Ice Skating and More

It's Christmas Eve and my kids are ten kinds of pumped! We are getting ready for our children's Christmas Eve service followed by a birthday party for Jesus. I think the kids are going to have a wonderful time. We've had a pretty relaxing week with Kinsley being out of school. Here are a few pictures from the week.

An intense game of Chutes and Ladders.

As fund raisers for our schools, you can schedule students from the school choir and band to carol at your house for a small fee. One of our neighbors must have paid for their services and we were lucky enough to get to hear and see them. Here's the kids looking out the window at the carolers.

Monday night we took the kids to the ice skating rink. Justin and Kinsley skated and Colby and I cheered them on. Kinsley LOVED it and by the end was getting pretty steady on her feet.

Starting out. I love her face.

At first, Justin really had to hold on tight to her.

Colby heckling the other skaters.

He ate M&M's and people watched but he would have loved to skate with his big sister.

By the end, she was catching on!

This picture is what our house realistically is like. We had gone to story time at our church library and then to story/play time at our local Wendy's where the kids got ballon animals and body paint. They were wild when we got home!

Christmas Stuff

We are really getting into the Christmas spirit around here. We've been fortunate to find lots of Christmas activities to keep us busy and the kids are the perfect age to enjoy all the festivities.

Kinsley ready for her pre-school Christmas party.

Everybody we know had been telling us about 2nd Baptist's Christmas puppet show. I mean they went on and on about it, even going more than once to the show. Last night we went with a big group to see the show and it was AMAZING. At first the youth did some cool dances to Christmas music. The puppet show told the Christmas story through songs and these songs were cool. A Bruce Springsteen puppet sang, "Born in Bethlehem" to the tune of "Born in the USA." The three wise men were ZZ Top look a likes...it was so cool. Justin says he would even go back again so you know it's good!

The kids ready for the show

The youth dancing to the 12 days of Christmas

Ready for the puppets

Mom here are the Christmas pictures you asked for. I'm hoping next year I can step it up and have a little more energy than I did this year. Of course, I'll have a five month old on my hip so maybe not!

The kids tree with family decorations

The "Christmas" candles I made by taping ribbon on them.

Please excuse the empty picture frame. It says "angels" on it and I need to find a picture of the kids looking somewhat angelic.

The front tree

Colby's tree (a little Charlie Brown-ish on the decorations)

It was the last thing I did and I was pooped!

KK's tree with the princess/fairy decorations that she made and put up.

Her newest ornament that she is so proud of, ballet slippers. They did an ornament exchange at dance and she got her best friend Ellie's ornament!

Finally, our elf Ginger Boy hanging in the playroom.

Kinsley came up with the idea that she would give him his first name and Colby could give him his last name, hence Ginger Boy.

Pics from the Week

Before Church

It is impossible to get a good picture of the tow of them together.

Kinsley with the handprint ornament she made for me for Christmas.

He is just CRAZY!!!!

our Star of the Week

Kinsley's Recital Part 2

Kinsley's Recital

A baby, snow, and Christmas

First things first, here's a picture of Peanut in my belly. We are all excited but Kinsley is by far the most excited.

Colby with his new (much needed) haircut.

When it snowed in Houston....

Snowballs in the pool

Christmas tree and snowman shaped muffins

This year, we started a new Christmas tradition. I wrapped 24 Christmas books with a special book for the 24th (Twas the Night before Christmas). Each night the kids get to pick out one book, unwrap it, and read it. They look forward to it every night. Thanks for the idea Mom!

decorating the tree

Pajama day at school

Camo boy

Long time no blog....

I realized yesterday that it had been a good while since I've updated the blog. With traveling for Thanksgiving and getting the house decorated for Christmas (which took entirely too long), we've been quite busy. Our house is in full on Christmas mode now. As I type this, the kids are watching Rudolph and I've got my last batch of cookies in the oven for the much anticipated (by Justin), slightly dreaded (by me) cookie exchange tomorrow night. I'll let you know how we do Lauren. Here are some pics of our time in Mississippi. I hope to have some pictures of the Christmas decorations soon for you Mom.

At Zoo Lights with Leslie and her family

Fearless Colby loving on the Panda

Playing in the "snow"

With Santa

Off to get Christmas pictures taken

Once again, a trip to Build a Bear was their reward/bribe for taking good pictures.

On Thanksgiving with Ava

and Hayley

Hanging with the men

The Ladies

Sibling Love

The cake that Kinsley designed and made with Nanny.

Playing with the Little People Nativity