Christmas Cookie Makers

We have started our cookie baking early around our house. The fun part besides eating the cookies is watching the kids get so excited about picking out which cookie cutters they want to use. I got to hear a lot of "Wow!" and "I want to use this one, no this one!". Perfect entertainment for a cold afternoon.
Mason & Kate each got their own packet & bowl this year. No one arguing over who got to stir.

Can you tell he was happy?

Caroline was taking a nap during the baking, but she did not miss out when they were done!

Thanksgiving Time & Getting Ready for Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving! This year even bribing with treats I could not get a good shot with all 3 looking at me! This year we are staying here for Thanksgiving, which I love not having to travel for one holiday. The dressing, sweet potato casserole and a squash casserole are already made and waiting, plus the turkey of course. Just a few minor items to add and Thanksgiving will be ready to go! This past weekend we went to a tree lighting in Allen with some friends and got to see Santa go by in a carriage. Plus we got the tree put up with ornaments on Sunday. We will do the rest after Thanksgiving. Hope everyone has a wonderful time with family and friends this week!

Excited to decorate the tree!

Kate was helping with the tree skirt.

Brent and Mason waiting to see Santa go by.

They had samples of cookies and true melted dark chocolate, not just hot chocolate. Check out Mason's mustache!

San Antonio Vacation

Last week we took our first family vacation. We left Monday and came home Friday, which was the perfect amount of time to be away from home on a real vacation. :) We went through a drive thru safari on the way down there which the kids loved. Then Tuesday we did Sea World all day. All of the shows and fun stuff for the kids, Wed. was Sea World again, but the water park side of it. Thursday we were going to go to the zoo, but it rained, so we did the Children's Museum and then another museum that had a dinosaur exhibit going on and after that we got to drive by the zoo and still got to ride a train.

This is how close the animals got to the car!

Mason feeding a goat. I was surprised that he was not scared of them. We tried the same thing earlier this year, with fenced in animals and he would not do it.

Pappy, Della and Kate.

Entrance to Sea World. After waiting in line for tickets we were ALL HOT!

My one vacation pic! It was so bright outside it was hard to do anything without the sunglasses on. Luckily I just took them off for the picture.

Caroline "fishing" while M & K went on the kids roller coaster.

She won a pet gator. :)

Pappy, Kate, Daddy and Mason on the coaster. Kate wanted to go again! I think she is the adventurous one!

4 D movie. It was neat, but the kids freaked out in parts of it. I would not recommend for children this age. Of course they don't tell you that until you are in there! :)

Getting ready for the Azul show to start.

Caroline and Kate at the Children's Museum.

They had fun on the plane in the museum. They were all concerned with buckling up!

They also had a fake HEB grocery store and the kids got to shop and check out. All of the kids were going crazy in there!

Train ride outside of the zoo. This was really fun and not an expensive to do!

Birthday Cake for Mommy

My birthday was last week and the only thing I REALLY wanted was a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake. YUM! So Daddy took the kids and picked one out for me. I actually went along for the ride as well, because lets face it, who can turn down a trip to Baskin Robbins? The kids were more excited about the cake than I was and they sang "happy birthday" to me all day, which was a wonderful present in itself. :)

It is a Strawberry Shortcake themed cake. Chocolate chip ice cream with white cake.

Ballet Class

Kate went to her second ballet class today and loved it. The girls all love these ribbon wands. They are all so cute in their ballerina outfits. She is already signed up for ballet/tap for the Fall.

Mason patiently waiting to LEAVE!!

They do at least have a lego table set up for all of the siblings waiting.

Little Ballerina

Kate is so excited to start ballet class on Wednesday. We went out today and got the leotard, tights and shoes. Now, if we can just keep it clean until Wednesday that will be amazing! She wants to wear it all day. :) We have had a busy weekend. Two birthday parties yesterday, Father's Day today and my birthday is tomorrow! Good thing we like sweets in this house! I tried to convince Brent that we needed a cookie cake for Father's Day for him, but he said he would be ok without it. I was really thinking it was another excuse to get more cake right?!

Ballerina Kate

Caroline taking a "nap" with her dolls.

Trip to Louisiana

We had a great week in Louisiana. Got to see all of the grandparents, cousins, aunts and friends. We were there for the week for swimming lessons, which the twins loved. Mason and Kate are ready to go back for more! Going back to the same pool where I had lessons growing up was neat. Ok, well it really made me feel old. :) MawMaw and PawPaw bought a swing set for their house and the kids loved it. Their feet actually touch the ground on this one, so they could push off some. We got to go to church on Sunday with Della and Pappy, then lunch with MawMaw and PawPaw and the great grandfathers Pop and Daddy Money! We also got to try out the slip and slide for the first time and ride 4 wheelers of course. We had a day trip to Monroe to visit our other cousins, trying out a trampoline for the first time. And Kate had her first sleep over with her cousin Lydia at Della's house. We also had lots of playground time and extra pool time to practice as well.
MawMaw and Mason.

PawPaw, Kate and Caroline. Can you tell they were having fun?

Caroline and Kate posing for the camera after church.

An attempt to get me with the kids. This is one of the better shots!

Slip and slide time!

Playing at the playground with cousin Lydia.

Caroline sleeping on Della at the pool while the others got to take a dip in the pool.

Icee Time! Nothing like an Icee at the pool!

Last day of swimming lessons for Kate!

Last day for Mason!

Mason & Kate with their teachers.

John, Kate, Mason, PawPaw and Caroline posing on the 4-wheelers!