Texas Andersons

What a wonderful holiday- celebrating food, friends, family… Christmas!

Monday was Ben’s first official day off from school.  We spent the day playing out at the lot and then came home for movie night.  Dinner, popcorn, frozen hot chocolate and The Polar Express made for a wonderful date with my boys.

On Tuesday we played in the backyard and took Evan to his gymnastics class.

On Wednesday, I took Ben and Evan to The Children’s Museum where we spent a few hours playing.  And that night I gave the boys their Christmas gift from me- an awesome weather station that measures the temperature, wind speed and direction, humidity, and more.  Ben and Nathan were both very excited.

Larry, Debbie, and Jenny arrived Thursday afternoon for Christmas Eve celebrating at our house.  We opened gifts amidst screams, squeals, and jumpings for joy!!!  Then, when my parents arrived, we ate a wonderful dinner and opened even more gifts.  We received lots of great presents from everyone (cd’s, dvd’s, tools, toy shopping cart, toy dump truck, books, etc).  But the “awesome” award went to the wii and all of the games and accessories we got to go with it.

When we woke up yesterday morning, we found a few little gifts in our stockings and a big gift in the middle of the living room- a Power Wheels John Deere tractor!!!  (Thanks Santa)  Then we headed to Orange Grove to spend Christmas Day with my grandparents and family.  We stuffed ourselves again with a delicious lunch, everyone opened gifts, and then we spent the day visiting and playing. All the kids were excited to get Zhu Zhu Pets, Nerf guns, and toy John Deere tractors.  And Ben and Evan also got an r/c bus, more wii games, and construction tractors.

Today we spent a few hours getting more acquainted with the wii and then headed out to the lot with the Power Wheels.  The boys drove it around the lot, helping us move more rocks (even Evan learned how to drive it!).  And we spent time on the swing and playground and had a blast on the trampoline.

Thank you to everyone who spent the holiday with us, for making this Christmas so special and for all the wonderful gifts.  We hope all you ladies are enjoying your jewelry from us (I had such a fun time shopping for all of the necklaces!).  Merry Christmas to all who we didn’t get to see this week.  We hope your holiday was merry and bright.  And we wish you all a very joyous 2010.

Tuesday Ben had his last Cub Scouts pack meeting of the year, complete with lots of Christmas treats.  At this meeting, Ben was awarded several beltloops that he earned- citizenship, art, photography, and pet care.  Yay!

Evan had a Christmas storytime and started gymnastics classes on Wednesday.

Ben got to build and decorate his gingerbread house on Thursday.

On Friday we all went to Ben’s class’ Around the World Christmas party.  The kids all went in their jammies; they all brought a dish from a country that they were assigned; they all got to exchange gifts (books!).  Ben had been assigned Germany.  So we made brotchen (German hard rolls), he learned how to say “Merry Christmas” in German, and we learned a few things about how they celebrate Christmas there.  After the party, Nathan and Ben headed out for a Cub Scouts fieldtrip to the Toyota plant to watch the production line.

Yesterday Ben and I attended the Cub Scouts Christmas party.  Our den mom provided food, drinks, a fire pit to enjoy and cook s’mores on, and a hike by flashlight.  It was so much fun!

And today we headed out to Fiesta Texas.  In addition to enjoying all the usual rides, we also got treated to thousands of beautiful Christmas lights and sledding down a snow hill!!! 

Who knew I’d be writing a congrats blog to the Carollos again so soon?  But their family was blessed with another little bundle of joy.  Correction: big bundle of joy!

Joseph Laddi was born on December 6th at 12:18 am.  He was 10 pounds, 6 ounces and 22 inches long!!!  He is joining their sweet 4-year-old boy, Robert, and their firecracker 17-month-old little girl, Lillian.

Congratulations to John and Marli!  We love you guys so much and are so excited for you!!!

December has been full of fun so far.  The holiday season is certainly upon us….

Nathan and I attended the annual Rackspace Christmas party while Ben and Evan spent a fun night at Granmom’s and Papa’s.  And the following night Evan, my mom, and I enjoyed watching the Christmas parade while Nathan and Ben rode on a float with our Cub Scout group.  We got our Santa portraits done with both the boys.  Evan and I enjoyed rockin’ around the Christmas tree at our music class’s Christmas party.  We spent an evening baking breads (pumpkin, cinnamon raisin, ginger, and cheddar) to deliver to our neighbors as gifts.  We drove out to the lot to decorate one of our cedar trees, jump on the trampoline, and hang a rope swing that Nathan made.  I took the boys to the park.  And today we walked with Ben’s class to the post office to mail all of their letters to Santa.

The weather has been up and down through all of this.  We’ve spent all the warm moments outside, enjoying the beautiful days.  We’ve bundled up for the cold.  And we celebrate the one hour of snow that we got!  Yep, snow flurries.  Pretty exciting for us Texas folk. 

Dear Santa Clause,

Your cool and frienndle!  Can I please have a wii?  We can plae it!  How fun is it to rid a sleigh?  Do you plae games?  Merry Christmas!

Love,
Ben

Complete list:
- wii
- tire swing (Note from Amy- Nathan doesn’t think our trees can handle a tire swing, so could you make it a little wooden disc seat on a rope?) 
- hot wheels

Dear Santa,

Evan really doesn’t need a thing.  With all the hand-me-down clothes and toys from Ben, he probably has most everything a little boy could want.  But if you can think of something really cool for him to have out at our new lot to play with, that would be great.  Maybe a small playset, a swing, or a sandbox?

From,
Evan’s mom

Dear Father,
Last year I asked Santa for world peace.  I believe it was too big of a request for him, so this year I will ask of you… for self-love.  If everyone loves themselves, won’t they love their family, their friends, their neighbors?  And wouldn’t this lead to a world without hunger and crime?  What a wonderful world this could be!

Dear Santa,
*Remember that new camera I wanted last year?  It’s still on my list!  I’m growing as a photographer, and I would love for my camera to get better along with me.
*With the weather starting to get colder already, I’m freezing in my bathroom once again.  I would love a heater to go in our toilet/shower area.
*No more squinting would be great.  How about some sunglasses?
*And I’m still wanting to lose weight.  In addition to the Y membership, I would really like something to keep me moving at home.  How about a Wii workout game?  I heard that Ben’s getting a Wii for Christmas, and I would love to be able to use it too.
*Or what about time?  Need that to clear this paperwork on my desk, clean house, finish our floors, etc…

Amy

When we joined the YMCA back in September, I was able to do just yoga and only able to walk the treadmill at a medium pace.  And during the month of October, I gained 3 pounds doing all that work!  It was exhausting and discouraging.

But… during the month of November, I have been able to get great work-outs in on the elliptical machine and been able to speed up the treadmill to a good jog.  And I’ve lost 8 pounds (the three I gained plus an extra five!)!  Yay!

Now, if I can just keep up the pace through these holidays, I’ll be doing great.