Santa!

WE SAW SANTA TODAY!!! We were so excited and made him a picture and letter with our Christmas list. I couldn't wait to sit on his lap and Tatie was just as excited....until we actually got there and she actually saw him. Since he wasn't too busy, he spent lots of time talking with her and although she was still a bit hesitant, she finally sat on his lap after he promised her a candy cane. Nice work, Santa - that will get her every time! This year, I asked for "Stinky the Garbage Truck" and my baby asked for a 'pink dine-dine baby'. No idea what that is so I hope Santa knows! We promised Santa we'd be good and hopefully we'll get what we asked for.

Daddy in Flight

For Father's Day this year, we surprised daddy with a flight lesson and today he finally got to take a plane up over Austin. He was in a small 2 seater - so we couldn't go - but even if there was more room, mommy said there was no way my baby and I were going up there with him. So, we watched from the sidelines as daddy enjoyed flying a plane for the first time. The problem now is daddy is 'hooked' and wants to get his pilot's license - and even a plane. Really? Uh oh - we may have opened a can of worms.

Checking out the plane daddy is going to fly

Daddy at the controls

Daddy taking off on the runway. Have a great flight!

Chuy's Children's Parade

We went downtown to watch the "Annual Chuy's Giving Back to Kids" parade today and met up with Victoria. We all brought toys to benefit the Blue Santa program and had so much fun watching the variety of floats, bands, puppies and characters. When the time came, we all got to run up and put our toys in the back of trucks driving in the parade. I sure hope lots of boys and girls have a better Christmas because of all of the donations people gave!

Shhh.....the bear is sleeping!

Doing a 'parade jig'
The Biscuit Brothers!

Thanksgiving 2010

For Thanksgiving this year, we went to Tomball to visit with Gigi, Papa, my aunts and uncles and all of my cousins. I haven't seen my cousins in awhile and I couldn't wait - especially to see Hayden! We had a great Thanksgiving with lots of food and the traditional trip to the movie afterwards. Mommy took me, Tate, Mallory and Hayden to see 'Tangled' and Aunt Sara took the bigger kids to see 'Harry Potter'. When we got back from the movie, we watched our gig 'em aggies beat UT! Whoop! The next day, we stopped by College Station to have a post-Thanksgiving dinner with Mama, Mimi B and Grandpa Smoky before heading back to Austin. We have so much to be thankful for and I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, too!

Annual Family Thanksgiving photo

Annual cousin Thanksgiving photo

Fun with our cousins on the golf cart

Each year, Reese and I make a 'cork boat' and each year it gets bigger. Then, we test it in the pool!

It floats!!Meanwhile, Tate is finding all sorts of 'snacks' in the panty. Actually eating some Thanksgiving dinner

Finding more 'snacks' in the pantry. Look at all that chocolate!

Learning shopping tips from her bigger cousins. Uh oh.Heading to the movies.

Artist of the Week

Look who made the CMO artist of the week!?

Christmas Pictures

Christmas pictures are always a fun time around our house. Mommy had big plans to take us to some of the area parks or the botanical garden but when it came right down to it, we ended up in our backyard in order to avoid the melt downs she knew where imminent. She got a few good ones but had to be a shutterbug to get them.

Sweet Surprise!

Look what showed up at our door this afternoon? Of course, it showed up right before dinner time and we had to eat them right then because they were nice and hot! We say "thank you , Miss Liz" and mommy says "bad Miss Liz, bad!".

Poopy Painting

Mommy has been working with me about tattling and 'crying wolf' - especially when it comes to my baby. This morning, Mommy was downstairs and we were upstairs watching a movie when I encountered something 'important to share'. I ran to the top of the stairs telling mommy to come quick - because it was really bad - and she asked what it was. I just kept telling her it was really bad and she had to come see. Finally, mommy came upstairs to find the following:

My baby in the middle of the playroom with her pjs off. Diaper off. Using the poo-poo that was in the diaper as body paint.

When mommy said, 'Amelia Tate! What are you doing'? Tatie sweetly looked at mommy, put out her hands and said 'nakin, please'. And off she went to the bath with a not so happy mommy.

There are no pictures because 1) mommy didn't have a camera anywhere near and 2) it was pretty gross to capture on film (although if the camera were around, mommy would have probably used it).

Mommy has her hands full, if you didn't know before now.

Soccer Party

To celebrate the end of a winning season, we had a soccer party at Waterloo this evening. We played in the sandbox and playscape until dinner arrived and then we had a mini awards ceremony where the coaches (Coach Wes and Coach Paul) said a few words to each of us and presented us each with our soccer trophy. I was so glad to be a part of this great team and look forward to many soccer seasons to come. Go, Stampede!

Thanksgiving Party

Today we had our Thankgiving Feast at school complete with all my favorite foods and friends. My daddy was in town and even came to be with me! I am thankful for my friends, family and all that God has blessed us with.

Hello cool weather!

Tonight it was chilly so for dessert, mommy made hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream. Yum!

San Antonio Rock N Roll 1/2 Marathon

If you were even the slightest bit impressed and thought that MY mommy ran a 1/2 marathon, you're very, very wrong. However, Miss Kristen, Miss Becca and Miss Jen did sign up for it and mommy went to San Antonio with them for 'moral support' and a little mommy get away overnight trip - complete with mommy only dinner and mommy only hotel room. I guess more than just moral support she DID have an important job - she was in charge of driving the 'getaway car' once they finished running their 13 miles. Mommy was so proud of them! They all finished better than their projected times and after showers and checking out of the hotel, they all went to celebrate with queso and Mexican food before heading back to Austin! Way to go!

Picking up race bibs
Before the big race - around 5am!

After the race with medals.

Where is Tate?

Is she napping? She's supposed to be but look what's she's been doing instead. In case you can't see it, there is powder poured all over the floor in addition to bag balm and baby vicks spread across her bed and changing table. How she opened those mommy will never know. She smelled very 'menthol-y' the rest of the day. When mommy took Tate in her room and asked, 'Did you make this mess?' Tate sweetly answered 'No, Bubba do it'. Nice try kiddo - mommy knows her sweet boy was taking his nap like he was supposed to.

Daddy is HOME!

Welcome home, Daddy! This evening we picked daddy up from the airport because he's been in Honduras all week. He told us all about his trip and showed us lots of pictures. In America, we are so incredibly blessed for not only what we all have but for the freedoms we have as well. Daddy helped feed the hungry and built a new home for a family of 7. Daddy and I counted the rooms in our house and then the number of people in our family. He then went on to tell us about the house he helped build - which was 12 ft by 16 ft and only one room. Yes, one room for the entire family with an outhouse. The family was so happy and so thankful for this small little house and for everything Daddy and the other people on the mission trip did for them. Wow! In their eyes, daddy and his friends gave them the world on a silver platter.

This is the family. One of the daughters is missing from the photo.
This is the house all 7 of them lived in. Yes - this one room wooden box.

This is the inside of their new house daddy helped build! They have new beds, doors, windows, new linens and so many other things they never had before.

This is the classroom where the children in the 'Hope Academy' go to school. A little different from our schools here, hu?

Daddy feeding some of the poor children and also handing out vitamins.

Koman Race for the Cure 2010

Each year Aunt Brenda, Mommy and Aunt Cindy walk in the Race for the Cure together in honor of Aunt Brenda and so many others who have been affected by breast cancer. Three years ago, the walk was the day before Aunt Brenda's surgery. We are so grateful for Aunt Brenda's recovery and I know the 3 of them will be walking the race together for the next 10, 20, 30+ years to come!

Aggies vs OU

The Aggies played #8 OU in College Station today and since daddy is still in Honduras, Ms. Jamie and Mr. Tom went with us to the game. Ms. Jamie's whole family went to OU but she was a sport and wore Aggie maroon. Good thing she did because we put a "whooping" on OU by beating them 33 - 19. Whoop! It was an awesome game and we had a great time with Jamie and Tom as our guests. I hope we didn't wear them out too much and that they will still decide to have kids one day. :)

Mommy's littlest Aggie

Gig 'Em Ags!