New Year's Eve entertainment

Brian and I had a nice adult only dinner with Christine and Curt and the home for some live music.

Maya and Kirsten sang and danced and put on a show for us.

ICE

We took a family trip to the Gaylord to see ICE where they featured sculptures from "How The Grinch Stole Christmas."

It was amazing to see all the colorful ice sculptures...

and it was SO COLD. One of the employees told us they kept it at -5 degrees in the exhibit.

We were fine until we got into the room to where there was a long and congested line to slide down the ice slide. We waited for a long time. The kids were starting to get too cold...

but they finally had their turn..and the slide was their favorite part.

Air Hockey!

I got the air hockey table Grandmother and Pops gave to Mason all assembled. Mason was ready to play immediately.

We have had a lot of fun matches, but so far he always wins!

Thanks Grandmother and Pops! The table is a big hit.

Christmas afternoon

I start with some of Mason's fine art work. He made this poster for Gigi and Hidy that has double T's for Tech, of course, but also the T for "Trinity" high school. He and Maya became pretty big fans of my alma mater and the STATE CHAMPS by going to some games with Hidy and Gigi this season.

Mason and Daddy relaxing...

Maya opening her stocking at Gigi's... Santa leaves one for them there too... nice, huh?!

Mason shows one of the books from his stocking...

Maya was cute telling Paloma a secret...

Paloma and Maya love their cousin Lala a.k.a. Lauren...

Maya and Paloma were "riding their horses to a party"...

WHITE Christmas!!

M&M had so much fun playing in the pretty snow.

They both made snow angels, snowballs, and we made a snowman together.

Christmas Morning 2009

Santa was really thoughtful this year. He left a note on the coffee table explaining to the kids that their presents were up high on the mantel in gift bags and that they should wait for their Mom and Dad to wake up to open them. Mason did wake early, and he did find the letter... he did read it, but he thought it said something about presents on the porch FOR his parents...or something (I can't remember exactly...) but when I woke up and was walking with him to the living room, he said, "Santa left a note and something on the porch for you and Daddy".... I said "REALLY??" We had to go read the note together... :)

I love Maya's expression when she saw her pink Nintendo DS.

And Mason had ANOTHER note in his gift bag telling him to go look somewhere else for something that wouldn't fit in the bag...a BIKE for our house. He has one that we keep and Hidy and Gigi's.... he was MOST excited that this bike has a KICK STAND! haha

Maya got lots of Three Musketeers Barbies...

Brian wanted to get Mason a bow this year...

Maya was excited to see a big, fancy, pink tutu from Grandmother and Pops...

and immediately she put it on and twirled around!

Mason got a really cool air hockey table from Grandmother and Pops!

We all had a wonderful Christmas -- thanks to everyone for the gifts!

Raider's Christmas

Raider was very excited to get into his presents. Grandmother and Pops were kind enough to actually wrap him a present....

He picked it up and carried it off to open it himself...

He was so cute chewing off the wrapping paper...

And he was excited and thankful to see a new box of treats!!