neice), Avery and Kendall at the airport

When we arrived in San Diego, my brother and sister-in-law picked us all up in a 15 passenger van they rented and we actually managed to cram 3 car seats, 11 older kids and adults, and all the luggage in there. We headed to the famous "In and Out Burger" for some grub. Delicious!
Wednesday we spent a good part of the day at the San Diego Zoo. Unfortunately my camera card was full w/in the first 30 min we were there, so we resorted to the camera phone and our pics are kind of limited. We also spent some time hanging out at Amy and Mike's house, watching movies and letting all the kids play. Avery had a great time playing with her 3 older cousins as well as with little Mason.

Avery "reading" Kendall and Mason a book

playing with her only boy cousin

Zoo pics: I'm sure you can tell that the middle 2 were taken w/ the phone

Thursday we went out to Seaport Village close to downtown. It was a really neat shopping and dining area right on the bay. The weather was gorgeous and we really enjoyed walking around, shopping, and riding the carousel. We ate some fresh seafood for lunch at Edgewater Grill and then headed back to Amy and Mike's.

Avery, Kendall and De-Daw looking out over the bay

A family pic

This carousel's original home was in Texas. We rode it twice since Santa came over to see all the kids and said they would get a free ride on him!
Next up: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the San Diego Children's Museum!

Christmas #1

I can't believe that I am just now getting around to blogging about Christmas when we already have our decorations packed away and it is now officially 2010, but it must be done since my blog posts become the journaling in my scrapbooks! And since we had Christmas with my family early and then went to San Diego for almost a week, it will have to be done in installments. First installment: Christmas with my family in Coppell. We went over to my parents' house on the Saturday before Christmas for a big lunch andto open presents. As usual, my parents went way over the top and the girls ended up with tons of toys. But at least they seem to really like and play with most of them. I like to try to list them so the girls can look back and remember what they got. Avery got the "Lulu" FurReal kitty, Strawberry Shortcake Sweet Surprise, Clip and Style My Little Pony, Disney hair accessory tote, a travel case filled with PJ's, headbands, jewelry and makeup, Tinker Toys, and some coloring books, workbooks, colors, movies and other stocking stuffers. Kendall got a Cinderella baby doll, McDonalds play food and cash register, a FurReal puppy, some movies and a travel case with PJ's, headbands, and play jewelry. Then my aunt gave them a McDonald's food stand that's really neat. Kendall also got a big train set, but my parents decided to put it away and re-give it to her for her b-day since the girls already had so many toys! Mind you, this list does not include presents from Scott's family or from Santa! Out of this batch of presents, Avery's favorite is the FurReal Kitty. She will just go lay on her bed with Caroline, as she named it, and pet her and talk to her-- just like if she were real! Kendall's favorite is probably the McDonald's food stand, food and cash register. Scott and I also raked in a huge pile of gift cards, some new sheets, shirts and ties for him, a black leather jacket, scarf and slippers for me, and a new set of phones for the house. And best of all in my opinion, Scott gave me a new cell phone-- a T-Mobile Tap-- which I desperatley needed, and clip-on MP3 player to use while I run! Enough of "installment #1", enjoy the pics!

Avery and Kendall helped Mimi pass out the presents

Scott showing them how to blow their train whistles that go w/ the train set. Kendall was so proud of herself when she finally did it!

Aunt Amy played helped Avery style her My Little Pony's hair

Kendall squeezed in a few of the 50 snuggles she requires per day

Avery showing off her manicure given by Aunt Amy

Avery and great aunt Milly

Petting Caroline the FurReal Kitty

Kendall playing w/ Cinderella Baby

Trying out the battery operated hair dryer from theDisney hair accessory tote

They were impressed w/ the McDonald's cash register, food stand and play food

My Mom and Dad opening the fire pit that the "kids" got them

Kendall really liked having her own headbands and not having to borrow one--or two--of Avery's
After all the presents were opened everyone sat around and played with their electronics, old and new. Sign of the times I guess.

Mimi and her granddaughters

A Day in the Life- December 2009

It has been a long time, like maybe almost a year, since I have done a "Day in the Life" post so I thought now was as good a time as any. If you don't like details stop here since that's the whole point of my post. Here goes:

7:20 Wake up b/c I hear Avery in the living room. When I get in there she says, "Mommy, can we play?" Kids!-- they wake up and hit the ground running!
7:30 Scott leaves. Read library books to Avery at her request.
7:45 Hear Kendall talking in her crib. Go get her and change her diaper.
7:50-8:15 Read more books. A. gets upset b/c I let K. choose one. Wipe K's nose about 20 times as she whines and cries.
8:15 Give K. antibiotic for 2nd ear infection in a month. Eat breakfast.
8:30 A and K are thankfully MUCH happier now that they have full tummies. I do dishes and laundry while they play.
9:00 A wants to pretend Bible stories-- Elisha and the poisonous stew, and then Goliath. Girls crack up when we change the story to David misses w/ the slingshot, runs away and then hops up and down when the giants (yes there are 2 now) stamp on his foot. Kid humor I guess!
9:30 Girls play cave and babies on my bed while I get ready.
10:00 Get girls dressed, including playing dentist office to get them to cooperate better while brushing
10:45 Peel A and K away from chalk/dry erase board to go to library and run errands.
11:00-11:30 Library. Break up fight over who gets to hold movie, then they're good for the rest of the time-- hooray!
11:30- 12:00 Pick up a few items at "the little Wal Mart" (Neighborhood Market) as A. calls it
12:15 Start lunch- frozen pizza (at least it had whole wheat crust!) and fruit
12:45-1:00 Eat lunch. Scold K for throwing chicken nuggets on the floor and watch her pick the raisins out of her raisin bread like a little monkey.
1:00 Clean kitchen. A cracks up watching K dance to music on Princess CD player.
1:20 Start movie and peel K away from her seat by A. She's cries b/c she wants to "watch wif Avey"
1:30 Read K 2 library books and put her down for a nap.
1:30 Check email, address X-Mas cards, and watch rest of movie w/ A
2:00 Read A 2 of her new library books.
2:15 Get A settled for rest time. Work on this post, do Bible study and have prayer time, fold a load of laundry.
3:00 Get A up from rest time. Read her a couple more library books. Wonder how many books I have read today.
3:30 K wakes up. Reluctantly agree to let them watch the Hansel and Gretel movie from the library again. I figure I might as well do something useful and go hang up their laundry. K comes to find me after a little while and plays in A's room until I'm done.
4:00 Scott calls and asks if I want to go to a holiday family open house that one of his referral dentists is having. I rush to change out of my warm-up suit and get the girls ready to go. Somehow, A gets about half of her top eyelashes stuck inside her eye, under the bottom lid. I force her eye open to get them out while she screams. The hazards of having really long, thick eyelashes!
4:30 K sings "Jesus Loves Me" in the car all by herself and melts my heart!
4:45 Arrive at Scott's office to pick him up. Drive out to Argyle where the dentist's office is.
5:30-6:00 Tour office, eat snacks, talk to staff and A gets her picture taken w/ Santa at the open house. K refuses to sit on Santa's lap. Here's the pic they printed out for us... doesn't look very good b/c I scanned it, but I thought it was pretty nice for being free!
6:30-7:15 Eat dinner @ Zaxby's in Keller.
7:15 Head back to office to get Scott's car, then go home.
7:40 Get A and K ready for bed.
8:00 Scott puts K to bed and I put A to bed.
8:20 Work on this post while Scott calls his patients and reads "Business By the Book".
Up next. . .
9:00 Do pilates video w/ Scott, then relax!

Galleria, Avery's X-mas tree, and Snow!

Last Saturday we went over to the Galleria to watch the ice show and Christmas tree lighting to kick off our holiday season. We thought the girls would really enjoy watching the skaters and be impressed with the huge tree, and it did not disappoint. The ice show featured lots of aspiring little skaters in the most adorable costumes and even had a few of the skaters that will be competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics. It ended with an ice skating Santa Claus that did back flips and had sparkler-type things on his ice skates. Then they had the tree lighting w/ sparklers as well. Avery just kept clapping and clapping. Kendall watched intently, but was a little scared of the fireworks and noise.


On Tuesday the girls and I went to Hobby Lobby and got some decorations for the little tree in Avery's room. We put up a big tree at the office this year, so this little tabletop one got to come home and become Avery and Kendall's tree. Avery was so excited to see that they had purpley-pink ornaments for her tree. I think it turned out pretty cute and we sure had fun decorating it.Wednesday morning we had our first snow of the season. There wasn't much on the ground, but it sure looked pretty coming down and the girls were excited. They both slept in little that morning, so by the time we got outside around 9:00 it had already started melting and was kind of slushy. When she felt it, Avery said, "But it's not real snow!" She was a little disappointed. We tried throwing a few tiny snowballs at each other that were really more like ice-balls, then went inside to dry off and warm up. Hopefully we'll have another snow this season big enough to make snowman and really play in it. Welcome to winter Avery and Kendall!