pneumonia and chicas

My sweet boy has pneumonia. He has been the sickest here than he ever was at home. He is on the mend, but I am missing these sweet little faces.

As for this one...She is keeping me busy! She loves chips as much as her mommy and refers to them as "chicas". Not sure where that came from, but she says it often!
Did I mention busy and causing heart attacks? I was in the other room for one minute and came in to find her here.I slowly walked up and didn't want to startle her - in the process of my slow walk up - I told Fernando to bring the camera- he snapped just in time as I pulled the "mountain goat" off the mountain! This very moment confirmed our limit of 2 children!

Rookie Sledding

We have been waiting for the perfect sledding weekend. So, today was the day. From the view of the hill, you can see I needed Fernando to assist me, so it had to be on a weekend. We suited up and headed out the back door!

We took more video than pictures, I will attempt to upload those later. I couldn't quit laughing. I felt like a kid. It was so fun.

This lovely red "saucer" was a piece. It just spun you around in circles....or maybe we don't know what we are doing. It ended up being Presley's frisbee and she just ran around with it.
Presley chased whoever was sledding down the hill. Fernando said she was nipping his arm while he was in route. Strange dog...
The ride down is fun, but the walk back up... not so much. Especially if you are carrying a toddler. Sadie had fun. She kept crying if we grayson went down. She wanted to go too.

Grayson started going down all by himself. I see winter olympics in his future??
Next up, we will attempt to hit the slopes. Should be interesting with two kids in tow.

k

The Pittsburgh Zoo

The weather has been unusually warm for Pitt, so we thought we'd take advantage and take the kids to the zoo.

I asked Grayson his favorite part of the zoo and he said "eating ice cream" - GO figure!

k

missing Texas

I am starting to miss the little things that Texas offers. Here are just a few:

- ahhh - the tex mex (escalantes, pappasitos, morales). I think I've dropped a few because our family doesn't frequent these places 2 times a week. (I love chips)

- 60 degrees in January wearing flip flops and a light sweater

- buckling your kids in the car sans heavy coat

- donuts (grocery store ones just don't do it for me)

- drive thru donut places ( so many in Lufkin)

- a short drive to see the peeps and in laws

- some very dear friends and their sweet new babies

On the flip side - some firsts

It was a first with 11 degree weather the other morning. Having all the right gear makes a difference. I hardly even noticed.

I enjoyed watching the snow pour down all day and see Grayson's excited face as he watched.

I introduced my friends to some Pat Green (they had never heard of him.)

I had sauerkraut and pork for the new year.

I'm sure there are many more to come!!

K

Ringing in the New Year

Our neighbors invited our fam (including presley) to their lake house to ring in the new year. The family loaded up and made the 2 hour journey - we went through West Virginia and then into Maryland - 2 states in 2 hours.

The house is on Deep Creek Lake in Maryland. It is a beautiful place!

The kids loved skipping rocks and being outside.
We went to the local brewery. They had a one man band and Sadie spent most of her time just standing in front of him while he played. Whatever works right? We stayed 2 hours - I couldn't believe we lasted that long.

We had adult dinner each night after we put the kids bed. It was nice to sit and talk without interruptions from the kiddos! We also had 2 visitors at our feet during our dinner.

The girls!

As we sat at adult dinner - the snow poured. We woke up to a wonderful snowy sight! Sadie in her gear.

The kids and dads had a snowball war.
You can see Pres in the action. She thought snowballs were balls and she was going crazy trying to fetch them. Presley swam in the icy lake this day. She LOVED the weekend. It wore her out.
When we got home - Presley assumed position in Grayson's bed about 5pm. She skipped dinner and slept in his bed all night. Here are these sweet babies so exhausted!
We had a wonderful time ringing in the new year with new friends! We never thought a year ago - we would be where we are now. I wonder what 2012 will bring The Grandas....

Happy New Year!!!

Christmas 2011

Fernando and I decided to take the kids to the incline to see this beautiful sight! It was an amazing view.

I didn't want to put Sadie down, because she wanted to run around on this overlook. Very nerve racking!

The Saturday before Christmas Santa comes through the neighborhood with a firetruck! The kids can hear the sirens and get so excited.

Santa passed out these lollipops and someone is enjoying...he ate on that thing for 2 hours.
Gigi and Tara came to visit. Popsy was at home - maybe we'll get him here one day! We opened some gifts from gigi and Tara. Gray was so excited.
I attempted a gingerbread house this year - my first one ever. I think I will be better next year.
Sadie got these fairies from gigi, because she loves tinkerbell. She hoarded them around the house for awhile.
Gigi gives gray a nutcracker every year and this was the biggest one yet. He was thrilled! (I won't begin to tell the story of getting that thing up here). Gigi and Tara left before Christmas. We sure did have fun and miss them.
Gray and I made cupcakes for Jesus' birthday. When we went to xmas eve church, he said - we forgot the cupcakes for his birthday! so cute
Fernando decided to whip up some egg nog with ice cream. We sure did have alot since it was just three of us (Sadie allergic to eggs and milk - so not a good combo)
We went to Christmas Eve church - it was interesting. Without a nursery for miss priss it is almost impossible....Fernando says we'll be repaid in the afterlife! Ha

I found this girl on xmas eve night like this - she stayed there for a long time and just said "night-night". Tired girl. (excuse our unfinished step after wood floor installation)

This was gray's big item from Santa, but guess who plopped on it first thing...I guess we'll be getting a pink one in April.

Gray got a robe from Uncle Ryan and loved it! I swear he is a little man.

Cabbage patch for Sadie (mommy). I loved these things! Mom fought a woman for one when I was 3. I remember getting it. ANd now they have a vintage 1983 one...It is the same one I had. Vintage - 1983?? They don't dress them like they used to. They still smell lovely.

This was our first Christmas alone. We missed our families, but had a wonderful time creating traditions and making the most of it. Our sweet neighbors invited us to her mom's for xmas dinner. The kids played and we had a beautiful dinner ( minor kid interruptions!)

Hope everyone had a fabulous Holiday!

K-music and queso

I took Sadie to a preview class of Kindermusic on Friday. This child loves to dance and starts to shake it when she hears any music. So, since she isn't quite ready for Abby Lee Millers (Dance Moms) studio here in Pittsburgh, I thought I would start with K-music. When I walked in I felt like the 2 from "Up all night" when they take their baby to the singing class. I am the type who gets the giggles at the wrong time (church,etc) and definitely when people sing. I was thinking I'm glad Fernando isn't here or some other friends that can't handle stuff like that. I would have been in tears. But....Sadie LOVED it and participated fully and then I found myself just as excited as her! I wish I had pics to share - maybe next week.

These two...no words...

Gray and I have "our day" on Thursday, while Sadie is at MDO. I can take him anywhere and he just goes with the flow. He likes to cruise in the stroller. Where does time go? This little man was in the infant seat in this stroller....now look at him!

I had a Friday morning paper delivery to the front door. Love this pic! She then ran away with the paper.

She is probably making up for what she did in the middle of the front yard. She has been digging like crazy. I think there are critters (groundhogs and chipmunks) and she can't stand it.

Bingo has been hanging around the house. He sometimes likes to do a early morning flight (3:30, 6:30 am). I think he remembers at the last minute to go the north pole.

We had Fernando's company party last night. For some reason I had in my head "holiday casual" and I wondered the mall trying to define that. I am not much for casual at a party, unless its at a house and involves a crock pot of queso. I Bought 3 options and re-read the invite and it said "holiday attire". So, dressy it was. Glad I did, because everyone was in cocktail attire. We had a great time and I surprisingly met red raiders from Texas and we ended up having several mutual friends.

Speaking of queso....our sweet babysitter has never had the ole rotel/velveeta combo...so I plan to make that for her asap. She is amazing! I came home to vacuumed floors, fresh laundry and sleeping children!

K