Mimi and Grandpa!

I love picking these two up from the airport every December 26th.  Them coming to Austin every year makes it so much easier to be away from family for the holidays. I had to snag a photo of them waiting for me at Pickup H.  Their heads were perfectly positioned in-between these two cars.    

They didn't seem to mind of disaster of a home either and made themselves quite comfortable.  Of course it was 80 degrees the day they got here and it dropped to 50 for the duration of their stay.  It always happens.  This wouldn't have been too bad if we didn't have drafts coming through the ceilings.  It got pretty chilly!!

Jack got a new suit from Mimi for church.  He looked so ridiculously handsome, I almost kissed his face off!  Grandpa helped him with his first real tie.  He's been a clip-on guy up until now.  

Seriously handsome little dude!

George slept through most of church and I think this is the only picture I took of Eliza in her sweet little Christmas dress from Mimi.  She looked adorable!

Family circus.  I learned from the best!

Notice the need to wear coats inside.  I love that we didn't move out even with our house the way it was.  Like stubborn creatures of habit we weren't about to leave our marked territory without a fight!!

We stayed warm by blasting the thermostat and wearing all our fuzziest clothing until we were forced to move out January 1st.

After Mimi and Grandpa departed we geared up for the move by only thinking about the peril involved and celebrated New Years as procrastinators.  

Most of us lasted until about 10 p.m. 

Instagram highlighted all of my most liked pictures from 2015. They all involve our little Liza.  She was definitely the highlight and quite possibly the only one from such a ridiculously tumultuous year.  I'm excited for 2016.  BRING IT ON!!

Merry Christmas Day!!

All ready to tear into some wrapping paper!

But first we always make them eat breakfast.  Santa Pancakes for the win!

George was VERY excited about his new garbage truck.  You'd have thought we gave him the world! He fills up those trashcans with rolled up paper pieces ALL day long!

Chase and I both bought each other a nose hair trimmer for our stockings. Great minds have hairy noses!

New Mind Craft book and construction Legos!

Pink rain boots for Sadie and a new fuzzy robe for Mom.  

The kids loved the Cannon pine cone family!

Liza got a fun clock that sings music from Pops and CC.  She is always swaying side to side with a big grin on her face whenever it plays.   

Santa brought everyone a remote control monster truck that lasted an entire day before breaking.  Those stinking elves have really started slacking in the toy building department!

Daddy got some Mexican coke.  He only got two.  One for him to cook our lil' smokies in and the other to keep his gut moving horizontally.  

Aftermath of the holiday storm!

George and his new best friend.

That night we went over to the Bassett's with the Krommenhoeks and had a fun night of delicious food and games.  The perfect way to wrap up such a great day!

Christmas Eve

PF Changs is becoming one of my favorite traditions for Christmas Eve.  We think it's pretty genius of us to make someone else cook us dinner and clean it up so we don't have to on such a busy night.  We always see our neighbors there too.  They are also geniuses. Of course ideally it would be great to be sitting around the Etherington piano singing carols, but that Mongolian Beef.  It's a toss up!

It's also the only restaurant open on Christmas Eve unless you want Panda Express and we've learned the hard way that this form of Chinese is barely edible.

Once we got home, the kids got in their matching pajamas so we could read some books and spread our reindeer food.  

Santa's reindeer like oats with sprinkles.

Liza held out as long as she could, but was getting pretty sleepy during all our last minute family traditions.

Santa hats and candy cane babies.  Oh how I love them!

You would never know there's a HUGE hole in the ceiling above this happy display of holiday cheer!

We got the kids a tee pee this year.  I thought they would LOOOOVE it but so far I've only seen one kid sit in there and it was Eliza getting a ball that had rolled in and she fell down in the process of getting it out.  I imagined afternoons of reading books and building legos within its canvas walls.  We shall see if it ever gets used.  In the mean time it will take up space like 75% of the rest of the unused toys in our house.    

Henry standing guard.

Playing Santa is tiring!  We finally made it to bed around 2 a.m and you better believe there will be 4 eager children ready to open presents around 6.  Thank goodness for afternoon naps.  I love Christmas!