Christmas Morning!

Joey got what he wanted: Every Ben 10 toy that he didn't already have in his vast collection!

Max got what he wanted: A new copy of Mario Kart Double Dash to replace the one that got too scratched up to use anymore! He has been playing it non-stop since Christmas!

Emma got what she wanted: Lots of creative kits (this one is paper fashion designer) and a real guitar! Lessons in Spring....

Joey (who had green arrows painted on his arms like a TV character from the day before) examines our top collection, back when there were still presents under the tree....

Hope you all had a great Christmast too!

2006 Wrap Up

My pirated photo of the kids with Santa yesterday. I almost missed the opportunity for the Santa photo. Thought about it yesterday and knew we had to get it done, even though I had planned to avoid the malls all season....and almost did it!

Max and cousin Alex at Gramma and Grandad's Christmas weekend

Handsome Hubby

Tuba Concert on the Capitol Steps... magnificent!

Here are some December Photos to wrap up the blog for the year. This one is the most beautiful tree I've seen in a long time. It's a Chinese Pistache on the grounds of Camp Mabry.

In between time.

I'm all messed up for Advent. At church it is the time of waiting for Christmas. And so far this Advent, I've missed more church than the rest of the year. No slowing down, with a wedding in Orlando, an Art Sale, then a trip for Kennemer Christmas in Fort Worth on the three weekends.

Each day, I've been focusing on the next thing on my list. We had a Girl Scout Troop party last week, and I help organize a Teacher Luncheon at Bryker Woods tomorrow. But all in all, I'm in the waiting phase right now... and I love it.

I bought and wrapped all the gifts on schedule (first time ever), and today was my glorious day of the kids in school, so I'm getting chores done. I'm finally waiting and getting ready without stressing, just like Advent is supposed to work. And it really is nice, all 48 hours before the kids get let out of school for the break!

Where I'm headed...

Tonight all the Boy Scouts and most of the Girl Scouts at Bryker Woods did their annual holilday carol sing-along at the retirement home in our neighborhood. And let me tell you something. THAT is where I want to end up. I've seen some nice places (rhymes with "Pemmington") but, I'm sorry, Westminster has it beat. I went past the dining room on the way out, since Max and I took the scenic route after having parked in the wrong parking lot. The Christmas Dinner menu was posted.

If my memory serves me, some of the items were "mimosa bar", caviar, rack of lamb, lobster, prime rib, chocolate fountain, assorted crackers and imported cheeses, salmon.... you get the idea.

Before we left this evening to drive over, Emma said that one of her friend's moms said she wanted to live there. And in the parking lot, another mom and I decided that we wanted to live there. Maybe if I stay in Austin, all my buddies will move there together, and we'll stay up playing dominoes after our lobster and prime rib dinner. Sounds great.

What I did last weekend....

At this point, David has had his photo taken one too many times.

wedding photographer
worst. combover. ever.

Last weekend, David and I flew to Orlando to attend his sister's wedding. It was the first get away without the kids EVER. So that was noteworthy in itself. It was the first time David had seen his father in a long time, my first time to meet Malcom and his wife Ellin. It was my first Biker wedding, the first time (in a while) to fly first class home (after volunteering to get bumped on the way home), and the first time that a celebrity (Andy Dick) ever cut in line and took our seat when we tried to fly standby on the last leg of the flight. Lots of firsts.

Anyway, this is the family photo. David's sister-in-law, Jessica and brother Michael on the left. Mom, Linda next. Tom and Christi in the center. Malcolm and Ellin, Kathy and David to the right.