Fun times with the cousins and MiMi and PaPa

Well we started off our trip in TX after Christmas going to the Great Wolf Lodge and Six Flags. Unfortunately, I have no pics of those b/c they are on my dad's camera, and I put them on my snapfish account, and have no idea how to put them on here, except for making a link to snapfish. We also went ice skating with Hayden, Mason, Jacqueline, Collette, Uncle Ed, Auntie Julee, and MiMi, however, there are no pics of that either!! BUT, I do have a few pics of the fun all the cousins had together at MiMi and PaPa's!!!

Group photo :)

Ty, Jacqueline, and Emma watching tv.

Jacqueline, Ty and Emma coloring.

Sweet Collette!!

Me, MiMi, and Emma went to "The Tea Room" in Arlington. This is a tea room I have gone to since I was in HS with my best friend Ashley. We used to go there and get their vanilla rose tea. It is DELICIOUS!!!!! of course I've never had anything bad there. So the girls set out for the tea room, while Jeff was speaking at a retreat and PaPa and Ty went to McDonald's and Chuck E. Cheese!!

Christmas with Grandpa

While we were in TX after Christmas we got to see Jeff's Dad and Grandparents. We had Christmas with them and had a good time visiting!

Jeff and his Papas chatting!

Grandma Ashley opening her book we made her.

Grandma and Papas Ashley with Emma and Ty.

Grandpa with Emma and Ty (I think Ty had had enough pics at this point :)

Christmas with Grami and Poppy

We were able to go to Texas this year the day after Christmas. We spent 3 days with Grami and Poppy and had such a great time. We opened presents and went to El Fenix and were able to see Grandma Probst and go over to her house the first day. Then on the 2nd day we went to the Science Museum in Ft. Worth and saw an IMAX movie about animals. It was super cute and the kids LOVED seeing the HUGE screen. On the 3rd day we went down to the Ft. Worth Stockyards and Jeff, me, and the kids went through a maze and then the kids rode on horses---which was probably their favorite thing with Grami and Poppy!!

Emma waiting patiently to open gifts!

Ty ready to open!!

Grami and Poppy looking at the book we made them.

Emma and Ty outside of the maze.

Em and Ty petting a longhorn.

Emma and Ty riding their horses--Ty's wanted to stay right by Emma's!

Emma did a fantastic job directing her horse. She knew how to tell it when and where to go!!

Ty did his best to kick his horse and tell it where to go, but I think he has to be just a little stronger(of course he also had a very strong willed horse :)

Christmas at Home

I know it's already the new year and I'm still wrapping up Christmas (haha!! no pun intended :) Our Holidays were super full with Christmas parties, Christmas performances, seeing Christmas lights, making cookies, giving gifts, the list could go on and on!!! Here are some pics of the last middle part of December (the first was filled with the Wizard of Oz and the last part we were in TX--pics to come soon :)

Emma with Mrs. Patti (one of her teachers) at their Christmas party.
Emma helping some of her classmates do bags of food for Santa's reindeer.

Ty's Mother's Day Out had a Christmas program and Ty had a SPEAKING PART!!! It was something we worked on everyday for weeks and I have to say he did an AWESOME job!!! He was so excited about his big day!! He picked out his own clothes (which he pretty much does everyday) which were black shoes, jeans, white shirt with tie, and a black velvet blazer. He wanted his hair in a faux-hawk ....he had a very rock star look going that day :)

Ty saying his lines.

Ty with his teachers, Mrs. Gina, and Ms. Amber

One of our traditions is to load up in the car with jammies on and hot chocolate in hand to go see Christmas lights!!! This year we went through our City's "Southaven Lights" which we all loved again, and then we went to see the house with about 100 blow ups!!! We had so much fun!!

Another tradition is making gingerbread houses. This year Grami sent us a beautiful house to decorate, but due to a minor mishap, we could not use the house. We used the icing and decorations, but we improvised with graham crackers for the house!! The kids had so much fun making their own houses and decorating them the way they wanted too. Em's even had a light post and mailbox!!

Em decorating hers.

We LOVE making cookies for Santa!!! Usually we are rushed at night to get them done and then get in bed, but this year our church didn't have a Christmas Eve service, so we had more time that day. So we made our cookies earlier in the day and got to enjoy it more. Here Em is licking her fingers after she finished decorating!!

Ty eating one of the one's he decorated!

Emma and Ty both decorating!

Before we set out Santa's cookies and tea (our Santa doesn't like milk :) we throw out reindeer food. The kids had both made some at school and we had tons of it. One problem this year was trying to get it onto the roof. Jeff had me cracking up, b/c he would stand behind Emma and when she threw hers he would throw some at the same time so she would hear it hit the roof. She had no idea she wasn't making it to the roof and so Jeff solved our big dilemma of getting it on top :) We'll have to be really creative next year if we're in a giant high rise!!

Ty spreading some food on the ground.

Putting some on top of the sign :)

Emma and Ty with their elves (Emily and Tyler) before they had to go back with Santa.

Christmas morning, EARLY (like 1 or 2) before we went to bed and before the kids were up!

Seeing what Santa brought!

Emma emptying her stocking!

Ty riding his new bike!!

Em and Ty blowing out our "Happy Birthday JESUS" dessert!! We did this on Christmas day.

Christmas with MiMI and PaPa

PaPa and MiMi came in town a couple of weeks before Christmas to watch Emma in the Wizard of Oz and we celebrated Christmas with them. Because they were going to see Em twice in the W. O. O. they spent Friday making Ty feel extra special. They let him pick where to eat and he chose Incredible Pizza. He loved being the center of attention and had a great time!!

Ty and PaPa on the indoor go carts.
Ty bowling!

Everyone looking at the book MiMi and PaPa wanted for Christmas!

PaPa opening the gift Emma got him at the school store.

Emma and Ty numbering their gifts b/c they were SO EXCITED!!!

Emma opening a digital camera.

Ty opening Gator Golf--although his favorite gift was his Nintendo DS.

MiMi opening a gift from Emma.