Amazing Grandma's!

Andy and I have amazing mom's. They are so talented - I feel really bad for my kids who will have no one to turn to for help with the domestic arts but in the meantime I have fully taken advantage of my mom and mom-in-laws amazing gifts!


My mom made this dress for Naomi and she hasn't stopped twirling since she got it! It is SO cute - the pictures don't even do it justice! She's holding her Sleeping Beauty doll because she feels like a princess when she wears this - she walks around saying, "Make it pink...No, Make it blue!" Pretending that she is the blue version and her doll is the pink one.


This is Naomi's version of smiling for the camera...we're working on it :)

Andy's mom knit all 3 of the kids these adorable stuffed animals! They are incredible. I don't know why Calvin chose this moment to be a dog - but he loves his little animal and carries it around in his mouth like he is a doggy.

Sea World

We decided to avoid some of the post-Christmas let down we would drive to Seaworld on Christmas and go on Saturday. It was a blast - the perfect solution to the day after Christmas blahs!


At the 4-D Polar Express - it was awesome!


Remember the Rat from the Nutcracker - same idea here :)


I don't know why they have a race car at Seaworld but Tal loved it!


Relaxing at Shamu's Happy Harbour!

Christmas 2009

We had a great Christmas this year. The kids are finally old enough to get really excited for Santa. Tal woke us up at 1:30 a.m. to tell us Santa had come! They were so cute it renewed the magic of the day for Andy and I. Here are some pics from the day...

Dutifully decorating cookies for Santa...this is serious work!

So excited on Christmas Eve!

Yay for Christmas morning!

Santa brought a Little Tykes playhouse/castle - it was a hit!

Acting like monkeys with their new monkeys!

Really??

Tal came downstairs around 9:30 a couple of weeks ago and told me that Calvin had found a crayon and drawn all over the pillow. Nevermind that they were supposed to be asleep at 8...what's a little crayon? So in my nonchalance I didn't rush upstairs...maybe I shouldn't have assumed that Tal understood the difference between a crayon and a marker. In any case this is what I found when I went into their room...



Wow! He looks really pleased with himself...really, I had to laugh it was so cute.



Save me daddy!



Didn't want to neglect the feet.

My camera battery was actually dead when I came upon the destruction...so what could I do but make him sleep with marker on his face :) You just have to use your imagination a little - it was actually worse when I found him :)

The Nutcracker

Naomi has been taking a ballet class for the last few months. She loves it! I was afraid the excitement would wear off after a while but she still gets thrilled everytime. Tuesdays have become leotard day's at our house because she wears her ballet leotard ALL day long.

This Christmas her class put together an outing to the Houston Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker. I thought it would be a good opportunity to expose the kids to the arts so we signed up. In the end I decided Tal might like it too so he got to come along. Hmmm....not sure taking a 5 year old and a 3 year old to the ballet is the best idea but they actually did great! Other than the momentary fear of heights Tal manifested when he realized our seats were on the edge of a very steep balcony they loved it. Naomi has decided that she is the Sugar Plum Fairy (you know she has a great tutu!) and Tal is content to be the Rat King. It was so fun we may have to try again next year!


All dressed up and ready to go!





Okay...so Tal is the only boy. Someday that will be really cool :)



Tal refuses to have anything to do with oversized Rats. However, Naomi (probably trying to be contrary) ALWAYS wants her picture taken with them. Still, she doesn't look too trusting :)



On the balcony - you can see the fear in Tal's eyes!

It's over! Yes, the liked it but it sure feels good to run again!

Snow

Yep. That's right. Even in Texas we can get snow! Unfortunately, we are grossly unprepared for weather colder than 50 degrees - but we did what we could.


This isn't exactly a fair representation. The day after it snowed our neighborhood had their annual "Snow Day" - that is they truck in a pile of snow for the kids to play in...


Our version of Frosty the Snowman

Notice the mismatched gloves...

"You rock!"

So, last month as we were driving to church Talmage leaned over to help Naomi put her seatbelt on. This is the conversation that followed:

N: You Rock!
T: No! You Rock!!
N: Hands in! (They put there hands together - like a team would do before a team cheer)
T and N: TOGETHER!!

Okay, really? When did my kids turn into the Power Ranger/Powder Puff Girls Squad? Andy and I just laughed it was about the funniest thing I've ever heard!

"Lindsey...You're HUGE!!"

Really?? Does anyone ever want to hear that? Even better, does any woman eight months pregnant want to hear that? As if I didn't know. So, thank you dear brother. Yes, I know I am huge...and I can't bend over...or see my toes...or do a million other things normal people can do...thank you for reminding me. :)

I was going to post a picture of myself - but I couldn't get up the courage to take belly pictures so you'll have to use your imagination :)

In the meantime...

Okay - I know have a lot of blogging to catch up on but in the meantime I found this video from April...it makes me laugh so I thought you might enjoy it too :)