Christmas Morning

Since the kids were born, Christmas morning pretty much goes like this.  As soon as the kids get up they get to look in their stockings and get their toys from their Santa that he delivered from their house.   This year all three got Razors and lots of things in their stockings. 

Harper checking out what all the fingernail polish Santa left for her.

Hays was excited to get his first $2 bill from Santa.

Wow, lots of facts for me to memorize!

Hadlee waited until the other two looked in their stockings so she could have all the eyes on her while she checked out what she got from Santa.

O.K., we are ready to see what Mema and Papa's Santa brought to us! Hurry up Hannah!




We forgot to see if the reindeer ate our food.   They did and even left some crumbs on the porch.

Christmas Eve

Before we went to Church on Christmas Eve, we looked on the computer to see where Santa was delivering gifts.

Hadlee was very attentive to where Santa was going next.  She was also a perfect child for the month of December.....hopefully it's because she's getting older.
 

My lone picture from Christmas Eve at Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Kellys.  Harper and Hannah playing "Just Country Dance" on the Wii.

Merry Christmas from Hadlee, Harper and Hays

Christmas with Papa Schroeter

Papa Schroeter has had a year full of change.   Now everytime we go see him I remind the kids of his "spirit for life" and all our prayers to God really did work.    The day we moved into our house in Seguin the doctors told us that he might live for another 48 hours,  he had other things in mind.    He has proved everyone that he still has fight in him and amazes his family and caregivers everyday.  

We got to have an early Christmas celebration at his new house.    Cousin Donna and Diana and some others from church came to sing Christmas carols.   Papa Schroeter sang long and proud with each new song.   The kids got to help sing songs and also got to play for the first time in his backyard.   Our visits are short now but for the holiday party he was surronded for over an hour with lots of love. 

Christmas Fun!

We had so much fun making our Halloween house that Mommy decided we should make Gingerbread houses during Christmas break. I was a little cheap to buy all pre-made houses so while Hannah was in town we made the frames for the houses....next year we will do kits!

We had a blast, even Mema helped out with designing our four houses. It was amazing how much time everyone put into making their houses look cute. We decorated houses then Mema treated us to Chipwreaked at the movies.

 

 

What's a trip to Victoria without some Chuck E. Cheese fun. Hadlee and Hays gave their mommy 25 minute massages for 25 tokens and a little over 30 minutes worth of fun.

Hays was jumping for joy after he hit the "jackpot" on one game.

No School until 2012!

The kids love school so they didn't have any countdown for Christmas break.    Daddy got out for break almost two weeks before the kids and has been hunting a couple days a week since his break began.

Hannah got out of school a half of week before we did so she joined us in Seguin. She didn't enjoy the shopping we had to do one day but Wade and I were thrilled that we had a helper listen to the kids read their books in the evening. Hannah also helped out at their school by wrapping the 400+ gifts that the older kids purchased for their loved ones at the AR Christmas store. We were two of the three helpers that showed up to wrap gifts on Tuesday and Wednesday.   She was definitely a trooper while the kids were in school. 

One night we had karoke contests on the Playstation.

Harper enjoying decorating a cookie at her Christmas party.


Hadlee also enjoying decorating her cookie.

They might not care whether or not they have school but they are sure enjoying their break.

School Pajama Day

The Kindergarten classes had a Polar Express Day and got to wear their pajamas, robes and slippers to school. The girls wanted to pose in front of our pear tree before we left for school that morning. Good thing they did because that's the only picture I took the entire day.
Mrs. Weaver asked me if I could help out so I knew I would be up at their school in the afternoon. She called me that morning and needed me to bring a crockpot to keep the water warm for hot chocolate. When I took the crockpot up to the school, Harper wanted me to eat with her in the cafeteria.   It ended up being Parent Day in the cafeteria and I had purchased a meal many weeks before so I ended up getting a tray. When lunch was over I had planned to go home for a while before I had to be up at school but I ended up staying and helping out so everything would be ready for the afternoon.   All the kinder classes went from kinder class to kinder class doing crafts, playing games and drinking hot chocolate.    At 3:00 my ears were ringing and I was ready for a nap. Kuddos to to all Kindergarten teachers and Mrs. Weaver, I don't know how they do it everyday.

Cousin Amy and Brian are having a BOY!

Amy and Brian are having a baby in May.   The kids are so excited because we don't live very far from them.   The girls think they are the perfect age to start babysitting and know Amy will need them to help during the summer......Amy and Brian hosted a gender reveal party to announce what they were having.   As you can see by their clothes, all four kiddos just knew they were having a boy.
This picture was moments after the grandmothers cut into the cake. There were lots of squeals of joy and happiness in the room!
 

 

Hays and Harper get visits from the Tooth Fairy

I'm trying to finish 2011 and I almost forgot about Hays and his first lost tooth.  I have no pictures from the first visit from the tooth fairy because Daddy pulled his first tooth while we were getting ready to leave for Thanksgiving.   In fact Hays' first tooth was pulled November 22, 2011 at 4:45 p.m.(or so)   The tooth was pulled and we were off to Victoria where the tooth fairy visited that night and brought Hays $5 for his first tooth.

The next photo might be a little gross.   It shows both of Hays' bottom permanent front teeth that were starting to grow in before Daddy pulled his second bottom baby tooth.   Hays refused to wiggle his teeth and we thought it was better to pull the bottom ones and maybe our chances for braces might be lower in the coming years.  

Hays' second tooth and Harper's third tooth were both pulled on December 7th.   The tooth total is now at 7 teeth total lost.   Harper has lost 3 teeth, Hadlee and Hays both have 2 teeth lost.  The tooth fairy is now giving $2 for teeth.    Hadlee is the only one that got $1 for her second tooth.   She was pretty upset on the day Harper got her $2 from the tooth fairy.   Can you believe that she was mad at her mommy saying that she knew that I was the tooth fairy and she wasn't going to talk to me because she was mad?   We're waiting to see what the tooth fairy brings her for tooth #3!

Hays was really excited at what the tooth fairy brought to him.

Letters to Santa

The kids wrote letters to Santa at school this year. They are so cute, that I just had to share.


Dear Santa,
How mine raindr are ther at the north pole? I thenck ther are eight raindra. I wud like a tint for Christmas and a frunt pack and I want culr biy numbr and ledrs. Have a saf trip.

Luve,
Harper

Dear Santa,
How old are you? What do you do if there's not a chimaniy? Are there stores at the north ploe? Is there a Ploer Experes at the north ploe? I would like a lunch kit for Christmas because my one from my anut Ro broke. I hope you have a good Christmas. I am gonna leef you chcolete chip cookies.

Love,
Hays

Dear Santa,
Do you have a house? Do you like me? I like you. Can I have a big dog ples? I like big dogs beecus thay play with me. Have a saf Christmas.

Love,
Hadlee

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

The kids saw Santa on the riverwalk last week. They were so excited that all they could do was smile!




Hadlee wanted a "girls only" picture in front of a beautiful tree.




Hays didn't care because he was getting ready to get his yogurt.




We went to our first (and possibly last) parade in Seguin. WOW....look in the background.





The kids did get to watch the parade after a nice grandmother told her grandson to let the kids into the crowd. Once the kids came back to see me, they couldn't get back to the front. CRAZY (one more sniff, sniff about why I miss Brenham)




Hadlee and Hays got to see the Holiday Express in Victoria.




This reminded me of Thomas.

October/November Pictures

Party-Time





Our tree house in the backyard.





Harper read to the principal at the beginning of October. She has picked up reading very quickly and loves to practice.





The kindergarten classes went to see "Little Mermaid" at the high school. The girls are posing with two of the seahorses.





A little sightseeing at The Alamo.





Training wheels X 6 came off and their speeds have gotten faster and faster.





Taking our dogs on a walk.





Harper loves snails, which is a great thing because we have plenty of them.





Playing with Cooper at Thanksgiving.





Time with Taylor,
















Giving Papa some loving at Thanksgiving.






Mema promised Hadlee that if she didn't fall asleep on our way to town that she could have Cherry Berry. Her head lifted and she was wide awake the entire afternoon. Aunt Ro and Uncle Don joined us for dinner and afterward at Cherry Berry. Uncle Doug and Daddy had played golf and didn't know our plans so we were all surprised when the girls started running into the parking lot to greet their uncle and dad. The boys were going next door for wings so we got to have a little family time.





Hays finally getting his Cherry Berry. He was camping with Uncle Kelly, Aunt Cy and Hannah when we went and was begging to get to go. A day of shopping with Mema = A happy Hays