December catch-up - Christmas in Houston

We went to Houston the weekend before Christmas to visit my family and had a great time. Everyone was there except my sister Tara, who lives in Ireland.
After I took this picture, I joined them in coloring, as did Lauren and Stephen. It was quite comical to see so many grown people coloring around the table.

Santa Claire-Bear


The night before Christmas Eve, the family put on a somewhat impromptu Christmas play. We all knew our character ahead of time, but we didn't have lines or rehearse beforehand. Stephen was a reporter interviewing the people involved in the "curious events" the night/days before the birth of Jesus. These were the characters:


Angels in training (Lauren and Emily, trained by my sister, Sarah)

King Herod (my dad)

The Census Taker (my mother)

The Hillbilly Inn Keeper (brother Andrew)

The Hillbilly Inn Keeper's Wife (sister-in-law, Amy)
Joseph and Mary

Reading a bedtime story with my dad

opening her "Ragully Ann" Christmas Eve morning

Claire had more fun playing with the wrapping paper

Emily, Sarah, Lauren and my mother making Christmas cookies.
Lauren decided that she liked making Christmas snakes better. She made a row with about six of them.

December catch-up - Christmas crafts

These are our Christmas stockings. I made Tyler's and the girls', Tyler made mine.

The original design was for a girl and a boy, but I added pony tails and ribbons to make two little girls

Angels made from shampoo bottles and fabric remnants. This was an afternoon project with my mother-in-law, Tyler's Aunt Cyndi, Lauren and Analisa

Lauren's

We baked Christmas cookies several times this month. This pan was so much fun, you just press the dough into the cavity (think muffin pan, only more shallow) no rolling out and pressing. We brought some to our pediatrician, Dr. Hull and Nurse Susie, and they wrote Lauren and Claire a thank-you note. Lauren was so excited to get personal mail from the doctor.

Roxanne (MIL) took Lauren and Analisa to build gingerbread houses. You can't tell from these pictures, but several of Lauren's candies were double or triple stacked. That's how she does all of her artwork - stacks.

November catch-up

The following pictures from the courtesy of others as my camera was in the repair shop. The first weekend in November all of the girls from our small group at church had a girls weekend. We left Saturday morning, drove to Grandbury, shopped in the little town, and had lunch at a tea room. We stayed the night at a friend's parent's lakehouse, watched a chic-flick, rode the dirtbike/four-wheeler, and had a great time just hanging out.

Back row, l-r: Michelle, Katherine, Cheri, Mandi, Summers, Rebekah

Front row, l-r: Amy, Erin, Me, Crissy

Cheri and me living dangerously. I'd never driven either type of vehicle before.

Thanksgiving Day: Lauren waiting patiently for lunch

My mom holding Lauren, Tyler's mom holding Claire, Analisa holding Rudolph

It snowed Thanksgiving afternoon -- huge snowflakes!

Turns out that no photo was taken of everyone around the table, but the crowd included my mom, dad, siblings Sarah, Stephen and Josh, Tyler's mom, brother Travis, his girlfriend Kristyl, and Analisa.

October catch up

Ladies Night Out at our church. Our small group decorated three tables. The themes were Christmas, World Travels and MnM's. The evening included dinner and a comedian (can't remember who). Amy is behind me, Summers is on the left, Natalie is on the right.

Tyler's Fall Company Picnic

Lauren at the picnic

The kids were putting their feet on this toy - I thought it was a cute picture. Clockwise from left, Corbin, Lauren, Bozzy, Claire

Cooking in the laundry basket

My sling baby helping me give her daddy a haircut

Playing Cinderella, the maid

Carving a pumpkin

It was Elmo, but it got really moldy on the inside after just a few days (you can see the fuzz in the background) It was really cute when lit, but I was afraid to light it for fear of creating toxic fumes:-)

Decorating a pumpkin at a playgroup

Dressed up for the Nelson's Pumpkin Carving party

Festival 31: our church's "fall festival". My mother-in-law made the dresses. Lauren is Tinkerbell

Claire-Bear the Dinosaur (costume given by my friend Jen)

Too pooped to par-tay. Our camera died right after this and was sent to the repaire shop.

My sister, the artist

My sister Sarah (13 years old) took this picture of Lauren and drew it below


I don't have the picture for this one, but the likeness to Claire is remarkable!

September's catch-up, Part B

Nothing special about this day other than I liked Lauren's outfit, and wanted to take a picture of it for my sister, Tara, who is a big Snoopy fan.

Claire-Bear

Lauren dancing with her prince - Bozzy

Playing a game. He would come in the door and Lauren would say, "did you have a nice day? I love you so much" to which Bozzy would reply "nice to meet you!" They did this repeatedly throught the day.

My niece Emily turned three this month. The girls and I went down to Houston for her Elmo Party. Here Lauren has figured out that she can see exactly where to put Elmo's nose if she just looks up.

Hitting the pinata

What a slugger!

At the mall playground with Emily

Christy, Savannah, and Claire. Each baby has the other one's toy. I guess the grass is greener mentality starts very young.