Snow Day!!

We woke up last Friday to a beautiful sight. Austin was covered in a blanket of snow! I tried to show Annalee the snow through the window all morning...but did not really catch on till we bundled her up and took her outside and let the neighborhood kids properly introduce her to all the fun that was in store!

Annalee woke up VERY early...so she was extra tired in all of these shots. She woke up so early...that Blake was ready for lunch at 9:00AM.
All bundled up and ready for outside!
She was not too sure at first...spent most of her time watching all the big kids.

Our favorite neighbors are a family of 4 girls. They really were the best examples of how to love the snow.




This is Annalee's friend Abby. She comes over on Wednesdays to play with Annalee and Caroline. HUGE help to me.
This is the famous father of 4 chicas.


Abby took Annalee sledding. She was really scared at first...but ended up LOVING it.






What a fun day! As much as we loved the batch of white stuff...I was glad to see it melt away in a little stream down the street. Ready for Spring now!!!

Kids + Christmas = New Family Traditions

I'm way behind.

Is it already January 23rd? I gave myself a month to process then post about our Christmas holiday and I barely made the deadline! I honestly don't know what happened to the calendar...but this year there was only about 2 days between Halloween and Christmas. Never has that happened to me before.

We actually hit up Santa fairly early this year. I have been wanting to visit The Marchesa Hall in north central Austin for a while now...and Christmas time was a great time to do so. In the Hall there is a great coffee and spirits bar, little area where live music played and lots and lots of local art and crafts for sale. During Christmas...Santa joined us! I have to say, he was not the most "real looking" Santa I have ever seen...but Annalee was convinced and scared to death.

Video of Annalee's visit. It did not take long and Santa almost dropped Caroline. Marchesa Hall Santa Visit 2010: Check! I have posted below...this year's Santa photo and the 2009 Santa photo. Amazing how things change in just one little short year.

Santa 2010

Santa 2009

We took the girls to The Domain to look at the giant tree and take Christmas photos.




One new activity we did this year that must be repeated was our trip to Mozarts for hot chocolate, desserts and a look at the lights over Lake Austin. Delicious treats, Christmas music in the background....Beautiful.
Annalee looking at all the yummies at Mozart's.
I think Caroline got cold.
It was a late night for a week night...but totally worth it!
Annalee started a 2 day mother's day out at Saint Anthony's. They had a Christmas program and she danced to Jingle Bell Rock...well I held her and danced.

They dressed her up like a Christmas tree for the big event. It was fun to see her little daycare and get to know her teachers a little better.
My office had a Christmas party. Outside on Maggie's patio all the kids made Christmas cookies. You would not have believed the fit Annalee threw when we took her away from the table. She was eating mini m&ms by the handful.

How great does this cookie decorating table look?

2 weeks before Christmas we hunted for that perfect symbol of a family Christmas. Our tree. We chose one that was tightly wrapped and decided to take a chance and let it unfold in our living room.

It turned out beautiful! Blake and I stayed up together and decorated. We looked forward to seeing Annalee's face when she saw her tree for the first time the next morning. Unfortunately she woke up with the stomach flu that next morning...so the tree was a little second fiddle.

Complete. Christmas Fur 2010
Blake and I were given antique patriotic ornaments for our wedding. I found the perfect little twig tree for the bathroom and got some old silver tinsel.
My creative sister in law came up with an idea to make my parent's stepping stones to put in their new home in Round Top. Annalee loved the activity...she played with the mosaic glass for hours and still attempts to recreate the feeling of planting her hand in the soggy concrete with her peanut butter sandwhich. Caroline made one too...but I can't remember taking a picture. This is why birth order causes such psychological problems in children.

I just thought this was too cute not to include. Annalee really turned a corner with Caroline over Christmas. She wants to hold her nonstop.
This year we decided to have the Christmas meal on Christmas Eve and relax and enjoy the leftovers on Christmas day. This was my very first Christmas meal to make all on my own...well with Annalee's help of course. I made a sweet potato and cheese dish, stuffing, turkey, cookies, red velvet cake and a few other things I can't remember. It really was all a blur. Next year I promised myself I would do LOTS more prep work before the big day of cooking. We'll see if that happens.
My sweet potato dish.
Dad came over to taste the bird and give Blake some turkey carving tips. He gave us both a thumbs up!

Blake washed every dish! I was soooo tired from the cooking. It was nice having a clean kitchen for Christmas morning...and just popping those left overs in the microwave!

We took a family walk on Christmas Eve. It was so cold. We bundled up and spent an hour or so at the park.

You know who lucked out this year: Santa. Sydney gave us some amazing Christmas Cookies and we left a couple out for Santa.

Blake helped Santa put together Annalee and Caroline's kitchen. He was thankful he got a new drill for Christmas.

The next morning, before going downstairs to open presents we decided to read a book about the original Christmas story. We found this precious book called Room for a Little One about how all of the animals got to the stable that original Christmas Eve.

After reading the book we all went downstairs to see what Santa had left.

I don't think Annalee really understood the present thing...but she loved seeing what was under all the pretty paper and bows.

First Christmas. Gotta love it. You really only need to give babies paper for Christmas. They are happy as larks with a little paper.

Santa left us pretty mistletoe under our chandelier.

Betsy gave Annalee a tutu...

Sydney gave her a duck to go on the faucet in the bath tub. This might have been her favorite gift of the day.

Annalee got lots of new things to take care of her baby dolls.

We went to Mass Christmas morning. It was beautiful. Annalee loved the manger scene and announced to the crowd that baby Jesus had poopy pants. I made a mental not to myself. It might be best to start potty training after the holidays with future children.

Christmas night we went to Shelby, Texas with our good friends the Orr's to an old fashioned Christmas Polka. Kids showed up in PJ's and Lone Star was sold by the bucket. It was a sight to be seen. Great way to end the day.

December 26th we got together with all the Sawyer's in Round Rock. It was soooo cold...but we took a quick walk to a great part and played with all the cousins.
Blake is trying out our new video camera that Santa brought us.
Kinsley (almost 4), Annalee (1.5), Keira (1.5)
Annalee loved the rock climbing wall.
Caroline watched from above with Blake.
Her little nose turned bright read...time to head back inside!
Christmas gift with the Sawyers.

My favorite picture of Blake and Peggy.

NEW YEARS 2011

We took a family walk on New Years Day. Annalee had just swiped Caroline's baby doll...that would be the reason for the frown....and the smile!
I really think Annalee's favorite holiday activity was looking at all the Christmas cards. She looked at the photos for hours. I kept them out well after New Years because she loved them so much.

Another memory from 2010...Annalee's love for the Nativity Scene. She first fell in love with my mother's because it is unbreakable and she would set it up all sorts of ways. Unfortunately ours is glass...so she had to be really careful. In the photo above she is saying goodbye before we packed it up and the entire holy family will rest until next year! Happy New Year!