its been awhile

Just a few pictures for funsies... life's been pretty busy lately. We are hopefully coming in to the clear, both with Dan's season winding down as well as hoping for better weather soon. I know, you're thinking surely it can't be that bad down in Texas... but cold rain isn't much more fun than snow...

the New Year

It was nice to have my parents come to visit for New Year's. Dan left town one day later for the team's Christmas Training trip so it was nice to have some adult company and help for part of the time while he was gone. I would venture a guess that Mimi and Grandpa enjoyed their time with Grace. Grandpa would go into Grace's room each morning when she was ready to get up- to the point that she was asking for Papa the next morning after they left and was disappointed when it was back to just mom again. And Grace was well taken care of by Mimi, especially when I had to work.

FLIP!!

Dancing with Mimi

the tireless horsey ride

atop of Mt. Bonnell

the great explorer declaring Mt. Bonnell as her kingdom

a white christmas!

elevation: 11,570

temperature: 4

What a great Christmas! It went a little too quick, but I guess all things good usually do. It started by the amazing fact that there was that frozen white matter falling from the sky on December 24th in Round Rock, TX. Amazing! Santa came early because he didn't want to miss Grace since she would be traveling on Christmas morning. Too bad that the first gift she opened scared her and she was leary of everything else she opened... We headed up to Denver where it was a VERY white Christmas. We took a day and drove to Vail. No skiing, something about a sister-n-law that was 39 weeks pregnant, two little munchkins, single digit temperatures and just not enough time! We rode the gondola up to the top of the mountain, froze and enjoyed the views and watching the little Texan frolick in the snow, and strolled around the cute ski town.

Sunday it was the Colts game and everyone was decked out in blue and white. Too bad it wasn't the greatest game to watch.

Next thing we knew it was time to fly back to Austin. Luckily our flight at the end of the day wasn't delayed too bad between the holiday weekend, the weather, flying at the end of the day, and the stupid terrorist stunt that was attempted over the weekend.

And now as I am writing, we have our new niece, Kalina Reese Lumabao Carrington, born this morning and it looks like mom and baby are doing well.

making hand prints with Grandma Pat-Pat

cutie, Tatum, about to become a big sister

what is this white stuff? and why do I feel like a grape marshmallow?
good mamas, getting ready for game-day

Vail, CO

cousins, beautiful girls

the elusive Pocky captured on 'film' as well as Grandma Pat-Pat

at the top of the slopes in Vail, CO

yes, those are frozen boogers... it was in the single digits! cold for the little Texan...

4 days and counting...

'...while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads...'

and drool ran out of their mouths

I still just want to touch that light!

pretties...

ah, the holidays are here...

Thanksgiving with Mimi and Grandpa in Chattanooga, TN. Then we'll be up with Pocky, Grandma Pat-Pat, Uncle Matt, Aunt Christy, Tatum and 'Flounder' baby TBA in Denver, CO. A little adenoidectomy and ear tube redo in between and hopefully we'll all be healthy!

It was pretty neat to see my daughter play with the same toys that were from my childhood

'Just look, don't touch the pretty'. Grace is doing pretty good about refraining but she always does a little 'potty dance' like its killing her to not touch the light. Like mother, like daughter, the bubbling light as always been one of my favorite things to put out at Christmas time, though no 'potty dance' for me :)

We don't get the change of seasons or the leaves like this in Texas

We went to the aquarium in Chattanooga, possibly more for our entertainment, but Grace really did seem to enjoy the penguins and all of the fish

We went to see the Christmas lights in downtown Chattanooga and the boats on the river that are decorated in lights (by some accounts, very redneck, but it IS pretty neat)

White and Nerdy- this one's for you, Uncle Ray!! Missed you! You, too Mel, but you're exempt from the white and nerdy :)

bubbles!!!!!

there's nothing like unwinding at the end of a stressful week with a nice relaxing bubble bath

what stress??

happy halloween!!

a little something to wear to school on Friday...

the ladybug

who needs candy... what's in this jack-o-lantern?