Life As We Know It: December 2010

California Wedding!

We arrived in California late Saturday night, the 18th. We made it up the mountain to Lake Arrowhead Resort for my cousin Sharla's wedding on Sunday. The wedding, the resort, and the experience were all beautiful. I loved seeing my California family and sharing in Sharla & Bobby's special day! It rained the whole time we were there, but I really didn't feel like we missed out on anything because the resort was sooo nice!

Inside the resort

Kelly and I shared a room. Fun sister time!

With our beautiful mom. I hope I look as good as her in 30 years. :)

The beautiful wedding cake.

The guys

Here comes the beautiful bride!

The ceremony was really sweet.

Pictures afterward...

Me with the mother of the bride, my Aunt Darla.

Cousin Kori & Kelly

Three sisters :) Girls run in the family if you can't tell.

With our cousins Erin & Sharla. They have one more sister, Carrie, but she was at home on strict bed rest. Amazingly though, she watched the wedding live from her home computer through Skype, and she was able to give a speech at the reception from home too!

Chilling out in the room, just before we heard the news that Carrie was going to have her baby very soon!

The next day our newest cousin, Katie Jean was born. It was a very exciting few days...a graduation, a wedding, and a birth. We are so blessed.

The College Grad

December 18th, 2010 was a very exciting day. My sister Kelly graduated from Texas State University! I am really proud of her because I know how hard she worked to get to this point. She has overcome many struggles throughout her life relating to school, and now she can forever say that she is a college graduate. Wow. I am so proud of her. Kelly will start an internship in Chicago beginning in January. :D

The big day!

with Dad :)

Lots of support!

Aunt Joyce, Dad, Kelly, Mom, Me, Aunt Beth, my sister Summer, my nephew Carter

Way to go Kelly!

After graduation, we went out to eat and met up with our cousin Tedra. We finished up lunch and then headed to the airport to leave for California! On to Bobby & Sharla's wedding.

Budding Artists

Lately Sissies want to do everything Brooke does! They were so excited to join in on coloring with Big Sister. I think they're pretty good if I do say so myself!

Claire hard at work.

Keely

Brooke working with colored pencils, feeling like a big girl.

Check it out, Mama. I am a big girl too!

Pajama Day!

Today is Pajama Day at Brooke's preschool. The kids (and teachers too) come to school dressed in their PJs, and they get to enjoy watching the Polar Express movie while sipping some hot chocolate and other holiday goodies.

What a fun day! Brooke already LOVES preschool, and add in a day where she gets to wear pajamas all day, and you have one very excited and happy girl. :)

I love that she goes to a Christian preschool that talks about CHRISTmas so much. I remember from my teaching days tiptoeing around the word at school.

I can't wait to hear about her day when I pick her up from school.

Baby Sisters wore their snowman pajamas today too (that they've had on since small group last night), in support of Sissy of course. They may wear them all day too! :P

(K, B, C)

Keely & Brooke hammin' it up.

Doing a little jig before we get in the car and head to school.

A Lump of Coal?

David and I thought it might be a neat thing to put the small Christmas tree we found last year at a garage sale in Brooke's room. We were thinking it could take the place of her flower light for the holidays, something fun and also something that would make her feel like a big girl.

Santa was even considering leaving a gift there for her on Christmas Eve. It had a string of lights, some kid friendly ornaments and a few other decorations.

She had one rule: Don't touch it.

She nodded excitedly as we plugged in the lights and repeated to her over and over again, "You can look at it, but don't touch. Santa is watching you."

This morning I went into her room and noticed the contents of her pajama drawer strewn across the room. This is especially frustrating because I just organized the drawer yesterday. The basket of "headbounds" was empty, and I stepped on one and broke it as I got further into the pit of disaster. Books looked defeated as they lay on the floor, far from their normal resting place on the bookshelf.

I opened the empty pajama drawer and found the bulk of the decorations that had just hours before rested on the small aforementioned tree. Taken apart bit by bit, there they lay staring back at me.

I sighed and called for Brooke to come take a look. Her face reflected the slightest smirk as she took in the magnitude of her dirty work. She acted unfazed as I carried the tree out of her room and set it in mine. The first sign of discontent came when I told her to put the pajamas back in the drawer, right now. She replied, "It's too hard, Mommy."

Oh. My. Goodness. What am I going to do with this girl?!

It took her a while, but she did clean up her room for the most part, and she apologized.
Let's hope that was the last of naughty until Christmas!

Not So Sure About this Guy

Saturday we went to the PAMOM Christmas Party. Santa was there, and just about everyone was glad to see him.

(Keely, Claire, Brooke)

❤❤❤

My sister Kelly captured some great moments with the girls on our trip. They really showcase their personalities!

Claire is in the dark stripes, Keely in pink stripes. They have done this a lot lately but I never have my camera handy. Oh and also, thank you to Hayley for lending us the cute outfits!

Claire loves Grammy & Grandpa's house.

Grammy & Keely

Getting in some reading time with Grandpa.

I love this face of Keely's that is very unique to her, along with her hilarious belly laugh that really does sound like, "Ha-haha."

Silly girl.

We had a stripe theme going.

It's hard for me to tell, but I think this last one is Claire. She is too cool!

Family Time

We spent Thanksgiving Break at my parents' house. The kids did great on the drive there and back. We spent some special time with family. We already miss them.

LOTS of pictures ahead!

Claire napping on the way there.

Girly girls get right to playing at the grandparents' house, and it's a tea party for all!

My wonderful mom & me :)

and with sweet Aunt Kelly.

Brooke had a blast with her "boy cousins" (my cousin Casie's boys). They made cake and stew. Yum!

Thursday night my parents surprised David and me with a getaway to San Antonio! What a treat! We toured the Alamo, hung out on the Riverwalk, and did some shopping. Thanks Mom & Dad!

Back at the house, Keely having fun on the swing.

Claire's turn!

Mom & Aunt Beth were a huge help to us with the kids.

Enjoying the campfire later in the evening. We roasted hot dogs and made smores. Brooke didn't want to get too close.

The girls enjoyed taking several bubble baths in my parents' claw foot tub. Everyone got a taste of what I deal with giving all three baths at night.

My dad really lights up around the girls. They had a lot of fun with Grandpa!

I have to tell a quick story here so I have it written down. Brooke got in trouble when we were there and she was sent to the makeshift "naughty rug". She cried and cried, "I want my Daddy!!" Eventually David had a talk with her, and soon she realized that Daddy was not going to rescue her, so she started whining, "I want my GrandDaddy!" Ha! Smart girl.

More treehouse fun with Cason.

There were lots of the famous tractor rides. My dad has given tractor rides ever since I can remember. Kelly is also a certified driver ;)

Saturday, we had a double baby shower for two of my cousins, Tracy and Rose. It had been a long time since this many people on my dad's side of the family have gotten together. It was really nice to see everyone again, and to realize how many things I share with my cousins. I hope we can spend more time together. Almost all of my Ginny's granddaughters were there.

The weekend wouldn't be complete without a baseball game in the back yard.

Rose is due in January with a boy, and Tracy is due in February with a girl.

Claire likes to kiss more than Keely does, but Keely puts up with it.

Another tractor ride

On the drive home, we stopped at Target to get a few things. I stayed in the car with the kids, and caught this sweet moment between the twins. I love it!