Today

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!

Isn't it the most wonderful time of the year?! I love Christmas. This year was especially fun being Benjamin's first Christmas and with Jackson somewhat understanding it. We spent Christmas here in Sugar Land with my fam. (We're celebrating with the Davis crew next week!) Thursday night we went to our special Christmas Eve service at church (pics below). Then we all went to my parents house for dinner-so yummy. (I think I'll have to do an entire post just about the food later!) Christmas morning we opened gifts at home and got to see what Santa brought. Santa even surprised me with some goodies from Williams Sonoma! :-) Pops & GranMartha came over to show Jackson his present. Then we spent the rest of the day at their house eating amazing food, watching Christmas movies, opening gifts, playing, and relaxing. It was just about perfect! The pics are all out of order, so I'll try to explain.

Jackson playing on his new mountain climber from Pops & GranMartha

We got him this construction sand/water table- it's a hit!

Aunt Kathryn (Kaki) and Norma Jean

Uncle Ryan & Baby Ben

The boys playing with their stocking stuffers

Ben liked to eat the wrapping paper and bows.

cutie

a little confused - he's super excited about his new wagon!

Jackson was a good helper to Ben

so excited about snacks

love his hair in this one

Santa brought him a dump truck!!! Jackson has been saying for a month that's what he wanted from Santa.

This is what he walked out to Christmas morning. You know what he was excited about? The umbrella! ha

Pops has a new nickname for Ben. He calls him "Slim"

happy in the church pew

Our family helped out with the candle lighting part of the service. The boys went on stage with my parents while we (Ryan, Kathryn, Ryan, and I) lit candles. Jackson was holding a candle (not lit) with a cup thingy over it...he thought it'd be funny to put the cup over the microphone while my dad was in the middle of his "light of the world" sermon. Nice. He also repeatedly said "I wanna get down, Pops." Don't be surprised if you see another family lighting candles next year!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!!

7 months

We've been dog-sitting for my parents this week...the boys LOVE having Charlie around!

My little sunshine is 7 months old (was on the 14th). He is absolutely the most precious baby boy. He's so happy! He continues to sleep well, eat well, and play hard. He takes 2 naps a day and sleeps around 12 hours at night. He eats 3 full meals. He loves to play with toys and watch/laugh at Jackson. He waves hi and I think he's said it a couple times. He claps. He knows to clap when we sing "if you're happy and you know it", and he claps whenever I feed him! :-) He is doing better in the car. Thanks to Papa John & Nana for getting him his big boy car seat...he likes it so much better than the infant seat. Ben is scooting all over the place. He gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth. No official crawling yet. I've started to put him in restaurant high chairs and shopping carts when we're out. This makes me feel like he's really growing up! He has just gotten a little heavy (21 pounds) to wear in the baby bjorn for an hour at the grocery store!!! He went to the church nursery for the first time last week. They said he was so much fun to have, and he was perfect! :-) I think I'll start sending him there more often. Well I could go on and on about my sweet Benjamin, but this will do for now. I love this kid.

Buddies

Ryan & Jackson are best buds. They have so much fun playing together. Ryan is the BEST dad!!!

Check out this super cool house Ryan made with some cardboard boxes!

Jackson has a blast playing in it. I mean I don't know how long I can handle a giant box in his room, but it is a TREASURE to him!

They also love to play Memory together.

*I realize the last 2 posts haven't included our precious Ben. He'll have his own post tomorrow!

Christmas Cookies

Tonight we made some *beautiful* Christmas cookies together. Jackson rolled out the sugar cookie dough, cut out all sorts of fun shapes, placed them on the cookie sheet, and oh-so patiently watched them bake in the oven. He made the icing (with just a little help!), and came up with some appetizing colors (one looked like mustard-gross). He had the greatest time decorating them...and my entire kitchen.

Weekend Fun

We had a great weekend hanging out with friends and family. Friday night we celebrated (a couple weeks late) my sweet hubby's birthday at Ryan & Kathryn's house. Saturday we relaxed at home, went to a pre-winter's eve party at the Leeser's, and then headed to Winter's Eve (a Christmas program at our church). Today was church, Smashburger with R&K, and discovering that my 2 year old son is not really into making Christmas crafts. Oh well. Pics..

It amazes me that most days we look mostly put together, but the only times we take pictures are when we're home in pj's. I love these fellas!

Uncle Ryan taught Jackson how to bowl on the Wii

This is serious

Uncle Ryan, Benjamin, and Norma Jean

For the fam: A video of Ben cracking up at his big brother

Post-Thanksgiving

After Thanksgiving, we went to Frisco to spend the weekend with Ryan's family. Leah was in from Hawaii, so it was good to all be together!

Papa John & Nana babysat the boys one night and sent us on a super nice date at the Petroleum Club downtown Dallas.

Tia Leah gave Jackson a bath

Funny Boys

A Few More Pics from Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving 2009

We spent Thanksgiving at Ryan's grandparents' house in China Spring, TX. We had perfect weather, delicious food, and lots of fun being together. We have much to be thankful for this year!

Tia Leah & Ben

6 months old

Uncle Morgan & Jackson on the "go-go cart". Jackson was pretending he was driving to Chick-fil-A

Christmas will be so much fun this year...just look at that smile!

Great Dad made him a tractor! (we have a major fascination with tractors)

Great Mom & Ben

Great Dad got lots of smiles out of him!

They're big buddies

Brian & Brennan (Ryan's cousins)

Papa John

There were cows

Thanks Great Dad & Great Mom for having us!