Snow!

December brought snow to Texas. Well, at least snow showers. And at a perfect time - we discovered the big flakes just as we were heading out to take Gracie to school.




Everyone (even Elvis) got a few minutes to enjoy the flurries.


I don't remember if she said it tasted like chocolate or vanilla!


Clara's picture was snapped when she was getting a little cold, but she had a grand time, too!


It was John Michael's first time to really "experience" snow. And that was a happy boy! Joy!

New Stuff

So I saw JM jump, jump, jumping around Gracie & Clara's room tonight & I realized I should note that new achievement. He gets the honor of being the youngest to learn to jump. He beat Clara by just a few months, but Gracie by almost a whole year. Poor Gracie - Mommy was a little overprotective and didn't like that whole jumping thing!!!

On a funny note, JM was jumping because Clara had skinned her knee earlier in the evening and was insisting on hopping everywhere (yet it was okay to sit on her knees at dinner time and at the computer ... hmmmm).

And Clara went from one monkey bar to the next. She's frustrated that she can't move on to the third one yet, but I told her to keep trying. To which she responded, "I'll probably be *six* before I can do it." Oh the woes of a four-year old.

No funnies on Gracie right now. The poor girl is sick again, so it's probably harder to be entertaining for your parents when you are not feeling well!

Christmas Tree Decorating

Even though we got the tree up nice and early (Thanksgiving weekend, can you believe it?), this post is a little late. But at least it's still before Christmas!

As usual, I got the fun task of actually sticking the tree together - I thought maybe Clara might stick it out and help me, but those branches are awfully prickly and tricky to get into those slots on the tree. So I finally got it all up & then I took a break. When I next saw the tree, it had been decorated with the first round of ornaments and I got a good chuckle.

Here's a sampling of the decorating mania. I'll post later with the final version of the tree.


Everyone was a helper. It was hard to concentrate on hanging that candy cane with those cute dogs around. It was tempting to stop and push the button and make them bark "Jingle Bells."


Number 2 with the 2-handed approach to make sure she gets to hang her fair share of candy canes.


Our tall girl getting them up as high as she can.

The "finished" product (at least for that night).