Easter

Trying to get everyone to look at the camera at the same time is just not going to happen.

Fishing

Just a quick picture of Papa and Izaac getting ready to fish.

Winter

Haven't had much going on so I thought I would update with a random picture from this winter. We love having a chance to have a fire in the fireplace, and as you can tell it is loved by many members of the family. This moment actually started out with just Isabelle in front of the fire, then the kids realized she had a good idea.

New Years 2010

This year for New Years we decided to stay home. We invited the Swansons to stay for us for the week and we were able to enjoy the holiday with good friends and family.

My Grandmother, enjoyed going to the beach on New Years Day. And a few years ago my Mother decided that we would start her tradition back up. We have not made it every year, but when we go, we always enjoy ourselves.

This year Mom and Dad were fighting illness so they decided that they would sit this one out, but we got to drag the Swansons into the fun.

Adam, Jenn and the boys met us at the beach and we were able to get some good pictures.

We stole this picture idea from the Swansons;-) And ended up getting a good shot of the cousins.

A good shot of Tobie and the kids.

Ivy in all of her pink.

I really enjoyed our trip and hope to keep in up for many years to come! Luckily this year was not too cold and we managed to stay for awhile. I remember Ivy's first year was so cold we ran out took our pictures and ran back to the car. I had to keep her inside my coat it was so cold!!! Gotta love Galveston in the winter! Never know what you will get.

Christmas '09

Now that the holidays are over and I am back to work I find that I need to go back and blog about Christmas.

We had a very nice Christmas at home and the kids are that perfect age where there are screams of joy when they open gifts...so that makes it that much more fun.

Every time we would ask Ivy what she wanted from Santa her only response was "Barbie". Up until this time she had not asked for one and I have not given her any. Mainly because I do not like them. Well, she got her "Barbie". The picture is of her and her very first Barbie. She is thrilled and I am going to remember that joy forever, but, if it is up to me, she will not get any more. They are extremely hard to dress and are in my view, inappropriately dressed. My mom also tried very hard to get a Barbie more on a little girl level, seeing that she saw some of them had martini glasses included. Well, Mom ended up getting her a scuba Barbie who changes color in warm and cold water. Pretty benign, you would think...but when she goes from her one piece suit to her two piece suit, they felt compelled to add a tattoo on her belly. Who would have guessed! She also has extremely large hoop earrings and full make up for scuba diving. I am guessing people in Barbie land have never been diving before. Tobie and I got her the camping
Barbie...well, lets just say, she will not be running from any bears in those heels! Ok, enough of my grumping about Barbie (UGGG, I really don't like them! But just look at that joy on her face, sigh!)

Izaac had a very hard time this year pinning down what he wanted from Santa. He started very early writing a list...he has learned how to use the pause button on the DVR to his advantage. by the time Christmas rolled around the list was long and lost! When he finally sat on Santa's lap he decided on Legos. So his Christmas was a mix of all kinds of things, Legos, Backugauns, Nerf guns, etc.

They were both very happy with Santa in the end and I loved watching them get excited about each gift. One of the things that brought the loudest cheer from Izaac was when he opened tic-tacs that were in his stocking! You would have thought it was what he was waiting for his whole life. If I knew tic-tacs were going to be such a big hit, his whole stocking would have been full of them. Can't wait to see what next Christmas brings:-)

ICE Exhibit In Dallas

Last weekend we took a quick trip to Dallas to go see the ICE Exhibit. This years theme was The Grinch That Stole Christmas.

We ended up buying tickets for the 8:30 pm Saturday thinking that the crowds would have died down...silly us. Apparently everyone had the same idea. The lines were like something I have never seen before, not even at Disney in the summer!!!

At least they were not tearing the place apart.

Izaac being goofy, while he still had a sense of humor. The 5 degree temperatures took a toll on his sense of adventure pretty quickly, and by the time we were near the end he was almost in tears because of the cold.

Lynn and Heather were very gracious to host us for the weekend and then join us in this outing.

Don't think were were supposed to touch the ice...

The ICE was amazing and I am glad we went. But by the time we were done, we were all happy to be out! Makes you appreciate the mild Texas weather.

Thanksgiving in South Carolina

For Thanksgiving this year we headed across county to Myrtle Beach to celebrate with the Gallagher family. I really went to get my baby fix, but it was good to see Katie and Mark as well;-) In the end we traveled 2500 miles and we had a wonderful time!
Here Mark is concentrating very hard on the turkey. It was a massive bird! I think it weighed in at 22-24 lbs. for four adults. I am sure Katie and Mark had tons of left overs after we left.

We stayed at Marks hotel and the kids shared a pull out bed. This is how we found them one morning. Amazing they can sleep like that.