Winter Break Park - Frisco Commons

We decided to take advantage of the wonderful weather this winter break. Shawn and I packed up the kids and headed up to Frisco to try a new park. I have actually been to this park, when we were in the apartment when we first moved up here. It is a lot nicer when you don't have to chase a toddler everywhere.

There is an awesome wooden structure divided for younger kids and older kids. Patrick and Hayden had just as much fun as Alison and Owen.

Hockey Night in Dallas - The Boys Go to the Stars Game

For Patrick's birthday California/Colorado Steve (a.k.a. Uncle Steve or as I call him "Hollywood Stevie B") gave 4 tickets to the Dallas Stars (good thing he still has Fox Sports connections). 2 of the tickets were then given to Patrick's friend Hayden for his birthday. So Patrick, Hayden, Pat and I went to see the Stars play the Anaheim Ducks.



The boys loved the game, especially since the Stars won....in overtime. I was hoping for a shootout, but at least the game winner was scored by Modano, the one Star I like. Five years in Dallas and I still have trouble cheering for the Stars, but I keep trying. Patrick had me buy him a Stars jersey before we went to the game since Hayden would have a Stars shirt. I tried to get him to wear the Avalanche jersey, but no luck. At least he still wears his Broncos shirts.

It was a great night for all of us, especially the boys. Thanks Uncle Steve!

$25 Dollars at Target

If you get a $25 dollar gift card for Target, there are lots of different things that you can buy. We took Alison and Patrick today and it was amazing to see them think long and hard about their purchases. Alison must have taken 20 different things to the scanner to check the price. In the end they both found something that they could not live with out.

Alison picked a 4 pack of High School Musical Barbies, she is now the proud owner of Gabriella, Sharpay, Kelsi and Taylor. She has been in her room for the past two hours playing with her Barbies.

Patrick is now the owner of a Nerf Gun that is as big as Texas. I am not kidding the thing is over 3 feet long. I think I have failed at my stance of no guns as toys, seeing as he has Marsh Mellow Blasters, Marsh Mellow Bow and Arrows, and water guns. He has been having a blast playing with the two boys on the street that have very similar arsenals.

Where's Ali?

Alison's own version of Where's Waldo. I personally like her choice of outfits. It was too cold for just her tu-tu so she put it on over her PJ's.

Heather

Heather drove up to Dallas to pick up her new pup. I had to wait to post about it until after she had a chance to show Mom and Dad. Noah has not met the new dog yet either.

Merry Christmas

Good morning! We did not do too badly this morning the dogs got us up at 6, the kids came in to cuddle at 7:10. It is 9:45 now and we have opened stockings, presents, had breakfast coffee and mimosas. We tried out the high school musical dance game and Craig is playing guitar hero as I type.

Here are a few pictures from this morning.

Stockings are first!

Patrick shows off his stash.He has to try out the toothbrush right away.

Alison got one too.

She has to be just like Patrick.

Christmas Eve

Craig and I have been married twelve years now and we have yet to send out a Christmas Card. Once we bought a package of printer stationary with the intent to provide a Christmas letter. I have decided that a Christmas Post on my Blog would have to work for this year. Maybe I will tackle it next year.

We had a great evening, we had a spiral cut ham and mashed potatoes for dinner. We used some of the leftovers to make the "Christmas Eggs" or egg casserole. When the kids get us up in the morning all we have to do is put the eggs in the oven and push play on the coffee pot.

We went to the Christmas Eve service at our church this evening, we were feeling daring because we let Patrick and Alison each hold their own candle AND sit in the row in front of us. I kept watching Ali, she was leaning over her candle and I was waiting for her hair to fall in the flame. We made it out of there with only one drop of wax on Alison's pink shoes.

Once we got back home, the kids got to open the Christmas Eve gift of PJ's and Slippers. My mom always did it for us, well who am I kidding, we even got PJ's from her this year. But it does make for cute pictures and the idea is to have the kids match or at least look cute for Christmas morning pictures.

The kids are asleep now, we have cookies to eat and gifts to arrange. I hope everyone has a great Christmas.

Hugs and Kisses to all,
Holly

Wildlife in my Backyard

Yesterday, while the kids and dogs were out side playing I kept hearing a funny sound. I went out to check on it, (you never know with my kids. New sounds usually mean trouble) There was a red tailed hawk sitting in the tree over my fence. It was there for quite a while, I wanted to wait and catch a shot of it flying off, but it got to cold to wait.

I am glad I have a big dog, I think it was looking for an easy snack.

Another Video by Patrick

Here is another funny from our favorite producer. If you get the email updates for the blog, you have to go to the blog to see and hear it. Make sure your volume is turned up, the commentary is great. Enjoy.

Field Trip With 3rd Grade

Just before the Winter Break I was able to go on a field trip with Patrick's Third Grade Class to The Heritage Farmstead Museum.

Highlights of the museum include:

• 4 acre original farmstead, 117 years old.
• The 14-room Farrell-Wilson home
• Heritage Livestock Program: Horses, Mules, Sheep, Goats, Chickens..
• Tractors, Carriages, Wagons, and a Model T pickup truck.
• Children's Games
• Wash Shed
• Plows and Agricultural Tools
• BlackSmith Shop
• Root Cellars
• Curing Shed
• Bois d'arc Pole Barn
• 1-Room School House
• Chicken Coops

On the day we went, it started out at 65 degrees, most of the tour was outdoors, when we got back on the bus the temperature had dropped to 43. we were all a bit chilly, but the kids had a lot of fun. The highlight of the trip was washing the clothes outdoors by hand and hanging them on the line. Even though the kids teeth were all chattering, they all stood in line for a turn.

Washing Lesson.

A random pulley that looked neat.

One of the farm mules.

Beating the dust out of the rugs.

Falling Behind

I have a ton of pictures to edit and post, so I am just going to tackle them a bit at a time. These are pictures from when Fred and Margaret came to visit. They stayed at a nice Hotel that had a kitchenette and two bedrooms. The kids claimed the bedrooms and more importantly the remotes, while the adults got to visit.

A bed for Alison and her doll.

Patrick makes himself right at home.

Alison and Marme decorated Gingerbread cookies.
A quick game of Uno with Jared.
A late night viewing of Wall-e
Being silly in the backyard.Cousin Jared.