Some Holiday Cheer

Hoping Baby will arrive sooner than later, so I want to make sure to keep up with holiday photos...

Got lights on the house (not sure what happened to this pic):

Went out to McKinney for the day to visit the Delaney's...

Liz prepared gingerbread houses for the kids to make.

Kids had a blast making them!

MG waited patiently for the candy, then enjoyed eating it. She surprisingly put some on her house, too.

Jackson

Charlie (used the icing as dip for his fruit loops and was happier than a lark!)

Mr. Cooper

We had a great day with these guys!

Margaret's finished product

We went to Home Depot to pick out our tree and I got a couple of lame pictures.

Can you feel the excitement!?!?!

Liz gave the kids this "grow a Christmas tree" and here they are sprinkling glitter on it before church last Sunday.

Putting our tree up

And stockings

When I was telling Amy Mc how our tree would probably still be "standing" in March (due to Baby being here), she suggested that I just decorate it with balls, instead of getting all of our ornaments out- great idea. Got some cheap balls and voila!

Tried to take the kids picture in front on the Nativity Scene at our church... they weren't very cooperative.

And here is their Charlie Brown tree. They added their new ornaments to it. They love it!

Fall Family Photos- minus Tom

A while back, we joined the Warminski and McAdams families at the Arboretum. It was a chance for them to take Christmas card pics and for us to, well... hang out with them and maybe get a few decent pictures... (Johnathan takes a mighty fine pic) Tom had to work, and I had already decided we are not sending out Christmas cards (shooting for New Years).

Henry's got pants that match the color of Margaret's dress... they were too big on him, though. So I let him go with the jeans and boots- it's how he rolls these days, anyway.

Come on, MG.

His arms were quite tight around my neck... surprised my face wasn't blue.

Tried to be artsy... just slightly awkward.

And a couple of pics, I took of the kids:

Margaret Gray's "cheese face"
Classic group shot

Luke, Audrey, Brinley, MG, and H

Thanksgiving/ Shreveport

We spent this year's Thanksgiving in East Texas at my cousin's house.

Always a good thing when there is lots of room inside and out for the kids to run freely.

My cousin Harrison (the tall one- I baby sat him starting when he was 6 months old!) was very entertaining playing football with the little ones.
Harrison's sister, Clara, got engaged that morning and they announced it to the whole family.

We are all very happy for her and Riley! Can't wait for their wedding!

(Her dad, Witt, is my dad's 1st cousin)

Somehow, my mom, sister, and I all showed up wearing the same color shirts. Sarah was my only sibling to be in town this Thanksgiving :( , but it was special, as always, being there with her :) She is preggo with her 2nd- due in June.

I'm super jealous that all of the sibs with be together for Christmas.

(by the way, I've tried playing with the settings on my camera, and I'm pretty certain that I'm not quite sure what I am doing and why I am doing it- some pictures are so bright!)

My great Aunt Katharine and her daughters and granddaughters

"Margaret, give your cousin, Liam, a hug."

She kept asking to ride the dog.

This didn't turn out well.

Fun with Mimi

It was a great Thanksgiving Day. LOTS of good food (I was afraid that I wouldn't have room to enjoy all the delicious-ness, but I proved myself wrong) and sweet family time.

Onto Shreveport...

So I had this idea that ever time we go back to Shreveport as a family, I want to take a family photo in the spot where Tom proposed. Doesn't have to be the perfect pic- just documented. Totally wished we had started this a long time ago, but oh well.

Tom proposed to me in some gardens on our college campus.

Henry looking as nervous as his daddy did almost 9 years ago!

MG checking out the beautiful campus.

And here we are! :)

(ha)

My favorite

Tom snapped these pics. I love them.

Only cousin photo.

While in Shreveport, Sarah and I took my mom jean shopping, Henry watched football with Papa, we went on walks to the pond...

... and Tom and I went on 2 dates. My birthday evening, then to a friend's wedding. Good times, just us two.

Well, I made it back home without going into labor on I-20, which was my goal. It was a super bonus that I had a great time with my parents and sister, too. Next time I go back, I'll be a mom of 3.