Christmas

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Santa, Stories, Reindeer Cookies, and Friends...Does it Get Any Better Than This?

Yesterday we went to Storytime at the library with some of our friends to see Santa. John Curtis didn't want anything to do with him, but Sophie gave him a hug. Afterward, our friends came over for lunch. They all played so hard and we made reindeer cookies. It was such a fun time and I am so thankful for these friends.

Christmas with the Sandlins

While Taylor's family was here we did our Christmas celebration with them. John Curtis was overwhelmed to get even more presents. The kids had a great time playing with their dog cousin, Ellie in the leaves.

Birthday Party

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

John Curtis is 2!

John Curtis got over all of his sickness from the week in time for his birthday. He is a big 2 year old now. What a joy he is to our family! I never knew what little boys were like, but they are definitely a lot of fun. All three of us laugh at him all the time. Sophie adores him and wants to teach him everything she knows. He is in love with her as well and will do anything she wants just to have her play with him. He started sleeping in his "big boy" bed this week and is doing great in it. We heard him get up one night in the middle of the night, but took him right back to bed and haven't had anymore troubles. While John Curtis is a joy, parenting him is not always a walk in the park. We are already experiencing 2 year old tantrums and he definitely wants to do things his way. Part of his frustration comes from not being able to communicate with us very well. He is trying to say more words everyday, but sometimes has a hard time getting us to understand him. He is also going through an attachment phase right now where he doesn't want us out of his sight. This is quite a change from his previous personality, but we hope it is just a phase. In the meantime, I'm trying to enjoy the extra time he spends in my lap. It is his favorite place to be these days. If I'm not giving him my undivided attention he tries to turn my head toward him so I am looking right at him. I love my little boy!

Sophie's Christmas Party

Yummy snacks
The kids drew names and gave each other gifts. It was cute to watch. They were so proud of themselves and what they had picked out for their classmates at Santa's Workshop.

Sophie got a makeup set from Luke. He picked out the perfect gift for her. Mom wasn't so thrilled however.

So excited!!!!!

While the kids were opening presents, Santa came and hid gifts for each student on the playground. They ran around looking for their names.

Found it!

Family Christmas in Weatherford

We were in Weatherford this weekend to celebrate Christmas with my Mom's family.

Sophie fell asleep with her reindeer antlers on the first night.
Sophie and Grammy

Sophie with my cousin's baby, Dallas

John Curtis checking out Dallas

Playing with his new Mr. Potato Head

Presents!

Sophie got new roller skates from Mimi

Practicing

Can you tell they are related???

A Perfect December Saturday (Almost)

We have had a great weekend. We had a fun time at our Sunday school Christmas party Friday night. Yesterday morning we began the day relaxing in our new chairs (see previous post) with the fire on watching the Christmas cartoons on Playhouse Disney. A great way to drift back to sleep. We spent the day finishing up our decorating and doing a little cleaning. It feels great to have the house decorated inside and out. I listened to Christmas music all day and somehow it just made me feel more peaceful. In the evening we went downtown to watch the lighting of the city Christmas tree and then the Christmas parade. The kids were enthralled with all the lights and sounds. Afterward we drove around for a while and looked at Christmas lights. This is something Sophie has been begging to do all week. San Angelo is a very decorated town at Christmas so there are lots of lights. As we were driving we were listening to the Jars of Clay Christmas C.D. It isn't my favorite, but there is one song called Wonderful Christmastime, which is actually a Paul McCartney song and there is a line that says, We're here tonight, and that's enough. Simply having a wonderful Christmastime. Listening to that song as we drove around looking at lights fit my mood and feelings perfectly. Then we got home. Since we got back from Thanksgiving John Curtis has been fighting sleep. He's always been so easy to get down, rarely even needing to be rocked. Not anymore. Could it be he's almost 2??? So Taylor and I had a great idea to get him bathed and in clothes he could sleep in before we left in case he fell asleep while we were looking at lights. The plan worked great. He fell asleep and we were having a wonderful Christmastime driving around. He usually stays asleep. Not this time. He woke up when we got home and fought going to sleep for about the next hour. Oh well, it was still a good day. Taylor and I spent most of the afternoon today in our chairs watching the Cowboys. Why did we wait so long to get recliners?

Merry Christmas to Me!

Taylor and I got our early Christmas gifts yesterday. His parents gave us money for a new chair and we gave ourselves a second one from each other for Christmas. Our new chairs were delivered yesterday and are so pretty. The kids have loved them and the girls all made themsevles comfortable yesterday while watching The Grinch after school. Thanks Kay and Rickey!

Christmas Tree Farm

Sophie went on her first field trip on Monday with her class to a Christmas tree farm. It was FREEZING with that West Texas wind blowing. The kids seemed to have fun in spite of the cold though.

Waiting with her friend, Grace

The farmer she decorated with Caleb

Sitting in the sun for warmth
Smiling in spite of the cold

Hay ride

Decorating a Christmas tree

The finished product

Feeding llamas

Cooking Smores

YUM!