tis the season!

neighborhood lights

ready for the Polar Express!

pretty excited little girl

conductor punching our tickets

best buds

here comes Santa Claus!

gingerbread house time

watching Santa parachute

This has been a crazy, fun weekend! Tis the season, right?

Friday night we headed out to see some Christmas lights. There is a neighborhood in Plano that does a great job of displaying lights. I have been wanting to check it out so we went to see what it was all about. Abby loved seeing all the lights and other fun Christmas blow ups and such.

Saturday morning we bundled up for the Polar Express Train ride with Santa! This has become a tradition and this is our second time to go with the Browns. There is a cute show before the train ride and Abby loved every minute. The conductor came through the train punching the children's tickets followed by a visit from Ms. Claus and then Santa himself! Abby was watching the whole time for him as she did not want him to sneak up behind her. Love this girl!

We headed home after eating some lunch and it was nap time. When Abby woke up we decorated a gingerbread house complete with Santa's sleigh. We had never done this before, and of course, Abs loved every minute...especially eating the candy. She was a pro at that!

Then it was time to bundle up again and head to Frisco to watch Santa parachute out of an airplane with a couple of elves and see more lights in the square! We also saw the hot air balloon glow. Bo was disappointed that they didn't go anywhere, but Abby didn't seem to mind.

We headed to dinner after that and then home. No wonder my feet were swollen by the time we finished our day!

What a blessing to spend time with my precious family all weekend long. We took Abby to Target today to pick out toys that we are going to take children at a local hospital this week. She really seemed to understand what we were doing as she filled the basket with toys for boys, girls, newborns and mom and dads too. She would say, "Oh! A little girl will love this!" and it was so precious to watch. She never once asked for anything. I am excited about taking them to a child and make them smile this Christmas.

We are loving this time with Abby celebrating the birthday of our Lord and King remembering the real reason for the season!

happy birthday Jesus party

Abby's class had their Happy Birthday Jesus party this afternoon! Moms and Dads had lined the halls at party time and all the kids were so excited to see them coming in their classroom. The kids started the party with the Lord's Prayer. Abby can say the whole thing (AT HOME) but in the little line at school, she stood with her hand near her mouth and bunny covering the rest of her face! We sat down after that and made a Christmas book together. It was really sweet. There is a great picture of Abby dressed up as Mary in the book. I love it! The kids ate a snack, sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and then it was time to go. I am so thankful for Abby's MDO program and her sweet teachers. Happy Birthday Jesus!

Christmas with friends 2010

"Uncle Rosey", Susan and Abs

Leslie, me and Ashley

The kids playing dress-up

Karlie and Abs

The boys

The girls

We had a great weekend with precious friends! Friday night, the Lohrdings and Kriegs came in town and we headed out for a "grown-up" dinner. Saturday we had friends over for a little Christmas party. The kids played so well together and we all had a great time catching up and celebrating the holiday season.

Bo blessed the food and said that these friends that we have are our "family". He is so right. We have known these guys since Baylor and have celebrated engagements, weddings and now having children and watching them grow up together. I love these friends and can't imagine "doing life" without them!

breakfast with Santa

Bo with his sisters and Dad

Mimi and Abby

Brother-in-laws

Abby getting Santa painted on her cheek

Family pic by the tree (guess Abs was done with pics)

The grandkids with Papa

They even had some snow for the kids to play in!

Cousin time

We had a great weekend in Houston! It has become a tradition to go to Breakfast with Santa each year and we all have a great time. We go to the club for a yummy breakfast buffet and have pictures taken with Santa. Abby didn't want to sit in his lap, but did talk to him and tell him that she wanted "baby doll stuff" for Christmas this year. ALL 13 of us got in a family pic with the ole guy. Can't wait to see that one! There was even some snow outside when we were leaving and the kids had fun playing in that.

The weekend worked out perfect for us because it is about our last weekend that I can travel....just in time for a little Christmas at Mimi's house! However, there is really nothing little about Christmas at Mimi's. She LOVES to decorate her whole house and the kids have a ball playing with all of the fun Christmas things she has out. Abby got to spend lots of time with her cousins and loved it. Each child opened a "sock" (instead of a stocking) from Mimi and Papa and the adults had a fun white elephant gift exchange as well. Crazy to think that next time we see these little faces another one will be added to the bunch.

We are just LOVING DECEMBER!!!!

play group Christmas party

Abby was helping me blow up balloons before the party

Craft time

Beautiful!

Have I mentioned how much I love our neighborhood? When Abby was 6 months old, a sweet friend stepped up and started a play group for all the children in the neighborhood that were around that age. I have met so many wonderful moms (who are now wonderful friends) and we all live right around the corner from each other. Abby has literally grown up with these children and it's been so fun to watch them all grow up together.

This morning we had our annual Christmas party and it was a blast. We had ball tosses, played with balloons, red light/green light, crafts, snacks, danced to fun Christmas music and each child brought a toy for Toys for Tots. The kids had a great time as well as the adults.

Just another fun Christmas activity to end a great week with my girl!!!

"Lucy" the elf

Lucy the elf came to see us this morning. Actually, she came to see Abby and watch her all day to see how she behaves. Lucy will fly back to Santa each night to tell him if Abby has been naughty or nice! Every morning, Lucy will be in a different spot to keep an eye on Abs.

Bo and I read the Elf on a Shelf book to Abby last night. Abby named her Lucy and she was so excited to see where she was this morning when we woke up!

I am loving Christmas time and all that goes with it already. Abby is at such a fun age and I am soaking up every second I can with her this Christmas. We went and saw Santa tell stories on Monday and had another mommy and me date today. We are blaring the Christmas music in the car and having a great time decorating the house, making cookies and looking at Christmas cards. Bo and I have lots in store for our family this month. So excited about it all!

thanksgiving part 2

Thanks, Pappy, for the bag of leaves!

thanksgiving 2010

Abby and Mary making "snow angels" in the leaves

Zack and Abs before bed

Abby and Colson

Thanksgiving in Little Rock was a blast. Abby and I spent the whole week there and saw all the cousins! There was lots of laughing and playing in the leaves . You would have thought Abby had never seen leaves before. In fact, she loved them so much that my father packed her a bag of leaves and snuck them in my car so we would have them when we got back to Dallas. (Pics of that to come soon, Dad!)

Before we sat down to lunch, my Dad blessed the food and said he was glad "it wasn't this time last year" as he pointed to my sister. 2010 has been a great year for my family. Colson Rowe is such a miracle and blessing. He has not replaced his sister, but he has brought a joy to my sister that I have not seen in a long time. Thank you, Lord, for that!! God is good...all the time.

Thank you, Lord, for good health, great friends, a precious family, a daughter that I could not love any more, a husband that is my best friend, and this baby that we will see in a couple of months. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

fire station playgroup

Showing us his fireman suit

Abby being a ham on the truck

Luke and Abby

In the ambulance

We had a great time today at the fire station! The kids loved seeing where the firemen "live" for the 24 hours they are on duty. They showed us the uniform they wore during a fire and let the kids get on the different trucks. The kids all had a great time. The moms had a great time too! : )

wednesday