Snow Day!

Those of you who live around here know that we actually had something of a white Christmas this year! Mostly little flurries and some ice...the kids noticed it and were definitely intrigued, but I managed to keep them indoors for the Christmas festivities. However, there was still snow on the ground the next day, and I figured they might like to venture out for some snow playtime. But then I realized that, being the Texans we are, we were quite ill-equipped for snow-playing. (I already have their swimsuits ready for this summer in case we get a 90-degree day in February, which is probably a more likely occurrence than snow.)

Anyways, we bundled up and headed into the backyard. Charlotte was gung-ho for the snow and kept telling me that she wanted to make a snow angel. (She watches quite a bit of Caillou. Caillou is Canadian, so there's lots of snow on that show.)

She plopped her little self down in the snow, which promptly soaked through her jeans. She then decided she was cold and wanted to go in the house.

Charlotte is not impressed.

Jensen was a bit more cautious but quickly decided that eating snow was a great way to spend time outdoors.

So the snow-playing was very short-lived and then we all ventured inside for hot chocolate and a snack. Not sure the kids are ready for their first trip to Caillou's (and Grandma's) homeland just yet, but maybe next year we'll at least spring for some more snow-appropriate attire!

Christmas 2012

Christmastime was a blast, just like I thought it would be. Charlotte's Santa-anxiety aside, the entire season was full of fun and family time, and Christmas day was no different. Due to the Santa-anxiety, we had to be a bit creative this year: Charlotte would NOT agree to Santa coming to her house, so we worked out a solution in which Santa would meet Daddy at Daddy's office and give Daddy her presents to bring home. It worked out quite well, except for the fact that pesky Santa did not deliver the gifts to Daddy's office pre-assembled!

Daddy hard at work assembling Charlotte's play kitchen.

Anyways, Charlotte and Jensen were up bright and early on Christmas morning, eager to see their Christmas loot.

Jensen's big gift--a train table and some Thomas trains!

Charlotte's big gift--a play kitchen!

Charlotte randomly told my brother a few days before Christmas that she wanted Santa to bring her "bean bags"--soooo Santa got busy and found some. Charlotte hasn't played with them once so Santa may not take those last-minute requests so seriously next year.

We really just did stockings and one big gift from Santa this year. I just am not on board with kids getting piles and piles of loot from Santa, and our kids are so spoiled by both sets of grandparents, so we will be keeping our Santa lists small even as C&J get older. After opening their gifts at our house, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's to exchange gifts.

There were stockings to open...

Mr. Bear helped.

...and there was another big gift for Daddy and Grandpa to assemble.

I love how little J looks in his footie PJs.

Later that afternoon, our extended family from my dad's side came over for dinner. Jensen was a bit shy with all the commotion, but Charlotte enjoyed the action and was quite the entertainer, singing songs and even planting herself in the middle of the group before the prayer and singing her pre-lunch prayer that they do at school.

The fam. Note Bear trying to smother my mom. 

Love my little Bug.

It was a very Merry Christmas and I think I'll always remember this one as the first Christmas that Charlotte and Jensen were really "into" everything. As far as gifts go, it was kind of hit-and-miss: They both love all the Thomas the train stuff and Charlotte got a few Caillou books that we still read every single night. However, the play kitchen has hardly been touched, which is so strange because she loves the one at Tita and Papaw's house and her teachers tell me she plays with the one at school all the time. Also, I don't think C&J realize that Christmas won't come again for another year...when they see something they want, they are already saying that they are going to ask for it for Christmas. If I had to guess, I'd guess that next Christmas will hold even more fun and even more Thomas the Train!

The Last of the Pre-Christmas Festivities

Yes, I know it's 2013. I'm still getting caught up.

Charlotte and Jensen had their school Christmas program and Milk and Cookie party a few Saturdays ago. They got all dressed in their finery and ready to go, and Charlotte pulled a table down onto herself. Fortunately it was just a small accent table and fortunately it just landed on her foot, but she was still pretty upset and by the time we got her up to the school, red-eyed and sniffly, I realized I'd remembered my camera but forgotten a fresh battery. So...terrible iPhone pics are all I have.

Charlie all dressed up. And judging the members of the audience.

Much happier at the Milk and Cookie party with Aunt Biff.

Jensen in the skinny tie, and Charlotte is behind the girl in the polka-dot tights (who totally came right up and stood in front of Charlotte. I kinda wanted to go up there and make her get out of the way!).

Very excited to be leading Uncle Dot to the Milk and Cookie party!

One funny story from the program: Charlotte totally knew the whole song and accompanying hand motions. I made my way to the front of the sanctuary with the other two-year-old moms to watch their performance, and as they began, I noticed Charlotte wasn't really singing...just looking around at the audience. Finally she saw me there in the front and smiled and began to sing. Then, she began to look confused again and I saw her stop singing and start searching the crowd. After C & J's song, Brian and I went to pick them up in the lobby and Charlotte immediately saw Brian and said, "Daddy didn't come to my program!" She had seen me up in the front row taking pictures, but she didn't see Brian since he stayed out in the audience. She was convinced that he wasn't there to watch her perform. I am not kidding when I say that he almost cried right there in the lobby...he felt so terrible! He kept reassuring Charlotte that he had been there watching, but I'm not sure she bought it. So a few days later, when I was talking to the kids about their school Christmas party and Charlotte asked if Daddy was coming, you'd better believe he said YES!

So regardless of the fact that he was pretty sure he'd be the only dad there (and he was), Brian spent a morning at preschool, helping with craft time and watching the book exchange:

Sweet J opening his book...

...and watching patiently while his friends opened theirs.

The whole crew.

Saying their prayer before lunch.

Ms. O'Barr helping Jensen with his craft.

Mommy helping Charlie.

"Hmmm which glitter to choose?"

"Why not ALL of them?!?"

Trying to get a pic of me and my kiddos...

...and one of their little friends seized the photo op.

The best family pic we could manage.

I love being C & J's room mom, but I was very glad when that party was over. I took the kids home early and we all relaxed!

Let's see...what other holiday fun did we have this year? There was Polar Express Day at school, for which the kids got to wear their jammies...

Someone was being a little ham...

...while someone else was not feeling the picture-taking.

So sad.

Funny Charlotte story: On Polar Express Day, they took the kids on a "train ride" through the gym...meaning they connected some buggies and pushed the kids around. So I get to school to pick up C & J and their teacher is telling me all about the "train ride" when Charlotte interrupts with, "It was not a train! It was buggies!" Clearly it takes a bit more than buggies pushed together to impress my little Bug.

We also thought that it would be fun for the kids to try their hand at gingerbread houses this year. Actually, Grandma thought it would be fun...what she didn't realize is that she is really, impressively bad at gingerbread houses. Check out Charlotte giving Grandma's gingerbread house the side-eye:

Yes, there was lots of laughter and icing everywhere. I don't think our gingerbread houses would have won any awards, but the kids really did have a great time making them. And eating the icing.

Little dude hard at work.

 

Pretty girl.

Still judging Grandma's artistry. 

Note the icing all over my fingers and his face.

Finished products...so beautiful!

Hmmm...no other big pre-Christmas events, but here's something noteworthy: I put up a tree this year! A real (er, real-sized...it was still fake) one! The kids did so great with it and didn't try to pull it down or touch things they shouldn't. I did put all shatterproof ornaments on the tree and let them help decorate. Jensen even helped by decorating with his softie. Then he had lots of fun playing in the box.

We also got in the spirit of giving this year when we made a felt Christmas tree for Ellison and surprised her by leaving it on her front door:

My little elves.

We sent out Christmas cards...

We also decorated some cookies. They turned out about as beautiful as our gingerbread houses. Doesn't everyone decorate with a race car on the plate??

Whew! It's no wonder I haven't had much time to blog. Next up: Christmas 2012.