Relaxing day...

Today has been really relaxing...in fact I needed to get up and move! We went to church, came home and had lunch and then I just crashed on the couch for a couple of hours. I love that but it makes me feel so frumpy and lazy. I am just the kind of person that needs to keep moving! I am trying so hard to update my blog with all of my Christmas pictures. My computer is just sooooo slow and it seems to be taking me forever! Russell is wanting us to buy a new Macintosh computer. I think we might invest in one this summer...fingers crossed.

Austin has started playing basketball and he is doing a fantastic job! His team is really good! There are four other players that are in his first grade class (Kalen, Gavin, Dalton and Reilly). They played their second game yesterday in Anna. I was taking pictures of the boys playing and Sammy informed me that she needed to go to the bathroom. So I passed my camera to Russell and OF COURSE while I was with the girls in the restroom, Austin makes a goal! As soon as I came back into the gym a mom asked if I saw Austin make a goal. I replied "No. Things like that happen when either my back is turned, I leave the room or I had just put up my camera!" Does anyone else have this problem? Anyways, Russell and I were so excited for Austin! The girls were really good cheerleaders. They kept yelling "Go Austin Go!"

We came home after the basketball game and Austin and I went out for a bit. He rode his bike and I went rollerblading. We were gone for about 45 mintues. It was really nice to have some "mommy & Austin" time. He showed me all of his new little tricks that he does on his bike. He knows how to pop curbs and can ride his bike with one hand.

I took Austin and Sammy to a birthday party in McKinney from 1:30-3:30. After the party, we went to the hospital to visit G.G. and ran into Sugar at the hospital. G.G. is my grandmother and we started to call her G.G. (Great-Grandmother) when Austin was born. She is 84 and is in the hospital with pheumonia. I am really close to her and I hope she gets well soon and goes home. I just hate to see her sick and not feeling well. G.G. is a lot like me....well, I guess it is that I am a lot like her... she has to ALWAYS be on the go. So, being stuck in a hosiptal is not her cup of tea!

Well, I am off to go with Austin again. He is going to ride is bike and try to keep up with me on my rollerblades...ha!

Sammy's First Dance Recital

Sammy was every excited about her first dance recital! Her class did a tap routine to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". She did such a GREAT job! She really loves to dance...and sing! Sammy practiced at home over and over. The recital was at Love Joy High School which is about 2 mintues from my parents house. Sugar and Aunt Brandy came to watch the performance. I am not a big fan of make-up on little girls. But the teacher insisted we put make-up on them so their little faces could be seen on stage. Sammy liked me putting make-up on her. After her performance, daddy and I gave Sammy some flowers. Sammy said, "Are these for me? Oh thank you mommy! They are so pretty!"

Aunt Brandy & Sammy

Emmye & Sammy - Emmye also goes to Taylor Dance. Her performance was right before Sammy's

Christmas Programs

The girls had a Christmas program at WEE school. Lauren was funny. She stood there and looked everywhere for me or Russell. When she found Russell, she started sticking out her tongue....just playing around. She didn't sing any songs...just enjoyed the moment I guess. She was really cute! Sammy did a great job at the program. She had fun singing her songs and waved at me when she found me in the crowd.

Sammy is at the very top with the white bows in her hair.

Austin and Samantha had a Christmas performance at church one Sunday night. Austin is VERY shy and is not a fan of the limelight so he was a little stand-offish and sang a little. Samantha on the other hand LOVES the limelight and is just fine getting up and performing in front of people. Austin is just like his daddy and Sammy is just like her mommy!

Best little Buddies-Emmye & Sammy Emmye, Sammy & Chloe

WEE school Christmas

Sammy & Lauren had fun at their WEE school Christmas parties. Their classes had a pizza lunch, decorated a cookie and had a book exchange. I hopped around between the two classrooms for all of the fun.

I made the girls Christmas dresses and bows. They both looked so cute!

Lauren enjoyed giving her teachers their Christmas presents. I missed Sammy giving her teacher their presents...bummer.

At the book exchange, Sammy ended up with the book that Emmye brought and Emmye ended up with the book that Sammy brought. So funny!Lauren enjoyed her book exchange too!

Holiday Pictures

I got the kids all dressed-up to take some holiday pictures. They did really good! Sometimes it is really difficult to get all of them to cooperate and smile!

When I was done, the kids all wanted to pose and take some silly pictures. This is what I got...
After pictures, Austin and Sammy turned on the music and started dancing. Boy was that cute!!

Austin decided to give Sammy a lift...cute!

A Night In Providence Village

Kristina's neighborhood has the best Christmas festivities! And the best part is that it is free!!! Kristina invites us every year to come and join in on the fun! We met up with Kristina, Andy, Megan, Phil, Melissa, Ashley & Summer. The kids got to have cookies, sit on Santa's lap, see a real reindeer and go on a horse drawn carriage ride! Austin was the only one who sat on Santa's lap. The girls wanted nothing to do with Santa. Samantha was a little scared. Austin told Santa he wanted a basketball goal and a new UFO.

Austin, Ashley, Megan, Summer & Sammy

Sammy doing her diva pose. Megan, Austin & Ashley

Lauren LOVES her Kristina. Lauren wants NOTHING to do with me when Kristina is around. We call Lauren Elmer cause she sticks to people like glue. Lauren is a lover and loves to be held. She loves it when Kristina gives her attention and holds her. The kids were excited to see a real reindeer.

Trimming the Tree...and decorating the the house

I think one of the most exciting things for the kids is seeing me get the Christmas Tree down from the attic. They start cheering and all of them want to pitch in putting the tree together and decorating it. The girls helped for a bit and Austin was a fantastic helper! I always decorate my tree with white lights. As we were getting the lights out for the tree Austin informed me that he wanted to have colored lights on the Christmas Tree. So, I took the kids to Hobby Lobby and we got 11 boxes of colored lights....that's 1100 lights on our tree!! And it was beautiful...good pick Austin! I didn't get very many pics of us putting up decorations...bummer!

The three little trees by our front door. I decorated the hutch in the kitchen and I thought it would be cute to have ornaments hanging from the kitchen light. Russell did a GREAT job decorating the front of the house. I worked on the inside and he did ALL of the outside by himself! Good job daddy!