Trip to Texas

We traveled to Texas yesterday. I had been packing for two days prior, making sure we wouldn't forget anything. Packing for myself and two kids, plus trying to not leave the house a wreck is not an easy task. Plus, I was a little distracted with Grandma's passing. So, I was pleasantly surprised when we didn't run into any hick-ups yesterday. The kids were great. The flight was on time. We didn't have to wait for our luggage. We didn't have to wait for our rental car. And we even ended up with a larger rental car for the same price. What a great Christmas gift :)

We flew into San Antonio and then drove to Oma and Opa's house. Kate, Jessie, Kennedy and Colin all came over to visit.

Ian was immediately attracted to the many balls in Oma and Opa's front yard - soccer ball, basketballs, and golf balls! Plus there were bubbles!

The trees in the front yard again had huge ornaments hanging from their branches for target practice, I'm sorry, I mean for decoration. Evidently there is a reward, offered by Scott's mom, that she will give him $10 if he hits one of the ornaments with a golf ball - I think Scott will need the full six days he is here to achieve that one.

It didn't take long for the cousins to get reacquainted.

Colin took a little bit of a liking to me. He's so sweet. I fed him a little and got him to go to sleep on my shoulder. I love babies! (WE ARE DONE. NO, I DON'T WANT ANOTHER :)

It's OK.

My Grandma Grote passed away this morning. She was 93. We knew it would be soon, but when you hear that it actually happened...well, you cry anyway.

I had just gotten off the phone with my parents when Payton found me visibly upset. And our conversation goes like this:

'Mommy, are you happy with me?'

'Payton, I'm not upset with you. I just learned that my Grandma, your Great-grandma in Arkansas, has died'

'Oh...It's OK, mom. It's OK.' - She crawls into my lap and lays her head on my chest.

'I know, it's OK.'

'Does she know Jesus and God?'

'Yes, sweetie she did.'

'Then she has a new life. It's OK, mom. It's OK.'

Payton gave me a big hug and stayed on my lap.

My Grandma was a very special person. She was smart and clever.

It's funny the things that I remember of the times spent together. She taught me how to French braid my hair. We would sit and have tea in her best china tea cups together. She still swam into her late 80s and I was still trying to dunk her when she was 80 years old. (She used to give me a hard time about that.) She and Grandpa would talk at the same time because I think she felt that otherwise she wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise. There were many walks together - at her home in LaMoure, Bella Vista and at the ranch. She loved dessert, but never over-did-it. I loved her gingersnap cookies. She would make them for especially for us because she knew we liked them. And she stored them in Pringles chip cans. She would make us camp bread out at the ranch. - You know, just little things, that added up to lots of love.

Grandma had a full life. I will miss her.

After Payton sat for a little while, she asked, 'Mom when will Grandma get her new life?' I said, 'Now, sweetie. She's started her new life now.'

SNOW!

But before I get to that: Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary Mom and Dad! You guys are amazing - I love you!

We got about 6-8 inches of snow! And Daddy was home to play with us :) He left work early on Friday. It started out as sleet and freezing rain. Then after about 2 hours of that, it started snowing. Yesterday morning, Ian and I fought off the crowds before it started to buy the coveted sled! We were lucky to get one. They were flying out of Ace Hardware like they were going out of style.

Payton couldn't wait to test out the sled. Daddy and I couldn't wait either, to tell the truth. We tried it in the back and front yard.

One of the first thing she wanted to do was make a snow angel.

Ian really enjoyed sledding. He always volunteered to go with Daddy or I. This is the first time for me to ever go sledding - it was a little slick.

Payton was a little skittish at first about sledding. She didn't want to go too fast, but by the end of the day she was going solo.

When we awoke to our winter wonderland, we couldn't resist sledding down the middle of the road. Daddy was the most daring - going down head first.

Not many were out on the roads. I think our paper delivery man showed up around 10 am - which surprised me. He said he was stuck in some one's yard for an hour. The roads were icy, snowy and slick, but started melting pretty quickly. We started shoveling the driveway and steps. But, I couldn't let Daddy clear our sledding path.

Payton and her snowmen....


Gizmo watched....

Payton's School Christmas Program

Thursday night, Payton's class and the preschool class at St. John's put on their annual Christmas program. This program was adorable and had everything. There was Mary, Joseph, wise men, a sheep, a donkey, a dove, a host of angels, the star, and a bell. Payton was an angel with a speaking part. All of the pre-K had speaking parts. We have been practicing Payton's part for a couple of weeks, usually in the car on the way to school.

Pause for side note about Ian: After about a week of practicing, I brought the subject up at dinner so that Daddy could hear Payton say her lines. At this point, I would start it. I said, "I am...." and then Ian spoke up, 'the angle from above!' Payton sat quietly..... Go Ian!

But Payton did know her lines. She had repeated them to me several times - 'I am the angel from above. I've come to tell of a baby and God's love.' During the program, she said all the words, but what the audience heard was a bit of a jumbled mess.

But let's back up a little. Before the three angels were to speak, the congregations sang a song. When the song was over, evidently the angels did not know their cue. We were in the front row, so we saw the whole the happen. The teachers started whispering, 'Angels.' Then it was, 'Angels!' Then it was a whispered shout, 'ANGELS!' Payton was the leader of the angels and while the whisper-shouting was taking place, I think she was staring at the ceiling. She finally came out of her stupor and walked up front to the microphone with two other angels in tow.

Ian was good through the program, but was getting very antsy towards the end. He didn't get a nap.


We had a dessert reception afterwards and the kids presented the parents with the gifts that they had made for Christmas. Payton made a plate with a wreath made from her hand prints. We also got a trio of Christmas ornaments that she made. Oh, and a nativity place mat. (I can't believe I almost forgot that ;)

Then One Foggy Morn'

It has been foggy here the last two days. I think the fog is so pretty in the winter with the barren trees covered by the ethereal white mess.

So after we dropped Payton off at school, Ian and I went around town a little so I could take some pictures.

Then we stopped at Starbucks for Ian's favorite - whipped cream!

Augsburg's Christmas program

Yesterday was Augsburg's Christmas program. Payton was a star. Ian refused to be in it, so he sat on my lap. Saturday was the only practice that Payton had - the program is pretty simple for the little ones. Process in, stand quietly(while the older children sing other songs and say their lines), sing one song , walk out in a line. Payton did a great job. She sang 'Away in a Manger' beautifully.

I wasn't sure if we would make it to early church yesterday or not. It was raining and 32 degrees. I think it only hit freezing for 2-3 hours. Only our deck and the tops of trees had ice. But, me being from Tx, I wasn't sure about the roads. Our neighbor across the street is a nurse and had just come home from a night shift. I yelled from my porch to her to ask about the road conditions and she said that they were just wet. So I rushed the kids out the door so we could make 8:30 church. Actually, I think the trees looked quite beautiful - partly because I knew the ice would be melting soon.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take the camera to church :)

The Christmas Tree

Last Sunday afternoon, we went to the farmer's market to pick out our Christmas tree.

Scott and I think it's so cool that we can get beautiful Fraser fir trees from farms just a couple of hours from here. We got our tree from Holly Farms which is close to Sparta, NC and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

It was 38 degrees out, so the kids got pretty cold quickly. I thought it was perfect weather for picking out our tree.

We got the tree home, and I think it took Scott and I almost an hour to get the tree in the stand and semi-straight. See what you think.....

Our tree stand is somewhere between 30 and 40 years old. It was my parents' stand before they went artificial. We think the problem with the straightness lies within the tree stand - we will make due for one more year.

The kids enjoyed putting on the ornaments - all in the same spot - 3 feet or lower. Favorite ornaments this year were the ornaments from the movie Cars! What is this world coming to. Nothing says Christmas like Cars.

Ahhh, there's nothing like a fresh Christmas tree all decorated to start off the season :)

Sometimes you just gotta....

lay down and take a nap.

Ian fought it. He really tried, but I guess he just couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

As I was taking pictures, Payton was watching. I told her that if she fell asleep in the hall I would take her picture too. I went to the kitchen to put away the camera and when I came back, there she was.....

Silly girl.

Gingerbread House

Daddy had to moonlight today - noon until tomorrow morning.

The weather outside was dreadfully wet and cold, so kept the kids occupied today. We did lots of the usual, but we also made gingerbread houses.

Payton saw an episode of Challenge where they made 6 foot gingerbread houses. Our homes were quite a bit smaller, but awfully cute.

Catch that Elf

We started to break out the Christmas decorations yesterday and found our elf hats.

Payton decided that the camera shouldn't take an elf's picture.

They kept running away from me and the camera.....

That's just great!

Daddy and the kids put up Christmas lights last weekend.

OK, so Daddy put up the lights and the kids ate their snack.

Actually, they helped with the plastic stakes.

The Count Down:

But, it was fun playing around with the lights on.