Vaca in New Mexico

Our family winter vacation was a whirlwind of events! After a wonderful time in Alvin with the Higgins and Powell's on Christmas day we packed and got ready for our week long journey. A day after Christmas we borrowed Darrell's parents camper and headed out for Ruidoso, NM. Our first stop was Corsicana where we picked up Ashlee from her Mimi Jones. Then we headed to Hurst where we had Christmas with Aunt Wendy and Uncle Bill for a night.

The next morning we climbed into the truck and pulled the camper to Monahan's State Park near the border of Texas. The park was very interesting with rolling hills of sand dunes. We bought plastic sleds at the office, waxed them up, and had a blast sledding down the sand hills.
The next morning the snow started to move in. We packed up early and left out to beat the storm. We battled some of the blizzard driving slow with our windshield wipers on high but the roads up into Mexico were fine as long as we drove slow and stayed in the middle. Once we reached New Mexico the weather cleared out. We arrived in Ruidoso and set up camp just as the sun went down.

The next morning we woke up to a sunny clear day full of snow. The RV park we stayed at was backed up to a beautiful national forest that turned out to be a huge playground for the kids. We built snowmen, forts and had a blast sledding down the hills. These plastic sleds payed for themselves between the sand and the snow. Even James had a good time on his sled that we pulled on hikes through the mountain side with a rope attached to it.




The second night in Ruidoso another snow storm came through. I was extremely nervous as we drove through the streets slipping and sliding in our 2 wheel drive truck to a restaurant where we met up with our friends, the Hectors and family. Let's just say that once we got back to the camper I was able to breath once again! One thing is for sure...Momma does not like ice and roads! I don't think God has heard from me that much in one week in a long time!

After a snowy night we woke up to a beautiful blanket of new snow that covered the national forest play area from the day before. It was smooth and absolutely beautiful! Darrell caught a ride up the mountain with Glen to go snowboarding for the day. The kids and I played in the snow with our friend Bobbie and baby Garrett. Bobbie and I went shopping that evening and I realized just how cute Ruidoso really was. The night before I hadn't noticed due to the blizzard. But without all the snow falling I was able to see the quaint little lit up town.

The next morning was New Years day and it was time to head back to Texas. Another beautiful sunny morning but we hadn't anticipated the frozen pipes and connections. We ended up leaving a lot later than we actually planned waiting for everything to thaw out...including the roads. By noon we had the camper all packed up and we said goodbye to our friends and headed out. Next stop...Circle B Ranch!

We arrived in Bracketville at the Baughman ranch about midnight. Pat and Travis greeted us at the door with open arms. For the next couple of days we broke in the new year hunting and hanging out with dear friends and family. Then before we new it it was Sunday the 4th and time to get home. Once again we packed up the truck and camper and drove another day to back to Pearland. All together we drove over 2,000 miles and I have to rate this as one of our most exciting adventures as a family.



This is a picture of the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. Taken at the ranch from a deer blind.

Ashlee and Darrell sitting in "Stairway to Heaven" deer blind.

Our Superb Performer!

This past first semester of school Sydney participated in her school choir. Every Monday afternoon she attended choir practice getting ready for her performances throughout the holiday season. She sang her little heart out at two senior homes and at the city hall. She sang in front of all her peers in a school performance and then that night she sang for the parents at a PTO meeting. We were supposed to go caroling and sing to all the neighbors around the school but the below freezing temps and rain put a damper in the fun. The most exciting performance was halftime at the basketball game where the Pearland Police played against the Alvin Police Department. We are very proud of our choir performer.

Sydney also performed in her class play. Each performing class group acted out their parts in front of parents and teachers during the holiday party on the last day of school before the Christmas break. She was a little bit nervous but had so much fun doing it!

Santa is here!

Look who we ran into at our favorite restaurant in Pearland...Chick-fil-a. It was a raining, cold busy holiday season evening. Darrell was at the Woodway campus helping out with Angels of Light. Angels of Light is a huge production...25 years in the making. Second Baptist busses in kids from all over Houston every night for a week to give them a hot meal, presents and most of all to tell them about Jesus. Anyways, it was a school night so the kids and I stayed home. We decided to run through the Chick Fil-A drive through and grab some dinner with the gift card Gma had given to us. So we are sitting in the car line and we could see into the restaurant and lo and behold sitting right next to the Christmas tree in the lobby was SANTA!!! Needless to say we picked up our food at the window and immediately parked and ran inside. Thank goodness a friend of mine was there with a camera so we could catch the memory on film. The JUMP team also was there from church. They did a few fun dances that the kids enjoyed. So much fun at Chick-fil-a!!!

Snow Day in Pearland!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Two Decembers in a row now it has snowed in Pearland! Yesterday morning it began with a slush falling from the sky and by lunchtime the sky was full of fluffy white snow. It snowed heavily for a couple of hours and made a few inches of snow to play in. At first James thought it was too cold and wasn't at all impressed. The schools closed down early so the girls got to come home to play too. James changed his mind when he saw his sisters having so much fun. Before I knew it we had our very own Frosty the snowman in our backyard. He was a little dirty...but a snowman none the less! The girls had fun playing "snow" ball with James' plastic bat. All it took was about an hour for the fun to wear off before they were ready to come in and sit in front of the fire with hot chocolate warming their tummies. Amazing how quickly the cold gets old! The last bit of snow was still hanging around this morning too. Although Frosty looked as if he was the leaning tower of Pisa...he hung in there until this afternoon before he completely fell over.



Right about the time things started to slow down it was time for the Pearland Christmas parade. We usually walk in it with our church float but decided this year to sit and enjoy it from the sidelines. We bundled up and headed out to get there early to get a good seat. Our dear friends, the Bohannon's daughter Shelby came along with us. Soon the sun set and the cold was on once again. But the kids had a blast and had a good excuse once again to cuddle by the fire and drink hot chocolate. Gotta love the Christmas season!

Thanksgiving Feast and Birthday Fun!

Thanksgiving was at our house this year. We had a bunch of family and friends come to town! Oma, Opa, Nathan, Philip, Aaron, Gma and Papa, Wendy and Bill, Rachael and her new hubby Darrell, Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Ron, Sherry and Jimmy, Muffy and Freddy, Lisa and Mike and Tyler, Todd, Susan and fam, Jamie, me and Darrell, Ashlee, Sydney, James, Chris and Rick Berkseiger, Mike and Cindy Sheen to name a few.



We surprised Gma for her 60th birthday with a party at Johnny Carino's the night before Thanksgiving. She didn't have a clue! She said she was expecting something the next day on Thanksgiving. Wendy and I ran around to Party City, also to pick up her cake and went early to the restaurant to decorate. Then we just acted like we were going out to dinner for Mom's birthday but when we got her there everyone was already at Johnny Carino's and surprised her. I wrote a poem for her and turned it into a scrapbook for her to keep. She still keeps saying "I'm just in shock and amazement!"












The next day we had around 30 people at our house for Thanksgiving dinner. Everything went even better than expected! I cooked a turkey and ham in the oven and Darrell fried a turkey outside. People brought different sides and desserts. Everything was fabulous! We played dominoes and stayed up til the wee hours of the night talking and laughing. Even the weather was beautiful for the kids to play outside in. I hated to see everyone go, but boy was I wiped out!

I have made a slideshow of the memories and attached it below. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Budding Conversationalist

My little one's a budding conversationalist. He's beginning to ask lots of questions, a development that fills two needs for him: It's a way of finding out about things, and it's also a way of keeping Mommy's attention.

Early favorite questions include "Why?" and "What's that?" and his latest..."Where you going?"

James loves to answer questions as much as ask the questions. When we're reading books, I ask about the pictures or the story: "Where is the brown doggie?" "What do you think he likes to eat?" He enjoys answering and this happens to be our favorite part of the day.

I try to answer his questions as quickly as I can, in simple, full sentences. Today he was watching the birds through our window and he says to me "Where birds going?" I replied, "Birds have wings that keep them up in the air." He looks very serious at me and says..."Oh, birds fly away." Next thing you know he is getting a book out of his room about birds..he was ready to share. So we learned about birds today...what tomorrow will bring who knows! But I can't wait!

James is growing independent too. He insists on putting on socks "by self" regardless of how long it takes. After "mommy's turn" it is James' "my turn" to brush his teeth. He is also trying out the potty chair. He is definitely interested and has begun to experience it. He looks so big sitting there reading his "potty books" waiting to make the potty sing. (Yes, it plays a song when wet..ha!)

Speaking of chairs...James has learned about the timeout chair as well. With his new found independence also comes heated temper tantrums. It's amazing how the "pleases", "sorry's", "thank you's" seem to flow out of his two year old body with just the threat of the dreaded "naughty spot."

James keeps us on our toes....life is ever changing around here!

Happy Halloween 2009!

Our friends and neighbors threw a Halloween/Birthday Bash for Adeliene and her brother Charlie. The kids decorated spooky picture frames, ate gooly food, and had a blast in their costumes. Once the party was over...trick or treating began! The neighborhood was filled with little people dressed in all kinds of costumes..from scary to sweet. James went as Thomas the Train...although he kept the costume on for a picture and that was it. Sydney was a beautiful ladybug and Ashlee began as a Midnight Fairy but changed her mind shortly thereafter. The itchy skirt was more than she could handle so the token Pirate costume emerged once again! Have to say that I got my money worth out of that one! Take a look at all the fun with the Smilebox of memories that I created.

Make a Smilebox slideshow