Getting Ready for Christmas

For Christmas 2012, we were pleased to welcome both sets of grandparents to our house to celebrate with us.  Especially since Jeremy declared he would not be traveling for both holidays this year. :)  Mamaw and Papaw Barclay joined us the 21st through the 26th.  I also just realized that of all my pictures leading up to Christmas Day, they are not featured in any of them.  But they were there, I promise!

Noah was ecstatic to take them for their first ride on the Zilker Zephyr in downtown Austin.

The tunnel all decked out with lights.  Love these boys.

My intention was to walk Austin's Trail of Lights after our train ride but I got vetoed...by someone.  Next year we will have to try this big tradition again.

Making more cookies at home.

Can't resist a little beater-lickin'.

Before Christmas we also went out one evening to look at some of the awesome Christmas lights around town and stopped by the Cedar Park Christmas tree too.  The tree is thought to be about 400 years old and is covered by over 30,000 lights each December.  Beautiful.

We did a lot of eating, relaxing, and Noah had loads of fun with his grandparents!  Even crawling into bed with them in the early morning hours.  :)  And he became a huge Polar Express fan after Jeremy picked it up for him for the first time this year.  We should have that whole thing memorized by now!

School Christmas Party

I was so excited this year to be able to go to Noah's first school Christmas party!  I felt like a serious mom delivering those homemade sugar cookies...  and just thankful that the icing and decorations were left up to the kiddos! ;)

Game time.

Carrying ping pong balls on spoons. Having fun and concentrating at the same time is tricky.

A high five for Ms. Sally.

"Ice skating."

Making a jingle bell bracelet, which he still loves, thanks to the bells.

Cookie decorating with Ms. Donna.

Sitting on the circle time rug for the class book exchange.

Noah's turn to draw a name.

It was so fun getting to see Noah interact in his class.  He has the sweetest teachers and they run a very efficient ship!  I have never seen that many children sit and wait so patiently on their assigned spots for so long!  So grateful for the blessing of these folks in Noah's life.

Gobble, Gobble, Arkansas!

We spent Thanksgiving 2012 with Jeremy's parents in Fort Smith, Arkansas and a lovely time was had by all!  Even though the drive is long (we stopped and spent the night in Paris with my parents on the way up and back to break the trip up), we enjoyed being there and visiting their new home for the first time.  It was relaxing and fun.  Not to mention, still beautiful for fall!  (There is something about fall that just makes me gush.  Might have something to do with my stint as a West Virginian.)

Together again...its good to be together again!
(Yes, I am singing like a Muppet, so what?)

Race time!  One of the highlights of Noah's vacation was learning to drive The Blue Car around Mamaw and Papaw's backyard.

They took us up to Mt. Magazine for lunch...and the spectacular view.

A bit worn out.

Noah's first time helping to make the traditional chicken and dumplings on the night before Thanksgiving!

OnThanksgiving Day, we had the traditional lunch followed by some resting (Well, for some of us anyway. Noah found Arkansas far too invigorating to waste time taking naps...or sleeping in ;), and haging out at the park, followed by some tasty local pizza.

Managed to snap a pre-Thanksgiving dinner photo of the menfolk, mostly all looking at the camera. :)  If you could see the other 15 pictures of them, you'd laugh too.  And some trains with Gigi.

I love this picture because I caught him hanging out on the playground equipment, chatting on his phone, and because I actually caught him looking at the camera and smiling. :)

And I am including all the rest of these park photos because they make me smile!

This vibrant tree down the street was half orange and half red.  These must be OSU and Arkansas fans.

Of course we took Noah to ride the train in town.  It was cold, but he'll never pass up a train ride.  First night the Christmas lights were lit!

Noah even got his first "shave" with Papaw.

Some quality snuggle time with Dubby.

And we got the annual shot in front of my mom's Christmas tree in as well.