My Favorite Part of Christmas

Daddy watching the kids open their Christmas gifts.

Dear Santa...I Can Explain

Someone (Jack) has some explaining to do....

What happened to Daddy & Mommy's laid back baby?

What's that? You found your freedom? You realized that you can climb, walk & scream?

And that the barrier Mommy created is a joke?

It's not Santa you're going to have to explain things to....it's Daddy, and he's going to be here in January!

SNOW!

A Christmas Party!

Thursday was Isabella's last day of school before Christmas break. It's so funny to think of a 3 year old having a "Christmas Break." I planned their class party and had a blast! It's so cute to see 3 year old kids do Christmas crafts, eat Christmas treats and play Christmas games. The highlight for Isabella was receiving her gift from Mrs. Baumert. She was so excited to receive a book, bubbles and a small toy. Over and over again she said that she couldn't wait to show Daddy her Christmas gifts. She LOVES little things that she can carry around in her purse.

PJs

I love cozy PJs, I love Jack and Isabella in cozy PJs even more! Yes, Jack will hate me when he's older for dressing him in matching PJs with his sister...but they just look so cute.

Highlights of our Year

A look back at this year, so much to be thankful for!

-Went to the Texas Hill Country for a fun weekend with Steve's family

-Celebrated an early Birthday for Steve in Houston

-Had Isabella's early birthday party in Abilene at the Grace Museum

-Celebrated 8 years of marriage

-Packed up our house and said good-bye to wonderful friends

-Moved to Indiana

-Celebrated Isabella's 3rd birthday

-Celebrated Steve's 40th birthday

-Said goodbye to Daddy as he left for his year deployment

-Spent many cool spring & summer days at the zoo


-Steve had the opportunity to visit with the leadership of the USS Eisenhower

-Enjoyed getting the garden ready for summer, full of beautiful flowers

-Isabella started swim lessons

-Mommy, Isabella & Jack spent the 4th of July in Houston with Steve's family

-Celebrated Jack's 1st birthday

-Had a wonderful day at Souder Village

-Isabella started pre-school, Mommy became the Room Mom


-Had a fun fall/winter of cheering for the UT Football!

-Took a trip to South Carolina to visit Daddy while he was at Shaw AFB for meetings

-Went to Isabella's first school concert, a wonderful evening!

-Jack finally started walking at 16 months, saving Mommy from a lifetime of back aches

-Took Isabella and Cousin Lydia to a fun day of Christmas trees, chocolate and ornaments

-Enjoy daily chats with Daddy via the webcam


Our year ahead

Steve was chosen to train in the new C-130J when he returns from his year deployment in April. The kids and I will be joining him in Texas, where he will re-qualify as a pilot. We then head to Arkansas in June where he will train in the new C-130 model for four months. Our next assignment is back to Ramstein, Germany where we report in October. We are so excited about this opportunity and can't wait to show Isabella and Jack all the wonderful things in Europe.

Meet Cousin Eddy

Making Memories!

I just love thinking back to all the fun things I did in my childhood during the Christmas season. I can remember going to the Nutcracker with my mother, driving downtown to see all the lights, and so many fun trips down to Florida to see my Grandparents. I really want to do things to create wonderful memories for Isabella.


Today Isabella, Cousin Lydia and I headed downtown to see the Festival of Trees at the Embassy Theatre, where we also heard the city children's choir perform. Then we headed to Debrands, a wonderful chocolate shop, for a yummy snack. Finally we shopped at Hallmark for a new Christmas ornament for each of the girls, as well as Jack and Cousin Lauren. It was so much fun to see the huge smiles on their faces and cute girly giggles. I hope each of them remember today as a wonderful start to the Christmas Season. Of course, when I asked Isabella tonight what her favorite thing was she said "the fun seats at the theatre." Oh well, hopefully she enjoyed all the Christmas things too.

A Thanksgiving Feast

Isabella's class had a Thanksgiving Feast today, and I got to help get things ready and spend the day with her. It was great to see Isabella and her friends have so much fun. Her teacher does such an amazing job with the class.

Singing her little heart out!

Isabella had her first school concert tonight, and she did fabulous! The theme was being thankful and all our blessings. They sang cute pre-school thanksgiving type songs and played rhythm instruments. For those of you who know Isabella well you know that she use to be quite shy, especially when the "spot light" was on her (i.e. we couldn't even sing Happy Birthday to her without her flipping out). Well, since she started school she has really grown up in that respect. She loves to participate in her class, and tonight she was able to stand on stage and sing with her class in front of a full sanctuary. I am so proud of my Bella Bear!












Isabella and her teacher Mrs. Baumert.

Happy Birthday Lauren!

Today is my niece's 2nd birthday. Lauren is a blast! We had such a great time at her birthday party.







Getting a picture with the cousins is getting more and more difficult...

Thank you

to my husband

to my dad

to my Papa

to my Cousin

to our Air Force Family

to Past Generations

to those who say "thank you."

Thank you!

Halloween

To be completely honest I wasn't looking forward to Halloween at all this year. I wasn't looking forward to dressing the kids by myself, taking them around the neighborhood in the cold. I wasn't looking forward to doing any of it without Steve. I was very tempted to just skip it, but I already had Isabella's pilot outfit and Jack's hat and boots. So, I got them dressed and headed over to my brother and sister-in-laws house. I'm so glad I did, because Isabella had a blast and Jack always loves playing with his cousins. My brother was wonderful taking Isabella around with Lydia and Lauren, letting me stay inside with Jack where it was warm. Isabella has way too much candy now, but I'm so glad she had fun. It was one of those times where I had to remind myself that the kids still need to have fun memories even though Steve is gone.

My little cowboy (who wouldn't keep his hat on) and pilot.


Lauren as Pocahontas and Lydia as a cowgirl.


Cousins and friends!

Bella ready to head out and get some chocolate!

Bella and her Uncle Jon.


Thank you Uncle Jon for taking the girls!

Too cute!

Isabella and Lydia finding things to pick up along the way...very typical!

Isabella going through her lout before bed.