We FINALLY made it to TEXAS!

It had been 10 months since our last visit to Texas- WAY. TOO. LONG. It was so great to see everyone! It made us want to just pick up and move there!...even though it was almost as cold as Chicago! ;)

 Little Sage is getting so big! Stella had so much fun following her around!

 Ahhhhhh.....look close, Sage has a Stella growing on her back ;)

 Stella and Grammy!! She loves Grammy!!

 Bath time is WAY better with a friend!

 Baby Jack: 10 months (wow! how is that possible?)

 Stella is STILL talking about Cade's guitar!!

 Sage: 3 years

 Cade: 5 1/2 years

 Bella (almost 5, holding her baby sister, Elizabeth!)

 'Grammy Pammy' holding her new grand-daughter Elizabeth!

 Stella giving Grandpa Bert a hug- heart melting!

Stella with her Great Grandparents- Nana and Papa! We were so happy they made the trip to College Station!

Baby Elizabeth: 2 weeks (Brave parents: Byron and Sarah- not pictured. ;) Thanks for making the trip! We miss hanging out with you guys!)

 Aunt Jen reading to the kiddos!

Stella LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Uncle Colby! She literally talks about him everyday!! She is a big fan.

Thank you to the Prochazkas for having us! We had such a fun time playing, eating, eating, and eating :) Hope to see you guys very soon!

Ballet Baby!!

Okay, this may be the cutest thing yet... baby ballet. Wow. It may also be the most pointless thing. They just run around and play while the teacher tries to get them to stand in first position. Really? They are only 18 months old. Its like herding cats. Very, very cute cats. That cry for their mommy.

And of course I took this opportunity to do another mini photo shoot...my poor daughter is my only client, so she has to deal with session after session ;)

I die. She is just the cutest little girl!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

First big snow- picture time!!! Stella was excited at first, but not so much when her daddy laid her down in it! :)

We went to see the Zoo Lights with some good friends this Winter...it was so great to see it all lit up! 

We also went to see the trains in the Botanical Gardens...and then took a cold walk through the zoo!  Stella loves to be outside and explore...and it doesn't happen much these days with the freezing temperatures.

What does Santa say? "ho ho ho!"

It was Stella's 2nd Christmas, but the first one that she was able to open her own gifts and get excited about each new toy. She wanted to stop and play every time she opened a present...we practically had to beg her to finish opening the gifts! It was so much fun! And she says so many words these days, so she was telling us about each toy.

 We practiced saying "Santa" and "ho ho ho" for weeks. Even now, she will look at this picture and say "Santa!!" Very good Stella, but do you see the hysterical girl in the picture?? Meltdown!!!! She was panic-stricken from the moment we walked in the room...and Santa was NOT amused.

We had the Fearday Family Christmas in mid-December. Stella had a great time running around and didn't want to sit still. We tried to get a cousins picture in Santa hats...clearly Stella was not cooperating. Always the diva...

PRESENTS! Either this little girl was really good this year or her parents are SUCKERS!

 Christmas Eve...

 Christmas morning...

We were supposed to go see Grandma and Grandpa Fearday for Christmas, but they got the flu. We were sad to not see them, but we made due and had a great Christmas! We went to mass on Christmas Eve and then let Stella open a present before Santa came. On Christmas day we decorated Christmas cookies...and it took Stella about 10 seconds to realize the frosting was edible. Good parenting tip #342: let your kids eat green frosting for breakfast :)