That's The Way We Do It On The Polar Express!!

 Last weekend we braved the drive to Palestine, TX to board The Polar Express with some of our best little buddies, The Kessners! Yes, we planned for the kiddos to have matching jammies ;) Aren't they precious?!

 Seriously, the cutest Elves and Santas seen anywhere!

This was so funny because, we could not get anyone to be still! Below, climbing the fence, literally!

All aboard!!

 "Mommy, can I have hot chocolate?

 "Mommy, can I have hot chocolate, now?"

First, The conductor came and punched the tickets. Then we were off to The North Pole! During our trip the waitors sang and danced with us!

 "This is what I have been waiting for!" While Caden was excited to reach The North Pole and meet Santa , Charli Kate was satisfied once she received her hot chocolate.

 The 'first gift of Christmas!'

Great time for all! So glad that we all survived and had such an enjoyable time!!

Now, for the drive home... ;)



 We decorated our tree after eating yummy fajitas and reindeer cookies!

 Happy Family :)

Thanks And Giving

We were blessed with a big group this year, ofcourse Mimi, Granddaddy, G'ma and Sandra Ruth joined the fun. Also, Lane and Samantha flew in from Denver! So on Thanksgiving Day we tried to participate in all the traditional hoopla...

watched the parades, cooked in and out of the kitchen all day, watched and discussed football at length, ate a late lunch until we were stuffed, ate pie, and headed out to the Black Friday unknown. November has been a bit of a chaotic month for us. Mommy has had a couple of medical procedures and Charlotte was diagnosed with Mono and a touch of pneumonia. So I was lucky to get through Thanksgiving with only a minor grease debacle on our kitchen rugs.

Unfortunately, I was very ill prepared and didn't take a single picture of the day :(

And yes, we have much to be thankful for. But for this year I am most thankful for our health and the ability to pay for insurance!!

 Getting ready to head out to the Aggie Game... but first let's put up a few Christmas decorations!

 Silly Uncle Lane and Aunt Samantha!

Love these guys and miss you already!!

Santa's Wonderland

 The night before Thanksgiving, we drove to Santa's Wonderland in Col. Sta. for ourseasonal Christmas light tour! Uncle Lane and Aunt Samantha had just flown in from Denver, shown below with the kiddos.

 While, Lane's fiance is very photogenic, Lane refuses to give normal smiles during photo sessions. Ever.

 It is Blitzen!

 I always forget to switch to night-mode on our camera. This one would have been great :(

 We loved visiting with Frosty The Snowman!

Mimi and Granddaddy:)

Spidey Halloween!!

Our spooky dinner consited of chichen salad sand-witches, spider dip (salsa with a sour cream web), spooky eyeballs (oreo truffles), mummies (above) and leaf cookies.

 Getting ready to walk around with G'ma!

 Practicing throwing webs with our big muscles!!

 

 Funniest moments of the night...

1. At every house she would announce that her bag was "almost full to the top!"

2. Charlotte loved the spooky decorations and music, Caden did not!

3. Caden's foot fell asleep at one point and he kept "shh"ing people so as not to wake his foot!

My American Girl's Girl

Mimi and Granddaddy stayed for the week to help Mommy take care of a few necessary things! While they were here we went to the American Doll Store to celebrate Charlotte's birthday... what a fun day!!

She tried out EVERY display doll, then quickly set up shop playing with the Itty Bitty Twins. We had planned to get her the infant doll but she fell in love with the dolls that had hair. So we went against the plan and got just the little girl twin.

This was quite an exhausting experience but such a special one :) This trip to the American Girl Store was a dream come true... I had always, always wanted one, so it is fun to share this special event with Charli!

My American Girl's Girl... Charlotte named her baby "Charlotte" and calls her "Sissy."

 Happy BEEday Chocolate Cake!

Love, love love!

Happy Bee-day!

Our BEEautiful Charli Kate is three... how quickly the time passes. I remember just yesterday how I held you in my arms at the hospital, in awe, not quite believing that you had come from me because you were such a beauty but still knowing that you were mine. Perfect weight, perfect skin tone, perfect eyes, perfect fingers and toes, perfect eater, perfect baby smell. Simply perfect. With you, we felt complete. I thank GOD everyday that we spend together. You are so sweet and funny. Always, always thinking outside of the box, doing the unpredictable and doing it well! You challenge me more than anyone student ever has and that is a great thing. You are most special!!

 We celebrated Charlotte's third birthday at the house with an intimate crowd. Her theme was bumble bees!

Brunch goodies including cream cheese filled STINGERS, homemade bumbleBEE nutella pop-tarts, unBEElievable susauge egg and cheese buicuit cups, HONEYcombs, HONEY pretzels and yogurt cover raisins satisfied the kiddos.

 The Bee-attitudes :)

 Bumble bee foot art for the kiddos to work on while others played on the playset!

Happy memories for all :)

After cupcakes we headed inside to open the Queen Bee's presents!

Thanks to all for you love!! It was a great day for Sweet Charli Kate!!