Thursday, October 30, 2008

Fourth Annual Pumpkin Carving Party!

Blake and Landyn out reading before dinner on the back patio.




Our family's pumpkins on our own front porch. ( Landyn's, then mine, then Patrick's)



This year we had the Fourth Annual Pumpkin Carving Party at Honey and Biscuit's house. We take this contest pretty seriously. Blake even came with a note card with his design on it!! Even though nobody actually wins the contest, we sure do like to talk a lot of smack and get into it!! Landyn loved it and didn't mind getting her hands dirty. She and Biscuit worked on hers while Honey walked around taking pictures. Great times and fun memories!! Of course I always think mine is the winner!! Just kidding!!








Tuesday, October 28, 2008

10 Things I LOVE about the upcoming Holiday Season

1. I love decorating for Christmas! We are investing in a new tree this year to fill our big picture window on the front of our new house. I have been researching them for a week now. I have also started buying new ornaments, getting decorating ideas, and have even put out the first decoration.......a new Christmas doormat for the garage door. It would not surprise me in the least if I didn't have my tree put up about two weeks before Thanksgiving!! I did inform Patrick that outdoor Christmas lights were going up the weekend before Thanksgiving, because Thanksgiving weekend is always so busy!!

2. I love listening to Christmas music! I typically pop in my first Christmas CD the day after Halloween!!

3. I love getting Christmas cards! It is always so neat to get Christmas cards from friends and family. Especially the ones that have pictures on them!

4. I love wrapping presents! Just today, I went to Sam's and bought 6 rolls of wrapping paper and 3 rolls of ribbon to match!! Landyn even helped me pick out the ribbon!

5. I love watching all of the Christmas shows! You can not beat a good Hallmark Christmas Special! Be sure and have a box of Kleenexes at hand!! And of course you have to watch the cartoon Christmas shows like Charlie Brown, Grinch, and Rudolph!

6. I love Turkey and Dressing with all the trimmings! I could eat turkey and dressing once a week! My MeMe makes the best dressing ever!!! There is nothing better than stuffing yourself silly and then taking a good ol' nap afterward.

7. I love Christmas parties! It is always so much fun getting dressed up and going to various Christmas parties! Everyone is in festive spirits. This is the perfect time to sit back and enjoy the company of friends and loved ones.

8. I love shopping for Christmas gifts! Yes, this can be very stressful and even frustrating sometimes. But it is so worth it when you have found just the right gift for someone and you can hardly wait to give it them!! On top of finding just the right gift, it is so much fun going to the malls during the Christmas season. The malls are all decorated, other festive people are everywhere, and it sure is a good excuse to go to Austin several times during the season!!!

9. I love fires in the fireplace!! One of my absolute favorite things to do is sit in front of a toasty fireplace when it is cold outside and sip a good glass of wine or some yummy apple cider. My parents have a fireplace that is wonderful!! I am a little sad that we do not have a working fireplace in the new house. It actually has one, but we have not fixed it to use gas burning logs or purchased the gas burning logs for it. Hopefully next year! A fire gives off warmth and creates a great atmosphere. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside......especially with that glass of wine!! haha

10. Finally, I love the Christmas Eve service at church and then our Annual Christmas Eve party. Our church has an amazing Christmas Eve service. And for those of you who do not know the story of how Patrick and I finally got together despite the fact that we had been friends since my Freshman year in high school, Patrick and I decided to date at the Christmas Eve party 5 years ago this Christmas. His family attended our party and the rest is history. So, the Christmas Eve party is a pretty extraordinary event, and this year I get to host it in our new house!!! I am so excited and nervous at the same time!!

**11. OK, so I had to add one extra.........I love this upcoming Holiday Season because me and Patrick's anniversary is December 4th. I am so blessed to have such an amazing man who is such an amazing father to Landyn. We celebrate 4 years this year. Yep, we were married within a year from the time that we started dating. When you know...you just know!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Indian Princess on Pecan




On Sundays, Patrick and I go to a Bible Study and Mom and Dad watch Landyn for us. When we got home from Bible Study, we found a little Tiger Lilly at our house!!! They had a craft session and made an Indian headdress for Landyn. It was the cutest little thing ever! Thought you might enjoy seeing a couple of pictures of our little Indian princess!


Monday, October 20, 2008

Halloween Party!

Just the right pumpkin

A few of the kiddos trying to take a picture together! (Landyn, Tyler, & Keifer)



We had so much fun at a Halloween Party today!! Our friends Holly and Tyler invited us to their Halloween Party at the Pumpkin Patch and then over to their house for fun and goodies! Landyn was able to wear her costume today. She was super excited! She is Mariposa the Butterfly Fairy!! Really she is just a butterfly, but she decided she was "Mariposa the Butterfly Fairy". Holly was so sweet to plan this event!

Christmas Tree Farm and Pumpkin Patch

On Sunday, Honey and Biscuit took me and Landyn to the Christmas Tree Farm and Pumpkin Patch. Patrick was working on Blake and Jenn's house, so he missed out on the fun festivities. But we are very excited for Blake and Jenn because they are moving into their house this weekend!! Anyways, back to the farm. We had so much fun! We painted pumpkins, played in hay, took a hayride, looked at real Christmas trees, and played in a hay bail maze!! The weather was absolutely gorgeous and it made for a perfect day to be outside.

Looking at the Christmas Trees


Ha Ha! I wonder what she was thinking about the kid across from her!!! Ha Ha!!


Having a great time!


Burying Biscuit in the hay!!

Tailgate Party!



Gig'em Aggies! On Saturday we helped host a Tailgate Party at the A&M vs. Tech game. We got to College Station about 9:00 in the morning and didn't leave until after 9:00 that night. It was a long day but very fun!! Landyn is all for a party. She is definitely a little Aggie in the makings.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Day in College Station

On Saturday, we went to a birthday party in College Station. Hudson and Jackson Riggs celebrated their 2nd birthday and had a petting zoo at the party!! We had so much fun! Sarah is wonderful at hosting parties!! After the party, we ate lunch with Tyler at Abuellos. Yummy! Of course, we also went shopping while we were there. The Blue Kangaroo is a kids store there that has fabulous clothes. And a trip to College Station would not be complete without a trip to Shakes!!!








Field Trip to the Alpaca Farm



Two weekends ago, we went to an Alpaca Farm!! There was an article in the newspaper about a local Alpaca Farm that was open for visitors to come and "pet the alpacas". So me, Mom, and Landyn took a field trip to see the alpacas. They were really cute!

Homecoming '08




Last Friday was Temple's Homecoming. Mom and I made Landyn's mum. It was the first time that we had ever attempted making one. I felt quite "crafty"! For future reference, it is much cheaper to buy one already made!! By the time I bought all the stuff to make hers, I could have ordered several mums from the florist! It was fun making it though!!
Friday was also Uncle T. Bear's birthday! He turned 23!! Oh, to be 23 again!! Happy Birthday T. Bear!!