Christmas

 I usually try to keep the Christmas pictures blog to a minimum...not a problem this year!  Anyone who was around us on Christmas heard "No more pictures mom" coming from Charlies mouth more then a few times! While I did get some great ones of Easton, he still just kinda sits in one place, so they all started to look the same:)

Santa brought Charlie a train table..Charlie's reaction was minimal..but the cars cup in his stocking got a  HUGE reaction!!..go figure:)  Once the video camera was off and we were not looking for a reaction from Charlie, he told us how much he loved his train table..but not while the camera was on!!

Charlie enjoyed opening his gifts and Eastons this year!

And Easton loved all his gifts...they all ended up in a pile at his lap..and he rotated which one he chewed on!

This cracked

me up!

I made the boys each tie shirts and they have already worn them about 5 times ..I love them!

Love this face!!!!!!!!!

the pile is growing!

This is in the middle of opening gifts..after about the 10th time of encouraging him to come back to the tree and open more gifts, we just gave up!  We left to start Christmas at my parents at 10am and there were still about 7 gifts under the tree!

This was the only gift Charlie actually asked for this year..Moon Dough..and he was soooo excited to open it!  While I don't love how messy it is, he loves it and has played with it almost every day since Christmas!

Notice the pile accumulated in front of him!

I got almost no pictures at my parents and at Bradley's parents house..but here are a few from each place!

All the Texas kiddos except for Presley, who was sleeping....stellar picture, right:)

Like I said, they all kinda look the same, but at least one child smiled for me this year!! 

Easton didn't love Daddy putting the stocking on his head..

clearly:)

Charlie and Libby opening at Tutti and Papa's..at one point they were rolling/playing with Christmas paper and I had that "I should have saved my money and given them paper" thought that we all have each year!

My big boy on his big kid bike..I embarrassed myself when Charlie rode by me in the kitchen and braked and maneuvered around things like a big kid..my eyes got misty..he cannot be old enough to go on bike rides with me.  He should always be able to be put in the back of my bike:(..But, that does make a free seat next to Easton..I'm just saying!!

My angel baby..who gave me the BEST CHRISTMAS gift ever!!!!!!!..consider that your tease!

Merry Christmas..

From our family to yours!

I made a card on snapfish this year and I LOVED it..it was by far my favorite that we have ever done...unfortunately, I have no idea how to get it on the blog!  So just the picture will have to suffice!!

North Pole Express

I love to do Christmas stuff and I love to pack it in as close to Christmas as possible..just makes it feel so much more like Christmas when we are out seeing Santa and doing festive things!  On Monday we headed to Grapevine to ride the train and do the North Pole Express.  My only complaint was the 86 degree weather...not really feeling the Christmas vibe when I am sweating my booty off!!  Not to mention the boys had on their long sleeve PJ's:)  Charlie liked it, but was very cautious about the whole thing.  He knew that Santa was going to make an appearance on the train and well, he is not really loving Santa this year...specifically,  how he will enter our house.  We have two fireplaces..that don't ever get used..hint, hint Bradley..and Charlie is very curious about how Santa will get in and he would prefer he not use the chimney.  I told Charlie that Santa could just skip our house and give Charlie's toys away to someone else.  Charlie's response was "That's okay, I just DO NOT want him in my house"...alrighty then!

Little-big man was tired and then full blown freaked out at the loud noise in the tent that they sent you to, prior to getting on the train.  I was holding him by the waist as he stood on my lap and I felt his entire body start to quiver.  I turned to Bradley, perplexed, and before I could speak Easton started screaming..and kiddo can scream LOUD.  He cried/screamed a few more times when everyone started clapping..he lives in the wrong house if he cant handle loud noise!

The boys checking out the "snow" that was blowing on us..as we were wiping sweat off our faces..

This was the only smiling picture that I got and I only got one from Charlie by telling him "Whatever you do, DO NOT smile at me.." and then I snapped away at my defiant child!!:)

He held our tickets to get punched and he waited patiently for his turn..and never moved.  I think he was afraid he would turn and the conducter would miss him.

I got a tiny smile when he turned back to me after getting his ticket punched:)

But this was kinda his face the rest of the time..okay, this is dramatic and this was a really bad shot, but he was...stoic.??,  the whole time.

And he was thrilled to get his bottle..

and thrilled to have his momma go all white trash on him and strip his clothes half off.  Peeps, it was HOT!..check out the red cheeks!

Still not head to toe smiles...

just taking it all in.

Leaning over because he could see that Santa was making his way down the train..if we were hot, you know Santa was dying.  Santa walked down and shook hands with all the kids..any guesses to what my kid did..!

Attempt to look the other way and go with the "If I cant see you, then you cant see me" theory..

and flat out refusing to even move his hand!  There were plenty of kiddos on the train completely loosing their minds when Santa came near, so I have no doubts that Santa wasn't offended!

This is my child..that is a face I know and see often!

Getting lots of use from these PJ's!!

I did not get any pictures from Casa Mana last night, but our entire family of 4 loved it this year!  One of my favorite shows so far that we have seen there!!  We went, we loved it and since I have no pictures of it..we all looked totally hot!

Easton time:)

I'm sure I am not the only one who notices/feels that my second born does not get the alone time that the first born did, so when Daddy and Charlie took off for an evening..I thoroughly enjoyed my alone time with Easton!  I snapped some pics to remember our sweet time!

I love thees PJ's..and that's good because they are the only Christmas ones that fit..until I pulled out the 18-24 month Christmas ones that Charlie wore the second Christmas!!

Love that smile:)

I have never seen a kiddo who loves a mobile like him..it will also calm him instantly!!!

Date night!!..our version!

Backyard bonfire

Well, it wasn't exactly a bonfire, more a small fire in the fire pit thingy, but the kids made smoores and that is all that mattered! 

When we went to get our tree a few weeks ago, Charlie was so excited..then so let down.  He kept wanting to get one out of the backyard..and when he found out we were going to Lowes to get it instead, well, he was less then impressed.  Because this was the day we returned from the cruise and the kids could get us to do almost anything they wanted for a least a good day or two..Bradley got suckered!!  Charlie wanted to decorate a tree in the backyard if he couldn't get ours from the backyard:)  So we have some Christmas lights out there and Bradley grabbed the fire pit that was in the "get rid of this soon/someday" pile and built a little safety barrier around it and we have had a ball having people over and roasting marshmallows and making smores!! 

Proudly showing off his work!

Doing what the men do best..

Doing what women do best!

Shes tooo hot!!

The kids really enjoyed it and when they got bored the played outside..at night..with friends..which was just as fun! 

I asked him to show me what he made..and boy did I get a close up!

Broom family..pardon the picture quality..I kept changing my settings, but never found a great night setting.

This was the best shot of all three kids!

Easton was so mesmerized by the fire, like any kiddo, but he could only stare at it for so long before he zoned out and went down for his evening nap!  We ended up putting Easton down and Bradley and Jeremy graciously volunteered to stay home with him while Kendra and I took the kids to look at Christmas lights!!  So nice those boys are!

We did this again with my brother and his family, but I did not bust out the camera until later in the night..I loved this picture!!