X-mas Catch-up Continued

We had some nice warm days before Christmas and the big freezes (and snow...in Austin!).

Grandpa (my dad) joins us for caroling at the capital, and the lighting of the Texas capital building and Congress Ave.

We try to go every year.

Messin' around the house before Christmas.

Homemade hot chocolate can NEVER be wasted.

The tree is a total wonder this year.

Grandpa Ralph (my late mother's husband) comes for a visit and brings a rocking horse!

Boy does she love Grandpa.

Clothing optional Christmas fun.

We try out our new rule: "You can touch with one finger..." Too bad it only works when we're looking at her...

Playing in Stella's room.

Uncooperative typewriters...hate 'em.

Making Christmas cookie dough and fudge and dough and fudge and dough...

I so love it all. But I'm glad it's over.

Pre-Xmas Catch-up

I spent hours uploading pictures and writing captions only to have Blogger not save it everytime I got up to nurse... Here's what it saved, and out of frustration, I'll start another post for the rest.

Some pics from the days before Christmas...

We do an early Christmas with one of my sisters (and her husband and four kids). Cousin Angela is glad we are distracted with getting everyone to smile so that she can sneak her gift in...

The oldest of my sister's kids has a birthday on Christmas Eve. Pretty much no matter what, the family gets together on the morning of Christmas Eve to have cake and forget about X-mas chaos for awhile. You can see Stella peaking around the cake with her cousins.

And since we had Erik's family in town this year, we brought them along for the chaos!

Xheson thought it was Heaven.

And I think Grandpa even had fun...

Thanksgiving

Warning: Lots of pictures!

We went to Escondido and San Diego to visit Erik's mama for Thanksgiving. We spent several days at a resort in Escondido (where we did the holiday) and then went back to Nana's house (pictures are totally out of order...).

One morning we let Nana sleep in while we went to breakfast...

This was across the street...wow.

One evening we went to the pier

Can you believe this park?!?!

And the resort in Escondido...ahhhhh... These are views from Erik's golf game.

This was by our room

The view from our porch...what more could you want?

Except for maybe a new doll!

Gathering for the holiday - Erik's grandma (on the right)

And Grandpa (and Stella's Nana :)

Everyone's hungry

The chef (Kim, Nana's husband)!

Nursing by the outdoor fireplace after a long day

Time to go to Nana's real house

Nana and Grandpa Kim watched Stella while we went on a date...

Beautiful gardens on a high cliff over the ocean

Beer and fish 'n' chips on the beach

A much needed date!

Stella was literally an angel while we were gone.

Mama even got to shop while Nana and Stella played...

The best shopping trip she's ever been on, and a most memorable Thanksgiving!