Christmas at home

This year we did a nice relaxing Christmas at home - everyday up until Christmas was insane!Maya was very excited to find that Santa had eaten the cookies and Rudolph had eaten the oatmeal that we left for them. Santa even left Maya a note. I made everyone eat a healthy breakfast before opening presents since I knew the rest of the day would be filled with candy and sweets.

Here are the kids all set up in their spots ready to open presents. Luke was a present-opening maniac this year with wrapping paper flying up in the air behind him as he tore into his presents (and helped Matt and I with ours). Before we opened presents, Luke was very sad that Santa didn't stay at our house to visit and that he didn't even get to see Santa. Maya is sure she heard Santa's jingle bells during the night.

The kids each got a bike for Christmas this year. Maya needed a bigger bike and Luke got his first.

Later that day, after hanging out and playing lots of games, we went out and tried out the new bikes. Yes, it's December 25th and Maya is wearing shorts outside. Maya can ride her bigger bike just fine, but she's working out the kinks of getting on and off of a bike where she can barely reach the ground with her tiptoes when she is on the seat.

All in all, it was a wonderful day. My kids are still singing Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman days after Christmas is done. Matt, Luke and I are dealing with colds this weekend, but hopefully we'll be ready to ring in the New Year. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!

I Can Barely Wait for Christmas!!!

i am so exited for chrismas because chrismas is two days away! our wether is cold. this morning it was drizzaling cold! and eventhough it is not supposed to snow here it did! do you see me in the picture? it is pritty silly. what is your favorite holaday? i don,t have one. i,am going to leave santa three cookies . and rudolph three carotts ,s ! oh, and do you have a favorite chrismas song? well i like all of them. buy buy see you later!

maya

Welcome to the Gun Show

That's right. Check out those guns! See the fierceness in Maya's eyes!

Check out that 80's style headband while your at it. (The headband was all Maya's doing.)

I'm trying my best to keep in shape throughout this pregnancy (yet the pounds are still finding me. . .), so when I went to put on a kickboxing video this morning I asked the kids if they wanted to workout too. They were very excited and got some "exercise" clothes on. Luke was very adamant that he was not wearing sweat pants, but that they were exercise pants. It was fun having them join me. Maya lasted through most of it. Luke joined in when he thought something looked fun - mostly kicking. I'm sure it's quite a sight to see. A 6-month-pregnant woman and 2 little kids kickboxing. Good times!

Jammin'

The other the night while the kids were getting ready for bed, Matt pulled out his guiter and was just hangin out in our room playing some music. (I love to listen to him sing and play.) After I got Luke's jammies on him, we grabbed his "guitar" and he went and sat next to Matt on our bed and started playing some music. Then Maya heard the fun and went and got her guitar and all 3 of them were on the bed playing their guitars together. One of those good family moments.

Believe it or Not

Your eyes are not deceiving you. That is ice on the ground this morning around my tree here in Texas. Last night we had an ice/sleet thunderstorm and this is what I saw this morning when Maya went to her bus stop. Luckily, I didn't get around to planting flowers this past summer or they would no longer be.

So there you have it. It can get cold enough long enough for ice to build up on the ground here in San Antonio (where yesterday it was close to 80 degrees!).

Crazy hormones

Note - this post is written in jest of the craziness that comes with being pregnant.
One of the things my husband loves most about me is my emotional stability. I don't have mood swings, I don't do mind games and all that stuff. When I ask a question, I'm not trying to trick him, there's no dangerous wrong answer. I'm pretty laid back and generally happy and positive. That said - I have to apologize to my friends around me for my moods. Let's chalk it all up to the pregnancy and the hormones because even I don't know why I feel the way I do sometimes.
I've noticed that my moods pop up when I'm with large groups of friends. We went with some friends down to the San Antonio Riverwalk and rode on a boat and saw the lights in downtown. I was feeling fine all day - but as this pregnancy would have it - as soon as we arrived and everyone was there, I became antisocial. Then they wanted a picture of all the girls. Right now, I really don't like pictures taken of me and my bloated body (yes, I know pregnancy is beautiful - blah, blah, blah - I sure don't feel beautiful) especially surrounded by my fit, skinny friends. I gave in and stood and smiled in the picture (mostly hidden thank you very much). This didn't help my mood. We all walked over and got tickets and got on the boat. Everyone is singing and having a good time. Then it hits -I can feel the tears coming on and all I can think is "Oh crap! Not on the boat with no where to hide and in front of everyone." (This happens a handful of times throughout my pregnancy. There is no real specific reason for it. I just start crying and can't stop it. I'll usually warn Matt that nothing is wrong and he isn't in trouble. My body just needs to cry when it's pregnant.) I'm trying with all my will to not cry, but the tears fill my eyes anyway. For most of it, I hid my face in Maya's hair because she was sitting on my lap. I'm trying to wipe away the tears nonchalantly as if I was just rubbing an itchy eye. That only worked for a little bit. Luckily, only one friend noticed and I was able to avoid the attention that comes from a person in tears. I don't like to be the center of attention all that much. After the crying stopped, I felt much better, but unfortunately, the night was mostly over.
So - I'm sorry I'm not all that fun to be around. Hopefully in a couple of months, the hormones will go back to normal and I can go back to being nice and level. Until then - please don't take it personally if I don't seem happy and talkative (This goes for phone calls as well - lately, I have nothing to say. I want to talk but nothing comes out). Really - it's not you. . .it's not me either - it's the pregnancy.

Tis the Season

to decorate, and shop, and make cards, and practice music, etc. . . It's a lot of work, but it is my favorite season of the year. I love all the carols and the yummy food. I love how excited my children are about everything. Maya's been working hard on her list for Santa and Luke has learned to say that "We'll ask Santa" when he sees something he likes in the store that I won't buy him now. As you can see above, the kids had a lot of fun helping to decorate our tree. It's a fake tree, but it looks pretty nice when it's all put together. In a few years we'll switch back to the tradition (at least my growing up family tradition) of going out and cutting down a fresh tree. I love the smell of a real Christmas tree.

The flash makes it look bright, but when the tree was finished, it was getting dark, so Matt and I sat on the couch together to relax and enjoy the tree (It's one of my favorite things to do - listen to carols and snuggle on the couch in the dark and watch the lit up tree and enjoy the magic). Luke came up and started hugging Matt and stating that we made a Christmas tree. He was so excited and so proud of what we had done together. I had to get a picture of the 2 together.

Getting Grandpa

The kids loved to get their grandpa. Lots of pillow fights were had, usually ending with big old hugs. Which reminds me of a cute story. My dad and I were cutting up the apples for apple pie when he got a little nick from the knife. I know how kids will respond to these things, so I announced that grandpa had an ouchie. All the kids came into the kitchen to see the ouchie and all of them, one by one, gave him a hug and a kiss to make him feel better. Even little 1-year-old Blaize brought up the rear to give grandpa a hug like all the other kids had.

Good Times at Thanksgiving

The feast

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. My parents, my sister Rachel, and my sister Jess and her family all came down and stayed at my house over the holiday weekend. It was exhausting and great fun at the same time. We made way too much yummy food, spent a day at Sea World, and played lots of games. The kids, as well as the adults, crashed hard and slept great every night. I wish we lived a little closer so these get togethers could happen a little more often. Here are some of the memories:

Grandpa reading Luke stories.

After all the excitement, Luke couldn't stay awake through the whole story.

The kids just can't get enough of their Aunt Rachel

We let the kids (Maya, Grace, and Jackson) make some creations with the leftover pie crust.

My mom saved me from back pain by giving each of her grandkids their own bath.

Thank You, Mom!

After that big old Thanksgiving dinner, we walked some of it off by going to the park and playing for a bit.

My parents loved being outside at the end of November in short sleeved shirts. They love their seasons, but this was a nice break from the winter weather in NY.

My Kids

Just some cute shots of my kids. Maya in her fairy princess clothes practicing her Christmas carols on the piano and Luke just being silly Luke. A little taste of what happens on a daily basis in our house. Silly toys on heads, dress up clothes, and big smiles (not to say there aren't any tantrums or drama) - I love these everyday things.