The Lady Vols!

This picture was taken after the game was over and Parker was ready to get out of there...it's a long time for a kid to sit still...not that he did, but we tried!

Parker sat on Paul's shoulders before the game started and ate Tic-Tacs...as soon as they were gone, he moved on to the next person with food. That's the way he works...if you have food, he will sit with you!!

If you have been reading my blog for more than a few months, you will know that my husband is a huge Tennessee Vols fan. Both sets of his grandparents live in Tennessee, his parents are graduates from the University of Tennessee and Aaron just loves the Vols. I know, he didn't attend the University of Tennessee. He went to the University of Florida, so I guess you could "officially" say that he is a Gator grad. BUT, his blood runs orange...Tennessee Orange. He went to the U of F because it was free (lots of scholarships!!),and if you were just wondering, they have a great engineering department. But, back to the Vols....

Aaron and Grace enjoying the game together.

We have some friends from church and the husband is a UT grad. He looked up the basketball schedule for the Lady Vols months ago....really, like in August, and saw that the Lady Vols were coming down south to Austin to play the Lady Texas Longhorns. We have been planning on it ever since and this past weekend, we all got up on a early Sunday morning and drove to Austin!!

Susie was excited that she finally got some cotton candy!!

The ride was great...our kids were in the car with all the dads and I got to ride in the car with the moms and the teenagers. We had fun talks all the way there and we ate at a great Bar-b-que place called "Rudy's" just outside of Austin. The game was great...the Lady Vols are a super young team this year, coming off of their last year's national championship win and graduating some awesome players. They started 2 freshman and 3 sophomores...so look out next year!!
They stayed with the more experienced Lady Longhorns until about the last 5 minutes of the game and then it was over. Fun game with friends...we will do it again and Parker will stay still for longer next game because he will be older...hopefully!!

Susie loves Mr. Steve...now that is one loyal Tennessee fan...

December 17...oh my!

I know, it's December 17th and I haven't posted in over 10 days....I'm back, for a few minutes anyway. We have been so unbelievably busy the past few weeks and I've taken LOTS of pictures to document the events. I just haven't taken the time to put them all up. So, family for your viewing pleasure....here is what we have been up to!!

2 weekends ago (Dec. 6th) we all loaded up and went out to Holiday in the Park at Six Flags. It was so much fun!!! This year Six Flags so smartly opened for almost the whole day making it so much better for us season pass holders. We pulled in the parking lot about 7 pm and there were huge school groups of kids, leaving!! Less people means less of a wait in line in the park!! Grace kept saying, "Wow, all these people leaving is GREAT for us!" We were all bundled up and ready for fun. We walked on every ride but one so it was perfect. We sat and watched the parade and then moved up to the stage for the closing show. Great night for the whole family. Also we found out that Parker has grown great guns since our last visit!!! The last time we all went to Six Flags, Parker could not ride the mini-mine train because he was too short....now he is WAY over the line and had a great time riding the roller coaster! Fun!!Aaron was out of town for 2 weeks for a training class in Houston the first 2 weeks of December so when he came home on the weekend, we were all so very happy!! Glad that he got to go and learn some new things about work, but more thankful that he is home happy and healthy.

The kids with "Cowboy Santa" at the Stockyards in Fort Worth. He has a great hat!

All the kids (and Aaron) after we got off the "Holiday of Lights" bus tour.

This past weekend, we went with a group of friends to downtown Fort Worth and did their Christmas festivities at the stockyards. They had face painting, balloon artists, hot cocoa and cookies and then we got on the Christmas light bus. It was a fun night to be with friends. However, I do not recommend the bus ride if you have small kids...it was over 1.5 hours long. We had fun being with our friends and singing Christmas songs while looking at lights in Ft. Worth, but there was a baby on the bus that did not!!

The kids were all excited when Santa and Mrs. Claus came on our bus to visit for a few minutes!

Grace and Susie love being with one of their favorite teenagers, Bethany!

After the Bus tour, we all went out to eat at a great Mexican food place downtown and the kids got Christmas presents from our babysitters. Bethany and Jenna are the best! They love the kids and the kids love them. We are so thankful for great friends. I'll post the rest of the weekend activities later. Have a great Wednesday!! We are off to a Christmas party at Fortress!!!

A Christmas WHAT??

Aaron and the kids were getting all of the Christmas decorations down from the attic on Thanksgiving after all of the festivities and the company had all left. I was at the movies with some friends seeing, "Australia." Very good movie by the way. Loved it. Back to the story....

Aaron was getting the decorations down so that we could all do the tree together the next day, after Thanksgiving. Out of the blue, Parker picks up a wreath, sticks his head though it and says, "Look Daddy, it's a Christmas hole!" He's kinda right...it's a big Christmas Hole!! :) Now we have Christmas Holes hanging on our house. Oh, to see Christmas though the eyes of a 2 year old, it is the best!

Weird Weather....

Yeah, welcome to Texas! Yesterday afternoon, it was 77 degrees outside and the kids were out riding their bikes. This morning? 31 degrees. DD sent the kids these hats for winter in a package yesterday. Parker just assumed that the blue one is for him...it has hearts and cute little ponies all over it....I guess he'll figure it out eventually! Susie wore her new hat to church last night, wanted to wear it to sleep (mommy said no!) and then put it on first thing this morning...She is such a funny little girl! Love her so much!!

The car is in the shop and we are hoping it will be done today or tomorrow. Strapping 3 carseats in Aaron's car is so hard! I didn't realize what space we had in the Tahoe until it was gone!! I am so thankful for my Tahoe and can't wait to have it back. Well...I'm off to get the little two ready for school. Today Santa and Mrs. Claus come to school and they are both so very excited!!