Let's Go Baylor! Sic'em Bears!

Today, Baylor plays in its first bowl game in MANY years!  We are so excited for our Bears!  Dad wore his new Baylor scrubs that Mom gave him!

 We got all decked out for the game!

Christmas Morning 2010

Here they come....

 Colleen was completely clueless!

Awww....now this is happiness!

 

Lauren got a pogo stick, pillow pet, and elf!

 Tyler got a new tennis racquet and tennis shoes!  No phone, but he knew that was not going to happen!

 Corynne got painting supplies and a new bike to get around the new, kid-friendly just like Mayberry neighborhood!

 From Mom & Dad...

Twas the Night before Christmas

A few fun traditions on Christmas eve at our house include... opening a gift from Mom & Dad which always has our new Christmas pjs in it!  Big surprise!!  

 Putting out fresh food for the reindeers because we still believe!

Gingerbread Houses 2010

 This is fun tradition gets much easier every year!

 Dad got down and picked up all the extra candy before Colleen found it!!!  The joys of fatherhood!

 The masterpieces in order...Lyndsey, Lauren, Corynne, Tyler.  Tyler worked very hard on one side of the roof, and then he was done!  What you see is all you get!!!!

Annual Cookie Bake

Time to bake the cookies...

 

Colleen even got in on the fun for a few seconds...

Ring the Bell

John Mark signed up for a session of bell ringing for the Salvation Army.  The kids really got into it, and enjoyed handing out candy to the patrons of Sam's Club as they entered.  

After an hour of bell ringing, the kids used their Reward Cards to go to CA Yogurt Craze!  (We give the kids a "reward"  when they fill up their jar with beads.  They only get beads for helping out around the house--or really anywhere--as long as it is HELPING!  We started this reward system last spring, and it definitely got the kids motivated to help mom.  We emptied the jars to start over, and the kids each got a personal gift card to CA Craze.  Not only has mom got a lot of help from this system, the kids are learning some valuable skills--washing dishes, vacuum out car, folding clothes, putting clean sheets on the bed!!!  Mom is LOVING it!!)

Has it really been 9 months?

Sweet Colleen, you are growing up so fast!  Well, maybe growing is the wrong word since you are still soooo tiny!  I have enjoyed each of your awesome 9 months here with me!  You are so cute!!!

 Look at those cheerio picking up skills!  Determination with 2 fingers!!!

 Hey, mom it is a "M" for you!

 And a "c" for me..yeah...yeah...arms going up and down...splash, splash, splash!

 Squealing for fun or terror depending on who is in the room!  Thank you, Lyndsey for helping Colleen discover her voice!

 You have been pulling up on things for months.  Now you are walking around the table while holding on to it.  You get so wrapped up in chewing on a toy that you have let go and stood by yourself quite a few times now.

I love you, Colleen!  I can not wait to see what the next few months will bring for you!!!