Welcome, 2012!

Happy New Year! We spent to first day of the new year sleepy because we stayed up way past our bedtime, and had to be at church by 8:45. We met Meemaw, Peepaw and James at Lucky Panda for lunch, attempted to take naps, played at the park, and eagerly awaited the Cowboys vs. Giants game (so far that isn't turning out very well). Claire thought it was so cool to have a "soccer shirt" just like Mommies!

We spent New Year's Eve with close friends and family at our home this year. We weren't sure until the very last minute if we were going to be able to host this little get together with our kiddos running fever all week, but everyone woke up fever free!

The kids enjoyed being all together.

Mr. Levi brought over some cool fireworks much to the children's excitement. We set them off in the field across the street then ran all ran as fast as we could into the house.

Claire and Peepaw watching the fireworks

Davin didn't even make it to our east coast toast. He is asleep next to Meemaw under all those pillows.
This is the 7th New Year's Eve gathering in a row we have spent with the Wentworths and the Sterns.
The kids all enjoyed jumping of the Seale children's new trampoline. It is their favorite gift from Mom and Dad!

I have proof the teenagers were here!

(Levi, Ashlea, and baby Minnie above, and James, Michelle, and baby girl Shields below)
We have been so blessed by and are very thankful for these friendships.

The first New Year's Eve kiss of the evening!

Ben, Sarah, Rachel, and Lila joined us as long as Miss Lila could stand it! So glad they were able to come for a while. I am sure Lila will be partying the night away by next year! Lol! Aunt Whitney was partying hopping :)

She had enough!

I am thankful we ended our year and began a new one with close family and friends. I do have several "resolutions" per say for this new year. They are.....

grow my hair back, and don't ever cut more than an inch off at a time ever again

put money away by designing a budget and sticking to it the ENTIRE year. (This year we made it through June)

Not to feel so stressed/overwhelmed all the time. I need to learn how to ask for help, and learn that I don't have to do everything.

be more punctual

update my blog at least once a month

overcome performance anxiety (not sure how I'm gonna pull this off)

Most of all I want to learn to allow myself to be lead by the spirit and not of the flesh. I want to exhibit faithfulness, patience, self-control, goodness, peace, joy, gentleness, kindness, and love (Galations 5: 22-23) even when I don't feel like it, and even when it is not shown to me!

I pray the Lord will bless us, lead us, and protect us all in 2012! Happy New Year!

Christmas time is here

I am starting with Christmas morning then rewinding since I was super behind once again. Our morning started at 5:00! I was expecting the kids to be up early, but 5:00. seriously?
After seeing all of the fun toys that Santa left, we opened presents before eating breakfast and heading off to church. The boys loved their guitar and drums from Papa Don and Grandma Tonya.

Claire is modeling her princess crown and high heels.

The boys like to rip through all the presents taking little time in between opening each new package. Claire would open a gift and want us to take it out of the box right then. She would play with it for a while before she was even willing to open another one. When we opened presents at my mom's later in the day she opened a play picnic basket set first. Papa Fred tried to get her to open a gift from him, and she kept telling him no that she liked this one. She didn't open another gift for about 10 minutes!

Claire on her Disney princess bike from Santa.

Mommy and Claire making cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Claire was not very happy about having to sit in Santa's lap. The boys love visiting Santa!

playing at the mall

Another big event this month was the sudden transition to the big girl bed. Claire started crib jumping both in and out, and we were afraid that she was going to get hurt. She loves her big girl bed, and doesn't even get out of it until I come get her in the morning which I find odd. Doug took the crib down for the final time, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't shed a few tears. The final removal of the crib marks the end of an era for the family, and that is always going to be emotional. It is a little sad, but that doesn't mean I want to go back to baby days. Even though I will miss them at times, I am looking forward to the next stage for our family.
Another unexpected event of the month was me being on the ballot for teacher of the year at my school. Julie Cramer, an outstanding and well deserving kindergarten teacher was elected. It was such a blessing and honor to me just to be nominated. To know that there are colleagues in my building who define me as a teacher that goes above and beyond. As an outstanding teacher. It did my heart more good, and blessed me more than they will ever even know.

Mrs. Erickson played flute for us; me; and Mr. Nick our accompanist

December is a time of many concert opportunities for most musicians, and we had several very fun seasonal performances. The GRE Gator choir gave 2 very nice holiday performances. I love the choir at my school. They are such great kids, and most of them try so very hard. As a teacher there are many moments you will never forget with your students, and one for me came this December. After teaching my 4th grade a lesson on Baroque music, what is a harpsichord, oratorio, Handel, SATB, etc. we followed a listening map to Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah. I do mention that Messiah is another name for Jesus, but that is as "relegious" as I get. One of my students raised their hand at the completion of the piece to make this comment: Mrs Seale, Jesus must have been a very special person for someone to write a song about him that sounds like that.

My boys sang in the TCOC Children's choir that I had the privilege of leading this year. I had so much fun getting to know the children of our church. I should be getting more awesome pics of a TCOC Christmas from the photographer soon. They looked so handsome in their ties!
Ethan and I both played in our first piano recital this December as well. Ethan did an awesome job, and I did pretty alright. One New Year's resolution I am making for both of us is to practice more diligently. The ironic thing is I don't mind practicing now. In fact, I enjoy it. The problem is the lack of time! I wish I could talk to that younger me that wasted so much time.
Davin performed in the Christmas program at CCDC, and it was so cute. Some of the kids laughed, some cried, some shouted, some didn't move their mouth one bit. You never know what a kid is going to do on stage.

Claire helped Grandma put bows on presents while Davin was at school.

I am thankful for this very busy Christmas time. I am thankful we have this beautiful time of year to celebrate the birth that forever changed our destiny. I am also thankful that it has come and gone this year, but will be anxiously awaiting it's return next year :) This Mom is ready for a calmer schedule if only for a moment.

November

November was the beginning of a very busy holiday season for our family this year. We did our very first ever family photo shoot with the Paul and Tammy Tubbs, and they were such a blessing. I have posted just a few pics from the shoot, but they all turned out great!

Claire Bethany

Davin Michael

Ethan Douglas

I loved all of the pictures, and I hope our friends and family enjoy them very much!

The plan was to curl Claire's hair for pictures, but that didn't work out for me. She did sit long enough for me to get it rolled, but them demanded that I take all the curlers out shortly thereafter.

We also helped Micah celebrate his 2nd birthday! Claire and Micah are best buddies!

We had a big family Thanksgiving at our house this year, and it was so much fun. Doug's parents and sister came from El Paso to spend a few days with us. Unfortunately, we seem to have some sort of holiday illness curse. I had strep and a major sinus infection that would not go away for anything, and I am still looking at potential sinus surgery. I was glad that we had family here to help Doug out since I was not 100%. Claire took a fast liking to her cousin, Brittany.

The kids waving at the a-train at the park.

security officer, Ethan

pouting Claire

My sweet Davin. We have so very much to be Thankful for.

Ethan loved it when the Christmas presents started rolling in the cardboard Amazon boxes because that gave him plenty of building material. He even built this fun little piece to attach to his wagon for head lights. I am thankful most of all that I am a mommy.