December Memories 2013

Tortilla turned 40 December 15,2013.  We celebrated her with her friends at an Italian restaurant in Dallas.  She turned 40 but she looks 20

 Pretty Tortilla with her nephews.  Thomas was at home sleeping.  Too late of a night for him.

I have to say the word I'd use to describe this holiday season was busy.  Now with three kids, Lucas in school 5 days a week, and working even part-time things were hectic.  We tried to continue some traditions we already started.  One of course is a picture with Santa.  Don't these boys look sweet? 

Of course they look sweet but look where we found them as we turned our backs to pay for the picture...running into a store at the mall and going into the display window.

We made an effort to see most of our family this Christmas.  We drove to Austin the weekend before Christmas to see Grandpa Gene, Uncle Michael, Helen, Jeri Anne, and Jenna.  The Bruce family met us there.  We stayed in a hotel for one night which the boys loved.  Here are some pictures with Grandpa Gene before Uncle Michael and his family got there.  Grandpa Gene met Caleb for the first time.  It was just his second time to see Thomas.

 Aunt Kelli had a fun idea to go to the Austin Trail of lights.  It was a great display to walk through.  I remember going there years ago when we lived in Austin.  Many moons ago I even did the night time 5k at the trail of lights.  Wish I'd taken more pictures.  Wish I had some of Uncle Michael's family.  I'll just have to steal some from Aunt Kelli's blog.

 The boys were sooo tired after the trail.  Here they are conked out at the hotel.

Back to traditions we made cookies for Santa.

 Even Thomas got some gingerbread.  I was sooo much better about not giving sugar to my first two in their first year of life.  Oh well the third one has things a little different :)

 Some other traditions I didn't take pictures of were making monkey bread and singing Happy Birthday to Jesus on Christmas morning, going to Christmas eve service, we started our advent calendar but didn't complete it, we watched Small One, the boys picked out their own ornaments to add to their collections.  I plan to send them off to college with 18 ornaments to put on a small tree in their dorm rooms.

I want to and try to teach them the meaning of Christmas so they appreciate the season now but also in the future as adults.  As they get older they are definitely influenced by the material world and each toy they see on TV or at a store they want.  They have no trouble saying they want it over and over.  I thought I had done a good job of limiting gifts but after seeing them open presents multiple times I felt different.  In our house Santa gives 3 gifts on Christmas morning to represent the 3 gifts from the wise men that baby Jesus received.  Mommy and Daddy and extended family also give presents.  So it can become a little much.  As I type this in January I realize how few of the gifts they are still playing with.

 Marcus got a vacuum he had asked for a long time ago.  Here he is cleaning Bear White.

 Christmas Eve at the Hernandez House.  All the boy cousins, aren't they handsome?

 The present frenzy.  Tia Laura cooked a delicious dinner we all enjoyed.

 Christmas morning the boys woke up to two new green machines from Santa.

 And a real bowling alley!

 Footy pajamas!

 Here are the boys trying out their machines.  They got the hang of them right away and still ask to ride them regularly.

 Later Christmas day we went over to the Bruce's.  Here are some half way decent family pictures.

 We broke in our turkey fryer.  Here are Giam and Brad cooking into the dark of night.

 Aunt Kelli had a sweet idea to act out the nativity.  They kids really enjoyed it.  Baby Caleb was a precious baby Jesus stand in.

 Here are the boys with their bowling alley.  This is the back story on this.  On a curious George episode George made a bowling alley that sent the ball back to you.  The boys wanted so bad to make one too but we never got it just right.  Luckily Santa brought them this bowling alley that you can really knock down the pins and the ball rolls back to you.

 We celebrated New Years Eve at home.  I worked New Years Eve and Day so I wasn't up for anything.  Very low key.  The boys enjoyed some sparkling apple juice in champagne flutes and we were all in bed before midnight.

It was a busy season.  I pray my boys felt loved this season and that they gained memories they will hold in their hearts.  I pray they are starting to cherish the miracle that God sent Jesus as a baby to us to be a man on earth that we could relate too but that he did what we couldn't do lived a perfect life then died in payment for our sins.  My hope is that they reflect on this many Christmas' to come and feel the beauty of this time of year.