Santa Claus

Every year we look forward to our visit to see Santa Claus. It is tradition to go with our cousins on Sunday after we have our Thanksgiving weekend with Chris's Mom. Our kids had a list of their wants ready for Santa.

Wade kept forgetting his list, so Rachel wrote it down for him to give to Santa. He wanted a Paw Patrol truck and trailer and a Miles of Tomorrowland Stellosphere. 

This boy has come a long way. Santa is his buddy now! And he likes the candy cane and chocolate milk too.

Kate asked for a REALLY big teddy bear. 

The Moms have also made a tradition out of having the kids take a group picture when they get together and dressed up. What a good looking group!!

Wade thinks Ian is pretty cool! Ian loves to play video games and so does Wade!

I am not sure what is going on here....silly boys.

Pretty girls.

Thanksgiving 2015

We decided to do something different for Thanksgiving this year. We had had a rough couple of months since school had started with two funerals, marching band, football, and piano practices and games. We were ready for a vacation. The kids were out of school for the whole week of Thanksgiving this year. We thought this would be the perfect time to get away. 

We have a place at Port Aransas we like to stay right on the beach. We have always enjoyed our summer trips, so we thought we should check out the beach in the Fall. We really did not know what to expect. We knew where we were staying and what restaurants we wanted to eat at, but we were wondering what the weather would be like in November.

The weather was pretty cold and windy the first two days, but the temps were in the 70's most of the week. It was nice enough for the kids to get wet in the ocean every time we were on the beach. ;0)

 We figured the beach would be deserted this time of the year. We were really surprised by the people who spent Thanksgiving at the beach! There were a ton of people!! It was slow at the beginning of the week, but it was packed on Thanksgiving and the weekend.

This is my favorite picture from the week. I love the colors in the sky and reflecting on the water.

We tried to take our own family pictures. We brought a tripod and set the timer. They actually turned out pretty good! The kids did better this time than they ever had before with family pictures. I think looking at the flashing light on the timer and the bribes of candy if we got a good one helped. My biggest problem was my and Luke's hair blowing. I wish the background would have been more colorful but the day was overcast.

Luke and I built an octopus in the sand.

Cuties playing in the sand....Those dump trucks traveled all the way from Midland with us. Wade was super excited to have all the sand to play with them with.

We had a great week at the beach!! We took a lot of walks and collected a lot of shells along the way. We found bigger and better shells than we had on our summer trips. We also watched dolphins swimming and jumping in the bay. We were all able to relax and rest. It was a perfect Thanksgiving week.

Halloween 2015

This Halloween was a little bittersweet for us. We really missed Memaw not being here with us. The kids said that they wished they could at least talk to her on the phone. 

Our kids costumes were a little less imaginative than in years past. I spent a total of $10, so I was okay with that. Usually I budget $25 a piece and sometimes spend more....you do the math. 

Wade was a Clone Trooper from Star Wars. Our neighbors had passed down this costume a while back. When I asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween, he went and grabbed this costume. I offered to let him pick a costume out at the store and he said no. It was cute and he liked it....Awesome!!

Love that red hair sticking out the top of the mask!!

Luke wanted to be a football player because he already had the gear. Another bonus! I did have to pay for this costume at the beginning of football season but no additional cost for me.....Awesome!

He looks tough. He learned that you are not supposed to smile for football pictures. I am so glad he figured that out after he had pictures this season.

Kate wanted to be a Pink Ninja. I don't know where she got the idea, but she found the perfect pink ninja costume for $10.....Sold!.....Awesome!!

She is really playing the part! You can see the smile underneath the mask! Love it!

Group shot....

We are missing Rachel in the group shot. She was promoted to candy passer-outer.

Grandnanna and Grandpa spent the night and day with us.

My sweet Clone Trooper.

Our family on Halloween.

Halloween was different for us this year. We will always miss Memaw not being here with us.

Pumpkins 2015

This morning we carved our pumpkins. Kate and Wade jumped right in! They were all about getting dirty.

Luke and Rachel were less enthusiastic about carving pumpkins this year. It makes me sad for them to grow out of this tradition.

Ariel view of the carving mess.

Wade wanted to pick the seeds out one by one. We will try to roast some tomorrow.

Daddy even got involved in the carving. Not his favorite thing, but he is getting quite good.

Kate carved hers by herself. She is getting too big!

Rachel settled on a Minion.

Luke and Daddy did good on their Colts football helmet. Luke carved most of it but Chris did the face mask.

Out completed pumpkins. A Minion, Colts Football Helmet, Owl, and Star Wars Storm Trooper.

So proud of the final results!! They did great and we received several complements tonight. I used scented candles because I was out of the tea light candles. Several people complemented me on how nice our porch smelled too. Haha

Birthdays 2015

We all had birthdays this year....funny how that works. Our birthday season always starts with Luke around here.

Luke turned 11 years old this year. He is growing and changing too fast. Next year he starts junior high. Ugh!!! This year for his birthday he had a few friends over to spend the night and go to Fun Friday at the gym. Talk about an easy party!! I fed the boys pizza and cake then dropped them off at the gym to burn it all off.  I was hoping they would be tired when they got home but not much slumbering happened that night.

Chris's is next in the line up. He had a BIG birthday this year!! The BIG 4-0!! We celebrated with family at the pizza parlor in C City. 

Chris requests a German Chocolate cake every year from Tony's Bakery. It is delicious!! I am so glad we had lots of help eating it this year. Aunt Johnnie also made ice cream to go with it. So good!!

Look at Mac helping blow out the candles.

Grandpa and his birthday boy.

Granny with her birthday boy.

Next comes Rachel. Rachel turned 14 this year.  We actually got to celebrate her birthday with her at home this year. Usually she is away at church camp. She picked a cookie cake and swimming with friends. The friends picture is on my phone.

I love how happy they all look.

Plenty of help blowing out the candles.

She wanted a new bedspread for her birthday.

And a guitar. She is trying to teach herself to play. She has learned a few songs and chords. She just needs more time in the day.

My birthday is next in the line up. There were no pictures taken. We will have to do better next year. Chris did cook me dinner and made a chocolate coke cake. It was yummy.

Katybug was next. My baby girl turned 8 years old. She is still sweet and smiley as ever. We had a swimming party planned with her cousin Caroline, but we had to cancel it due to rain. She had to settle for a party at home and a trip to Cinergy to do the ropes course. Those pictures are on my phone too.

Kate always asks for an ice cream cake for her birthday. She makes it easy on me.

So sweet!

Kate asked for a Barbie car.

And a pedal car.

To round out the birthday season, Wade turned 5 years old this year!! My baby is 5!!! Wade started with presents. He got some Batman bedding. He wanted it on his new bed in Luke's room right away. He has slept in there pretty much ever since. That was easy!

 He wanted a pedal car too.

Quite a pair.

I made his cake. He loved it!!

On Wade's birthday we met his cousins in Big Spring at the waterpark. He had a great day!! He still asks to go back to the waterpark. It is a little cold now.