Merry Christmas

This Christmas I am thankful for my two amazing children, my thoughtful husband, the opportunity to be in our own home together making memories, a chance to rest and reflect on the year and the joy of celebrating our Saviour's birth. We have been in Kansas City for quite a few Christmas' and while I miss my family, I really have cherished the slower pace of not traveling and being home. I know our kids have needed time together and I find I have needed it myself. I am feeling so much more rested that I have in a long time.

Since we are moving, we haven't decorated for Christmas. On Christmas Eve I got the kids stocking things ready, but there were no stocking. So, I made up a story about how Santa came but couldn't find the stockings so he improvised with pillow cases. I brought Grant up to speed on my elaborate tale and I think he may have felt it was a stretch. I went to bed and in the morning Cadie came into our room at about 3pm (very normal for her to arrive in our bed at this time) and said something about Christmas magic. I assumed she had seen the gifts I left out, but didn't think much more of it. In the morning Cadie and I walked into the living room together and there was garland, lights, stockings and a TREE!! Grant had stayed up after we all went to bed and decorated!!!! It WAS magical and so very very thoughtful of him. It made the day so special and Cadie looked at the tree for about an hour before we moved on to opening the gifts. Thank you Grant!!!

In their stockings the kids both received water bottles, small pillow pets and M&Ms. Cadie got a special treat from Santa because he brought her a new "little brown blanket." She lost her little blanket (a baby gift from my good friend Billie Ryan) a few months ago and we had picked out a replacement but she never felt it was the same because the new one is all pink and not pink AND brown. When she wrote her letter to Santa she surprised me by saying she wanted to ask Santa to find little brown blanket. My mom searched and searched and found it!! Cadie was so happy and she has been attached to it since Christmas. In addition to the stockings each of the kids received two gifts from us. Cadie got a jewelery box and some small princess figurine dolls and Jack Ranger received a musical instrument set and cars.

My sad attempt improvising with pillow cases.

Christmas magic!! Dad Santa made everything so much better.

Jack Ranger would have been just as happy with that stick!

We have had lots of fun already with the music set. These adorable jammies are from my Aunt Kathy. Thank you!!

Cadie and Jack Ranger received a Jeep at DD and Big Johns! We can't wait to use it in our big new backyard.

At Christmas Eve dinner at Charlotte Flower's house Cadie played with their cat ALL day. The cat was such a good sport and let Cadie pet him, chase him, and pick him up.

Jack Ranger and Tia on Christmas Eve. The handsome sweater is from my sister Bethany - Thank you!! JR has been wearing it so much and I think he is such a handsome boy in it. Wish I had been able to find the cords to match but they are MIA at the moment :)

Cadie and Winky decorating a ginger bread house the week before Christmas.

Musical Houses

We are moving in 25 days!! We hadn't planned for a move at this particular time, but the pieces all came together seemlessly and we believe it is God's plan for our family.

We have some rental properties and this one in particular has been giving us some trouble (We call it the Mimosa house because that is the street it is on in Preston Hollow). The current renters need to move out because it is too expensive for them, the rent doesn't cover the morgage, the interest rate is high but we haven't been able to refinance because it is a rental property, the property is rundown and in serious need of some upkeep, etc. Anyway, a family emailed us about one of our other properties and when we sent them the information they replied that the house wasn't quite right for them as they were looking for something with 4+ bedrooms, with a pool, in the Moss Haven school district. We said, interesting - that sounds like our house. They came and looked at it that same day and we had a lease worked out a few days later.

This move will allow us the option to refinance the Mimosa house, it will give the kids a huge backyard and playroom, Grant will be able to fix up the house over time to get it in better condition to lease again in the future or sell and I won't have to be so worried about the pool (i have nightmares of kids drowning).

We are going to miss our neighborhood friends the most. We are only moving about 3 miles away but we will miss running into everyone on the street and in the alley. Our Club Meadows house has been wonderful for us - our safe haven after the Vegas debacle, bringing both babies home here, lots of fun grilling and in the pool with friends and family, having the Dildines and then Lindsey live with us and making some of my closest friends right on our street. Still, my heart has been prepared for this move and while I am not looking forward to the headache of moving, I know the Mimosa house will be a wonderful place for our family (including Mary).

Let me know if you are interested in packing!!! My dining room is already full of boxes ready to be filled. Jan. 19 is the target move date. AHHHHHH

This picture is from 2010. Grant just sodded the yard this past Sept. and it looks so much better.

The family room is more filled these days with toys.

Our kitchen eating areas with the custom wine rack that Grant built.

And out to the pool that we have loved and that now has me worried sick.

Grant also built the awesome fire pit.

Dining Room

Entry way with the beautiful glass walls that I grew to love.

The upstairs loft which the kids use as a playroom.

Our bedroom.

 

The upstairs addition which Grant worked so hard to design. This is now Mary's room and has also been called the Honeymoom Suite.

Six Flags Holiday in the Park

This past Wednesday I had taken the afternoon off work and Grant's schedule was pretty free so we headed out at 3pm for Holiday in the Park at Six Flags. Shauna and Avery joined us and we were having so much fun we didn't leave the park until about 9pm. We rode so many rides, but the girls' favorite was a swing ride and they rode it about 10 times in a row. It was a little chilly but not too bad and everyone stayed warms in hats and coats and with lots of hot chocolate.

Yippee!! Six Flags!!!

My first ride (The sombrero) with Dad.

Avery's first ride at the park. She was a little nervous but was glad she and Cadie could go together. She loved it and yelled, "Look at me!!" down to us.

"Even thought I am too small for most of the rides and my mom made me wear my sister's hat with pink on it - I still had a great time!"

"Mom and I liked watching Cadie on the rides."

Avery's first ever roller coaster ride!

On the hot air balloon ferris wheel as our first ride of the evening.

This is the ride that Cadie and Avery rode over and over and over and over...

On the way home Cadie was insisting she was not tired. Hmmm...

Aren't they stunning?

Jack Ranger in the front + 2 princesses in the back = one full and fluffy stroller

Nanny Mary Pics, Part 2

More pictures and texts from the adventures of nanny mary. Everything in quotes are the cute texts that Mary sends me with pictures throughout the day.

11/16: "JR was crawling around downstairs and suddenly I couldn't hear him. So I jumped up to go see if he was ok. But I couldn't hear him anywhere... And then I stumbled upon this, He is so silly."

11/22 Cadie, Jack Ranger, Dad and Mary have lunch at Gattiland.

Cadie and Mary on the Frog Hopper.

11/30 At Central Market grocery shopping with Mary, "The world's best shopping buddies."

12/6 "I left JR playing and trying to put clothes in the washer... "

"But I returned to find him sporting new headwear... He had a hard time walking around blind though..."

"So he resorted to a necklace and went about playing with his toys."
If case you haven't noticed, those are Mommy's panties! When Mary sent me these I was laughing out loud at in my office at work.

July 2011 - Mary is in culinary school and she cooks for us all the time! She is just so amazing.

12/7 "New game: Cadie runs around the house in her snow white dress while I try to throw the blue hair curlers at the skirt part (they stick to it like velcro!). Then she laughs and rips them off, JR picks them up and brings them to me. Lol we probably played this for an hour dying laughing the whole time."

12/13, "Cadie moment of the day (well so far lol): As we are walking to the car, 1 hand is holding mine, the other is across her stomach tightly gripping her heavy jacket, I didn't think anything of it since the lawn men were there, I just figured she was scared. As I buckle her in, both of her arms were across the lower part of her stomach tightly, I found it odd, but after asking if she feels ok, she assures me that she's fine. So as we are getting out of the car at school I reach across and unbuckle her so she can get out on JR's side after I get him out. While she's standing next to JR's car seat waiting on her turn, I see her holding tightly to her lower stomach. Very concerned, I'm in the middle of asking her again if she feels ok when I see a glimmer of something sparkling. The little stinker was trying to sneak all of her faires to school in her pockets!!! Hahahaha She was so funny when I caught her. I don't remember exactly what she said but was half laughing half disappointed that I had foiled her scheme."

12/13, " Not quite as good as this morning: Cadie in about as thick hick accent as a 3 yr old can have, "oh jack ranger, you aaare breakin' muh haart."

12/13, "I had an idea yesterday when I  heard it several times, but after this morning I am sure, JR has named me "Me-yam-E" It melted my heart! He's such a sweetie!"

12/13, "It is hard for me with naps with Cadie because lately we have sooo much fun together so I hate putting her down when he's being perfect."

Nanny Mary's Pics, Part 1

Nanny Mary is so wonderful to send me pictures and texts throughout the day so I know what the kiddos are up to. Here are some pictures from Mary and also the captions/texts she includes. She is the BEST!

9/7/11: Cadie just told me all I am good for is juice, gum and snuggles. Hahaha

9/7/11 - Off to the zoo

She tried to kiss the penguin!

She is fearless! Kissing the snake!

Cadie's other favorite of the day (of whom we HAD to see multiple times today too.) She felt bad that he was albino and didn't have any color, so she named him Greeny.

September 27-18 while Mom is on a business trip to New York. Cadie went to stay with Nina and Papa so Mary and Jack Ranger are hanging out together.

Hi mom, today I learned to hold ms. Mary's phone to my ear and say "heh-yo". and then I discovered that all my toys made excellent play phones so now I hold them all to my ear and say "heh-yo"

Good morning mom! This morning I have been very opinionated and demanding to ms. Mary. So after several attempts at trying to stop me from crawling on the table, ms. Mary put me on the ground. So obviously, learning from my sister, I threw a fit and yelled "momma, momma, momma" over and over again.

Hi mom. Today I become a professional noodle slurper...and ate half of ms. Mary's lunch.

Although actually getting them into my mouth is a little tricky.

 October 5 Mary takes the kids to the Children's Aquarium for Cadie's birthday adventure.

So we're out on our fish adventure and I asked Cadie if she wanted to stop and get lunch before we kept going. She said yes! I want donuts! Please?!.... The hot light was on so I caved... hopefully the crash off the sugar will mean good naps.

We're 2 donuts in... the sugar rush is kicking in... I'm beginning to regret this

Oh ya... definitely regretting

October 26: They had so much fun at the aquarium that they headed back just for fun. The Rangers were in the playoffs so Mary had the kids in their Rangers gear.