Coutdown to Christmas!

The month of December was very busy so once again I am just now getting to the blog. Here is just some of the stuff that has been keeping us busy.

The kids had a Christmas program at their school. Addie's class sang "Away in the manger" and they did sign language. Court's class sang "Mary Had a Baby Boy" It was super cute. I catch Court still singing it all the time. The second picture you can see Court with the entire school singing.




We made goodies for our neighbors and friends. They kids were super excited to deliver them.


I picked a recipe that Addie could do on her own. We made seven layer bars. Addie loves cooking, her favorite thing to watch over cartoons is cooking shows.


Parents got to come into Ballet class this week and watch a little performance. This is Addie with her friend Abigail.


This is Mike and Addie on the train at a neighborhood Christmas party. As you can tell Addie was having a great time. Court was with me on my seat, the picture didn't turn out.


The kids also had Christmas parties at school, this is Addie concentrating on her gingerbread house.


the entire school had a book exchange, you can see Court unwrapping. Sorry I didn't get a closer picture. The two year old room can be a little crazy at times.



Had to show the cute shirt I had made for Addie by another mom. Addie loved it, Candy is definitely one of her favorite things.


This post was a little picture heavy with Addie so I had to add another cute one of Court. I think he saw the camera out and was asking me to take his pic. You can see one of my favorite shows on in the background. Love me some Modern family.

26.2

It is December 28th and I am just now blogging about the marathon I ran and FINISHED on December 5th. I ran again this year in honor of my dad who lost his battle with cancer two years ago. I spent the fall training with team in training and raising money to help find a cure for Luekemia, blood cancers, and all other cancers. I was absolutely overwhelmed by how generous my friends and family were. I was very nervous to sign up with "TNT" and fundraise, but I knew it was for a good cause and fortunately I raised over 2500 dollars. The night before the race I had stayed in a hotel downtown so I could wake up early and be ready to go. I got to fair park around 6:00. The race didn't start until 8:00. Luckily they had opened some of the auditoriiums for us to sit in so it wasn't too cold until we had to line up. I have to admit this was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I was feeling great the first 13 miles and then I started to feel each mile get harder and harder. By mile 20 I was exhausted but was still determined to finish. The next 6 miles were the hardest, I would run until it hurt too much, then walk a bit, then run some more. Along the way I thought of my dad, my family, my friends, my life etc. It's amazing what goes through your mind when you are that tired but want to finish. I was actually getting pretty emotional about it all. I know that is no surprise to Mike. I don't know what came over me the last mile; I think I was just so ready to finish, but it was definietly my fastest mile of the day. I was so excited to see the finish line and get to hug my kids, Mike and Mom. After I finished the kids jumped on me and I couldn't hardly get up. Word of advice if you ever run a marathon, don't sit down afterwards! Big Mistake!!! I eventually did get back up and walked to the car. Surprisingly I felt great the next day. It might of had something to do with the icy/hot lotion of rubbed all over my legs. The experience of running and finishing the marathon was something I will never forget. When I started training I wanted to just do the half marathon again, but decided to go ahead and go for the full since I had already accomplished the half. Now that I have done a full, I'm ready to do it again. I know it sounds crazy, but they really are addicting. I am planning on doing the Fort Worth Cowtown Marathon in February. I decided to do this one since it was also the first 5K I ever ran over 8 years ago. I did it with my friend Karla who first introduced me to running. My goal will be to finish again and shave off twenty minutes or so off my time. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Freezing at the start up with other TNT runners



The Finish line


Got the medal!!! Mom came up from Houston to watch


Here is the big mistake of sitting down after the marathon with the kids!!!! But I was great to have them there at the finish. They were fascinated with the medal.


Me and my babe!

Princess wishes

Over the Thanksgiving break Disney was showing Princess Wishes on Ice at the Allen center, so Nonna, Addie and I went. Addie wore her cinderella costume. There were so many princess costumes there. It was so cute to see all the little girls dressed up.

Pre-show picture (just a girls trip)


I knew there would be lots of surveniors to buy but was shocked to see just how many vendors they had there trying to sell you stuff. Addie picked out this cup it had a snowcone in it, before she ate it. Nonna also got her the program, which she now reads before she goes to bed a night.


The show was really good. The music and costumes were incredible. This is cinderella coming out in her carriage.


Cinderella's glass slippers


Post show pic. Do you think Addie had a good time?

Thanksgiving Feast

This year was the first Thanksgiving for Mike and I to host at our home since getting married. I told Mike this is one of those moments were I actually feel like a grown up, not going to a parents or friends house for thanksgiving. I guess I shouldn't be that impressed cooking a Thanksgiving dinner isn't rocket science or anything. We did it and I actually think it tasted pretty good. At least that is what they said. Maybe they were just being nice, hmmm

Addie kept referring to it as the Thanksgiving feast, here is our "feast" table.


Addie made these table setting all by herself, we got the idea from her new magazine subscribtion from Focus on the Family that Nonna got for her. We love it. Thanks Nonna. It is called clubhouse jr.


Waiting for daddy to cut into the bird. He cooked the turkey on the big green egg outside. It tasted delicious and I am not that big of a turkey fan. Addie said the prayer before we started eating. So cute to hear her little voice pray.


The first cut,


Eat Up!!

Look Whose sixty!

My Mom turned 60 this month. So we had a surprise birthday for her in Houston. My mom's friend Tammy hosted it at her house. Addie was so excited it was going to be a surprise. I was actually very impressed she kept the secret from GiGi.

The Birthday cake from RJ Goodies, so delicious


Addie and Court hiding out before GiGi comes


Court got impatient but Addie was very determined to surprise her


Lighting the candles and cutting the cake, GiGi's three grandchildren, Trent, Addie and Court


Court loves playing with his big cousin, Trent

Trick or Treat

Well the kids were super excited about getting to trick or treat, They actually never put there costumes on before Halloween, we usually have something to wear them to but not this year. We had our neighbors over for burgers before hand so we spent the day cleaning the house and grocery shopping so the kids were definietly anxious and ready to put on the costumes. I tried to hold them off on getting dressed but they were ready so there was more waiting once they were dressed.

Here is Court patiently waiting (Lightning McQueen)


and Addie patiently waiting (Cinderella)

and there off



checking out what they collected. Addie decided to pick out ten pieces of candy and just eat one piece a day to avoid a stomach ache, I was pretty impressed, we gave out the rest of the candy to other trick or treaters.



This is a video of trick or treating, Court cracks me up when he knocks at doors, "oh Hello"

Flower girl round 2

Addie was asked to be the flower girl in our friend Kelly's wedding. Kelly works at Mike's office and has known Addie since she was born. Last year Addie was a flower girl for my brother's wedding and did great so I was much less nervous about her going down the isle the second time around than the first. Although this wedding was going to be a little different since it was outside on the castle hills golf course. It was a gorgeous day. 10-10-10 by the way. Addie walked down the isle just fine, she ended up having to sit down with me during the ceremony and got really tired afterwards. But I now know she was on the verge of getting sick. She ended up with a stomach bug that lasted nearly two weeks. I'm so glad she didn't get sick before or during the wedding. As always here are some pics taken from my camera. I'll show more as the professional ones come in.

so excited about the basket Kelly gave her at the rehearsal dinner



the before picture


the after picture


the boy loves to dance and is definitely a ladies man


break for some cake


more dancing, we couldn't hardly get the kids to leave the dance floor

state fair and pumpkin patches

Well we always say we aren't fair people, and somehow we always end up going to the fair at least once during the season. This year was no exception, My brother David and his wife Lindsey came to visit and since they have never been and it was a gorgeous day we decided to venture down to fair park to check it out. We also took the kids to a pumpkin patch the next day before our company left to go watch the Arkansas vs. A&M game.

Here is Court riding a horse at the pumpkin patch


Sliding down a bounce house slide at the pumpkin patch


Mother Goose at the state fair


Addie in front of the train track at the state fair


The whole fam dressed in our fall attire on a hot fall day.

Two parties in one day!!!!

Saturday we went to two different birthday parties. The first party was for our friend Beau. He turned three years old. He had a party at the Big Orange Pumpkin Farm. It was a rainy morning so we dressed in our rainboots. The rain didn't slow us down much though, it just kept the crowd away. At the pumpkin patch the kids got to feed the animals, and ride a hayride. Court and Addie loved feeding the pets. Addie just might take after her Grandaddy Corley and be a veterinarian when she grows up. Court would go up to the animal and in the sweetest voice say "here you go" it was rather cute. Here are pics from the pumpkin party





"Here you go"




Sara, Addie, Abi, and Birthday boy Beau


The next party was for a new friend named Ava, she is a neighbor down the street she turned 4. She had a princess party, (no boys aloud). It was the cutest thing. Belle, from beauty and the beast was there. All the girls got to put princess dresses on and Belle, personally did there make up and glitter. Addie was way into this. Belle read the girls a story, showed them how to wave like a princess, they made crowns. Then they had a royal feast of peanut butter and jelly, fruit and chips. They even sipped lemonade out of crystal glasses. The cake was unbelievable and Ava's mom made it. I was so impressed with her talent, amazing. And of course here are some pics...

makeup...


making crowns...


a royal feast...


crystal glasses...


the amazing cake


no detail left undone...