Day 24: Christmas Eve

Today is going to be a fairly low-key day, getting ready for tomorrow. This evening we will be going to the youth homeless shelter to take dinner to the kids there. I am very much looking forward to it, but I'm anticipating it to be hard...just like last year. So many kids out there without warm, loving homes. But, very thankful we can bless those kids just a little.

Most of you should have received our Christmas card by now. If not, probably for 2 reasons: 1)I didn't have your address, or 2)I put the wrong address (and like an idiot, I TOTALLY forgot to put return addresses). SO, if you didn't get one, and you'd like one, let me know! I have extras. :-)

Here is our card this year:

Day 23: country living

This morning before we headed back to Texas, the men took off to check out the leases while Tasha, me, and the kids went to picks pecans (tasha and me) and build/collect weapons for any bad guys (we heard some shots from hunters). The kids pretty much spent every waking minute outside while we were there. So fun to see their imaginations run wild, and Crew was right in the mix!

Day 22: kisses

We had my Aunt Anita's 80th birthday party today up here in Oklahoma. It was particularly fun because lots and lots of family that we don't get to see very often came to celebrate. (More on that later...)
Anyway, I got some great kisses from Hudson, and my cousin Hazel snapped a pic.

Day 21: 1st grade Christmas

Yesterday William had his Christmas party and Christmas play. It was fun to see all the kids memorizing their lines, and then sing Away in a Manger together.

Day 20: generosity

Last year on Christmas Eve, we took gifts and Olive Garden down to a youth homeless shelter in Fort Worth. We also took homemade sugar cookies and all the decorating supplies you could imagine. The kids down there loved it. One of the girls commented that it was one of her best Christmases ever. It was a true blessing to us as well. And I think it was a big eye opening experience for my boys to see how truly blessed they are.

We are doing it again this year, but we're upping the ante, so to speak. We are taking Olive Garden again this year, since it went over SO well last year. Friends from church have donated some AWESOME gifts this year as well as $$ to help towards gifts and dinner, so I think the kids down there will be so excited.

(sorry for the poor iPhone pic, but you get the idea...):

I was so excited by the generosity of my friends, especially during this busy, expensive time of year. Looking forward to an evening with these precious kids!

 

Day 19: Road Trip

Hudson is going on his first solo road trip, with Mimi and Papa. We are all headed up to OK for the weekend, so they are taking Hudson up 2 days early to "get things ready" (i.e. get the horse, go grocery shopping, etc). He is SO excited!

Day 18: Preschool Christmas

Today was Hudson's Pre-K Christmas program. It was adorable!

Of course, getting ready for school isn't always fun and games, especially when mommy makes you wear non-fun shirts to school!

He wants to stay mad, but he just can't!

Ah, there's my happy guy!

He was SO excited for his program today, and he did a GREAT job.

Crew LOVED watching Hudson and all his friends sing. He even danced along...

I can't believe we are 1/2 way through Hudson's pre-K year! It's going way too fast.