New Year's Eve 2018 - change of plans....at home

New Years Eve turned out a bit different than we planned.  Days before I started not to feel good, then Ben didn't feel good and it just never let up.  We did head out to Chad and Rochelle's with every intention of ringing in the New Year with them as we have done every year for the past 6 years.  We headed back home today and straight to the urgent care for a steroid shot/antibiotics and now rest in bed.  The kids (mainly E) was a little disappointed but once we got home she was glad to be here.  We basically got no sleep last night so hoping that changes tonight and we feel better for the first day of 2019!

We have party favors and snacks so......HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Here's to making it to midnight, kisses all around and sweet dreams as we head into 2019!

A few pics headed to the Mitchell ranch and NYE!

Christmas 2018

We pulled out the Christmas decorations the day before Thanksgiving and it was so much fun!  Emma is very into decorating and was such a big help!  Cash still loves the decorations when they are up but isn't as "into" helping anymore.

Josie and Joseph showed up right on schedule.  Friday morning the kids got up to find their elves had made a mess with our note cards but wrote them two very sweet notes!  Let the Christmas fun begin!  

We were out doing a little shopping and on Cash's list....James Avery....for someone special!  Very thoughtful of him and he picked it out all by himself!

Dicken's On Main - Emma's dance class was chosen to perform in Boerne at Dicken's On Main.  They did a tap number (without tap shoes) to I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas.

The sun was brutal in an effort to get good pics but this little dancer did FANTASTIC!

After E's performance we walked down Main St. as they were starting to close the streets off.  We walked to what I will always call the "old Benefit Planners" building.  Its now full of dainty shops and decorated to the nines for Christmas.  Santa was outside this year so after walking around a bit we headed back over to get in line to see Santa.  It was Emma only this year, which made me a little sad, but Cash at the big age of 12 (going on 22) has outgrown the big guy!...literally...

After our visit with Santa we headed to Peggy's On The Green for dinner.  Ben, my dad and Cash had already gone that way to get our table.  My mom, Emma and I walked along Main St. and saw a woman on stilts, a lovely sounding choir group, horse and buggy and the square decorated beautifully!

During, a long wait for our food, E and I had a little snapchat fun!  

Main St. was filled with people enjoying all the Dicken's On Main festivities!

As we headed back to our cars we stopped for some holiday trinkets.  Cash bought Emma a light necklace so they were matching!

Josie and Joseph are back at it with their messy shenanigans!  (Emma loves finding them like this!)

The pool is finished and Cash couldn't resist getting in even though it was pretty chilly outside.

This is as far as E got!

Did a little shopping.  Loved seeing all the lights!

My parents put the kids Elves out...but after Emma's (Sefronia) fell off the tree they became the Elves with no magic.  They are for decoration only and different from Josie and Joseph at home!  That was the story spun for E!  Bought ....hook, line and sinker...although a little perplexed.

Nothing like Hobbs as a pillow!

So I didn't love my picture taking skills this Christmas but this is our Christmas card.

Ben and I got a night out while the kids stayed at my parents.  We enjoyed dinner and an abundance of Christmas lights at the Pearl.

I finally got the kids to sit down and write out their Christmas lists.  Emma wrote her list all by herself.

The lists were put on envelopes and ready for the Elves to take to Santa.

We had some Christmas cookie decorating fun!

The girls and I had our annual Christmas brunch and it was so much fun as usual!  We ate some yummy food and enjoy some tasty mimosas at Max's Wine Dive!

We headed to the Pearl again with my parents and the kids.  This time we ate at the "food court" and spent more time outside.  The weather was perfect!

My mom caught my sweet boy giving me some love!

It's the day before Christmas Eve and the kids couldn't wait to open their Christmas Eve boxes!  

It's finally Christmas Eve and we headed out that morning to pick up the tamales and get tacos.  Andy and Cheryl came over for breakfast and exchange gifts.

After Andy and Cheryl left we opened gifts from each other.  

We packed up Christmas Eve afternoon and headed to my parents for tamales and gift exchange.

My dad opening is SoClean for his CPAP machine.

It's Christmas Eve evening and time to put out the cookies and milk.

They wanted to sleep together this evening and get up at the same time to see what Santa brought them.

Christmas morning started about 5:30am.  Cash and Emma were up at the same time and ready to tear into what Santa delivered for them!  They were super excited!!  They opened gifts, I made breakfast, started gumbo and then my parents joined us for Christmas lunch.

Even Hobbs got a little something from Santa!

Emma made this at school and gave to us for Christmas!  Of course the tears were flowing when reading the little poem that came with it.

Cash wanted a bigger tv for his room.....let me notate here...not to actually watch tv but to play Fortnite.  I hope that I look back 10 years from now and Fortnite will be a distant memory!

Emma wanted the LOL Dollhouse so bad and Santa came through!

Cash is quickly becoming a sneaker head like his daddy!

We had our annual Christmas gumbo!  Nothing better than the smell of a roux cooking!

A little more simple this year.....