Christmas 2010

Finally, I get around to blogging about our Christmas whirlwind! And, it wasn't even as much of an excursion as it usually is now that my parents finally live closer!! (I cannot say that enough!!!).

We kicked things off out at Keena and Poppa's house on Christmas Eve. The kids were very excited to get to open their first Christmas presents of the year.

Hayley ready to get started with her stylish leopard print Santa hat ....




Kicking things off with a Taylor Swift doll from Aunt Kerri, Uncle Chris and Zac:

Cousin Zac found himself a Thomas the Train ....

And, anyone who knows C.J.'s love of Crocs will understand how excited he was to get a new pair for Christmas!!! ....

The three cousins, C.J., Hayley and Zac, in their Christmas jammies ....

Back at home, we began preparing for Santa's arrival. The kids made cookies and set them out with milk for Santa's snack ...

They wrote their wish list out on the plate. They hoped that they had been a good girl and boy and that Santa would make their wishes come true! ...

Santa did indeed feel that they had been very good this year, and he left them lots of goodies to find in the morning! ....

C.J. was very excited to see what he could find deep down in his stocking ....

Hayley was super excited to find her iPod Touch! ....

And the excitement continued over a new horse for her dolls ...

After getting through all the Santa gifts and seeing what Mom and Dad had wrapped under the tree, we ventured over to Nana and Gramps' house to have Christmas with cousins Lilli and Emma.

Here the kids are all ready to open their "together" presents ... new bounce houses! ...

After we visited with Nana and Gramps, the remaining extended family came up from Austin and we continued Christmas celebrations with them. Christmas Day was a very busy day, but lots of fun too!

The day after Christmas, the kids and I joined Keena and Poppa and Cousin Zac on a quick road trip to Beaumont to visit my extended family.

Here are the three great grandkids with MeeMaw....

Overall, we had a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of fun, family, friends, laughter and cheer. We enjoyed all the time we got to spend with everyone, and the kids really enjoyed all of the gifts as well! It is always bittersweet this time of year .... it is very exciting and great to see family, as well as exhausting and mindblowing at the same time! For us with birthdays mixed in, it is hard to decifer one event from the next!!!

We did get a chance today with the weather a little nicer to finally set up the bounce house for the kids to play in. They had a wonderful time ....

C.J. loves to bounce ....

And, Hayley does, too! ....

We hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas! I cannot believe that it is time for another year to come to an end ... or that my little girl is turning 7 on New Year's Day!!! More on that to come!!!!! (Beware, we are preparing for our first slumber party, New Year's style!!!)

Pictures with Santa

We took the kids to see Santa today to have their annual picture taken. They both did very well! They were excited to tell them what they want for Christmas this year - Hayley asked for an iPod and C.J. asked for a train table. He said that they kids had been good this year..... Hmm, we'll see about that!!! We also got a couple of good shots of them sitting on Santa's lap. No crying, just excitement! It was a lot of fun!

First Day of Winter

What do you do on the first day of winter in Texas??? Why, play outside and have a picnic lunch, in short sleeves and flip flops, of course!!!

While we wait a couple of days for a few chillier temps to hit our area, we are enjoying the beautiful day today!

And, while her brother crashes for his nap, Hayley plays quietly in her room like a good little girl!

We're all geared up and ready for round 2 this afternoon!!!!

Happy Birthday, C.J.!!!

Yesterday was C.J.'s third birthday, and we celebrated with family and friends! Over the last three years, we have watched our little fella grow in humor as he has a way of always keeping us laughing. Three years ago on December 19, 2007, our lives changed forever .... in more ways than we would ever know at that time! He couldn't wait to come out, arriving at almost 37 weeks. The first year of life was a trying one as we tried to figure out what was making him so sick. It was a constant battle of not being able to eat, not growing and not gaining any weight. Then, once we diagnosed his Celiac disease, life has been a breeze for our little guy! But, now, we have a very healthy, happy, energetic, curious, fun and exciting three year old little guy. He keeps us laughing all the time with his adorable personality, keeps us on our toes with his boundless energy and keeps us wrapped around his little finger with his curly haired quirkiness!

Yesterday, at the party, C.J. was surrounded by our closest family and friends to celebrate him turning three! We had a wonderful time just visiting, eating cake, opening presents and enjoying the company.

C.J. showing off the Spider Man costume he received!

Opening presents is tons of fun when you're 3!!!


The "bug-jar quilt" Nana made

Lots of the kids got in the action of opening presents!

C.J.'s gluten-free cake that Mommy made for him!

Time to sing "Happy Birthday!"

Making his wishes come true.

One birthday down, now we just have Christmas and Hayley's birthday to go!!! Thanks to everyone who made C.J.'s day so special for him! We love you all and appreciate you coming!!!

Photography

For those of you who like to keep up with what I am doing with photography.... it's that time of year with lots of family photo shoots!!! You can check out my latest shoots at www.poffphoto.blogspot.com. I just added quite a few of them! Enjoy!

Remodeling

Many of you have seen the living room transform a little so far, but we'll start back at the beginning. Here is the living room originally:

BEFORE:




Here is the living room after I painted the paneling ... better, but still lacking! ...

And, here is the living room after our new wood floors were installed at the end of November! Much better ....

We cannot put any rugs down for at least 30 days to ensure that the floors acclimate to the sunlight. But, otherwise, we are finally done (for the time being anyway!!). We put the wood floors in the entry, hallway, living room and office. Now, we just have to replace the carpeting in the bedrooms with new updated carpet, and we will really be done!

The project was one of the biggest we have taken on so far (and yes, we did contract it out, and highly recommend the guys we used!). Taking up the tile in the entry and hallway was quite a mess, but we did survive! I am really impressed with how they came out, and could not be happier with them!!!!

Thanksgiving in San Angelo

We spent Thanksgiving in San Angelo this year with Charlie's grandmother, Ginny. The kids had a great visit, and it is always nice to get to spend some valuable time with her!

Halloween, Fall Festivals and More!

October was filled with lots of Halloween and Fall Festival fun!!!! It all started a couple of weeks before Halloween when we took the kids out to Keena and Poppa's for the Providence festival.

Hayley, C.J. and Cousin Zac enjoyed playing games, entering a costume contest, and eating some yummy caramel apples!

Hayley on the "cake walk"
Zac and C.J. wait to play a game

Hayley in the costume contest

On the firetruck with the Aubrey Fireman!


An attempt at a picture of all 3 in their costumes!

After the festival, we walked back to Keena and Poppa's and changed the kids out of their costumes ... then we walked to the pond to feed the ducks!

Everyone feeding the ducks ...

Poppa taught the kids how to hold the bread out for the brave white one.

Hayley feeding the ducks by hand ...

Zac's turn!

Poppa helping C.J. out a little!

The 3 kiddos watching the ducks at the pond.

Before we headed back to their house, we found a cool rock that was just too much fun not to try a little photo shoot on!

The 3 cousins.

Hayley

The two boys.

Hayley

Our fun continued the week of Halloween with The Heights Fall Festival on Wed night. Zac and Aunt Kerri as well as Nana and Gramps joined us for the festivities! The kids enjoyed the petting zoo, lots of games, eating yummy food and getting lots of candy!

C.J. trying to pet the little pigs.

Nana helping the kids feed some little piggies!

C.J. found himself a bunny to hold!

Hayley enjoyed holding a bunny, too!

Zac found a guinea pig to play with....

Hayley loved her little bunny!

We moved on to the games, and Hayley visited the CDC booth first to get her hair colored!

C.J. going down a big slide ... he loved the bounce houses!

Zac playing an archery game with Aunt Kerri.

Hayley fishing for candy.

C.J. in one of his favorite bounce houses!

Zac enjoyed the bounce houses, too!

C.J. and Zac fish for candy.

The three kiddos in their costumes (attempt #2)!!!

Then, Halloween was finally here! We went to one more fall festival at Hunter's Glen with some of Hayley's school friends, then continued from there to go Trick-or-Treating!

The gang all set to go trick-or-treating!

What a night!!!

Now that Halloween is past, we are all ready for the Christmas Holiday Season to roll in fast and furious! This is our way beyond busy time of year!!! Soon to come, Thanksgiving, birthday, Christmas, birthday, New Years and TONS of fun!!!!! Tons of pictures, too, I am very certain of that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!