Christmas pictures

Alex was thrilled with his ISOBOT (remote control robot).

We gave Emma a digital camera.

Rebekah received an Ipod Nano.

Santa outdid us all and gave the kids a Wii system.

Tween Life

Rebekah would spend all of her day on the computer talking on the phone if we would let her.

Weekend

We had a good weekend. Saturday we had a houseful of kids coming and going which is just one of the many things I love about living in this house. Saturday night Jeff and I attended a progressive Christmas party. It was such a fun and yummy time! Sunday after church we went to my stepmother's house for an early Christmas with her, her fiance, and my sister and her family.
The absolute best part was a gift my stepmother gave to my sister and I. She handed the bag to Julie and said that this was for her this year and for me the next year. Inside was an ornament that had belonged to my dad. He received it as a child and it says "Merry Christmas Johnny". (his name was John but my Grandma Angeline called him Johnny). Julie and I were overcome with emotion. It means everything to us to have this part of him.

Rebekah, Aunt Julie, Madison & Alex

Grammy, Emma & Reagan

The frenzy

I am exhausted. I have been on nonstop Christmas detail this week and we still have six days until Christmas. I am so over the shopping, driving, wrapping, shipping, and baking. I was looking forward to a much needed break today which meant that I was attending Rebekah's 5th grade field trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and then helping at her class holiday party. How's that for a break?!

The following is a list of my favorite blog posts. The final post listed below from March 2008 is actually the post regarding the "red pitcher", not the post from the titled link.
If I was more technologically saavy I could have only the title of the post and not the entire URL. oh well... I do the best I can!
http://texasfamilymatters.blogspot.com/2007/09/mouths-of-babes.html
http://texasfamilymatters.blogspot.com/2007/10/emmas-teacher-conference.html
http://texasfamilymatters.blogspot.com/2007/11/childs-prayer.html
http://texasfamilymatters.blogspot.com/2007/12/clean-hair-101.html
http://texasfamilymatters.blogspot.com/2008/01/something-right.html
http://texasfamilymatters.blogspot.com/2008/02/like-father-like-daughter.html
http://texasfamilymatters.blogspot.com/2008/03/if-i-were-president.html

Sunday comics

This afternoon I was walking from my bedroom and I could see Alex at the kitchen table. I did not see what he was doing so I asked him. He had the Sunday comics spread out in front of him and he then picked them up and replied," oh, just reading the paper."

Slumber party

Friday night Emma had a belated birthday party with her friends. We had 5 eight old girls who were ready to party! They ate dinner, ice cream sundaes, opened presents, played, played louder and then played as loud as they possibly could. Jeff and I finally shut it down about 10pm. All in all, the girls had a great time!

Christmas silliness

Wednesday night I primped and prepped the kids for their Christmas card picture. What do you think?

Elf Yourself

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Christmas questions

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper

2. Real tree or artificial? artificial

3. When do you put up the tree? early December weekend

4. When do you take the tree down? New Year's Day or the closest weekend to it

5. Do you like eggnog? yes

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Barbie house that folded into itself (hard to describe!)

7. Hardest person to buy for? HUSBAND

8. Easiest person to buy for? any of my 3 kids
9. Do you have a nativity set? yes, it sits on our coffee table

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? mail and it is typically a family picture

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? can't say (don't want to offend anyone!)

12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? mid November
13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas: the sweets!! Fudge & frosted cookies top the list

15. Lights on the tree? yes, the BIG tree has clear, the 4 other trees have multi-colored

16. Favorite Christmas song? Joy to the World this song says it all

17. Travel for Christmas or stay home? this year we are staying home

18. Angel or star on the tree top? Star

19. Open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? both - Jeff always opened presents Christmas Eve so we honor that tradition; then on Christmas morning we have Santa's present and stockings

20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? How hurried and rude people can be

21. Favorite ornament? don't have just one.. I love reflecting on the ones from my childhood, early in my marriage (First Christmas together 1995) and my kids' "Baby's First Christmas"

22. Favorite Christmas colors? red, white and green... I'm pretty traditional with my decorating

23. Favorite Chrismas dinner? rib roast, cheesy potatoes, ceasar salad, Red Velvet cake

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? for my children to appreciate all they have

25. Any special Christmas collection? yes, Liberty Falls town from Dillards and an ornament from the places I visited during the year (this year it was Charleston and Maui. If only I could get Jeff to join in to the collection we would have ornaments from all over the world!)