The last few weeks of December were wonderful weeks for us, for the most part. It started with Amber obeying the gospel on Dec. 21. Of course this was a wonderful thing!! We are so proud of her! Her baptizm was one of 7 just in the last 2 weeks of December!! She was followed by 6 more at Cedar Park! It made for a very emotional and blessed end of the year!
Michael gets 2 weeks off every Christmas/New Year so we usually squeeze as much family stuff in that we can! We went and saw Christmas lights in a neighborhood here in Cedar Park with mom, dad and Jana and her family one night. Then, spent most of Chritmas Eve day at moms, baking, eating, gift giving and of course dad did his annual reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' to the grandkids. Then, on Christmas morning, mom and dad came over and saw the girls get up and open all their gifts from us and Santa. It was a great day!
Then, the day after Christmas, we drove to Michael's parents and stopped in Houston, on the way, to visit his cousins, aunts and uncles. This is where things got bad. We had a great visit, but after being back in the car for a bit, I realized I didnt have my purse. I started calling every where that I may had left it, only to realize that it had been stollen, and that was confirmed once I called my bank!! Yup, someone was having themselves a nice Christmas, at my expense. Not only was there Christmas cash in my purse, but of course, my check card, Drivers License, Social Security card, some gift cards, etc....So for the next 3-4 hrs I was on the phone calling banks, credit card companies, etc.
Once we got to Michael's parents and had gotten everything taken care of, I was ok about it all. I decided I wasnt going to let it ruin our trip. So, we had a great time visiting with his parents, and joining the church they belong to on Sunday for worship, and seeing the girls cousins and Michael's brother, David.
On Monday, we left and met our friends, that we only get to see a couple of times a year, at a state park in Mississippi. There were 13 kids (usually 17, but one of the couples couldnt make it), so the girls have alot of fun running from cabin to cabin, playing out alot,hiking and getting dirty and acting silly. And of course, we stay up til midnight (or later) on New Years Eve and celebrate a new year together. It always ends too soon!
On Jan. 1, we left and headed back to the in-laws. Michael went to the Sugar bowl with his dad, the preacher at his church, and another member on Jan. 2, and Jan. 3 we left and came home!!
How was everyone elses break/holiday??
Here are some pics of different things over the last month of 2008.
I'm so sorry to hear about the theft. That is enough to put a damper on anyone's Christmas, but you have such a great attitude. I'm glad everything got resolved and I loved seeing some of your Christmas pictures on Jana's blog. I could spot your Dad in one of the pictures because of his boots;)
Other than the purse theft and all the stress in that, it sounds like a fun holiday break! :) I bet the camping was tons of fun! I am so ready for one more good camping trip before we add another to our clan.
Its so funny how Alyssa thinks that snow and Christmas go hand in hand. And probably alot of kids do, I think I remember Amber being the same way. The other night when we were getting some sleet/ice/snow, Alyssa gets a big smile on her face and says, "Merry Christmas, Mommy!" It was so sweet! Then she asked if tomorrow was going to be Christmas. And I told her not yet and shes like, "Well, why do we say Merry Christmas?" And before I could say anything at all, she answered her own question and said, "Because its the Christmas season." She is still asking if we will get snow on Christmas day and I dont know how many times I told her that where we live, in Texas, we just never know what its gonna do....could be 100 degrees on Christmas.
Well, as always, the holidays are so busy! I think every day next week each of the girls has a recital or play or concert or something. It'll be fun, just hectic! We are staying here for Christmas, like we usually do. I like to be at home for Christmas! Then after Christmas, we are going to Louisianna for a few days to see Michael's parents, then from there we are meeting some friends at a cabin at a state park in Mississippi for our yearly New Year's "friend" trip! I am looking forward to that! So what is everyone else doing for the holidays?
haha cute! sounds like you guys will be haivng lots of fun- we'll hopefully be travelling down to see my mom, and then maybe leavin the kids a few days after that with their other grandma... and having a little alone time. :)
Sierra is the same way...she thinks a certain someone comes when it snows...to many movies. Thanks for helping put the party together it was great. No travel plans and I'm so happy. Where in Mississippi are you going? Sounds like you guys are going to have a lot of fun. We will have to do our ddate when you guys get back! THanks again for everything.
We had a great weekend, camping at Garner State Park with some friends we worship with. Ashlea stayed the weekend with my parents, because on Saturday, she had a choir competition to be at. So, it was just the four of us with several other families. The girls love to camp! It was really really cold, but thanks to some space heaters, we survived Sat. night! Despite the 29 degree temp.! It made it really hard to get up at 7am and get dressed for worship, pack the car, and drive an hour to a church! But it was so fun and worth it! We made lots of great memories! Oh and, we had 2 pregnant ladies with us, Rebecca at 23 weeks and Stephanie at 34 weeks! Wow- what troopers!
Also, I want to say- "Happy 5th Birthday to Sierra!!"
Poor Ryan & his head injury. :/ Looks like you guys had a wonderful trip overall! Hope we can make the next one! I'm proud of the pregnant ladies! How awesome...especially Stephanie whose due so soon!
You are so awesome!! We had so much fun with you guys. Now we just need to plan a "dd". Thanks for putting everything together. Sierra was so exciting to see your post and Ryder loved the pic of him and Alyssa (the way he was holding her face was sooo cute). We love you guys!!
That's neat that the girls like to camps, especially because I still remember camping with Michael and his family when I was about your girls' ages! :)
Last weekend, we celebrated Alyssa's 5th birthday at Kiddie Acres with all her friends in her bible class plus a few others! She had a great time- I think all the kids did! Thanks to all of you who made it and made her birthday special!
Her actual birthday is this Sat. the 8th-so we will also be having a family party then!
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Well, I am still trying to recover from our weekend...we were only gone from fri-sun, but for some reason, we packed for a week. My girls always have their "special" things that they cannot leave without! We had a great weekend at our friends house, who live in Farmersville. Its a small town east of Dallas. They live on alot of land and have goats, pigs, chickens and a cow! Oh and a rooster- that is on my hit list right now....for some reason he is confused about when a rooster is suposed to crow and would do it at all hours of the night.
This past summer, Alyssa and Amber went and stayed a week at their house, and I took her older 2 girls-who are Ashlea's age. And Alyssa and Amber got to learn how to milk a goat!! Evidentally, Alyssa was not so in to it, but Amber was a pro! Maybe there is a farm in her future. Not while she is at home, though...LOL, Im a city girl-thats for sure. But it is fun to visit.
Well, in other news, we are all suffering with allergies! Alyssa is the worst for sure-she coughed all night last night, according to Ashlea. Alyssa somehow ended up sleeping on the floor with Ashlea, in Ashlea's room.
I hope everyone is having a good week so far!
Sounds like you had a fun weekend. Animals are always fun except the crazy rooster! We had a rooster when I was younger that was also confused. He would crow at 2 pm and then at 3 am! Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it. Hope you all are feeling better.
I love going to visit land like that. It's so much fun!! Lots of space and animals. :) Glad yall had a great time (with the exception of the rooster lol) Hope all the allergies get better. This is the worst time of year for those!!
