Where Does the Time Go?

It's already March. Not just March, but the end of March! The time has passed by so quickly since my last post, but it seems like just yesterday! I thought I blogged in January, but looking back, December was the last time I posted!!! So, welcome to the first post of 2014!


Christmas came and went. Because Mark lost his job in September, this year's Christmas was mostly homemade, but full of love. We tried to do things that didn't require a lot of money, but were a lot of fun! In the Houston area, there are several houses that do Christmas light shows. One evening, we got together with Aaron, Georgiet, and the boys and went to a few of the houses in our area. I made hot chocolate to accommodate the chilly weather!

Top to bottom, left to right: Nate (Zay's and Bastian's friend), Abi, Austin, Kelly, Bastian, Luke, and Zay 

 

Christmas morning, 2013

 

 A fort, idea courtesy of Pinterest! 

 

Ribbon wands, also courtesy of Pinterest!

After Christmas, but before New Year's, we were able to get together with the Benders! We took the kids to the park and to feed the ducks. We soak up every extra minute we can with them, they are some of our closest family and we aren't even related!

 Mark and Pacey feeding the ducks!

 

Abi and Luke, best friends!

 

 The weekend following Christmas, we made a trip to Jewett to visit my parents. Not only did we make the trip, but Alisha and Jimmie did, as well as some of my Aunts and Uncles.

 Mom made her famous Tex-Mex spread!

 

 Aunt Debbie, Aunt Lulu, and Mom

 

My niece, Jacalynn, and my brother, Jimmie

My cousin, Hailey, and my Uncle Chuck

Grammy and Papa got Austin a Go-cart for Christmas. My dad and my uncle were getting it running.

The kids were having a blast with lots of wooded acreage to play hide-and-seek.

The country wouldn't be complete without a rope swing! Abi and Hailey are swinging Jacalynn.

Abi, Jacalynn, and Hailey

Bubba and Austin

Rita and Aunt Debbie in the giant chair

Austin driving his go-cart for the first time!

Austin, Bubba, and Jacalynn

Some of the best memories are made around a camp fire!

Jimmie, Alisha, Aunt Debbie, and Rita

Michael Jack, Cheyenne, Leanne, and Rhonda (My cousins)

 

New Year's firework fun

 

Superbowl party: Pacey and Micah

 

Abi asked Grammy and Papa for a horse for Christmas. Since that wasn't an option, they arranged for her to spend some time with a horse that belonged to a friend of theirs. She was on cloud nine!

 

Each year, we try to sign up through our church to be a host home for DNOW. Austin was old enough to participate last year, so he spends the weekend at a different host home. Each year it's different, and this year they each helped in a service project within the community.

 

Doing his part!

 

 

I'm sure much more occurred between each item than I recorded, but to be honest, I don't remember everything!  So, that's all you get for a quarter!