Haul out the Holly

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house. We decorated the weekend before Thanksgiving with colored lights lining our roof outside and 2 Christmas trees and lots more decor inside. One special decoration that everyone on my mom's side of the family is extremely proud of is a picture frame Christmas tree that my Momma Gay makes for us. She has had a tree like this for years and we all used to fight over it. So, she just decided to make all her grandkids one for special occasions in their lives. I got mine when I got married as a special housewarming gift for my first house. She decorates them with unique jewels and things specific to each of us. Mine has a B & L on it for Ben and Lindsay. They are special to us and fantastic....and did I mention that they also light up. So, when you see this on my mantle...maybe you will now know a little piece of what it means to me.

Also, my mom's VERY favorite tradition is where all of us get together one night and decorate her Christmas tree. She sets it up and gets the lights working and then we decorate it to an old 1980's-ish KVIL Christmas tape...that's right...cassette tape. It is such a fun tradition and even though we won't always be able to have everyone there...it is something we will all continue to try to do if we can. Here are some pics from this year's decoration session. We missed Bart and Olivia...but, were thrilled to have Kinley and Matt's friend, Austin, there! The more the merrier!

Happy Turkey Day!

Kinley's first Thanksgiving was so much fun! We were with the Harrison's this year and we had a blast starting traditions. Because none of Ben's extended family lives in Texas, they are very used to stretching holidays out over a few days. So, to make it feel like a true holiday, even though we live only like 3 miles away....Ben, Kinley and I packed up and spent the night before Thanksgiving at Gram and Pops with Uncle Alex. We laughed, played a lot of cards (specifically Pinochle) and ate way too much! But, we had a blast celebrating and feeling like we were on vacation!


Wednesday night Kinley kept trying to crawl and climb through Gary's legs



Uncle Alex was trying to get on Kinley's level and experience crawling with her...he found out it is hard on the knees.

Ben and Alex thought the best way to start Thanksgiving morning was to shoot the bow in the backyard...and they were thrilled I was taking their picture.

A litte front yard playing....Daddy packed us for the sleepover and as a result...we dont have the cutest Thanksgiving outfit..and no bow!!




Ben found this fantastic shirt to wear that was in his old room. It is has a picture of me on it that he wore for my surprise 18th birthday party. My friend Kristen made them for everyone. Blast from the past! So cute!



Even though there were only 5 of us plus Kinley, we had SO,SO much food!...a 20 lb. turkey, dressing, a honey ham, party cheesy potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, 2 kinds of 'fluffy stuff', cranberry sauce, hawaiian rolls, and 3 kinds of pie (butterscotch, pumpkin, and chocolate). Haha!

Alex is representing what we all felt like after all that food!!

Thanksgiving Day was also Gary's 59th birthday! It was so fun to have double reason to celebrate! Happy Birthday Pops!

Thanksgiving night we moved the party to our house and Honey and Boss came over to eat the 3 kinds of pies and watch the A&M vs. UT game. Great game...sad the Aggies didn't pull a win out. But, Kinley was a true supporter and kept trying to do the Gig Em sign!


Hope your Thanksgiving was as fantastic too!

Aggieland

This weekend we took a quick trip down to College Station to watch the Samford vs. A&M basketball game. Our good family friends, the Fridays, have 2 boys that play for Samford and it was their first time ever to play in Texas! So, there was about 75 people that went to watch the game including Boss & Honey, Pops & Gram, Uncle Alex & Uncle Matt! My camera was not around much and I wish I had taken more pics, but here are some pics of Kinley on the basketball court after the game that I took with my phone. I can't wait to take Kinley down to Aggieland again!

For some reason this is her default sitting position...hope her leg doesn't get stuck that way some day!

Kinley on Daddy's shoulders...I think maybe pulling his hair in this pic!Haha!

neighborhood fun night

This weekend we had a fantastic neighborhood dinner / game night at our house. We are SO blessed to have such wonderful neighbors in our same stage of life that love the Lord and are so much fun! We had a big dinner of cream cheese chicken, corn casserole, salad, and apple turnovers...I guess we are warming up our tummies for Thanksgiving :-) Then we played Battle of the Sexes, which I have never played, and the boys kicked our booties! However, I am going to lay it out there and say that the boys questions were WAY easier than the girls...and not even really at all a 'girl-themed' question. Example: "An anonymous reference to a girl might be called a Jane - What?" Answer: Jane-Doe.....DUH! Then a girl question would be something like..."What day of the week, date and year did the first single of some famous singer come out" and the answer would be something like "Monday, June 23, 1963" and we would have to know that!! A little unfair...I think so. Oh, and don't get the wild card that makes you completely go back to the beginning and start over...because we got that too. However, I have to say, the girls were all very good sports and we are down for another fun game night and re-match anytime! We had so much fun with you guys! Can't wait to hang out together again!

Lauryn is very serious when reading the questions to the boys!
Matt and Rachel
We are so excited for Eric & Leslie to welcome baby Annabelle Grace this spring!
Landon & Lauryn

when Brinkley comes to town..

Kinley loves when Mendy and Alex come to town! When they come...it means Brinkley comes too! Kinley and Haley LOVE to play with Brinkley....so, we took some pics today of them rolling around the floor! Mendy and Alex were in town on a Monday because Alex had a big interview with Multiview...the company Ben works for...and he got the job!!! Congrats Alex! We can't wait for you to move back to this area and hang with us more often! We love you!

Look at that drool!
She tries to jump over Haley to get to Brinkley!

Yay Alex! We are so excited for you!

Who is that baby in the mirror?

One of our favorite songs to sing at our house after bathtime, or really anytime there is a mirror around...is "Who is that baby in the mirror? The one with the bald, bald head"...sung to the tune of "How much is that doggie in the window?" Kinley loves it and loves the mirror....here are some pics of her checkin herself out.


Cute baby Uggs that my mom got her!

my little helper

I have come to realize that having a crawling, exploring, pulling-up baby is extremely difficult to keep out of laundry baskets...or any basket really. Kinley's new favorite game is to tip over any basket she can get to or pull herself up and stand holding on to the laundry basket and pull out all of my folded...yes, clean and folded clothes. She is just so excited and proud of herself that she can do this that I cannot get upset with her. It is so cute to see her explore new things. Thanks for all your help Kinley!

Sorry that my green with black polka-dot undies are on top :-) She is just so proud!