MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and joyful Christmas!!!

Christmas Programs

With Christmas comes the kids' Christmas programs.  The first program we attended was Jackson's.  He sang with his class first, then all three kindergarten classes sang together.  You could really tell that Jackson enjoyed singing this year.  He really belted it out!

Then we attended Jordan's Christmas Caroling program a couple of days later.  Jackson sang in this one too.  He is considered an "after-schooler" there, so he participated as well.

Jordan was a candy cane.  Look at Jackson cheesing it up in the back!

Following the Christmas carols, Santa always make his entrance.  Jordan is still not a big fan of Santa, so the best we could do is get her to wave at him.  Jackson, on the other hand, was anxious to sit on his lap.  He told Santa he wanted his two front teeth.  Santa was amazed.

 

We're busy at home getting ready for the Big Man to make his appearance Sunday morning.  We're all very anxious for Christmas this year.

All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth!!!

Sooo this year, we've put this song into practice at our house!  Jackson was wrestling playing with a neighbor on their trampoline and his front two teeth got knocked out!  He didn't cry and they didn't bleed.  Aunt Bebe almost had a heart attack (she was babysitting at the time), but the neighbor across the street is a dental hygienist, and after a quick look, she verified that they were okay since they were baby teeth. One came out all the way and the other left a little bit of root that will come out in time.  Jackson was excited that the tooth fairy came that night.

~SIGH~ I was just thankful we weren't headed back to the ER for stitches or a cast.  And needless to say, he is BANNED from the neighbor's trampoline for evermore!!! 

O Come Let Us Adore Him

One thing I try to instill in my kids is the real reason for Christmas.  Of course, we love all the presents, decorations and Christmas lights, but we all know that Christmas is Jesus' birthday.  Because of this, I have many, many nativity sets.  I have one in almost every room of our house... even bathrooms.  I feel like it's a constant reminder of the season and to give thanks every day.

Jackson has bought into this as well.  They've talked about it quite a bit in school, he has tried to remove baby Jesus from most of our nativities because He hasn't been born yet.  Of course Jordan isn't too fond of that idea.

Jordan has been fascinated with the nativities this year too.  She re-arranged this one because "they all need to see baby Jesus", and have a front-row seat.

And this is the one in her room.  She arranged the characters like the cover of a Christmas book that we have.

And this is my favorite nativity this year.  Jackson made it in school this year.

Everyone Loves a Parade

We made our annual trek to EC for the Christmas Parade.  The kids love seeing it every year, and were very excited.  We got to Popo's work and had a quick supper before it started.  Lots of yummy snacks and homemade chicken noodle soup.  So GOOD!

Then it was time for the parade!!!  Here are Jackson and Kathryn getting ready.

Jordan watched from Nana's lap.

The theme this year was Disney, so there were lots of great floats featuring Mickey.  Jordan just waved and waved at all the floats.  She loved it.

Jack and Reed pretended to cut the floats in half with their "light-sabers".

And the parade wouldn't be complete without the grand finale!!!  Santa closed out the parade as he does every year riding on the firetruck. 

Using the Force

While Kenny and I were decorating the outside of the house for Christmas, the kids found these cardboard tubes in the garage.  They made great light sabers!  Jackson and Jordan instantly transformed into Jedi Masters  and were honing their Jedi skills.  I didn't get any good pictures of the house.  The kids captured all of my attention.

Here they are using the "Force".  At this point, I was wishing the Force would put the lights up on the house!  As you can see, they were having a blast!

 

Disclaimer:  No runny noses were incurred due to Jordan's ankles being exposed to the cold. :)

'Tis the Season

The weekend after Thanksgiving, we pulled out ALL our Christmas loot out to transform our house.  Honestly, Kenny and I love Christmas and our kids love it more, so while it takes 2 whole days to get everything out and decorated.

We started on the inside this year because of the bad weather.  Jackson's tree went up first, then Jordan's, then the big one downstairs, then the little one downstairs, then the skinny one upstairs.  Phew!  That was alot of trees. 

I also decided to re-do the garland on my banisters.  I bought the mesh in Canton and couldn't wait to use it.  Here's our entryway with our little blue tree.

I also bought these great green poinsettias in Canton for my tree, but I put a few in the garland on my coffee table. I just love them.

 

Sunday we finished up the outside in the freezing cold.  I don't think I got any pics of the actual decorations on the house.  I was too busy snapping pictures of the kids pretending to be Jedi's.  More to come on that in a later post!

So Thankful

We are extra thankful this year. We have two beautiful, healthy kids, a supportive and loving family, and careers that are rewarding. We are extra thankful that Kenny’s company has been thriving. Hard work and dedication definitely pay off! And I truly believe that when you take a leap of faith and trust in God, He will provide.

We drove into College Station on Thanksgiving-eve. After getting our tailgating spot all ready to go, we headed to Santa’s Wonderland. The kids had been so excited to drive thru and see all the lights. They had been looking forward to it all week. It did not disappoint. We went thru it two years ago, and they have changed it up quite a bit. So it was nice to see something new.

Thursday started early as we tailgated all day before the big game. We combined tailgates with some good friends and had a huge Thanksgiving feast. There were 8 deep fried turkeys with all the trimmings. It was so YUMMY!!!


We saw a few of these guys wandering around... They looked a little lost.  Apparently they don't all come together in a group.


A few hours before the game we watched Parson’s Mounted Calvary make their way to the stadium. These are the guys that set off the cannon each time the Aggies score. Then it was off to the game. The GAME! Dadgummit, the Aggies need to learn how to keep a lead!!!!! What a disappointment to lose the game with a last minute field goal. Heck, the whole season has been a disappointment. BUT, it’s on to bigger and better things for the Aggies. See ya Big 12-2-1+1-1+1.

One thing I will say about the game is how classy the Longhorn band was. They spelled out thanks aTm and played “Thanks for the Memories.” I thought this was a really nice gesture. It’s a lot nicer than some of the downright ugly comments I’ve seen/heard from a few Longhorn faithful.  I'm pretty sure they don't read my blog though.  Oh well.

Unfortunately, I didn’t see much of the second half of the game. Jordan had been fighting a tummy bug for a few days and was fine all day Thursday. As we got settled into our seats, she started complaining of a tummy ache. She eventually fell asleep after kickoff and slept thru most of the first half. So I thought we'd make it thru the game. She woke up during halftime and cried thru the bands. So, she and I left the game. I’ve got to hand it to her; she was definitely a trooper. It was a pretty long walk back to our car, but she toughed it out. We finally got back to Shari’s house, got Jordan into her PJs and she crashed.

I watched the last 5 gut-wrenching minutes by myself on the couch.

Having to bring Jordan home put everything into perspective. Kenny and I love Aggie football as much as anybody. And while the tu / A&M rivalry is huge, at the end of the day, it’s only a football game. We get caught up in rivalries and winning and sometimes forget what’s really important. People hate to admit that the two schools are more alike than different. As I left the game, I was reminded of what mattered most… and am eternally thankful for the little ones that call me Mommy.

Jordan was back to normal by Saturday. We decorated our house for Christmas on Saturday and Sunday. Yes, it takes 2 whole days!!! Why do we have so much stuff?!?!?! BUT, it sure is beautiful when it’s all up, and it deserves it's own post. :)

Kansas Game

First of all, Gig 'Em Aggies! What a big win over the weekend. Of course it was Kansas, who is known more for basketball than football, but heck, we'll take a big win any day after the season that we've had. I finally got the camera out and wanted to post some cute pics I took on Saturday. Who can resist Miss Sassy Britches!





Saturday was military appreciation day. The entire corps of cadets did a big Block T during halftime. We see this every game by the band, but it was quite impressive with all the corps on the field. That's A LOT of people! There were also several military salutes throughout the game which is one thing I love about A&M. The university never forgets the military and their sacrifice everyday to protect our freedom.


Gig 'Em!!!

Giving Thanks

This past Friday was full of Thanksgiving feasts at the kids' schools. We started with Jackson's Thanksgiving feast at lunch time. All of the kids dress like Native Americans and give themselves names. Jackson was Gliding Eagle.


Jackson's friend's name was "He Who Walks and Talks". I thought that was a great name! And it fit his personality very well. The kids had a great lunch of chicken nuggets, popcorn and fruit and veggies. They were all so cute!

Later that afternoon, Jackson joined Jordan's class for the Thanksgiving program at daycare. Here are Jackson and Jordan getting ready to sing.
This is probably the one and only time they've ever stood by each other. It was easy to take pictures of them together. They sang a few songs and then feasted on turkey and dressing.

October At-A-Glance

October came in with a whimper (Aggies lose to Arkansas) and out with a BANG (Halloween!). As I decorated my house for the fall and for Halloween, we watched the Aggies squander another first half lead. UGH, is all I can say. Luckily, the Aggies were back to their winning ways by beating Tech in Lubbock and Baylor at home. (Wish I could say that about the rest of the games.)

Back in SL, we were busy with our own little football star as Jackson’s flag football team played on Sunday afternoons. He has really enjoyed playing this year. He got several tackles as a rusher and even made a completed pass for a touchdown as the quarterback this past weekend. We can’t be more proud.

We also attended a family wedding this month. Congratulations again Alison and Jason! It’s always fun to see our cousins and aunts and uncles that we don’t get to see all that often. We’re all looking forward to our family Christmas in December.

October at St. Laurence means the Church Bazaar. Luckily, we were only attendees this year. Kenny has been a Bazaar chairperson the past three years and has worked his tail off prior to and during the Bazaar. This year, we had the Baylor game on Saturday and Jackson had a football game Sunday afternoon, so we were able to attend the Bazaar Sunday morning for a little while. We rode some rides, played some games and had lunch there. Then it was on to the flag football game.

The fall also means “spring cleaning” at our house. And I teamed up with my sister, sister in law and mom to have a garage sale in EC. We made a good bit of money. Money I get to spend in Canton! WOOHOO!!!

After the garage sale, we made our way to Victoria to Candace and Shelby’s baby shower. They are so cute and so excited to be parents. It was great to see the other Priesmeyers. Here’s Jackson with his cousin Justin. The shower was in a barn turned trophy room. Needless to say Jordan was terrified the first hour we were there, but eventually got used to the animals. Jackson loved it, and even got to tame a bear.

And as I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been slammed at work. Luckily our deadline was postponed a bit (which is never good in the world of IT), but I’ve still got my head down and elbows up trying to get everything completed by the new deadline.

Kenny has been busy too. He had several successful projects go out the past few months. Owning your own business is a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding. He’s doing great and the business is growing. I’m so, so proud!

October ended the way it began in terms of Aggie football. The Aggies gave up another halftime lead to the Missouri Tigers to lose in Overtime. What a disappointment. UGH, again.

Halloween was great. Jordan and Kenny started the day on a field trip with Jordan’s school to Dewberry Farm. She was soooo excited! And Jackson was jealous of course. Then they both had Halloween parties in the afternoon. We went trick-or-treating with one of Jackson’s best buddies and his family. We had burgers and candy… LOTS OF CANDY!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Just a quick picture of the kiddos prior to trick-or-treating last night.

Slacking...

But only on the blogging side of things. Things have been so busy around here lately. Besides work and kids and work and Aggie games and work and garage sales and work, blogging has taken a back seat. Are you sensing a theme??? I have been slammed at work lately. I started a new job at my company on August 1, and have been going ninety to nothing since day one. I love it. I'm learning soooo much, and wow am I earning that raise! So just wanted to post a little something so I don't feel like too much of a loser in the blogging world. Have a great week!

Go Bucs!

Jackson is playing flag football again this year. His team is the Buccaneers... like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Honestly, they kinda look like the Ricebirds out there. :) Anyway, his team consists of pre-K and Kindergarteners, and Kenny is the coach. So it's kinda like herding cats at times. They play 5 on 5, so the boys get a lot of playing time and get to play different positions.

During Jackson's first game, he scored two touchdowns. He did great. This week was his third week to play. He scored a touchdown and had several "tackles". A tackle is when you pull the flag of the ball carrier. Jackson was the rusher when his team was on defense. He did great getting in the backfield and even "sacked" the quarterback once. Here he is going after the flags.


Kenny said he heard me yelling during one of the plays. I think it was Aunt Peggy, but, whatever. He did a great job, and I'm very proud of him.

The Beginning of the End???

The 2011 Aggie football season kicked off this past Sunday with a game against SMU. We braved 30 mph winds, courtesy of Hurricane Lee, as we tailgated and eventually made our way to the game. The kids were very excited to get back to College Station. They really have a good time tailgating and playing with the other kids at tailgates around us.

This year, our tailgating location has been moved due to the construction at Olsen Field. Our "spot" is within the construction fence, so we've had to improvise. We've no longer got the luxury of Olsen's power or indoor plumbing. Needless to say, Jordan wasn't very fond of the port-o-potties. And we learned how to adapt to generator power quickly. We also have a new addition of a tailgating trailer that one of our fellow tailgaters purchased this year.

Here's Jordan ready to walk to the stadium.

The game was a sell-out... and the largest opening day attendance. I think lots of people are pumped about this year, and it showed. Many folks are excited about this year's team. There are lots of returning starters and lots of high expectations. There's also lots of hype about the SEC. It's been a wild ride and who knows how it will all play out. Only time will tell. But it looks like this is the last season for the Aggies in the Big 12.

Jackson was really starting to get into the game, which Kenny loves. They sat and talked about the positions and the team for a while. Jordan of course got anxious after half-time. Even the sno-cone couldn't settle her down. So we left a little early to make our way back to the tailgate spot before the masses started leaving. The band was stellar as always, and the Aggies had a solid win.

We're so excited and hopeful for a great season!!!

Happy Birthday Jordan!!!

Jordan turns 4 today, September 1. It's hard to believe she is four already. It seems like yesterday that I was totally surprised that she was actually a girl. She was non-stop in my belly, so I really thought there was another boy in there. Little did I know that the dancing she did in my belly would be the dancing (and running) that she does around our house everyday. And little did I know that I would have a kid with such curly hair!

Here is what Jordan's been up to the last year...
She played soccer, her first organized sport.
She loves yogurt.
She adores her big brother. And even though he doesn't admit it, he loves her lots too.
She loves, loves, loves candy.
Her favorite toy is her baby doll in the purple outfit.
She is really starting to love dancing and singing. She loves singing in the car.
Loves painting her toenails.
Her most recent love is lip gloss!

She's really starting to grow up. She has her girly moments with lip gloss and fingernail polish, but also can be a tomboy. There are only 3 other girls in our culdesac of 10 kids, so she holds her own with Nerf guns. She even got a Nerf machine gun for her birthday. Of course we had to "girly" it up with some stickers.

Jordan, we love you more than you'll ever know. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!!!

Big, Bad Bowling Party

The nice thing about having Jackson and Jordan's birthdays 5 days apart is that we can double up the birthday party and get it over in one big swoop. The hard thing about having their birthdays 5 days apart is the very same thing. While we save a little $$$ and get it all over with, this party was pure and utter chaos for two hours.

We've done swimming parties and Stomping Grounds and this year we decided to have a bowling party. Let's be honest, it's been 100+ degrees almost every day in August. Anything indoors was a big plus.

So Jackson invited 5 or so of his school friends. Boys had one lane, girls on the other. Some of the boys had been bowling, some had not, but by the end of the game, they were all pros. Jackson has been bowling several times on field trips with the daycare. And he really looked like he knew what he was doing.

Jordan invited 4 friends as well, and of course we invited their cousins. None of the little girls had ever bowled before, and Jordan had only bowled once before, so this was a new adventure for them. It took a while for the ball to get down the lane in a timely manner sometimes, but all in all, it was great.

After bowling a game, it was time for pizza and cupcakes. We had the cupcakes made and then made toppers ourselves. Big thanks to Aunt Carla for helping with the candy melts for the Lego heads.


Jordan went first. She struggled a little blowing out the candles, but eventually got them out.

Jackson was next and didn't have a problem blowing out his candles at all.

I know one little girl really liked the blue icing. ;)

After the party, we went home and the kids opened their presents. They loved everything they got. When I asked them what their favorite was, they couldn't answer because everything was so great.

We spent the rest of the day inside playing with all the new stuff! Also trying to stay cool... the high was 110!