The last Christmas post!

I'm just barely squeaking in the post before the new year! We had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas with Mark's side of the family. Charlotte just loved being around everyone and she especially love playing with her cousins. They are so much older than her, but still love to play with her. I know she just adores them and I am really appreciate them always including her. Isn't family great?

Daddy and Char in front of the fireplace

Hanging out with Poppy and Grammy

Hanging out with Ben and watching him play his game

Finally, present opening time!

Early Training

No, this post is not about training for any kind of physical activity, although it should be with the amount of calories I have consumed in the past week! Rather, it is about training Charlotte in the art of housework. She got a vacuum for Christmas because she loves to follow me around when I vacuum. She has been playing with it a lot in the last few days. Today, I finally pulled out my vacuum to clean up our Christmas mess and Charlotte was beside herself because she got to mimic my every move! I can't wait until she is big enough to push the real vacuum! Hmmm, I wonder if she will still want to after she realizes it is a chore?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! Santa came to visit us and we had a great morning together opening presents before church. Here are a few snapshots of our morning.

Cookie Madness

I don't know what it is about iced sugar cookies that just calls my name. Maybe it is the way my teeth sink into the doughy goodness just before the sugary wonder melts onto my tongue. Or perhaps it is the bright colorful decorations that just beckon to be eaten. Whatever it is, I can't get enough of these sweet little morsels. My mom did some cookie decorating with the kids in Buda, but Char missed out on it. I knew that our nieces and nephews on Mark's side would love it, so I decided to replicate the activity. We used a royal icing recipe from my friend, Alli. Then, I put the cookies on wax paper and let the kids decorate away. After the icing hardens, they are ready to eat! Yummy!

The kids waiting patiently with their sprinkles at the ready

I love how fast her little hand it shaking the sprinkles!

Ben and Anna get in on the fun

Mama and daughter in matching aprons. I'm so glad that Charlotte decided (today) to start smiling for pictures again.

Charlotte's creations

Play time

While we were visiting my parents last weekend, Charlotte and I also got to go visit with one of my best friends, Joy, and her daughter. Joy and I have been friends since college and she is very dear to me. I don't get to see her enough and was so happy to get a chance to visit with her. The girls had a good time playing together. They are only 4 months apart in age, so it was fun to watch them interact. Charlotte really had a great time being exposed to some toys she has never played with before.

Here is a toddler-safe trampoline that she couldn't get enough of! Good thing my house is too small for this so I don't have to feel pressured to buy one.

She also loved wearing some princess shoes.

And riding the rocking horse with her princess shoes!

Two precious girls playing together.

Jumping time!

Here is little miss priss walking her the princess shoes.

Funny Faces

We stopped to have a little fun a the Trail of Lights!

Our family

My sister's family

My parents

Early Christmas

We had a wonderful early Christmas with my family this past weekend. I love having a chance to visit, hang out with, and play games with my parents, brother, sister, and brother-in-law. Charlotte loves playing with all of her cousins! I also love spending time with my sweet nieces and nephew. They are so loving. I received several sweet notes/letters from Titus and Aaris while I was there. I also really enjoyed playing a new Simon game with Titus. We had a great time working together to play it. I always cherished Christmases with my aunts, uncles, and cousins as a child and I hope that we are providing those same cherished memories for the children in our family.

We got some really cute cousin pictures while we were there. From left to right: Aaris, Skylyn, Titus, and Charlotte

My sister found these very cute matching pj's and ironed on their names. The first picture attempt did not turn out so well!

Luckily we were able to get second go at it!

I always loved passing out the gifts as a kid and that tradition has now passed down. Charlotte was a great helper!

Charlotte received some bottles for her baby, but she had to test them to make sure they were okay!

My brother, Jeremy, gave the two younger girls matching strollers. They were just beside themselves that they had the same stroller. They kept following each other around and around the house.

Charlotte also received some jewelry from my sister's family. She, of course, had to put it all on at once as soon as she opened it!

This adorable hat was given to her by her Mimi and Papaw.

Since the Austin Trail of Lights hasn't happened in a few years, my parents small town just outside of Austin has started their own called the Buda Trail of Lights. We went this year and it was actually quite good. I was impressed! I hope the tradition extends and grows each year!

I love this picture of my dad and Charlotte looking at each other!

Ho Ho Ho!

We got to have a lot of Christmas celebrations with friends this year. It was so fun to watch Charlotte start to participate. I know she doesn't completely understand what is going on, but it will be great to watch her grow and understand more and do more through the years. We are so lucky to go to such a great church. Every year they do a Ho-Ho-Ho breakfast for the kids. There is a Santa Claus to see, Mrs. Claus who does a story time, decorations, arts & crafts, games, and oh yeah - food!

These were the decorations to greet us as we walked in the door.

Char points the way to the fun!

We weren't sure how Charlotte would take to Santa, but we were lucky to get to watch some friends before us visit with him and not be scared. When it was Charlotte's turn she let go of my hand and walked right up to him!

She doesn't smile for pictures these days, but she wasn't crying either!

Making some wonderful winter items

Snowball fight! There were sling shots that other kids were using. Charlotte just loved that their were balls. She ran around picking up as many as her little arms would hold. At one point there were not many to be found on the floor and we started laughing when we realized my child was hoarding them all!

She loved throwing them to no one in particular! We really did have a great time together as a family!