Take a deep breath…slow down…and pause for a moment.  December is chaotic.  I often wake up and it’s December 26th and I wonder, where did this month go?  It’s so important to remind yourself to stop and reflect on why we celebrate this season in the first place.

Thank God for the many blessings in your life and pray for those less fortunate.  Remember those who have lost loved ones.  Remember the thousands of men and women over seas fighting for our freedom; and remember that they too are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, aunts, and uncles who all have families at home missing them terribly.  Remember those that are sick, especially children who are spending their Christmas holiday in the hospital.  I cannot imagine the toll that must take on their families. Remember those who are cold, hungry, tired, overworked, or lonely.  Pray that God’s grace will bring them comfort tonight.

Most of all I pray that each of you will remember God has given us this brief moment on earth.  Treasure it.  Be grateful. Be humble. Forgive and most importantly, love.  Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.

I’m happy to report our Christmas cards were mailed a record 5 days prior to Christmas…how’s that for timing?  Here are a few pics from our family photo shoot with Shane Kyle.  We’ve know him for several years and he has done a beautiful job with quite an opinionated little family.  You’ve got three sisters trying to run the show, wrangle their children, make sure our hair is flipped to the right side, critique each other on our smiles, and position our husbands. He is SO patient, let me tell you.

I absolutely love this picture and I love my sisters even more.

I’m sure Tommy will appreciate this shot one day…I’m thinking high school or wedding slideshow.

Until next time…

If your idea of Friday fun includes a two hour trip to the Bass Pro Shops Winter Wonderland…you might grow up to be a redneck.

If you are more interested in the interactive NASCAR game complete with coordinating gear, than you are in Santa…you might grow up to be a redneck.

If your idea of a ride in Santa’s sleigh includes the Arctic Cat ATV and your favorite limited edition, Jeff Gordan hat…you might grow up to be a redneck.

All jokes aside, we had more fun at Bass Pro Shops with the kids than I could have ever imagined!  They have a fabulous FREE Winter Wonderland complete with Santa (which we avoided like the plague) and a carousel.  If you forgot where you were for just a moment, you were quickly reminded as you hopped aboard. This was no ordinary carousel…instead of choosing a horse you had the unique option to ride on a bear, moose, or deer.  My niece Julia couldn’t be more of a little lady so to see her intense attraction to the world of NASCAR clearly provided us with hours of entertainment.

Tommy, on the other hand, couldn’t have been less interested in the NASCAR game.

I think he preferred a little face time with the locals.

It’s December 2011 and you are 18 months old my darling little man. You’ve made some big strides since our last check up!

You weigh 26 lbs. (60%), your head is 19.5 in (85%), and you are 33 3/4 in tall (85%).  Your favorite foods include pancakes, grapes, blueberry waffles, pancakes, oranges, blueberry waffles, grapes, and did I mention pancakes?  That about sums up your eating…yea, it freaks your mom and dad out but Dr. C says you’re A-OK my love.  Being that you are the son of Rob and Christin we can’t quite figure out why you don’t necessarily love food, but we can’t WAIT for the day when you wake up and literally will not stop eating…we are standing by.

You absolutely adore you cousin J and love saying, “Hi!” to her every morning on the phone.  Your words are abundant and deliberate.  Today in the doctor’s office you turned to the wallpaper full of animals and very distinctly pointed to the hippo and said, “Hippo!”  Really?

You’ll make your debut appearance on Mad Men in the months ahead.

We adore you, we sit and stare at you, we laugh at you, we tickle you, we laugh with you, we hold you, we snuggle with you, and we love you.  Here’s to 18 amazing months Mr. T!

Can you even handle these little loves?

Meet Brooke & Cooper.  The cutest little Baylor Bears on the block.

This little man is a heart breaker!  One look in those sweet eyes and you will melt.  His hobbies include Baylor football, smiling, and playing with Miss Brooke!

And this little lady…well, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love her.  She is literally one of the most laid back babies I have ever met.  Brooke is sweet, tender and full of smiles!  Her hobbies include snuggling with mama & dada, skyping with her aunt and cousins in Japan, and her fabulous play mat full of lights and sounds.

These babies are too precious for words.