How's about a Thanksgiving post?

I figured since I'm trying to catch up on my blogging, I might as well go ahead and include something from Thanksgiving. Collin's class went to a nursing home for a service project before school let out for Thanksgiving. They performed quite a few different songs/poems for the residents, and I'm sure they loved it! The facility is small, so parents weren't allowed to go, but they did have a program a couple days later for all of us to see. I am so amazed by how much their brains are able to retain!


We went to my sister's for Thanksgiving this year. It was quite a feast, with dishes of food covering most every surface in the house! I know I ate more than my share! :) Once again, I came away with only a handful of pictures. I always have my camera and have good intentions of taking lots of pictures, but then I get caught up in chatting or tending to kids and forget.

Ainsley with her Great-Uncle Ken

Collin relaxing with Daddy

Holiday Hodge Podge

Since I've been really behind and disorganized at this whole blogging thing here lately, I'm just going to do one giant post of recent happenings!

We took the kids to Santa's Wonderland a few weeks ago, on kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. They loved it but Collin was rather cranky and it was very cold out, so we didn't stay very long.

Driving through the lights

Collin wanted to ride the mechanical bull, but once he was on he wanted off!

A couple of weeks ago, I took the kids to the annual Christmas shindig at the local John Deere store. I think this is the third year I have taken them, and they just love it! They enjoy climbing up on the BIG tractors, lawnmowers, etc.

We tried to win this Gator, but no such luck. Maybe Santa can bring one??

Collin was very excited to see one of his classmates! Here they are riding the little John Deere train.

We waited in line FOREVER to see Santa. At some point I couldn't find Collin. When I looked up, there he was, in the giant tractor. Stinker!

Ainsley's MDO Christmas program was this week. She has been singing her songs at home pretty much every day. I just knew she would do great! Well, here's where I should be awarded the "Mother of the Year" trophy. As soon as Ainsley got up on the stage to sing, she started crying and pulling at her ear, saying, "My ear hurts!!!!" Uh-oh. I had looked past the previous 2 days of her saying off and on that her ear hurt. She can be somewhat of a drama queen, so I don't take every little thing she complains of to heart. The day prior she had some fever and laid around all day. I figured it was just one of those viruses. I took her to the doctor the day after her program and sure enough, she was getting over an ear infection. Bad momma! :( I snapped two pictures before grabbing her from the stage. Poor baby!


Collin had his school Christmas program on Thursday evening. It was SO GOOD! All the kids did such an amazing job. You could really tell that they worked very hard on it. The kindergarten classes were kings and their big shining moment was singing "We Three Kings." The last picture was taken from waaaaay in the back of the gym, and all the kids have a little bit of the crazy eye going on. The lighting was what you would expect of a gym - not great for photography! Plus, I am totally useless with my amazing camera. I have REALLY got to learn how to use it properly! Maybe I need a new lens...a new flash...a new operator - ha!...anyone...? Who knows! Anyway, I was SO PROUD of Collin!!! I have included a video from the program, at the end of these pictures. If you care to watch it, please be patient with our wonderful videography. The "We Three Kings" performance is about a minute and a half into the video. After that, you will hear the Pre-K kiddos singing "Silent Night." :)

Look who came to the program! Collin was very excited to see his Memaw there.

Collin's class had a birthday party for Jesus yesterday. The kids had such a fun time. Kaboom from the local Brazos Valley Bombers baseball team was there and the kids loved seeing him (her?). Well, most kids did. Collin wanted nothing to do with him. On the other hand, Ainsley was very eager to have her picture taken! I didn't get as many pictures as I intended to. Here are the TWO I took.

Bush Library - video

Here's a little video of Ainsley's Christmas dance at the Bush Library. She is the last one to come out, on the far left. Enjoy :)

Good Morning!

Ainsley started singing "Thy Word" this morning so I just had to get a little video of it. I guess they are learning this song at Mother's Day Out...? Some of the words she says are a little off, as in, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my daaaaaad!" Ha! And sorry about the very poor quality of the video. I took it from my OLD digital camera, plus the lighting was all off because I only had the lights from the Christmas tree on.

Ainsley's first dance performance!

This morning we went to the George Bush Library for Ainsley's little Christmas dance performance. They have been rehearsing the dance in class for weeks, and I just knew that when it came time to do it, she would likely just stand there sucking her thumb. Boy, was I wrong! Now, she didn't do every little step to the song, but she did a couple of movements, and that was enough for me! I told her beforehand that if she sucked her thumb all of her lipstick would come off. I think that was the magic trick - ha! Anyone who knows Ainsley, knows that this girl LOVES her lipstick! I wanted to share some of the pictures with you.

In the auditorium, waiting to go dance

In deep thought...

"Ho, Ho, Ho! Who wouldn't go?"

Collin and Ainsley with Mimi and Be-baw

"Noooo brudder!!!!" She wanted the pictures all to herself...Ha!

In the craft room making an elf decoration

Collin chose some "stained glass" ornaments

Christmas by Candlelight 2009

Last night was Christmas by Candlelight at Christ UMC. It is an event put together by the ladies (and beyond) of CUMC. Tables are decorated to the hilt, yummy desserts are consumed and carols are sung. It is such a fun time of fellowship. The proceeds from ticket sales went to Phoebe's Home, which is an emergency shelter for women who are victims of domestic violence.

This year, four of us ladies from our MOPS group decided it would be fun to decorate a table. Quite a bit of planning went into it, and I think our table turned our really cute! Here are a few pictures from our evening. As you will see, there are some VERY talented and creative ladies involved in the decorating!!!

This is our table! We had a gingerbread and peppermint theme.

Our yummy desserts: Chocolate ganache cupcakes, ginger cookies and chocolate dipped peppermint sticks - YUM!

Most of the sweet ladies at our table

The rest of these pictures are of other tables

This table was GORGEOUS and my pictures do not do it justice!