Top Ten

Top Ten

1. Brad went halibut fishing in Alaska 

2. Emily went on a girls trip to Universal Studios and Chicago

3. Carson (12) taking cello lessons and earned the top award for academics in English 

4. Tanner (10) turned double digits! Loves Taekwondo and being outside with friends

5. Logan (7) our little dare devil who loves all the big roller coaster rides 

6. Vacationed in South Padre over spring break and went on a dolphin tour!

7. Hiked the Delicate Arch

8. Got Lagoon Amusement park season passes 

9. Had lots of family visitors this fall

10. Brad competed in Lotoja again and Emily was able to go and be part of his support crew

2021 started out as a continuation of 2020. To start off the year we had the capital riots, Covid was still in the limelight, divisions over the Covid vaccine, we had our Texas freeze, and then our family got Covid! 2021 was not off to a good start. Fortunately though things did mellow out throughout the year and it seemed as though we were getting back to normal.

We escaped to South Padre for spring break (desperately needed after having Covid), we had another fun summer in Utah, and school is back to normal with no masks!

It’s a busy season of life we’re in, with all the kids activities, but it’s a fun one!

 

Christmas

Christmas Eve:

We decorated sugar cookies

Put together a Christmas puzzle:

Last year Buddy started a new tradition of letting us touch him on Christmas Eve before he leaves, and it’s Logan’s favorite thing. Logan loves him soo much and hates that he has to leave so he makes sure him and Buddy make his last day worth it. Lots of playing and hugs to be had. It’s so sweet!

Christmas Eve selfie

Christmas Eve is also when we do our big dinner. This year it was ham and funeral potatoes. After dinner the boys opened their Christmas jammies and got milk and cookies out for Santa. We watched a Christmas movie together and Carson played us some Christmas music on his cello before the kids excitedly went to bed.

Christmas morning! Boys with their stockings before they tore into their presents.

After all the presents were open, Tanner was a little sad because he didn’t get as much. Logan got all the presents under the tree. Little did he know…Brad was being a tease but then he pulled out an envelope for Carson and Tanner to start a scavenger hunt. Carson went first. The scavenger hunt sent him all over the house and when he got to his prize and opened it, oh man you have never seen a boy get so excited. I wished I would have recorded it!

Next up on the scanner hunt! Tanners lead him up into the attic! And again we had a very very happy boy on Christmas morning! He now has a gravel bike like his dad to go on rides together.

It was a great Christmas!

Houston Symphony

Our favorite holiday tradition at the Houston Symphony! We missed being able to go last year due to COVID and we were so excited to be back this year. Carson especially was looking forward to this since he is now in orchestra himself. He loved it.

This year we had amazing seats! We were about 5 rows from the stage! Loved being so close!

The special guest this year was the man who plays Aladdin in Mexico City’s Broadway. He was amazing! His songs were the highlight of the night.

Also this adorable little boy who sang the polar express song. And then Santa came out. Soo adorable! Also look at Santa’s belly 🤣🎅🏻!

My cellist ❤️

Going to the Houston Symphony and listening to the beautiful Christmas music is my favorite way to get into the Christmas spirit!

Cello Orchestra

There's nothing better than having a son in music during the holidays.  I love hearing Carson play Christmas music and for the holidays Carson joined his schools cello choir.  Being in the cello choir they were able to take a field trip to perform at local nursing homes and even play at our local outdoor mall.  Brad and I were able to go listen to them play at the malls green space.  It was a tad windy and their music was flying everywhere, but Carson had a great time and especially loved being able to grab some food at the mall after with his friends.

They also had another orchestra concert.  Not as big of a production like the Halloween one was, but it is always nice to hear what they are playing at school.  So proud of him and all his hard work in learning to play! 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” 🎶

And it truly is. It may be busy and chaotic, but I love the holiday spirit, the music, the celebrations, the decorations and the togetherness that comes with December.

Just look at the smirk! Someone is soo excited that he is almost the same size as mom.

Every year my sweet aunt and uncle send the bus a chocolate advent calendar from Santa 🎅🏻 and they get so excited! Especially Logan.

Had to take home this cute little tree for my front porch.

Christmas parties!!

Work Christmas party/white elephant! Oh man these ladies are so much fun and I laughed way too hard! 

Bunco ugly sweater edition!

Elf on the shelf, squid gave edition. Logan asked Buddy if he could do a squid Game one so I started up and quickly sewed this costume for Buddy. It made for one happy Logan the next morning. I promise he has never seen Squid Game (a violent show in Netflix where contestants play child games light red like green light, but with deadly consequences) because of Roblox knows all the games.

Scout Christmas party! Complete with cookie decorating, white elephant exchange and roasting marshmallows. Logan was soo excited to have his very own Christmas party.

Tanners class party! Decorating gingerbread houses!

Another school event; cookies with Santa!

Look how cute our bus driver is! So sweet of him to do this on the last day of school before the break.

Logan loves decorating gingerbread houses.

Another elf on the self cute one: if you know, you know

Carson trying to be Cook, by stealing dads glasses.

Christmas Break fun! Dad took these two on a date,

And I took this one on one. Love his face 😆

I also had to say goodbye to my friend who moved to Colorado, met Kelley at work and became fast friends. Good thing for technology where we can keep in touch.