Christmas!

Christmas Eve at the Round Rock Hallams...
Trying to get a decent Tag shot...
Awwww
Tag all dressed up for Xmas Eve service at the church...
A little Christmas Eve dancing...
So Christmas morning came and Douglas was about to bust. He had planned Kinsey's present for a while and Douglas is NOT good at keeping secrets :) So like two days before Christmas, he went to IKEA and came home with an easel - dry erase on one side, coloring paper and a chalkboard on the other side. On the dry erase, he drew an airplane and two little heads in it. We set it up by the tree. It took her forever to even notice it, and then the airplane drawing just wasn't sinking in. Douglas couldn't stand it and finally told her - Kinsey and Daddy were going to take an airplane ride to Houston in January. Once she figured it out, she was very excited and was determined to talk airplanes for the next month!Tag was excited about the coloring paper and immediately demanded that we "write an H" which is his favorite letter. Since then, we've written hundreds of H's :) Both kids got lots of new books from Santa And Tag got a fire station/car toy. We made Pops and Nana a photo book from our Padre trip and Kinsey loved looking back at the pics.
Pops drawing the first of many many many pictures on the easel.
Merry Christmas!
Trying to get Tag to smile for our family pic......and it worked!
Me and my punkin...
Getting ready to play outside...
Pops and I spent Christmas Eve putting together a swingset for the kiddos. Nana and Pops were so sweet to get it for them - putting it together in the sleet was kind of a challenge. Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of that because Douglas was working and Nana was inside keeping the kids from looking in the backyard and the garage :-). It's been a while since I've done a project with my Dad - I had a blast. It was really fun to do the big gift assembly thing. I like to do a project about once a year :-) Anyway, the kids couldn't get enough of it that day, and pretty much every day since!
Of course they still take time out to enjoy the original playscape. Our backyard is like our own playground now!
Douglas, the Turkey Master, cooked a truly amazing Christmas dinner.
Before...
After...
It was an awesome (and delicious) Christmas!
At an after Christmas sale, we got Tag a T-rex that walks and roars and in general is dino-rific.
He's been a big hit with the whole family and freaked out more than one great-grandmother :-)
We also had a visit from Grammy and Poppi. For some reason, I only took like one picture! Here it is - luckily it's all of us :-)I'm pretty sure this outfit is the work of Grammy.
Obi & CC came to visit for New Year's and we got some fireworks for the kids. They hung out in the back of CC's car and had a blast.
I kept trying to get the kids close for a cute picture to put in a Christmas ornament, and Kinsey took her role very seriously...Finally I got the best shot I could've hoped for.
Wrapping up with some cute kid faces :)
Tag has been focused on belly buttons for a while - but one day at WalMart he just couldn't get enough of his own :)
Cute face Kinsey...Not sure what he was saying here, but had to post this pic because his cute little chubby thighs are all but gone now after months of running instead of walking. The kids have learned that when they kiss and hug, Mommy laughs...so they get all worked up and lovey. Can't wait to break these out when they are teenagers and fighting over the car :-)Speaking of being teenagers, can I just keep Kinsey this innocent and young? And while I'm at it, I don't want to think about the day that Tag outgrows these hooded towels.GG gave Kinsey some shells on our fall visit. Both kids love playing with them. Sisterly love :) My daughter loves to be cozy - this holiday blanket allowed her to be festive AND cozy - you can't beat that!I think everyone knows that Tag loves his crab. I mean LOVES his crab. I don't remember the whole story, but I think Uncle Robert found a graphic online to symbolize their special relationship and then with advice from Dionne, legwork from Douglas, and a printer from Susan, voila...Every now and then when we're all here on the same night, Douglas breaks out the guitar and we do "Family Worship Time" where Douglas sings and plays, Kinsey sings and plays, and Tag basically runs around in circles yelling. It's awesome. Lately Kinsey and Daddy have been making up songs as they go.
Here's the video - they are singing Happy Day. Douglas was sick, so his voice was a little crazy. Be sure and watch T-Rex roaring at Kinsey as she sings :)