Tis' the season!

I love getting Christmas cards in the mail! Especially ones that I've made.

Below is THE Santa picture. THE ONLY one we got! He was not having this thing called Santa.

But of course, we had to purchase it! Had to! It's his numero uno! YES!

Next are our stockings! On November 28th we got our family stockings in the mail. Our forever, on the mantle, for the rest of our lives, to add to for each addition, stockings! When I opened the box it brought tears to my eyes.

 and then we have our new year invitation.... I'm inviting you ALL.

Next up! Graham.

....has become a big boy! A for real, big boy! Over night! I hate it.

Where'd he go!? My baby!

He is about to be one in nine weeks, people!!!!!

He just sits in his chair, watches the Wonder Pets and acts big!

Can drink his own milk by his own self!?!?! Why? Boohooohoo.

I fall in love with him more each day!

Lately we've been under the weather... today we took a "sick day".

Blew up a blow up mattress, started a fire and didn't get out of our pajamas all day until it was time to bathe and put fresh ones on. Tomorrow might consist of the same things. We will see how my little man feels in the a.m. His eyes looked tired and sad today so we did whatever he wanted. Laid around together, watched Dora, the Wonder Pets, Sesame Street, Olivia, Mickey Mouse clubhouse... all of them!

All day!

Hang on tight! Here we go... First up! My baby, MG turns 2.

I show up to Chuckie (nasty) Cheese with her stuck in the bubble. Really! She wouldn't get out. She was just hanging out, staring at us all below her trying to direct her back the way she had come.... she COULDN'T HEAR US! Her sweet little innocent face was just like "Hey Guys!"

I'm just gonna hang out here the entire time, y'all enjoy my Birthday party!

Huh!?!?! How!? Y'all want me out!?!?!

Here comes Chuckie (Nasty!) with her cake... she's embarrassed. No one can see her when she puts her arm up annnnnndddddd Dad is wishing that trick worked for him!

Look at his arms!?!?! Don't touch him MG! That's my girl!

This was just her actual BirthDAY get together, I .of course. forget my camera at her party!

I love you baby girl! Happy 2nd year of life! I'll do everything in my power to make it as sweet as possible!

CaRVIN' our very FIRST Pumpkins together, AS A FAMILY!

now, I'm pretty sure I've thought of this day before.

YOu know, the day when I would have the perfect family and we would do perfect family things while I, behind my camera say (and I did) "I've waited so long for this", that feel good moment that you know you've dreamt or thought of at least 11 times. It's the way I see, in my head, your supposed to live these moments.

 Holidays are so special and I am beyond excited about the next few months.

October 24th 2010, we carved pumpkins.

And Graham really enjoyed it.

Adam, of course, thought he wouldn't care and have no interest but...

see for yourself.

ewwwwah!

filthy and fun!

---->tell'n his Daddy how to do it.

partners in crimE

Next day photo shoot!

couldn't choose just one...

my pretty leaves are turning and i LOVE it!

Pate Cody and Graham Gonzenbach...

we fear will be a dynamic duo in a couple years.

Graham and Pate love each other...

as soon as we got over there for our cookout/pumpkin carvin' Pate had him on his horse with his hat..

I'd say it looks good on him?

this one goes out to my Pot.... look Pot!

great job Pate.

...best weekend in awhile...

ahhhhh!

wwWhat a relaxing weekend. I will say it helped that it rained. It gave us GOnzenbach's some great family time.

I had a date with my two boys Friday night. We went to Nocona, Tx and ate at Times Forgotten steak house. So delicious! If you haven't been there, go! It's such an awesome atmosphere and everyone is so nice. Graham had the whole places' attention.

Once lady behind us said she "hadn't been flirt with in awhile" and that "he made her day!" Finally we got his attention back to finish some of his dinner and then a group of older ladies start blowing him kisses, so we lost his train of thought once again. These ladies were crazy about him. They talked to him and he thought "their kisses' were HILARIOUS.

They couldn't get enough of him and understood the idea to which we are so proud.

The place was FULL because it was Nocona's homecoming... oops! We had no idea.

But they got us right in and we didn't have to wait hardly at all.

On our way home we stopped at the DQ and shared a blizzard. Graham LOVES blizzards.

Who doesn't?

Then the next morning, very rainy. it seemed like a good idea to go into town and eat breakfast. So we went to the Cracker Barrel and ate EVERY bit of the Old Timer. Again, Graham loves big people food. I'd say his best times are at the table. The kid loves food! WHateVEr does NOT matter. He wants it.

That was fun.

Very fun, I don't get to hang with both of my boys this often so I feel super blessed.

We ran errands, got Adam some new jeans (he can put a hole in jeans quicker than anyone I KNOW), took back some shoes and headed home to watch Mary Grace.

Yvette and George came over right about the time we almost had them to sleep and added some serious energy to little MG! She loves George.

So Yvette took Mary Grace why we tried to get little Graham down and then I followed Mary Grace over and she played and played and played.

I left my camera for all of it. Sorry.

so since no pictures, I'll leave you with 'life's little instructions'... i love this and pull stuff from it all the time.

enjoy and enjoy your week to come!



Over the last few GONzenBacH days.

Daddy's been home for a good week and we've had some much needed family time.

One this day we went out and feed the cows with him and counted 21 babies! They were so sweet runnin' behind they're Momma's.

It's silly, I know, but seeing them with they're Momma's and watching them nurse and pair up to protect them from us made so much more sense in my head this time around.

Here is Graham getting his first encounter with a baby cow.

...this one made me laugh, it had a funky-curly do, like he'd been doing his hair..

now, Graham constantly talks, here we were trying to get a picture but he was just talking away and telling us all about it.

The next day, or maybe the day before, I took him to the Bearcat Pep rally. Here he is with some of his buddies. They all love "baby Graham" and want him included in all their pictures. Later, we followed the Pep rally with ice cream at the Dairy Queen.

At 4oclock in the evening, the Henrietta Dairy Queen, goes like this: The 70-80 year olds, women on one side men on the other and in the middle... S.A.H. Mom's with rowdy kids filling the place with noise and their table with smeared ice cream. The ladies just stare at us, I'm sure with many opinions under the breath. They probably did it a little better in their day.

However, Graham enjoyed every second of it and I wish I had brought my camera in to show their table.

Priceless.

Below: (left to right) George Slagle (the birthday boy), Landrie Parker, Sara Kline, Dally Parker, Graham Gonzenbach, Presltey Silvertooth and Piersen Silvertooth.

Watch out Clay County!

I had a dentist appointment Thursday morning and Adam was going to watch "the boy". Before I had even left Graham was on his second (of his life) Oreo! Adam hollars' at me to get the camera and I walk into the living room to this!

He loved some OREO's!

Earlier this week (i guess, I'm kinda going backwards) I took (tried to take) some pictures of my sweet Mary Grace. She is turning 2 on November 2nd. Can ya'll believe this?

I can't!

This is all I got, thank GOODness it was enough to make something cute.

(could be one of my favorites)

 Here is another one I thought was pretty. I can't believe how big she is getting.

Makes me sad.



Next: we had little George Slagle's 3rd birthday. It was A BLAST! I had a little too much fun I guess at a 3 year old's birthday party. Maybe because I helped out so much is why I thought it was such a hit, jk. Seriously, though everything was beautiful and delicious. That Yvette, I hope she's able to make my last supper! That girl can cook! YUM!



Colorado. Pioneer Reunion. Graham's First fish... and an unsuccessful turtle race.

We're back!

We got brave and took on a 13 hour road trip with an almost 8 month old and a 10 month old to Dillon, Colorado.

...and were back.

Hallelujah.

Don't get me wrong it was fun.

...really fun.

But, Let me see...

..before we get into our trip I have to back up and display proof of Graham's first
Clay County Pioneer Reunion Turtle race.
He entered turtle #10, #11 and #12...

Graham's Daddy has spent the last 3 months, on days he was actually here, putting the turtles on a strict diet and regimen...last year it won us (my niece and Prestley) first place! 
So, Gotz showed early in the A.M. to transport the turtles to the track, help out before we got started and help when needed.

We re-entered a turtle from last year that did awesome buuuuuut not so awesome this year.
Needless to say we just lost.

But looked GOOD doing it...

Proud is a understatement.

so sweet...

Two Days after Pioneer we set our gears to packin' mode and filled Mema and Granddaddy's humongous van with car seats, blankets, toys, sippy cups, Mickey Mouse clubhouse DVD's, diapers, snacks, etc...etc. etc...etc.

We pulled a trailer with our luggage. Pathetic! yes.

The kids did so great!

We drove from about 4pm to 4:30am Texas time till we arrived at Dillon.

Went straight to bed and slept for 3 or 4 hours and then started our day with awesome weather conditions.

We set out to catch Graham's first fish... and after lots of attempts..

He was very interested in holding the pole.

note: when things don't move fast for Adam, see above.

Not a patient one!

 

 

alas...

 again... very proud! ALL THREE...look at that grin!

------->toward the end of our last day we had a race to catch the last fish.

Yep! Momma. Me. Adam's wifey...be proud guys!

----our 16 fish! I'd say Graham had a successful trip.

I know he's my kid and I know that I'm obsessed but honestly... look at this kid!

Is anyone else's heart melting RIGHT now?

Now: for the Family photos.

Dannielle and I made our first trip to Colorado about 13 years ago, husbandless, kidless, clueless... and NOW, look at our families we've created.

I love that we both were able to take our children. 

Picture perfect.

We are such lucky girls and have had a blast with our babies while raising them together.

We stayed in Colorado for 4 nights/5 days and everyone but Seth and Dad were ready to get home.

Seth claims he could live there while the rest of us like the open/friendly/calmer climates and people.

Dannielle and I had a lady come to the condo and give us the best massage of our lives! Graham loaded up on Nike Shox at the outlet store (see picture above), Seth found a belt, Adam... hates to shop, and Dad bought mostly stuff for Mary Grace (her birthday is coming up).

We ate WAY too much. However, everything was worth every pound and beyond delicious. We made two visits to the Mint, our favorite. Once the first night we were there and again to cap off our trip. If ever in the area, it's worth every penny.

In conclusion, when we got home we had to:

1. Lower Graham's bed :(

2. Rearrange the living room (Graham's turning into a BUSY bee)

3. and a lot of Fall fever cleaning

So, excited for the cooler months to near and even more excited to share the holidays with a little one.

Bring it on!

Next week: Graham has his nine month appointment.