8 Months

This is prime time! I love this stage of babyhood. He's a great sleeper/napper, so happy, and isn't quite mobile yet. It's perfect! Although he is soooo close to crawling I keep thinking it's going to happen any day now, and it probably will. He gets around by scooting backwards, going from his tummy to sitting, turns, pulls-up, rolls...everything possible but actually crawling. He still has major stranger anxiety but LOVES to snuggle his Mommy, so I'll take it for now. It makes things harder when I am trying to get things done, but I know that soon he will be off an won't look back :( I am trying to cherish all the cuddles I can get for now.

My brother is HILARIOUS!

Don't let him crawl off the chair!!!

I absolutely LOVE this picture! These smiles melt my heart!

He is always happy when he's standing!

Happy 8 months to our Little Ky!

Kindergarten Christmas Party

I was able to help plan Katelyn's class party this year as one of the two room moms. I lucked out because I already knew the other mother from my MOPS group last year. We had fun with planning and the party was a success! We had Christmas Bingo, cookie decorating, and we made reindeer food (to sprinkle in their lawn Christmas Eve so the reindeer could find their house easier). It was cute and Katelyn LOVED having me there, which makes it all worth it!

I really can't believe she is half way done with Kindergarten. Time is really flying. She LOVES school and mostly LOVES her teacher. As we were leaving she was already missing her teacher and has said how she would love to live with her :(  Although I am sad she would consider living with someone else, I am thankful that she loves her teacher so much. 

Christmas in DFW

We traveled to Carrollton the day after Christmas to celebrate with my family. Unfortunately my nephew, Drew, is in the hospital and we missed him and Cindy and Matt dearly. We hope that those that are reading this can say a prayer for Drew that he recovers completely and can get back home so they can celebrate Christmas too. We were so sad to celebrate with out them, so I didn't take too many picture, apparently. 

We were able to see Shane, Channing, Taylor and Remi one night. And then went to our Kilgore Family party the next night. The kids of course received a ton of presents and loved being with their Mimi and Pops. 

Christmas @ the Poth Ranch

Christmas Day we spent with The Poth family at the Ranch. It was such a beautiful day, we couldn't have asked for better weather! Levi got a cemet mixer from Santa, so he was in heaven playing with that while Lex cooked and we all relaxed. 

Katelyn loved finding things to climb on....she says she was "born to climb" and wants to sign up for rock climbing lessons. Not sure if that is even a thing, but we need to find something that she can use her climbing skills for! 

Kyler was so good and loved being outside just chilling!

We also used this time to celebrate Pappy's 70th Birthday as well, around the bonfire at the ranch. Perfect!

Stud :) 

Me and my sleepy baby.

Grammy (picture courteous of Katelyn)

Selfie ;)

Present time

S'mores time

Christmas

This was a special Christmas to me with it being our "first" Christmas back in Texas. Although we were here last year, we weren't settled and definitely not complete. Now we have our whole little family and a "grown-up" house with all our family not too far around. Here are a few pictures leading up to Christmas.

This girl LOVES to hold Kyler.  She is one great big sister. 

We love our new piano that I inherited from my grandmother. I look forward to my kids playing on it (and maybe even I will learn a few new tunes) over the years. I have a lot of great memories playing on this piano at my grandmother's house.

Sweet cheeks!

Bass Pro Fun...boats, carousels, fish, and trains...can't get much better than that! 

Elfie Tada showed back up this year and did a great job watching our kiddos and keeping them in line!

Baby's First Christmas Picture :)

#pinterestfail

Gingerbread House Fun

Another picture I will cherish, first year with a piano.

Cookie making time! Cooking with three is a challenge. The big two just want to taste EVERYTHING. Kyler is good, but you can't leave him alone for a second, you never know what he's going to grab and put in his mouth. Needless to say, we somehow made two types of cookies this year. Memories in the making!

Before we headed out the door to our Christmas Eve Church service.

When we got home, we sat by the fire and ate our traditional "Journey to the Manger" dinner. Every year we enjoy the opportunity to teach the kids about how Mary and Joseph traveled a long way trying to find a place to stay for the night before baby Jesus was born. It's fun to make it more of a reality by eating the types of foods they may have eaten on their journey. Olives, grapes, dried sausage, hard cheese, pita bread, hummus....and of course we have to end the night with some eggnog and cookies :)

Christmas morning....Santa came!! This year Katelyn and Levi were so afraid they would see Santa if they came out of their rooms before 6:30 (which they think of as "morning time") and that he wouldn't leave them any presents. Soooo....Katelyn woke up with a bloody nose (which she hasn't had in a long time) but didn't want to come get me for help because it wasn't "morning time" yet. And Levi had to go potty so bad. They both chose to wait until 6:30 and when they finally came out Katelyn was more concerned about the blood all over her room than her Barbie Dreamhouse. And Levi had had an accident, which he normally never has. Not the best start to Christmas morning, but they were all in great spirits and we got cleaned up and started upwrapping those presents!!

We also had an Eggnog French Toast Casserole and an Egg, Biscuit, Sausage Casserole..YUM! Merry Christmas to all!