Merry Christmas!

We enjoyed many holiday preparations here in Little Rock. Then we drove to Texas for four days, where we saw real snow on Christmas Eve which stuck around for Christmas morning. At church, the priest mentioned that in his 77 Christmases in DFW, this was the first one that brought snow on the ground Christmas morning! Poor Bella had a stomach bug on the day we drove down there and Christmas Eve, so she was still a bit under-the-weather on Christmas but recovered that weekend before we returned home. Afterwards, we had another mini-Christmas back in Little Rock with Michael's parents and sister.


Gabi cutting gingerbread cookies


Tito and Tita in town for Thanksgiving


Bella posing under the Christmas tree


Bella declared naptime


Gabi after riding a horse-drawn carriage at school


The girls' gingerbread house


Gabi coloring a new "mural" (giant picture)


Snow in Texas on Christmas Eve


Bella playing with a new puppet


The girls giving a gift to Gramma Jane and Grampa


Gabi pouting


My husband :)


Bella opening a present on Christmas Eve


Uncle Scott


Aunt Alicia and Uncle Stephen with the girls in their new pajamas


Gabi crossing off Christmas Eve on her calendar
(just one last link in her chain-link count-down to Christmas!)


Bella and Mommy on Christmas morning


Bella opening her stocking


Playing with Uncle Brian's iphone


Gabi's new pattern blocks


Bella rocking her new doll, Hannah


Bella's new sewing cards


Real baby Hannah (a cousin) with Amy and Uncle Scott


Gabi telling a story


Gabi opening a present back in Little Rock


Mommy and her girls


Gabi taking a picture with her new camera

Summer visitors

This summer, we had many visitors come stay with us. We obviously took more pictures than just these, and I'll post them to our Shutterfly page. Email me if you need the address. We love to have guests, so let us know if you'd ever like to come through Little Rock!
Notre Dame friends (6/10-6/15)
Gramma Jane, Grampa, and Uncle Brian (7/10-7/12)
John & family (7/12)
Stephen and Alicia (7/20-7/27)
Joy, Lauren, and Eric (7/28-7/30)

Notre Dame friends (6/10-6/15)
In June, we invited a dozen of our best college friends to come hang out at our house for a mini-reunion. They were here over our 6th wedding anniversary, and they presented us with the most awesome framed collage of pictures with everyone's signature on the mat!


Introduced to video games


Telling Kimba about the "bee-bugs" (ladybugs)


At the River Market


Climbing Pinnacle Mountain


Learning to "play" Joe's bagpipes


Yoga with Cynthia
Gramma Jane, Grampa, and Uncle Brian (7/10-7/12)
Of course Gramma Jane, Grampa, and Uncle Brian found a weekend to come visit!


Swimming at St. Charles pool


Pouring water on Daddy's head


"Cuddle Mommy!"


Girls with the grandparents and uncle
John & family (7/12)
Michael's best friend from high school (who now lives in Atlanta) came back to visit family. We saw them one afternoon to met baby Lucy, and Michael did an echo of Wesley's heart.


Jelly on the tummy
Stephen and Alicia (7/20-7/27)
Uncle Stephen came to follow Lolo and his coworkers around for a week, so Aunt Alicia got to hang with the kids and me.


Neighborhood walk


Playing pirates


Sand table at the Wonder Place


Jumping into St. Charles pool


Dress-up with Samantha


Swinging at the top of the slide


"1-2-3-Whee!"


Splashing at Riverfront Park


Waiting for the waterfall
Joy, Lauren, and Eric (7/28-7/30)
My aunt Joy and her kids came for a short visit, and then they took the girls back to Texas with them to drop them off at Gramma Jane and Grampa's house for a week until we joined them at the family reunion.


Gabi and Eric climbing at Riverfront Park


Bella and Eric running through a tunnel


Splashing in the fountains