Christmas Break at the Beach 2011

This year we went to Port A again, with my parents and sister, for 5 days and 4 nights of relaxation.  Also, cousin K and her family came along.  The first day was great weather with sunny skies, but the next days were foggy with only a little clear sunshine at the end of the day for a little bit.

Overall it was very relaxing.  My mom spent time building sandcastles with the kids.  Bear read and actually did not play xbox - only because he couldn't get it to work!  I read and laid around, ate too much.  Walked on the beach, looked for shells.  I in general did not sleep well, imagine that, and so was a little slow and cranky from that.Amanda and Ross were also pretty low key, but did take a few trips to the hot tub.  I don't remember what Dad did... he cooked for us and cleaned up after us.  And he read a book and napped.  And he took Mom and I to Big Shell beach in Padre National Seashore.  Oh and Bear and I looked at some new beach houses - only $799,990 for a new 3 bedroom 3 bath!

We spent New Years Eve there as well.  We went out to a nice dinner of seafood.  The weather had cleared so I was getting all dolled up so that I could get my bump picture take at the beach.  I was so excited and my hair looked great.  And I get done and it was all FOGGY again!  I was sooo disappointed.  And ended up not getting a 25 week bump picture at all.  I am still sad about it if you can't tell.  Then we all waited for it to get to be midnight.  We did a toast and everyone, except me of course, including DAD, had champagne.  And I had more sparkling cider YAY.  But it was very nice that my hubby thought of me.   And that he thought to get the champagne for everyone else.  It was a little different than our last New Years - on a cruise ship!  And just think how different next year will be!!!!  :-)

A few pictures to remember the occasion.

It's alive!

Some big fishing rig we saw while trying to get to Big Shell Beach.

The lovely weather.  It actually was worse than this most of the time.

HAPPY 2012!  We are very excited about this year.  Our lives will certainly be changing.

Christmas 2011

Hello and Happy New Year!  We had a great Christmas and have been quite busy in the new year.

For our first Christmas we went to my cousin's house in RR on December 17.  We enjoyed a meal prepared by my Mom.  Love her, but we all discussed, how we don't know how Mema got all the food on the table on TIME.  I said it's because she didn't talk to anyone and she didn't drink wine.  Mom really didn't like that answer :-)

So we had alot of snacks and then we had some lunch about 1:30 or 2ish.

Then we watched the kids open gifts and we did white elephant for the adult gifts.  I was unaware that the gifts didn't need to be gender specific and I ended up with a Chuy's gift card which of course made my day!  I think only my cousin Byron ended up with something less than desirable.  But it was very fun to watch Ross open the girl gift I had gotten - a scarf, earrings and bracelet from Charming Charlies :-).  Then we played Headbanz (one of our gifts to her) with Kaylie which was pretty fun, but made me feel dumb at the same time.  Later the boys and Mom decided to play 42 while enjoying some beverages and watching football.  It was late and I was way tired by the end of the evening.

The next Christmas was with my parents on Christmas Eve at lunch.  We had a ham and all the trimmings for lunch - my favorite! - and then opened gifts.  I tried to take a nap, knowing we would be up late.  But Bear was snoring and so I never could go to sleep.  Then we got ready for church and headed to DB for the Christmas Eve service.  After that we went to Carla's for the annual Christmas Eve get together.  I was so happy it was cold enough for her to have a fire!  We played with kiddos, ate and everyone drank.  I had some sparkling cider to make it feel like I was being festive.  But really it was just sugary and made me full and sleepy.

But there would be no sleeping.

We didn't get back to Fedor until around 1am and I was exhausted.  But then when we laid down to sleep, Bear of course went right to sleep, while I was awake.  For pretty much the whole night.  We were supposed to go to Fedor church on Christmas Day.  At 7am my parents woke up to cook breakfast and I couldn't help it, I started to cry.  Bear did not like that and well... long story sorta shortened, I had a major melt down.  Merry Freaking Christmas.  Then he left the room so I could sleep a few hours.  I woke up and then cried because I hadn't gone to church on Christmas on the year I was pregnant.  I felt terrible, but I was still so tired AND I had like 10 minutes to get ready to make it to church in Lexington.  So we just stayed home.  Oh well I suppose.

Then we got ready and headed to DB for Christmas with Carla and Chris.  First, they were nice enough to let me take another nap :-)  I slept while Chris, Bear and Matt went to check out Lake Somerville and see how low it is with the drought.  Then when they came back we opened our gifts.  I think everyone had an awesome Christmas!  Bear got a signed Nolan Ryan jersey from Chris and of course loved it.  We gave Chris a nice hunting jacket and for once I think we really hit the mark - or at least he has called several times to say he likes it.  Of course, he did say he wanted one so its not like we just thought of it on our own, but it makes me happy that he really does like it so much!  And we gave Carla stuff to paint her house.  I got some nice A&M gear, a cool attachment for my kitchen aid and of course my favorite, Kohls gift cards :-)

That evening we rounded it out with Ford Family Christmas at Aunt Danita's house.  The kids were VERY entertaining this year and loved opening their gifts.  Bear helped Haley open her stuff and it was too cute.  He did a good job, keeping all the names with the gifts and all!  I enjoyed watching that.  Then we were back home and in our cozy beds that evening.  And I slept VERY, VERY good!  Finally!

And that was officially Christmas 2011.  Next year will be quite different :-)

A few pictures.  And I am very sad because Bear and I did not get one together in front of the Christmas Tree.  Sigh.

20 weeks

23 weeks