It's the Most Wonderful time of the year!

We love this time of the year. We've enjoyed all the fun stuff there is to do around the Dallas area. We took the kids to see the trains at Northpark, went to Santa's village with some of our neighbors, drove around the Springpark area to look at lights, rode bikes around our neighborhood to see lights, and plan to take the kids to the ice sculptures in Grapevine next week. The theme is, Charlie Brown, this year! Yay, snoopy!! Avery and I also went with some girlfriends and their girls to see the Nutcracker. We liked all the pretty costumes. Clara was Avery's favorite.

Avery had her Christmas party at school yesterday. I went to her party, and then took her with me early so we could go eat lunch and shop at the mall. It was special girl time for us, while Drew was still in mother's day out for the afternoon. She picked out some rings at Claires, and rode the train. I love this girl and wish we had more girl outings like these.

Drew has enjoyed doing some of the arts and crafts with Avery. It's cute to see how happy he is to be included in the "big kid" stuff.

Here comes Santa!

the kids with Aubren, our neighbor/Avery's good friend.

Wishing Everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Thanksgiving

We spent our Thanksgiving holiday with our family in Austin. I am so thankful for our families. It is so much fun for our kids to get to spend time with their cousins and grandparents. The kids all get along so well. We wish we had more time to play with everyone! On our way out of town, we stopped in Temple at my cousins house to see my mom's side of the family.

Of course, our camera battery died so I have no pictures. :( I plan to take lots over Christmas. I am in the process of getting my Christmas scrapbook up to date- I'm finishing up 2008!!

On Monday, before we left for Austin, I took the kids to the Dallas zoo with our playgroup. They had a lot of fun and the new part was really nice. Our favorite part was feeding the giraffe's and watching the lions from the restaurant window.

This weekend the mommy's are going to spend the weekend at a ranch house. So excited!

Painting!

This was Drew's first time to paint. He loved it!

not so sure at first...

using the brushes
totally loving it and this roller!

singing "roll roll"
Avery is our little artist... she sits for hours doing art.

cleaning out the garage

Avery watched her daddy clean out the garage this weekend, and this is the cute little ensemble she put together with all the things she found. :)
cowboy hat, floaties, princess slippers, and a leotard (which she already had on)

then she thought she'd ride chance like a cowgirl.

Happy Halloween!

We had a fun filled Halloween weekend. Friday night a friend babysat so I could take Philip out to dinner for his birthday, Saturday we took the kids to a Halloween party, and Sunday we went trick or treating with all of our wonderful neighbors.

A few pictures...

We had some pictures done a few weeks ago of the kids. I am happy with how they turned out. Just posting a few of my favorites, trying to decide on one for our Christmas card. There's a cute one of the two of them I'll probably use, so I won't post just yet. :)

We are enjoying "fall," if you can call it that yet. I feel like fall doesn't officially start here until November. However, we have enjoyed getting out on some of the cooler days. We went to a local pumpkin patch, and the Dallas Arboretum where the kids had so much fun seeing and playing in all the pumpkins. We had Avery's Halloween party today, a friends costume party Saturday, and trick or treating with all our neighbors Sunday night. Avery is dressing up as Bell and Drew will be superman.

Happy Fall!

Sooo behind...

Since I am so behind, here is a quick run through of our last month.

** School started in September for the kids. Avery is going 2 days/week to Preschool, and Drew goes 1 day/week to Mother's Day Out. I am enjoying my 1 day/week to myself! Avery is loving school this year. 2 of her good friends are in her class so that helps a lot. Drew is still slowly adjusting to me leaving him. However, his teachers tell me he's doing good.
** Drew turned 18 months on September 26th! He was 27 lbs, 4 oz and 34 1/2 inches tall. I think they said around 90th percentile for weight and somewhere around that for height. Big boy! He's talking a little more, but not too much. He has had several ear infections the past few months. We've been told we're close to being referred to an ENT. :( Poor little guy.
** We just got back from a vacation to Florida with Philip's family. One of his cousins got married in Pensacola. We decided to fly with the kiddos, so happy we did! We stayed in a house on the beach with my in laws, and Philip's brothers family. It was beautiful and we had so much fun. I think Drew was the only one ready to come home. He was missing his toys and bed! I am waiting on my mother in law to send me pictures. Our camera apparently fell out of our bag in the car and never made it on the airplane with us, so I didn't get ANY pictures. :( Will post when I have some.
** Today we took the kids to the pumpkin patch at Owen's Farm here in Richardson. They had so much fun.

4 years ago...

Avery Catherine came into our lives and blessed us in more ways than we could have ever imagined.

4 weeks old... such a SWEET and EASY baby!


4 months, still such a sweet girl! Your active side started to shine as you began what Jojo liked to call your, "baby aerobics." You would lay on your mat and kick and kick. When you started rolling over you would roll all over the room. :)

4 years! Full of energy and emotion. You're sweet, sensitive, loving... and a few characteristics you inherited from your mommy we won't go into. ;)

You always make us laugh with your silly, playful nature. (something else you inherited from mommy :)

You are the most loving big sister to your brother. You have been telling us lately that you want 2 babies, Drew and a baby girl, and to name her Caroline and give her blue hair-- interesting.

You are daddy's little princess and the "light of my life."

We love you SOOO much sweet girl!