Children's Christmas Pageant

I finally convinced Riley to join the choir at church.  He isn't really thrilled, but he definitely prefers it to sitting and listening the sermon.  The benefit of that was he was part of the children's Christmas program this year.  He made the sweetest little angel. 

Alex's choir also sang for the opening of the program.  This was one of her first times to sing with her choir.  She of course, was super excited about getting to sing in front of the whole church.  Yes she does love to sing and perform. 

It was a crazy morning though.  Randy was gone, hunting, of course so I got to do what I have done lots of lately with him working out of town was play single mom.  I rushed everyone off to Sunday School.  Got to sit down for about 20 minutes of my own class' lesson then rushed off to get everyone in place and dressed.  I was supposed to pick Riley up and have him dressed in his angel costume by 10:30.  Then I was supposed to pick Alex up and get her in line ready to sing by 10:45.   A little crazy, but I managed and everyone was dressed, and ready to sing.  On top of all that I also managed to take pictures with my camera and film it with my cell phone.  Although I somehow didn't manage to get this downloaded to the computer to add to my blog.   

Grand Prairie Lights

Last year we started another new tradition that we carried on this year, going to Grand Prairie to see the lights.  We have learned the trick.  Be in line at 6 when the doors open and eat dinner before you get in line.  That way you are at the front of the line, one of the first to see Santa, and doesn't take as long to make it through while driving because you get to set the pace. 

The lights are so pretty and all together instead of driving through multiple neighborhoods.

At the half way point, they have two rides, Santa, and snacks to buy.  Alex wanted to ride just like her brother, but then 1 minute into the ride, she is crying "I don't like this."  Luckily the ride operator just stopped the ride and let her off.  It was very nice of him and saved us from a total meltdown. 

This one was a little more Alex's speed!

After a couple of rides, we got our really good picture with Santa and then bought some hot chocolate and cotton candy as you can plainly see!  Yummy!  Although I really missed the cookies they had last year.  Very yummy and way less sticky!

Parade of Lights

The weekend after Thanksgiving, Randy left to go hunting.  Mom & Dad came over to help me get my tree up.  Somehow my one tree turned into 2 trees.  I guess that is what I get for including my over the top Christmas loving parents.  But I really didn't mind because they helped me decorate both trees and also helped me take them down after Christmas.  So I got a pretty tree with all maroon & gold and then the kids got a tree with all their yearly and fun ornaments in the dining room.  At first Riley wasn't too keen on this idea, but then he loved that he could reach mostly to the top of his tree. 

After decorating all day, we decided to go see the Fort Worth Parade of Lights.  This was something we don't usually get to do because we are usually in Pensacola.  Very cool parade, but very long!  Over 100 floats!!!  Plus super crowded.  My poor dad dropped us off to see the parade and then drove around for another 30 minutes before he found a parking spot.    But I do love this picture of everyone from after the parade. 

Then Mom took the camera so that I could be at the event too!

Definitely fun, but next year I think we will get there much earlier so that we can sit and FIND a parking spot.

Ice! 2012!

We went to ICE! again this year, but this time Randy came with us.  :)  My best friend, Teresa, had called and said that she could get 1/2 price tickets and did we want to go.  Amazingly all the schedules worked out and we were able to meet up.  It was super crowded, but so fun to be with Teresa, Smith, & J!

Here is our family shot.  Yes, the grizzly man is Randy!  LOL! I think he was doing something like No Shave November.  Whatever!  Just glad it is now gone. 

Teresa, Smith, & J

The theme this year was Merry Madgascar, which my kids were super excited about.  Yes we own all 3 Madagascar movies and watch them over and over.  Too bad the exhibit didn't have the music to go along with it.

Silly kids!  Just glad they weren't trying to put those tongues on any of the ice.

Well you can't see Alex the Lion in this picture, but my Alex just thought it was cool to see her name on the tag.

We had alot of fun and it was really great to have Randy come along and get to do something all 4 of us. 

Halloween Fun!

This is a random assortment of all the fun things we did for Halloween.  We started with Alex's school Fall Festival.  The kids sang, trunk or treated, played games for candy, and I finally got to meet her teachers!

All the school friends singing their fall songs.

That weekend was Trunk or Treat at church.  Our sunday school class voted to do a tailgate theme.  Then on Sunday morning, it turned into bringing our RV, setting up the TV to show the cowboy game, and bringing our lawn chairs.  When the Cowboy game turned south, we switched over to DJ Eric playing the different school fight songs. 

We had such a good time, hanging out in our college tshirts and collecting and giving out a ridiculous amount of candy.   The really funny part of the evening that just made my heart glow was when my kids didn't want to go to any more trunks or get any more candy.  They just wanted to go back to the RV and hand out candy.  Yes, they took over the handing out candy from the adults. 

This is all the Anchor's babies.  Yeah I guess we kind of are the baby making class. :)

Finally it was Halloween!  My adorable little Wizard & Witch.   Riley actually decided what he wanted to be first.  So he enlisted Nana to make just the right cloak.  Every good wizard needs a witch to go with him.  So I had to talk Alex out of being a princess to be a light up witch. The light up was the final selling point.

 

The neighborhood kids out scaling the neighborhood.

One final picture is of my 4th grade team at work.  The Language Arts teachers dressed in Steampunk from the book, Leviathan.  The Science teachers were mad scientists, I think.

Thanksgiving Feast

Just another great day that I missed at school.  Her first Thanksgiving feast with her friends.  I love my little turkey!

Alex's Field Trip to the Zoo

One of the side effects/benefits of Alex's new preschool is they take field trips, lots of field trips.  Well really they are just an organized day that everyone goes with their parents to the same place.  So for my dad's birthday, they got to take Alex to the Ft. Worth Zoo. 

The 2 Monkeys!

Feeding the fish together

Touching her first snake

Silly girls

I wish I was full of stories to tell you about how great the day went, but I was...well, you know...at work. :(

Yeah feeling a little sentimental tonight about missing out on all the great things my baby is doing tonight.  But don't get me wrong, I love my job and most of the time I think I'm a better mommy because I do work.  Just wish I could be there to know her school friends too.