Christmas Festivities

This past weekend was filled with the first of many festivities to come this holiday season.  We started the weekend out by having Breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning.  It was a fun time of fellowship with other families at our church and the kids had a blast.  Dalton was a little unsure of Santa for the first five seconds or so, but quickly overcame his uneasiness and climbed onto his lap.  We had asked Dalton several times the night before and morning of what he planned to tell Santa he wanted for Christmas.  Each time he responded with a Sit and Spin.  (Yes, we realize he is probably a little too big for this toy.  He played with one at a friend’s house a few weeks ago and has been stuck on wanting one ever since.)  When he climbed onto Santa’s lap that morning and Santa asked Dalton what he would like Santa to bring him from the North Pole, he quickly responded with a hippopotamus.  He told Santa an elaborate story about how the hippo could live in our backyard and he could play with the cows that live in the pasture behind our house.  He included details about how the cows could jump over the fence and everything.  Needless to say, we were laughing uncontrollably at this point.  Addie, on the other hand, was content just playing with Santa’s beard.  Perhaps next year she will ask for a Polar Bear or something else just as comical.  Here are the pictures of Dalton telling Santa his detailed story of his Christmas Wish.

 

We also attended the annual Schertz Christmas Light Parade.  The joys of living in a small community outside of San Antonio are that they find any and every reason to hold a parade.  I think this is the third or fourth parade this year.  They bring out every fire truck, police car, ambulance, flat bed trailer and tractor the city has to offer, put a few steamers or lights on the side and have the locals wave from the back.  It’s great fun for the kids and gives families an opportunity to spend the evening together making memories.  After the parade, we walked over to the park where bouncers, games, a sledding hill and a train ride was set up for the kids to enjoy.  The weather was a bit chilly, so we had Dalton pick three activities.  He, of course, rode the train, played on the “snow” covered hill and went down an incredibly tall bouncy slide.  He was disappointed to leave so soon, but when you see the picture of our tired little girl, you’ll understand.

Horse drawn carriage and the llamas.

Riding on the train.

Playing in the snow and our sleepy girl.

And he never even thought twice about sliding down.

The Season is Upon Us

Well, it’s official.  At least in our household.  The Christmas Season is here!  Yay!  The tree is up, Dalton and I made our first Gingerbread house together and Christmas music can be heard anytime we get in the car now.  I absolutely love this time of year. 

This year we are hoping to continue several family traditions in hopes that the true meaning of Christmas can shine through.   This Saturday, we are looking forward to taking Dalton and Addie to our church to have “Breakfast with Santa” and selecting an ornament off the Angel Tree.  We did this last year, but didn’t feel Dalton really understood why we were buying gifts for other children.  This year I’m hoping that he is able to understand how fortunate we are and that getting to help others is a very special thing.  We are also looking forward to being in San Angelo over the holidays and taking the kids to Blake’s childhood church for the Candlelight Christmas Eve service.  Last year we attended the service at our church in San Antonio.  Dalton loved the candles of course.  However, it was a challenge keeping him entertained through the rest of the service.  Hopefully this year, the story told with captivate his interest and heart.

 

Here are a few pictures of our future engineer constructing one of many masterpieces to come.

 

The walls go up.

Decorating the roof.

It’s all finished and now I can eat the leftovers.

Taking a break from building to play with my baby sister.

Look Who is Crawling

Just a little over a month ago, we were so excited because Addison had learned to sit up all by herself (and just in time for Halloween pictures).  She quickly turned that into getting onto all fours and rocking back and forth.  About a week ago, she accomplished crawling backwards.  And now (drum roll please)…. She’s CRAWLING. And although we are very excited, part of me does wish she would have waited until the Christmas tree came down for the season.  Instead she started crawling the day after it was put up.  Blake insists that it must have been her motivation (and the train chugging along around the bottom).  Gone are the days of leaving her happily playing with her toys on the living room floor as a I run up and down the stairs doing laundry and the like.  Blake and I were both very excited to see her crawling across the floor this evening, but I don’t think our excitement even compares to her big brother’s.  He is so proud of his baby sister.  Here are a few pictures of her newly learned skill.  We tried our best to get a few action shots, but she is faster than our camera.

Happy Thanksgiving

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!  We traveled home to San Angelo for the holidays to spend time with our families.  Being both from the same hometown gives us the privilege of getting to see everyone, and the opportunity to eat turkey at four different family get-togethers!  We ate so much turkey that I don’t think any of us can stand to see another one for at least at year. 

Daddy and Dalton enjoying the first Thanksgiving dinner.

Dalton and his cousin playing dominoes.

Addison is showing off her semi-crawling skills.

   Dalton has been raiding Grandma’s jewelry drawer. 

Trophy Hunter in Training

The next generation of Lacy trophy hunters has formally entered training with his first hunting trip.  While no shots were fired in this initial round, the will was there and we managed to stay quiet enough to see several deer, including a nice 8-point. 

 

 

 

Grandpa Lance took Dalton out again a couple of nights later.  Although nothing was killed, Dalton made up a great story about Grandpa shooting a doe; complete with the most minute details of how they put it in the truck and the dog was scared of it. 

Dalton has not stopped talking about his hunting trips since we came home.  Hopefully within a few years and a little more training Dalton will turn into a prize trophy hunter.  

Baking Pies

With Thanksgiving only a day away, it was time to head to the kitchen to start making some goodies.  Dalton was a big help as always.

  

 

 

Here he is helping Mommy measure out all the ingredients.  Never too early to start learning a few math skills. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here he is helping to clean up.  The most important part of baking pies right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready to go into the oven.  Now the wait begins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our finished product, Chocolate Chip Walnut Pie.  Doesn’t that look yummy?  The only bad part….we have to wait another day to taste it.

“Great” Grandma

After a trip out to Miles this weekend to visit the Lacy Grandparents, we headed back into town to visit the Franco Grandparents.  Dalton always loves to visit their house.  The dining room, living room, hallway and bedroom make a big circle around the house that he uses to run laps.  If I only had a tenth of his energy sometimes…..

 

Here are a few pictures of Addie with her Great Grandma Molly.

 

Home for the Holidays

The family traveled home (to San Angelo) for the holidays this past weekend.  Mommy, Dalton and Addison are staying the whole week.  Daddy had to head back to San Antonio on Sunday for work, but the family is counting down until his return on Wednesday.  Here are a few pictures of the kids with Great Grandma and Grandpa Lacy.

Addie, Grandma and Trapper.  Trapper is so good around the kids and of course they love to play with him.

 

What are the chances that everyone is looking at the camera!?!  This picture just may need to be framed.

After seeing Grandpa with Addie this weekend, I’m pretty sure he’d have another little one running around the house if Grandma would allow it.  Trapper wouldn’t have any objections.

 

 

Daddy also took Dalton out to the pasture for his first hunting adventure.  Blake will be postings some pictures from that later. 

(Hint, hint, nudge, nudge)