christmas

 My little diva had enough of her photo shoot!

We had wonderful Christmas this year.  By far the best gift I received was to have Dahlia celebrating with us, healthy and happy.  This year she began to understand what Christmas was all about and was so excited for everything.  Her first Christmas was so hard and sad. Dahlia was in the hospital, very sick, hooked up to an artificial heart pump, waiting for a heart transplant.  It is very sobering and humbling to know that without her donor heart, Dahlia's first Christmas would have been her last.  I am so thankful for my sweet, sassy, little Christmas present.

twelve

Saturday was Dario's birthday and he turned twelve years old.  It really does seem like just the other day we were celebrating Christmas with a little newborn.  We are so proud of the twelve year old Dario has become.  

christmas tree farm

On Saturday we went to the Christmas tree farm to find the perfect tree.  You gotta love Texas, where you can pick out a tree in shorts and a short sleeved shirt!

thanksgiving

The kids had a week off from school for Thanksgiving, which we spent at my parent's house. It was such a fun week, spent playing with cousins, cooking together, watching movies and going out for lunch with my sister.  One of the days there, we went to Brazos Bend State Park.  It is such a beautiful park filled with huge oaks, nice trails and lots of alligators and other wild life.  It was perfect weather for hiking around the lake, spotting alligators.  We are so lucky to live so close to family.

This big alligator was right near the trail! The kids were scared at first, but then some of them tried to get closer, and it was time for us to move along before someone got bit.

laila

On Thursday I got to go to Laila's school and make Thanksgiving crafts with her.  She looked so cute in the crafts she made, I just had to take her picture when we got home.

8 years old

On November the first Ava turned eight.  She choose to go see a movie and go out for Chinese food on her birthday.  Ava has always been such a sweet girl and is such a big help.  It's hard to believe she is already eight!

happy halloween!

six years old



Today Laila turned six years old.  She is growing up way too fast!  She is loving being in kindergarten.  Dahlia sure misses her during the day, and is so happy when she comes home. Laila always comes off the school bus full of smiles and tells me a big dramatic story about her day, which usually includes a boy being mean to her on the playground.

pumpkin patch