Happy New Year!

I cannot believe we are well into 2010! We had a WONDERFUL holiday break. We had Christmas Eve at Trent's parents house, which is always incredible. We had a hard time getting there, and its just across town! The roads were iced over and snow was EVERYWHERE! We had gotten 8-10 inches the night before and a lot more came later!

I really love and appreciate how much effort his mother (aka Meme) goes to in order to make this time so comforting! She makes an incredible amount of fun, sweet snack treats in addition to an UN BELIEVEABLE yummy meal! Christmas is her absolute favorite and its more than obvious in her home. I tell her every year that her house should be on a Christmas home tour, its just beautifully decorated- EVERY room! My favorite part about being at their house is sitting by the fire, which is always roaring and crackling, and eating peanut butter brittle/chocolate and or drinking spiced tea while all the cousins play together! There are 10 children total and watching them interact with one another is just priceless to me! I only have two cousins which have always lived FAR away, we are talking Alaska for several years, and then more recently California and Oregon. I have seen them a handful of times in my life and never at holidays. I am so grateful that my kids get to experience Christmas surrounded by so many people they love and knowing so well. I know my last post was probably a little too 'real' for most people who read this, not like its a huge list or anything! I think I have been able to figure a lot of that and decided how I will handle things differently next year... more on that in a later post.

We had a wonderful time and went home with a ridiculous amount of gifts which filled my suberban as usual! The kids fell asleep on the way home as always, we carried them to bed and then began laying things out. We woke up to even more snow! I heard the kids watching TV and Trent and I jumped to meet them, all of their gifts were on our hearth and they had not even noticed them.!! We sat down and started drinking coffee dropping several hints and they finally caught on and were very excited!

Later Trent and the kids bundled up and went out and built a snowman and made snow angels, they had a blast! I had a blast watching them from the window and inside my warm house! I have never seen anything funnier than Olivia asking her dad to knock her down, watching her stiff body fall, and then watching her legs and arms go!

We have had the tradition for the past several years of going to a movie on Christmas day with the entire family but b/c of the weather and cold, Olivia and I skipped out and had girl time at home while Trent and Ty went to see Avatar.

The next day we headed for Arlington and celebrated with my family that evening. My uncle and new girlfriend joined us along with my aunts and we had another great evening of visiting and eating! That next day, Sunday, Trent and I made a trip to Sam Moon only to find it was closed :( I was seriously almost in tears. I hadn't been in a year and was looking forward to finding some accessory bargains along with a possible diaper bag.......oh well. We ended up going over to Grapevine Mills where I waked forever and found nothing. Trent however made out rather well and we found a few things for the kids.

Later that evening we headed to Austin for three days to a tournament at Barton Creek where Trent recruits at every year and I have the treat of joining him! We had the best time ever. It was so nice to be alone and have real conversations! We always stay downtown and there are so many great places within walking distance. P.F. Changs was right across the street and we headed there first off! The next morning Trent was all over the three courses while I spent time reading a great find, "Finding God."Very deep but very good. After he was done we went back to our hotel relaxed and then headed to the sushi bar across the street. Its our favorite thing ever and we usually go to one of some sort every year for our anniversary, I have to say this was the best yet! I had nothing raw but some really incredible fried rolls!!! The next day the tournament was cancelled due to freezing rain and the course being saturated from the night before. We took advantage of that time and went and saw 'Sherlock Holmes'- GREAT movie! We then headed to Round Rock for some outlet shopping. I am not a big 'namebrands' type of girl but I LOVE Burberry. I was sad to find that the purse I wanted was at the huge discount equal to our house payment!!! DANG! I have already contacted my China town hook up and will be going that route forever! That night we returned to Barton Creek for The Coaches Panel Town Hall Meeting, which I spent in the car b/c the weather was so bad and parking was CRAZY! After that we had our best night of cuisine yet... Cafe Bess on 6th Street, where Trent's friend from college is now the head chef! WAY cool romantic atmosphere and even better food. Fried Artichoke and Double Chocolate Bread Pudding........SINFUL.

I was also able to see a handful of my highschool friends that New Year's Eve that we returned. One of my girlfriends planned for us all to meet at the Galleria to eat and play, it was wonderful to see everyone! I was so surprised, they all came baring gifts, of the baby sort! SO SWEET! I had been unsuccessful in finding neutral items but they had much more luck and this baby is SET! My friend Holly had saved every item of Olivia's that I passed onto her as well as passing along several of her baby items. I don't know if I have mentioned this, but we gave EVERYTHING away! I was overcome with excitement! When we got home I opened the tubs and began reminiscing.... of course I did not remember that it was ALL pink! I think that pretty much seals the deal that this baby is a boy ;)

All in all, we were BEYOND blessed this holiday. We have returned to much busy-ness and re-organizing of our home to accomodate our newest family member who is coming fast. I have grown a lot and am now at 32 weeks- hard to believe. Lots more to report but this post is already too long and I know its more for my documentation than anything! I have two sick fighting children who need to be tended to so more to come at a later date!