A year in review

These are just a few of my favorite posts from the past year. It's very interesting to look back and see all the changes in the past year - the most notable the loss of Micah's cheeks! 


January 
Abby and Daddy played with her doll house 

Micah had cheeks! 


February 

We registered Abby for preschool & had our only snow of the winter
Micah's first trip to Sea World


March 
I painted Abby's dresser 


April 

We took pictures in the bluebonnets for Easter 


May 

Micah's first birthday! 

Beau graduated Law School! 


June 

Abby got her first pedicure with Gigi and I

July

The kids and I headed to visit Gigi and Pops when they moved back from Paris 


August 
Micah finally got his first tooth at 15.5 months

Abby turned 4 


September 

Abby's first day of preschool


October 

We spent lots of time outside after it finally wasn't so hot

Pumpkin Patch


November 

Beau and Grandpa ran the Warrior Dash

We visited Ruston for Thanksgiving 

December 

We visited Sea World one last time for the year
Christmas Morning

game night

The past two nights we've had game nights - we had to have a rematch tonight after Pops beat us all last night. We've played the game Settlers of Catan which is actually a pretty fun game. Though I do have to say it gets a little more interesting when you add a margarita into the mix. 

And the bigger winner of the rematch game: Beau. Though I guess it shouldn't really be called a rematch if the winner from the previous night didn't play huh? 

New ride

In addition to their Santa Claus presents Christmas morning the kids were surprised with a big present from Gigi and Pops. We waited a little while after opening presents and having some breakfast so it wouldn't be quite as cold outside but it was still pretty cold when we went outside. I took a video of their reaction (but I'm not the best at video) 

We drove up and down the street many, many, many times that day and the following day despite the very cold temperatures (drastic change from the 78 degrees a few days before!) Abby called their new ride a "jeep" at first since that's what her friend has. Then somehow she heard me call it a mini-cooper and heard that as "American car" so that's what her new ride is called right now! 

Nurse Abby

Christmas morning

The kiddos must have been very good this year because Santa (and mommy & daddy and other family members) sure did spoil them. They came downstairs to these piles of presents. 

Micah noticed his chair first (hard to miss those!) and had to examine his name on it. Then I passed him a present to open and showed him how to open it. Once he had the present halfway open he took it to Daddy for help and then he wanted Daddy to read it before he wanted to open another one! So cute! 

Abby opened her first presents to find this pretty outfit and a pair of boots from Mimi & Pappy. She also got a new cover for her chair that she's had since she was Micah's age. At first she was a little confused because she thought it meant we had 3 chairs now since she didn't believe it was just a new cover and not a whole new chair. 

Then she finally got to her big Santa present - the one that kept barking all morning. HA! 

She loves her puppy that she can walk (now maybe Honey can get a break?) and has played with her almost all day!

Both kids got a set of automoblox cars and Micah loved his! 

Micah loves his chair and especially loves his puppies - his little one that wags it tail and his new little figurine puppy. He clutched one or both at times almost all day long. 

He also got a beginner Thomas the Train set  that both kids loved to play with.

Merry Christmas

We are wishing everyone a wonderful Merry Christmas this year! 

Cookies for Santa

The cookies have been baked (sorry Santa this year slice and bake chocolate chip cookies will have to do - we ran out of time to make the iced sugar cookies like I had wanted to do...)

The reindeer food has been sprinkled on the yard. 

The kids are in asleep in bed. 

Presents have been laid out with care ready for excited little ones in the morning! 

Elfcapades: day 13

Good morning Abby and Micah! 

Today is my last day at your house. I’m very sad to leave ya’ll but I have to go help Santa deliver all the presents! Maybe next year at Christmas time Santa can send me back to your house? What do you think about that?

Do you remember what I told you was the reason why I came to visit you? It wasn’t just for all the fun and hiding. It was to remind you about the birth of Jesus and to remember to keep Jesus as the focus this season. I know it is hard with all the presents, cookies and decorations. But it really is all about Jesus’ birthday and the gift that He is to all who believe.

Let’s try and memorize a verse about the story of Jesus.

"God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son." John 3:16 

Do you think you can memorize that Abby?

I have one last hint…

You need to come find me quick. I am cold. Brrrr! I accidentally fell in my water. Where am I?

Today was the last day and I failed to get a picture of the elf before he was rescued from falling in his water glass in the fridge. Oops - fail! 

(The verse is the same as the one that Abby has been learning this month in both Bible class on Saturday and Sunday nights and in preschool)

 {Letter & idea slightly adapted with permission from Infarrantly Creative}

A little dirt....

won't hurt....

but it will

mean a 4 pm bubble bath

until  Micah pulls the plug and says "uh oh!"

Movie & popcorn

Yesterday was day 2 of being stuck home pretty much all day with no car. One of my sweet friends came over for a playdate with her boys and the kids seemed to have lots of fun. It seemed to have worn Micah out so after lunch (which was small after the second serving of cinnamon rolls everyone had around 11) I tried to put Micah down for a nap. After an hour and getting woken up by sister and by mama trying to put him down three times Micah was done with his nap - just shortly after the time his nap usually starts. So downstairs we all went, popcorn was made and a Veggie Tales Christmas movie was started. 

Because it was dreary and wet outside we couldn't burn off energy outside and we couldn't go anywhere. With a short nap and being a teething grumpy bear we had to find lots of different activities to keep the little guy entertained. One of his favorite things is to give Honey treats. "Yay!" he says when I get treats out of the treat bag.

Elfcapades: day 12

Good morning Abby and Micah! 

I enjoyed watching you play with your friends yesterday morning! It looked like ya’ll had a lot of fun! It reminds me of all my elf friends back at the North Pole.

Here's the next part of the story...

One night Joseph had a dream. An angel warned him that Jesus was in great danger. Mary, Joseph and Jesus left Bethlehem at once and after a long journey to Egypt they reached their home in Nazareth, safe at last.

Here’s the hint for today: 

Since I won’t be at your house too much longer I really wanted to sleep in your bed. It just looks so comfy. So I snuck in your room to rest my little head. Come find me! 

 {Letter & idea slightly adapted with permission from Infarrantly Creative}