AGGIE FOOTBALL

If you know me then you know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Aggie Football!! This was suppose to be our year. The year of the AGGIES!! Well anyone who watched our season knew after the 4th game that clearly it was NOT going to the be the year for the Aggies! Oh well, its not like Aggie fans hadn't lived through a disappointing season before. But, as bad as our season was we did still manage to make it to a bowl game and as luck would have it they ended up at the Mieneke Car Care Bowl of Texas which is played in Houston, TX at Reliant Stadium. I teetered back and forth about whether or not to buy tickets to the game (I mean come on they were practically playing right in my back yard how could I not go?) So of course in true Emily style I waited till the day before the game and finally decided that yes, I think I will buy tickets to the game. So I bought 3 tickets, 1 for myself, 1 for my brother Joshua and 1 for Mason. Now, this was exciting!! This would be Mason's very first Aggie game and what a way to experience it by getting to go to Reliant Stadium to watch it. He had the BEST time and it was a great game with a great outcome!! It was exactly what the Aggie's needed to take us into the SEC next season!!

Mason taking in Relant

Mason and Uncle Joshua

The Fightin Texas Aggie Band!

Thanks and Gig 'em!!

Fiesta Texas

On December 28th we (my whole family incl. parents, sisters, nieces, nephews, brothers) went to Fiesta Texas. It was something different for us to do over the holidays and the kids had a blast!! My children are absolute ride junkies!! Its a good thing that I am into them too b/c Derrek gets motion sick riding them and I am the only one they have that can ride with them. The park was all decorated for the holidays and it wasn't nearly as busy as it is in the peak season of summer. Mason could ride almost all the kid rides by himself and Samantha about half of them with an adult. Let me just tell you that it is not a pretty sight when brother can ride one that she cant. Oh lordy!

Here we are on the tea cups

Mason and I on the 8 ball ride

Gotta love the old faithful carousel

The swings. This was one that he could ride on his own and Samantha had to ride with an adult. Given the size of the swings Mason had to sit by himself and he was an absolute trooper about it.

Between Kemah and this I think we have definitely had our fill of amusement park rides for a while, but the kids sure are looking forward to the day that we get to go back and do this all again. :)

Christmas Eve and Christmas

Yes, I realize how late I am with this post so I will let the pictures do the talking. Hope everyone had a great holiday. I know we sure did!!

Christmas Eve

Making Santa's cookies

Best Family Picture we got from the night. I know it is blasphemous that we did not get dressed up on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Eve the kids get to open all their gifts from aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc..We currently reserve Christmas Day for nothing but SANTA. I figure they only believe in him for so long so I am going to hold on to that for as long as I can. :)

Christmas Day

The discovery of the loot

This picture cracks me up b/c she was jumping up and down and her curls are in full flight

Tearing into all of it

The gift of the YEAR!!!

This is one of the many angelic face shots we got of our sweet girl that morning

Ofcourse after it was all open we had to play with EVERYTHING!!

Both my kids jamming out!

As you can see we had some serious holiday success over here. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Our first Gingerbread House

I admit that I am a bad mommy and have never made a gingerbread house with my kids. I always thought it was way to messy to do and just didn't want to mess with all of it. :) Well, on December 23rd we went to have dinner with Derrek's Aunt LeeAnn and her kids (Ashley, Daniel and Travis). It was so great to see them!! It had been so long they had actually never met Samantha before and she is 2. :) Well, the kids were so excited to find out that they had gone out and gotten them a Gingerbread house to build. Daniel and Travis handled the structure part and then the kids got to decorate it. It actually went much more smoothly then I thought it would and a big thanks to Travis for decorating it with the kids.

Uncle Travis patiently watching the kids decorate the house

Helping Samantha with her decorating

Our house in progress

Samantha tasting as she goes

Our finished product

The kids eating the rest of the treats that didnt go on the house

Thank you Kozak Family for such a fun evening. We should absolutely do it more often. :)

Samantha's program/The christmas train/A playdate

Since I have fallen behind I am having to lump a bunch of our December activities together. Oh well, at least it is all still getting blogged right? :)

Before school let out for the holidays Samantha's class had a parent luncheon/program. All the kids were so cute but I have to admit (and I probably wouldn't be the only one to say it) but Samantha stole the show. She stood next to the teacher and did the hand motions and sang all the songs. Every time the music started this child was dancing. It was adorable!! I wish I knew how to put videos on here so that I could show you all just how great she did, but regular pics will just have to cut it though. :)

Samantha and one of her favorite friends Madeline waiting for the music to start

In full dance and sing mode

Singing to her hearts content

In mid clap for herself (you can tell she just finished dancing too)

The night after the singing and dancing debut of the great Samantha we made a last minute trip to ride the Christmas Train at Victory Camp in Alvin. This was the second year that we took this little adventure with the Smith family and it was just as fun as it was the year before. The kids loved riding the train and seeing all the light displays.

My kids waiting for their turn to ride the train

All the kids together waiting to ride the train

The boys on the train

Samantha with her daddy on the train

The next week on the 22nd we had a Christmas Pajama Playdate with the Smiths and the Burkharts. The kids wore their pj's and we put on christmas movies and had some breakfast. We also decorated cookies.

Here they all are watching their show and eating breakfast

After breakfast and some crazy play time it was cookie decorating time!!

All the kids had a blast and it was a great way to start off Christmas weekend festivities.