December update...in January!

So...just a month behind now. I guess I can deal with that! As promised, here is the December update. I am going to attempt to keep January blogging confined to January! I am close to 100 posts (less than 20 away)...so my goal is to blog. And hopefully, sometime soon I will reach 100 and give something fun away that day. Who knows. I like to do things like that! The biggest change for December was that I went to work! December 1, 2009 I became the Preschool Coordinator for the Austin Stone Community Church. I LOVE it! I work in the office 2 days a week. We worked it out where a friend, Maris, keeps the kids. I give them a checklist of school work to get done on those 2 days. Then I school them the rest of the time. So far, it is working! Maris is awesome. She has a little one year old guy, August, and Brooklyn really loves playing with him. Very cute. August is learning to carry around baby dolls...I'm sure his daddy loves that as well! I will get photos of Maris and the kids soon to post on here.

I work on a VERY fun team with the Children's Minister, John, the Grade School Minister, Becca (remember her from our summer trip to the Dominican Republic), the Curriculum Coordinator, Erin, and interns...Ritz, Hanna, and Stephen. I love these people. I know them on various levels...I mean, I went out of the country with Becca...Ritz lived with us for the fall semester...and John loves to watch Friday Night Lights with my hubby and other friends. I look forward to all the awesome memories I will build with this team. And I love my job too...working with preschool kiddos and their parents...making sure they get the best environment to learn...coming up with new ways for them to connect as a family and with our church...finding new solutions to safety and fun for kiddos in a mobile church environment...never a shortage of work...but work isn't "WORK" when it is something you love!

all the ladies! (except Hanna...she starts in a few weeks. also missing Kelly, the awesomest intern who helped train me...Kelly left at the end of Dec. to do her student teaching)...taken while shopping for the office Christmas tree.

So, I settled in to work and Robbie came home for several weeks! It was awesome to get some much needed family time! December started this year, like last, with a trip to the Christmas tree farm...yeah!

Yes, I fully realize this is a pig!

And, yes...she is running. Because, yes...something is chasing her....Of course, my sweet little children are causing this piggie to run in terror! While Will is not pictured...he is chief among the instigators of this situation. Did you know I was raised on a pig farm? Well...I was...and so this was super fun for me to see. And yes Daddy...I could still remember how to pin a pig if necessary!but alas, we did get a tree!

(the pig was happy to see us go)

December had lots of Christmas parties...and I took NO photos. Got to get better about that! We hosted 2 of them (one for our Kidstuff volunteers and one for friends...not that our volunteers are not our friends...but you get the point)...and went to several more. I really love the parties! Hosting, attending...all just so festive and fun!

Next came family time. My brother, sis-in-law, nieces, mom and dad all came here for Christmas Eve (and eve eve). It was wonderful!Nana is such a great storyteller that even Frosty becomes a nail biter!

i am, of course, in love with this cutie patootie!

and Megan is in love with B...bedhead and all!

B&W photo totally necessary...B in purple with messy bedhead, Megs in red dots, Nana in blue, couch in brown...so busy that you miss the the totally sweetness. love this picture!

reality follows sweetness!

but still a little room for cousin sweetness...

squeezie!...can you stand the cuteness?

Nana and Pepaw with the kiddos.

And then there are the bear pajamas...all 3 kids...one pair of pjs.

Can we just stop for a moment and be in awe of the fact that I kept up with a pair of kiddie pajamas for 6 years and a change of housing? I mean really people...that is impressive! And now they go in the memories box...with absolutely shot elastic (B lost the pants a few times on Christmas morning)!

On to Christmas with Robbie's family in Fort Worth. When I first came into the family, I learned about kolaches. No, I do not mean those nasty sausage things...that is NOT a kolache to me...it is a pig in a blanket at best...no I mean warm, homemade, fruit filled, will burn the roof of your mouth if you are not careful, gooey goodness. Awesome tradition. LOVE it....and I am not the only one...It was a white Christmas...almost did not make it driving in on Christmas eve. Took years off my life...have more grey hairs...lucky husband, he is already bald and does not have to worry about such things!

The snow had started melting when I got around to taking pictures. I was too busy eating kolaches and enjoying family!

the kids were mildy cooperative with a photo...then went to play. B quickly found leopard shoes are not proper snow attire!so Miss Sassy Pants came back on the porch for some posing.

Ever wonder why there are so many photos of the girlie on the blog and not so many of the boys...wonder no more... seriously...these are the photos i get without serious bribery or threat of discomfort!

He would be mad at me for months if he knew I posted that. Seriously...do you know him? Furious I tell you...but he DID choose that look for the photo!

So there it is...December in 10,000 words or less! (yes, my husband says i'm wordy...and i know it is true...i don't blame you if you skim). On to January...so far, a toddler missing in a snow jacket, a new hair color, and a bicycle miracle...stay tuned...