HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Christmas Highlights

Our time in Dallas for Christmas was very fun and it flew by way too fast. We were very sad to leave but we came home with an abundance of memories, pictures, and gifts. Here are some highlights of our trip.

Family picture-blooper.

Family picture.

All of the kids.

Fun times at the aquarium the day after Christmas.

Trying to get a good family picture.

Emily riding the turtle.

Late night trip to the park on Christmas day. Emily got stuck on the pole.

On the swings.

Cousins! Lyla was such a blast to play with. I can't believe how much she has changed since the last time we saw her. It was fun to watch the kids interact with each other. Unfortunately Ally and Emily did not always have a positive impact on Lyla. I miss you Lyla and your beautiful smile that makes my day!

More playing. Ally was so addicted to playing with chairs. She climbs on them, drags them around the room, and sits on them non-stop.

Emily reading with Grandpa.

Uncle Kevin and Ally spending some quality time together.

Ally's first gift this Christmas!

Emilys first gift!

Ally getting her first taste of the Weir family traditional sugar cookies.

Ally trying to sneak a cookie.

Emily eating a cookies she decorated.

Sorting cookies.

Fun times on the stairs.

Playing together.

Christmas Eve!

I cannot believe tomorrow is Christmas! Usually on Christmas Eve, Dave and I are with his family. We go to a Christmas Eve Service, eat dinner together, and then continue in the Weir family tradition of opening presents. This year Dave has to close at work on Christmas Eve. We have to wait to make our travel plans until he gets off because we have no idea how late that will be. I am anxious in more ways than one to get to Dallas. Not only are Dave's sister Katherine, her husband Kevin, and my niece whom I have only met once there, along with Stephen who we rarely get to see, and Dave's wonderful parents who we can never spend enough time with, but Emily has been in Dallas since Saturday! I have done really well this time with her absence with only a few tear shed when she left, but I have missed her a ton and I can't wait to see her. Ally and I have kept busy this week. I am amazed at how much easier it is to do anything with just one kid. Saturday night Dave went out with us to dinner and some Christmas shopping. Sunday we went to Church and then spent the afternoon at home together. Sunday night Stephen came into town for the evening. We had dinner together and then he headed off to visit friends. Monday Ally and I braved the shopping mall, but we didn't stay long because it became so crowded. After her nap we went out again for our last trip of shopping and then we headed home to make dinner for Dave. Tuesday we headed over to my friend Karla's house to help her clean for her Christmas party. She had to make cookies as well, so I helped her out a bit on that too. Today will be spent getting ready to head to Dallas for the rest of the week! Dave has off until the 2nd of January so we haven't decided where we will spend New Years Eve yet. We are looking forward to spending time with family and enjoying the time we have together.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Cutie Pies!

Pictures with Santa

I am not a huge fan of Santa but Emily gets excited if she sees him at the mall or on some sort of Christmas item. My friend Karla from school was having a picture party with Santa today, so I thought it would be fun to get some pictures of the girls. We haven't gotten a good family picture done in a while, so this would be a great opportunity for that. We had to drive all the way to Katy, Tx which is about an hour away, but I think it was worth the drive. The girls had fun and they got to eat a bunch of candy and cookies. These are some of the pictures that we took today.

Family photo. I have given up on the thought of having a family portrait with everyone looking at the camera. I think it is impossible with children under 5!

Emily enjoying her cookie.

Ally and Santa.
Ally ended up loving Santa and going up to him on her own. Emily was shy and hesitant until she heard that he had presents for the kids.

Both girls being good for Santa.

Emily looking grumpy.

Emily and Ally's take on snow:

It is Snowing!!!

I have NEVER seen snow falling from the sky before today! I have seen actual snow on two occasions, once when I was two or three, and I don't even remember that, and then again the first Christmas Dave and I were married when we went to Dallas and enjoyed the leftover snow on the ground for a few minutes. Today Dave called me and told me to get the girls up from their naps because it was snowing. I told him that sleet wasn't real snow and wouldn't be worth getting them up for. Much to my surprise, I walked outside a few minutes later to actual snow! I thought it wouldn't last long enough for me to get the girls up, dressed, and out the door, but when it lasted for about 15 minutes, I decided I should try. I got them up and dragged them out the door to see their first snow. Ally was oblivious to anything but outside freedom. Emily complained the first 5 minutes about how it was too cold and how she wanted to go inside. I may have gone overboard in the picture department and you can't really tell it is snowing, but I wanted to remember this once in a lifetime occasion. After all, how many times does it snow in Houston, Tx?!First impressions, Emily hesitant, Ally ready to make use of her outside freedom!

Always happy!

Not always so happy.

They like each other a little bit. I think Emily was just trying to get warm.

After snow glow.

I love the red nose! At least she is happy!

New Background

The other background wasn't loading right and so sometimes it would show a bright red background and black print. Sorry if I caused damage to any ones eyes. Hope this one is easier on the eyes.

Saturday!

Normally I love the weekends because I get to spend time with Dave and I also get a break from taking care of the girls all by myself. Unfortunately this weekend is inventory at Dave's work, so of course, he is at work this morning. It wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't already been working a ton this week and he hasn't seen the girls in 3 days. Wednesday Dave didn't get home until after 10 pm, Thursday after midnight, and Friday after 10 pm. I wouldn't mind the late hours if he got to go into work late, but he actually goes in at 6 am every day. I am just praying they finish inventory today so he doesn't have to go in tomorrow. I try and tell myself that the overtime pay is worth it and we need the extra money, but there is no amount of money worth missing out on time spent together as a family.
I haven't gone completely insane being at home with the girls all of this time by myself. One of the teachers at my school has been reaching out to me and trying to become friends with me. She has two kids, a girl in Emily's class and a boy a year older. She has invited us to a couple of different things over the last two weeks, but with the girls being sick and Thanksgiving, we haven't been able to get together. She invited us over for breakfast yesterday and I was finally able to say yes. After breakfast, Ally started getting cranky so I was preparing the girls to come back home and they begged me to let Emily stay. Of course I said yes and they had a blast playing together. I got to go home and put Ally down for a nap and get a bunch of chores out of the way. When I picked up Emily, Karla, my teacher friend, mentioned she was thinking about having a slumber party with Alex, her daughter, Emily, and another friend of Alex's. I had just been thinking recently about how I wish Emily had friends her age where she could do sleepovers with them. Whoohoo!
I have posted some pictures of some things that have happened over the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!

Ally emptying out the coat closet.

When we handed her the brush, she brushed all of her hair forward. It looked kind of cool!

Yay bedtime!

New hairdo!

The scary tunnel monster!