Strap in for a lot pictures. A lot has happened in the last little bit. We celebrated Abigail’s fifth birthday and then the next day, we left for California to spend Christmas at my mom’s house. Three of my siblings (Kevin, Dave, and Gary) and their spouses (Rita, Jolee, and Lorna) were able to come as well (along with my brother, Aaron and his family who still live in Southern California). We also got to see Paul’s brother Jason, his wife, Saira, and their daughter, Luna. We spent most of the time visiting with family, but we did stop by Knott’s Berry Farm for a couple of hours of fun. We got home last night and are getting settled back in before school starts back again for the kids tomorrow.
Sunday before Christmas: Abigail had the giggles.I sure love these two!Our new five year old!Playing with her animals.Walking along the greenbelt.I do love how pretty San Antonio is!Opening her first present.She was so excited!Play make-up vanity (not actual make-up, because that would be a huge mess, haha).Present sent from Jason, Saira, and Luna……a My Little Pony castle!She was excited that it came with a pony.A Bluey caravan playset.It was cute seeing them playing together.Since we were leaving the next day, we opted for birthday sundaes instead of cake. She was so happy when we were singing to her!Get ready and……blow!!Sleeping at Grandma’s.Showing me the Rolo-filled candy cane that Santa left in her stocking.Joseph was pretty excited to get one, too.Whoppers!Santa also got him a new video game.Santa brought Abigail a new game (Bingo’s Bingo).Abigail’s “wear” (since we do a “want, need, wear, read” for them) was new rain boots.Joseph’s “read” was the Wings of Fire books.Abigail’s “read” was some new books with her favorite characters.Joseph’s “need”: new Vans.Abigail’s “need”: a new board game (to help her learn about taking turns).Joseph’s “wear”: a new shirt.Abigail’s gift from Jason, Saira, and Luna: Spider-Man walkie-talkies.Joseph’s gift from Jason, Saira, and Luna: a new video game. 🙂Abigail’s “want” was a Bluey tent.It was fun to see them both in there.Telling Uncle Gary and Justin (one of Aaron and Dusty’s sons) a fantastic story, apparently.Joseph with Andrew, Daniel, and Kayla (Aaron and Dusty’s triplets).Gary playing his bagpipes.It always amazes me to watch him. I love listening to him, too. Abigail loved watching him, too.I thought this was cute.She was marching along behind him.Messing with the practice chanter.She thought the “duck noises” were funny.Okay, so there are foothills all around my mom’s house…and there are burros up in the foothills…who occasionally come down out of the foothills. I saw these guys just chillin’ when I was on one of my walks.My elementary school.Palm trees and foothills. ❤️It was fun getting to walk around the streets where I grew up.My mom’s succulent game is strong! My oldest brother, Kevin and Abigail. They were watching Kevin’s dog (Jake) run around in the yard.Joseph on a ride at Knott’s.Abigail riding the planes.Joseph on the swing ride.Me and my mini-me.Getting ready for a roller coaster.Sitting with the cowboys (or maybe they’re miners?). Abigail was trying to strike up a conversation.My brother Aaron reading to Abigail.This is a view I didn’t realize I missed until I saw it again.Joseph and Jake. ❤️My mom and my babies. ❤️Aunt Lorna playing “pull the football” (Abigail got a Charlie Brown and a Lucy from Knott’s).I loved watching them playing.Abigail had so many people who were great at entertaining her.Morning snuggles.Playing with Luna.She’s a little over a year older than Abigail, so they were quick to get along.Abigail used some Christmas money to buy a baby doll on the way home. It helped make the two-day drive much more manageable.
It’s officially winter break! The kids had a good last week of school, Abigail lost another tooth, and we went on a lot of walks. 🙂 I also did some fun baking (which is always better than regular baking, haha). I went to book club and a Relief Society cookie exchange, Paul has been busy with work and whatnot, and we’re ready for Christmas (which is next week…crazy!
Fun baking means doughnuts. 🙂I got a new bag for when I go walking (so that I don’t have to carry my phone and keys in my hands). I kinda felt transported back to the 1980’s with my crazy leggings and my fanny pack. 😀One of the mornings we went walking, it was super foggy.It looked so pretty!Lost tooth!I told her the Tooth Fairy would leave her some quarters…to which she added (excitedly): “OR a toy!”. Luckily the Tooth Fairy was able to find an inexpensive dinosaur. 😀Playing with balloons and static.Joseph even got involved with the fun.Her new dinosaur (along with the one she got from her classroom prize box last Friday) had to come on our walk one day.This is such a perfect snapshot of her life: dinosaurs, collecting sticks, rocks, and leaves, and Buc-ee’s shirts. 😀I sure love my mini-me!I also love this view! It’s my favorite part of our walk.I found a frog while putting the hose away the other day (somehow I totally missed him when I was getting the hose out)!I also found a toad!Tomatoes! I have to pick them before the birds and bugs get them.December in San Antonio ain’t half bad.Gingerbread thumbprint cookies with dulce de leche filling. Yum!I also made meatloaf boats with mashed potatoes. 😀Abigail got her bangs trimmed. 😀They also styled her hair which made it until we got home…then she asked me to take it out and put her hair in a pony tail so that it wouldn’t get stuck on her chair at school (I think she’s talking about the bolts on her chair snagging her hair).I got more “snow” (quilt batting) and a new tree skirt.I love all the black and white!I also found this fun pillow. 🙂The Vice Principal at the kids’ school dressed up as an Elf on the Shelf and greeted the kids as they got to school. A friend of mine snapped this photo…what a fun thing to do!Abigail’s Santa hat that she made at school.More of Abigail’s crafts. 🙂I have this fun pan that makes……mini bundt cakes!I decided to drizzle them with mint chocolate.A pretty plate always makes them look extra fancy. 🙂 I put the ones that didn’t fit on a different small platter. 😉 I made a double batch so that Abigail could have some as a treat during her play date today (we had that instead of a full-out birthday party) and so that we could have some for our game night tonight. 🙂
We now officially have only one week left before Christmas break. It’s just crazy how quickly time has been going. The weather has been all over the place which has made it interesting trying to figure out what to wear every day. We didn’t really do anything out of the ordinary…it was a pretty typical week for us.
A friend of ours recently returned from a work trip that took him to Japan. He brought home some Pokemon plushies for both the kids. I think it’s safe to say that Abigail loves hers.Introducing her new one (which is on the cabinet) to her Pikachu.Playing with her Pikachu and her Alolan Vulpix (I was trying to Google it to see what it was called and wasn’t having much luck, but then Joseph came downstairs and told me right away what it was, haha).Joseph with his new Charizard (I knew that one, ha).Guess who came to church with us last Sunday? 😀All ready for church!Slightly mischievous eyes there…Greek yogurt goatee, haha.Abigail’s favorite decoration that is on a neighbor’s roof. She always has to look for the pirate Santa when we’re walking.I’ve wanted a Christmas sign for our entryway for a few years now, but never really came across one I liked…until now. I love it!Normally I put a Santa picture on this frame (we usually go to Bass Pro’s Shop and see Santa there), but methinks a Santa visit is probably not in the cards this year (so.many.people makes it hard to get an appointment that’ll work with our schedule), so I had a picture printed up from last year…just a snapshot I took of them when they were sitting together on the recliner while wearing their Christmas jammies. These are my babies! 😍She came home on Thursday just covered in chalk. I had about twenty minutes before my students were due to arrive, so I got her into the tub and cleaned up in record time, haha.She decorated her gingerbread man to look like her favorite book character, Skye (from Paw Patrol…which is a show, but luckily they also have books). I’m so grateful for a computer, printer, and husband who can quickly find a coloring page that has the perfect-sized head. 😁Yesterday when we left to drop Joseph off for school, it was 68°. It eventually got up to 83°. Crazy weather…She had a rather hard end to her school week last week and it kind of continued into the beginning of her week this week (so.many.rules and let’s be honest…sharing is HARD, y’all…especially when you’re four and your brother is ten and you haven’t really had to share because you have completely different toys, but now all of a sudden there are new toys at school and other people your age who are also interested in those new toys…). She was able to work really hard and got happy faces in her folder for Wednesday, Thursday, and yesterday…so yesterday afternoon, I told her she earned some ice cream…she asked if she could have chocolate syrup and whipped cream on top and I readily complied. She earned it!I don’t know it is, but this sight makes me happy…maybe it’s the warm lights, maybe it’s the Christmas lights, or maybe it’s just the overall warmth of the space…I love where we live!This is the dinosaur she picked from the prize box yesterday at school. I was chilling on the couch when I heard her say, “You woke us up from our nap! We’re going to get you now!” I looked down in time to see her making her Barrel O’ Monkeys monkeys attack the dinosaur. Never a dull moment, y’all…I’m telling you.Today has been chilly, so long pants and a sweatshirt were required in order to play outside.She loves to swing…as long as someone is constantly doing underdogs, that is. I had just done an underdog and snapped this picture…right as she asked me for another one, haha.
