And the curtains were hung on the windows with care...

We finally got the curtains in the kitchen made and hung. Maybe the kitchen remodel will be finished in 2011... maybe :)

So... do we need a window treatment over the back door? I can't decide!

Merry Christmas 2010

HOPE YOURS WAS AS MERRY AS OURS!

Impromptu Group Dinner

We've been trying to schedule a Group Dinner forever but with end of the year parties and such its been impossible. So Lori emailed yesterday and wanted to see if we could all get together this week (she had some leftover desserts she wanted to get rid of from her annual Holiday Sweets party) ~ Sheri & Patrick and our family were available (Krista & Derek were busy bees this week and couldn't make it) so we scheduled it! Tonight with the kids at Kevin & Lori's house ~ spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and wine. The kids played outside, upstairs, and hide and seek throughout the house while we ate. Great night!

The Heard Museum

The weather today was amazing and not wanting to stay inside (it was 80 today) we decided to find something outdoorsy to do. Having just bought a family membership to the Heard Museum, the kids and I (along with my parents) decided that was where we wanted to spend the day. They currently have the Dinosaurs Live exhibit along with the butterfly garden and the awesome Bugs exhibit so it was a packed 3 hours. We packed a picnic lunch and ate at the table in the woods and then headed into the museum. We toured the Bugs exhibit, excavated a dinosaur and then took the 1/2 mile trail to check out the animatronic dinosaurs. The weather was beautiful and the kids had a blast.

Total Lunar Eclipse

A total lunar eclipse on the winter solstice ~ 1:30 a.m.

Ryan and I have been in and out since the eclipse started around 12:30 a.m. trying to decide when we should wake the kids up :)

We woke the kids up around 1 am when the moon was a little over half eclipsed and went and laid outside in the front yard under heavy blankets to take in the fabulous lunar eclipse. Kids were cold and a bit complainy (it is one in the morning) but it was cool to be out there taking it in together.

Hope everyone got to see the eclipse ~ it was pretty cool and apparently there won't be another total lunar eclipse on the winter solstice until 2094.

A Year in Status Updates 2010

It's funny to see your entire year summed up in a handful of Facebook posts :)

Christmas Sugar Cookie Decorating 2010

We just got home from 5 hours of sugar cookie decorating - a time honored family tradition. This year my family, my in laws and my sister's new in laws all came and we had a blast!!

This year mom made corn chowder and fish stew along with two delicious salads. We ate lunch and then got to work cutting out cookies, decorating cookies, and eating cookies!

Dad, Mark, Ryan, and Ryan got to try out Dad's newly built horseshoe pit and once we all got done decorating we gathered around the baby grand piano to sing Christmas carols.

Mom also got each of us a decorative cookie box to bring home our cookies in :)

School Christmas Parties

Both of the kiddos had their class Christmas Parties on the same day at around the same time! Got to hit the beginning of Little Miss's party this morning and the end of Little Man's party.

Lots of sugar, snacks, crafts, and book exchanges ~ we are officially out for the year!

Lara's Wedding

My sister is officially married!

This morning Andra and Vicki threw a Bridal Luncheon for Lara at a winery in Grapevine. Awesome food and wine!

And tonight my sister and Ryan got married. Beautiful wedding, fabulous reception. Little Miss made it through the wedding (that started at 9pm) and then crashed at the reception - she was asleep on a couple of chairs by 10:15pm. Little Man made it a bit longer but crashed on the chairs around 11pm. My toast went great and then we danced the night away!

I don't have any pictures of the actual wedding or reception that I took because I was busy :) but I hope to post some once we get the photographer's pictures! I did steal some wedding pics from Facebook though :)

Here are some of the pictures that we do have from today.

Bridal luncheon and Lara getting her makeup done...

Little Miss getting her hair sprayed and Lara getting her hair done...

Dad and Lara just before the wedding (Dad is giving her one of his "talks") and My boys getting ready and looking so spiffy...

Dad and Lara walking down the aisle and Lara and Ryan dancing to Low on the way down the aisle