My bro is coming home today for Christmas

I am so excited that my younger brother is coming home today for Christmas! Since he moved to Orlando in May it has been such an adjustment getting used to him living so far away. I am very proud of him though for doing his own thing and being willing to move where the Lord has called him to work. Noon can't get here soon enough... I hope his flight is on time!!

(this pic is from his going away party in May...after this party I cried all the way home cause it really hit me that he was leaving)

Happy Anniversary mom and dad

I just wanted to say Happy 37th Anniversary to my mom and dad! How cool to be with someone you love for 37 years! I just realized today that when Jimmy and I have our 37th anniversary we will be 64 years old... WOW! Mom and dad aren't nearly that old because they got married MUCH younger than Jimmy and I did!

Mom and dad actually met in the 8th grade so they have known each other for 44 years! However, they didn't start dating until their Senior year of high school and didn't get married until their Senior year of college.

CONGRATULATIONS mom and dad!

(this pic is from Easter and since I couldn't find one of just them I am using one with my brother in it)

Live Nativity and Christmas tree village

Tonight the First United Methodist Church in Keller had a live Nativity so we took Anna to see that as well as their Christmas tree village. She had the best time seeing all the animals and quickly spotted Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus. She also loved the Christmas tree village and kept running to each tree telling us which colors and ornaments she liked best. It was so fun to watch her and see how happy something so simple made her!

Veggie Tales playdough

This has to be one of the best gifts Anna has ever gotten. For Anna's birthday my parents gave her this giant Bob the Tomato full of Veggie Tales playdough and little pieces to make a few of the characters.... she is obsessed. We play this at least 5 times a day and have since she got it last Sunday night. I love toys like this that are very "hands on" and creative and boy has it provided hours of entertainment! Thanks for the gift Pop and Nana!

North Park Christmas 2

North Park Christmas

Today we spent the day at North Park. We took Anna to see the toy Christmas train display and of course she did her favorite slides! If you haven't done the trains, they are really neat... Anna LOVED them. She liked them last year too but this year she was really into it! It was such a fun Christmas weekend... I LOVE these moments so much when we spend all day just hanging out as a family! I am so blessed to have a husband who truly enjoys these times... even at the mall! =) He is so good about leaving his work behind on Friday afternoon and totally focusing on his family!! He is always thinking of fun family things for us to do and I can't tell you how much that means to me! Love you JZ!!

Birthday weekend fun part 2

Of course Anna had a great time at all the other birthday parties this past weekend but her favorite was Sunday night when the family came over to celebrate her birthday! =)

We had Jimmy's mom (Grandma), Jimmy's brother, his wife, their two boys and my mom and dad (Pop and Nana). It was really fun for Anna to have them all there to celebrate her birthday and she got lots of fun things as well. Jimmy and I got her a scooter which she had specifically said she wanted! We have a long stretch of tile floors in the house and it makes the best place to ride her hotwheel and now the scooter... it is esp. nice when the weather is cold and rainy! She has ridden it NON-STOP since Sunday night! =)

Birthdays are so much fun and I know next year will be even more fun with TWO little girls having birthdays... we'll just have to see how close their birthdays are... being 8 1/2 months pregnant I am hoping for CLOSE!!! =)

BTW - A little side note.... the birthday fun was just not the same without one of Anna's favorite people... her "unclee" John! We missed you John and we love you!! Can't wait to see you at Christmas!!