Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a wonderful new year as we head into 2012. We're bringing in the new year with the Stephens family and have every intention of staying up until the stroke of midnight! It'll make the start of the new year rough for mommy with 3 tired babies, but we're going to close out the year with a bang.

Happy New Year!

Brotherly Bonding

Fancy Girl

I went and played with my friend, Sage, the other day and her mommy snapped a quick picture of me being my typical fancy girl. From the looks of it, I don't think I was missing mommy much.

And the 2nd one falls....

Christmas 2011

Santa came to our house!!! I guess we were better than we thought because he definitely spoiled us rotten and we got exactly what we asked him for! Bubba asked him for a metal detector, Levi 'wanted' baby toys and I wanted a princess sleeping bag with princess cup, fork and plate. We got lots of great gifts from our family and friends and had so much fun playing at the house and being lazy. After a late breakfast, we got dressed and ventured out to Tomball to have Christmas dinner with our family - and our famous cousin gift exchange. More presents? I'm all over it!

Christmas Eve

As we do every year, we went to Christmas Eve service in the afternoon and then went to Uncle Stan's for Christmas dinner with daddy's side of the family. His Hawaii family was also there this year so it was a big time had by all! Afterwards, we went home to open our one gift and get ready for Santa's arrival. We also said good bye to Frostin until next year. We put out the reindeer food (quickly I might add because it was SOOO cold this evening) and set out his plate of cookies and carrots with milk. It's also a tradition for mommy and daddy to slumber party in our rooms with us on Christmas Eve. We were so excited that we didn't think we'd be able to sleep, but we were out like a light with visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads.

Each Christmas Eve Service, all of the kids are invited on stage to sing 'Away in the Manger' with country star, Rick Trevino

What's missing?

Cheatham Street

This evening we went to San Marcos to the famous Cheatham Street bar to see Eden and her family since they were in town for Christmas. The Cheatham Street bar is where many country singers got their start - including George Strait! We danced the night away and then ended the evening with local Mexican food at Garcia's.

and no night is complete without a time-out thrown in

Christmas Cookie Time

Christmas isn't Christmas without making Christmas sugar cookies in preparation for Santa! In addition to making fabulous cookies in a variety of shapes, we also make a gigantic mess while on a sugar high. Tis the season!

Thinking about which cookie to eat....I mean make next

New Christmas Song

Well this Christmas, it looks like instead of 2 front teeth, Levi will have 3 (2 bottom and 1 top) and Bubba will be short 1. His tooth is going to fall out any minute and so maybe the words of the song can be......my 1 front tooth. :)

Annual Ornament Exchange

It's a tradition! Since Bubba was in CMO, we've had an ornament party each year for the friends he met there. Our party has grown since we started with just the 5 original kids and now combined (with all the babies) there are 14 among the 5 families. The exchange is just for the kids and we love seeing the ornaments on the tree year over year. Knowing mommy, she'll still plan this even when we're 50.

Big Boy Sleep Over

Bubba's buddy, JP, invited him to go to a holiday party with his family and then stay the night. Now, Tripp has had sleep overs with Emmylou, but that's his best friend so it doesn't count. Tonight was a big deal because it was Bubba's 1st real big boy slumber party with a buddy! The boys had to take 'tough guy' pictures before heading out for an evening of parties, baking sugar cookies, legos and paper airplanes. I sure missed him and couldn't wait for him to come back home.

Bruiser

You may think I'm cute and girlie but really, I'm a bruiser. I love to wrestle with my brother and can take him if he's not careful. Tonight we were wrestling on the couch (which we're not supposed to do) and when I jumped on Bubba's back, he popped up and I went flying.

Face first.
Straight down.
On my face.
And my nose.
Into the ottoman.

Mommy thought I broke my nose and with the blood and scrapes, thought I'd be scarred for life. Nope. I'm just a bruiser. Who's next?

Tripp's first ER visit

In the middle of the night, Bubba woke up screaming like we've never heard him scream. He was complaining about his ear, which normally mommy would think was an ear infection accept for the fact that we've both been on amoxicillan for the past 10 days for strep. Daddy took Bubba to the ER and at 4am, they finally made it home. It wasn't an ear infection or a ruptured ear drum - but they're really not sure what it was.

Tripp: Mommy, what's the stuff in my ear called? Pulp? Well, I had a lot of it in there.

Beauty and the Beast

As a surprise, mommy bought tickets for just the 2 of us to go see Beauty and the Beast on stage! Mommy loves musicals and broadway - so I think she's excited to drag me along to them when daddy won't go. This was a special day because I didn't know where we were going and once we were there, I gasped with delight. I just LOVE Belle and she's my new favorite princess. Sorry Cinderella! My 'princess pose'

Welcome Christmas Break!

Bubba's best friend, Emmylou, has had sleep overs with us before but tonight, Bubba had his 1st real big boy sleep over with JP. Today was the first day of Christmas break so JP rode the bus home and stayed with us all day and all night.....and then even the next day. It was a rowdy household, as you can imagine, and what made it even more out of control was the fact that for some reason, mommy decided to have the carpets, rugs AND furniture steam cleaned today and we couldn't be on any of it for 24 hours. Imagine how fun that was for us....and mom. We all ran around like wild banshees (avoiding all carpets and upholstery), then had dinner followed by movie night on the living room floor. We sure love JP and can't wait for him to come stay with us again.

Tripp's Gingerbread House Party

Tis the season for Christmas parties and school events. Tripp had his gingerbread classroom party today in Mrs. Olson's class and they made them out of mini milk cartons. There definitely is not a shortage of Christmas sugar around our house. Yippee!

Christmas Pageant

Today was not only the last day of school for the year but it was also the day of our Christmas Pageant. I took this very seriously and practiced singing 'Away in the Manger' almost every second of the day. My class represented the animals in the stable. Mommy always says I'm a monkey but I'm pretty sure monkeys weren't around the manger with Baby Jesus - so I settled for a horse instead.

Levi is 7 months

Our little booger is 16 lbs and 8 oz long. He has 3 teeth and is so stinkin' cute with his little grin. He's rolling everywhere and from time to time will get on his knees and rock. Uh oh. This will be trouble. He is still so easy and laid back and is showing us more of his personality. He would rather be held, aka spoiled, and let's us know about it if we put him down. He loves his exersaucer and loves to lay in the bed with us and watch movies on the ipad. Peek a boo is his absolute favorite game and we're able to make him laugh all of the time. He's so much fun! He doesn't like his car seat, but then again who does, and he LOVES food. In addition to food, he is now introduced to formula too! Mommy has to not let him see when she's making his bottle because he has an absolute fit. He is a talker. If he's not getting our attention, he gets louder and louder until he's acknowledged. I think he learned that from Tate.

We love you, little man, and we're blessed to have you as our baby brother.

Trippism

Tripp: Mommy, I want to go to Costco because there are pets.

Mommy: Little guy, there aren't pets at Costco.

Tripp: Mommy, you're lying! Yesterday you told me that people are bringing their pets. You said 'everyone and their dog is at Costco'.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Happy Birthday to our daddy! This morning we surprised him with breakfast in bed. We helped mommy make it, too, so it was extra special and extra messy! We love you daddy.

Santa Claus is in town!

We'd better not shout, we'd better not cry, we'd better not pout - I'm telling you why. Santa Claus is IN town and so is Frostin!!!! Santa told us we were on the 'nice' list and we plan to stay there. Especially because Bubba wants him to bring him a metal detector and I want a princess sleeping bag and other princess things. I think Levi automatically qualifies for the 'nice' list and we told Santa he'd probably want baby toys. Always looking out for our baby!