missed you people...

... & this space.  i'm glad to have some kind of record of our lives these days.  i often wish i had some kind of journal or something of my grandmother, or great-grandmother.  wouldn't that be fascinating?

in kerrville last week, i looked through lots of old photos.  we were getting ready for great uncle bob's funeral.  he was 96.  97 christmases.  that's amazing isn't it?  we will miss him & his funny ways.  he loved singing old hymns & slapping his knee all the while.  i hope i'm singing & slapping my knee @ 96...

back to the old pics.  it was confirmed, holland looks exactly like baby me (complete with mega chunky thighs)

(& will be looking more like me in a few weeks - her top 2 teeth are peeking out!)

it was also confirmed that my uncle made sweet wooden giraffes in the 70s.
seriously, my sister & i loved that giraffe.

we had a great christmas.
clint & i hemmed & hawwed for months over hudson's present.  he has wanted "real drums" for a year.  for over a year.  & for over a year we've put it off.  does he REALLY need drums???  but he is in LOVE with all things music & especially drums & so we finally took the plunge.  it was really his only gift from us(& some helpful grandparents!)& it was EXACTLY what he wanted.  no more, no less.  

yes, their big.
yes, their loud.
yes, we've lost our minds.
yes, he's in total love.

he calls them his "cool, cool drums", as in "mommy, can i go play my cool, cool drums now??"

daddy's in love, too...

hee hee.

i hooked the boys up with matching shirts...

& clint hooked us up with punky matching aprons.



this picture kills me.
"yeah, yeah.  it's a shirt.  let me get back to my drums."



he did cheese it up for a pic with the accordian.

& miraculously, the play kitchen WAS finished in time for christmas!!  ha!  we may have gone to bed @ 1:15, but darn it, it was done.  i'll do a whole post on that one this week.

after christmas, we were off to kerrville, stopping in austin to get my sister & her boyfriend, jonty.  they were in from jolly ol england & we were so happy to see them!  our car ride was cozy with all of us packed in like sardines, when hudson barfed. 
what is it with my kids & barfing?
side note:  holland barfed on me 4 times last night.
all i can say is hudson & his sister inherited some kind of crazy sensitive stomach from who knows what ancestor. 
the point is, i blame all of this on my sister & jonty who gave him a gingerbread cookie.
the other point is that laughter in awkward situations is apparently also genetic because both my sister & i couldn't stop giggling as we all baby wiped him down on the side of the road. 
 
in kerrville mimi spoiled adults & children alike with christmas presents (as she always does).  my aunt cathie was there, too & we had a great time eating, doing a little site seeing, & playing lots of really fun games.  
have you played wits & wagers?  so fun.
i did get 2 whole pictures (i am SO BAD.)

holland, johnna, & jonty @ high's cafe in comfort.

love high's cafe.  love.   

such a nice holiday.  i feel really blessed.  not because my life is perfect or even just as i want it, but just because darn it, i DO have so VERY much to be thankful for. 
it's true.
remind me of that in a few hours, okay?

here's to a happy january & a happy new year.