Breckenridge Ski Trip 2009

Alan's parents very generously took our family and his brother skiing in Breckenridge for the week last week. It was awesome! Although I didn't get to ski, I feel like I had as much fun as the rest of them because of how neat the place was and how awesome it was to see my baby ski for the first time! It was truly a WONDERFUL vacation that our family will never forget. I will also say, if you are ever looking for a nice place to take the fam skiing, Breckenridge would be a great place. Such a beautiful ski town. Anyway, the highlight of the trip for me was Alan taking Maci, all dressed and ready, up the mountain for daddy's ski school. Very sweet memories they created together. A special thank you to Ron and Cindy for such a wonderful trip! We had a blast! Hope you enjoyed! We sure did!

Maci's 4th Birthday!

We celebrated Maci's fourth birthday yesterday with our family and a few friends. The grandparents got her a bounce house like they did for Payton and the kids had a blast on it. Maci really loved her party and all of the wonderful new things she got. Its funny, although she still has her moments like all 3-4 year olds do, this week Maci has really seemed so grown up. She has more moments of acting like a little lady than moments filled with tantrums. She just seems so different lately! Tonight we let her move from her car seat that she's had since she was 6 months old to a booster seat with her Dr.'s ok. She LOVES it. Maci is my first baby and it blows my mind that that tiny little sleepy baby who let us go anywhere and do anything with her, who hardly opened her eyes for three months, who talked in sentences by her first birthday, who has the sweetest most tender heart, who absolutely captures our hearts is now 4!! We are so proud of her and the wonderful little lady she is turning into. Happy Birthday our sweet Maci! We love you so much! We don't really think Maci is a little diva (maybe Payton, but not Maci) but our cake lady took a little liberty of her own and added that interesting touch...cute, delicious cake, though
the kiddos in the bounce houseme and my Granddad who came in from Sulphur Springs for the partyMaci renamed Granddad "Grandpa" and made sure he always had his eyes on herabout to sing and cut the cakemy sweet girl posing for all the flashing cameras (grandparents for ya ;) )
Cade is at the table having his first taste of cake with ice cream, YEAH!!!
Uncle Kevin got her her favorite Berenstein BearsMaci telling Sophie thank you for her giftCade is checking himself out in Maci's new vanity mirror that Papa and Grandma got herMaci is curling her hair...Reid thinks it looks prettyMaci and her new best friend at our post party dinner at Chuy'sme and mom at Chuy'sMaci leading "Grandpa" to the tableme and my birthday baby

Happy Birthday, my sweet little lady!!!

Christmas

I think this was, by far, my favorite Christmas ever! The girls are at such a great age! They really loved everything about Christmas...especially Santa Claus (although, if you asked them why Santa brings them presents, they will both sweetly answer "because Santa is celebrating Jesus' birthday!") That really blesses my heart...at 2 and 4 they already know the true meaning of Christmas. Anyway, we started the holiday by going over to the Meers' on Sunday to welcome Alan's grandparents in from Pampa, TX. Cindy made a huge Christmas dinner with a ham and everything (and then an even bigger dinner on Christmas day!!) Then, we went to Austin on Monday to spend a couple of days with my parents. On Monday, we did some cold Christmas shopping, on Tuesday we did some more, and then ate and went to the Trail of Lights, and then on Wednesday we went to the Christmas Eve service and then came back for yummy appetizers and more presents. We headed back home on Wednesday in a huge hurry because Maci was terrified that Santa wouldn't come because we weren't home yet. She talked about him and asked some of the most hilarious questions the whole way home. We put out cookies and milk for the bug guy and read The night Before Christmas. We put the girls to bed (the first night in months with no fight from Maci) and then got busy playing Santa. Christmas morning they opened all their gifts at our house then we hurried out the door to the Meers' so Alan could cook the turkey. We spent all day with Alan's family and had a ton of fun. We even got in a little time on Kevin's Wii, which was very entertaining (especially when their Granny kicked their rears at bowling:) ) The next day we spent the entire day shopping the Galleria with Papa and Grandma! Great fun! What a wonderful Christmas it has been!

My family in Austin

Mimi and Granddaddy with the girls

the girls

Maci on her new scooter from Mimi and Granddaddy

Payton on her "wormy worm" from Mimi and Granddaddy

An obscene amount of presents at Mimi and Granddaddy's

Mommy and her baby

Alan and I won 13 out of 15 presents on game-night!!!

We decided to wear them all just to rub it in a little...Tonya, how many did you win??? :)

The Meers Family

Alan's Grandpa and Granny came to Houston from Pampa to spend Christmas with usMaci opening her new Plasma car from Papa and Grandma Payton opening more gifts from Papa and Grandma

Payton digging every last little thing out of her stocking at Papa and Grandma's Maci bowling on the Wii...she did fantastic!
Maci posing in front of the tons of gifts at Papa and Grandma's The paparazzi was out in full force on Christmas morning
Can you tell Maci and Payton are the only grandchildren on both sides??? The grandparents all went wild with their large amount of gifts for the girls, and their gifts for us, I think they all must think they are still Santa Claus!!! :)

I hope you all had a very wonderful Christmas...God bless you and your families this holiday!