Christmas: the aftermath

I can't believe it's almost New Year's already. This holiday is going by quick. Just a few pics I had hanging out on the camera I wanted to share.

First, here was our Christmas dinner. It was just us this year, so the spread was modest. But man was it good! That's a beef rib roast in the center, surrounded by mashed potatoes, broccoli sauteed with garlic and onions, my fabulous gourges, and an au jus to die for!

The best part...Brad got Jackson to eat beef and some of the broccoli! Seriously...a green vegetable. Several bites. And no gagging or screaming!
The kids have decided that it's fun to pull the glass ornaments off their hooks and scatter them around the floor. Only one's gotten broken, and I'm actually going to pick them up and put them away...soon.

Here's Jackson's favorite gift. He got some Christmas money from his grandparents and his Uncle Gilbert, so this is what he picked out at the toy store. It's got TWO drawbridges! As for Noah, a couple of months ago, he was really into Thomas the Tank Engine. Then last month he discovered Bob the Builder. He still likes both, but right now his passion is Handy Manny. He got the complete set of Manny tools (The seven at the bottom of the picture). He sleeps with them at night. We always have to spend some time each evening hunting them all down before he'll go to bed.

He sleeps in a toddler bed with the tools, three dinosaurs, a bear, and his doggy. It's getting pretty crowded.
Speaking of crowded sleeping conditions, Jackson decided a couple of months ago that he wanted to sleep in Noah's room. Here are all the stuffed animals he has to have in the bed with him. And he doesn't keep them nice and neat along the wall like I arranged them. No, he piles them up in the middle and sleeps around them.
Finally, I just had to show you some pictures of this great Narnia pop-up book I bought at Borders...for $5!



Isn't it cool?

Christmas 2008!

Another year, another festive holiday season! It's always more fun when you have kids. We started our Christmas by attending the Children's Mass on Christmas Eve.It's a good thing we were at the Children's Mass, because Noah was very, very vocal. I think he was just so filled with joy, he had to express himself!
Jackson was pretty mellow.


Then we started getting ready for Santa! Here's the scene, after the kids have been tuck in their beds...


with stocks hung with care.
Wow, Noah noticed what Santa left, first thing!

He was so excited!
But he won't ride on it, oh no!
Brad and Jackson were still asleep in our bed at this point. Noah and I went in and bugged them till they got up!
Then it was time for presents!!
Here's my new toy!
Jackson and Noah had such a good time.

At this point, Brad and I felt we needed some sustenance, so we fixed a grand brunch of eggs benedict and Earl Grey tea. Yummy!
The kids, meanwhile, played on.
They got some great pop-up books.
And Jackson got lots of new games for his V-Motion.
Grandma give Noah this cool digger.
He loves diggers!
Jackson still loves trains.
He decided to try out Noah's four-wheeler, "Scrambler." But only for a second. I hear Brad got him to ride it down our neighbor's driveway.

Noah, though, had to be put on his forcibly. He cried and cried. Brad put his foot down on the pedal, and the poor thing didn't know how to pick it up and brake. And I video-taped it and just laughed and laughed. We're such mean parents, I know.
Noah's favorite toys this year seem to be all his tools. He got Handy Manny tools and a Bob the Builder toolbelt and hard hat set. He's really into tools these days. Can we build it? Yes we can!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas parties

We've been very busy around here with parties and other holiday events. Here are just a few pics.

Noah and I came early to Jackson's school to help set up his class party. Here's Noah "helping" himself to the toys.We started with a game on the carpet to determine who got which gift from the book exchange.


Then it was time for the goodies! The kids all got to decorate a sugar cookie.
Jackson couldn't have the sugar cookie, of course, but I brought GFCF brownies for everyone.
Our Autism group also had a party at Spiral's Gymnastics in Mansfield. The kids had so much fun!

The trampolines were a huge hit.

They could jump all day long! I might have to look into this place for next summer.

Christsmas Tree Farm

We decided to drive down to Alvarado and cut down our own Christmas tree this year!

First things first, though. As soon as we got there, we had to go see the animals. We could smell them before we saw them. Whew! But the kids didn't seem to mind.Brad's the biggest kid of them all when it comes to animals. He still wants to get a pet goat...never going to happen my friend!


Jackson did enjoy looking at them...
and he loved running around the trees. He didn't want to have to stop and pose for a picture, however.
After much arguing amongst ourselves (I wanted a little tree, as always, and Brad wanted big), we compromised on this baby here.
Our very own Paul Bunyan cut it down.


Then it was time for the hayride!
Then a peek into the gift shop, where I got this gorgeous handmade wreath, and some free apple cider, and we were all set.
It was a lot of fun!

Parade of Ligthts, '08

Once again we headed the Arlington Parade of Lights.

We always sit on this little hill on a side street, and Noah ran up and down so much while waiting, he was worn out by the time it got dark. Then he simply sat and watched. This year he really got interested in all the different floats and bands and such. Jackson never got tired of that hill. Here he's heading back up, light stick in hand.

My camera sucks at taking parade pictures in the dark, so here's just one picture to give you the general idea.
It was a lot of fun!

A Walk in the Woods

On the blustery cold Sunday after Thanksgiving, we decided to head to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens to take "a walk in the woods" as Noah likes to say.

We started down at the southern end to check out the Rose Garden. It's a bit late in the year for roses,however, there was a great pond. Boys love ponds.


Then we hit the boardwalk. This is a great, interactive trail for the kids.

There was a log tunnel to crawl through...
with all kinds of hidey-holes...

for inquisitive little boys.
Balance beams covered in animal tracks leading to little stepping-stumps for jumping.
Little houses...
and logs to climb.
And rocks. My boys gotta have rocks.
Bridges are always fun.
And just to show you, I do occasionally make it into the family photos, even though the wind did crazy things to my bangs. It's an 80's poofy hair flashback!
At the northern end of the trail is the conservatory. Since we were pretty cold by then, we decided to step inside and check out the holiday decorations.
I think Noah was trying to open this door because he rammed into it and almost knocked the entire thing over.
And look, a train!
"Ooh, look. I can get inside..."
"Wow, I'm driving a train!"
"Hang on tight, boys. Choo choo!"
Here we're in the green house, BEHIND the waterfall. Pretty awesome, huh?