Christmas Survey

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper this year but I'm not above using bags when I'm in a pinch.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial! Got a prelit one this year and they are awesome! Emma even got a little pink one! :)

3. When do you put up the tree? As close to right after Thanksgiving as possible.

4. Do you like eggnog? Have never had it. Isn't that crazy? I would probably like it though.

5. Favorite gift received as a child? My Hot Wheels!

6. Hardest person to buy for? Jamey

7. Easiest person to buy for? Emma

8. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I have several. The Willow Tree one is my favorite!

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? I love sending sending and recieiving Christmas Cards in the mail

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Hmmm...can't think of one at the moment.

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? Home Alone

12. When do you start shopping? Right after Thanksgiving. Went on Black Friday this year. That was a crazy experience!

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I'm sure it's happened at some point but I can't think of anything specific.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? All of the baked goodies!

15. Lights on the tree? Yes, the clear ones

16. Favorite Christmas song? My mom hates this answer, but "Hard Candy Christmas" by Dolly Parten. Also like "Mary Did You Know?" (mom will like that answer better!)

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We alternate Christmas' between our two families but now that Emma is getting older I'd like to spend Christmas Day at home as often as possible.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yep..."You know Dasher and Dancer...."

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? This year I have a big bow because my old tree topper wouldn't fit on the top of my new tall tree!

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve (pajamas) and the rest on Christmas morning

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Rude people at the stores

22. Favorite ornament, theme or color? I always get the Li Bien ornaments from Pier 1 every year. Also like the Hallmark photo ornaments.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year? A lot of house work done...

24. What is your favorite dish at Christmas dinner? Everything!

25. What dish should be left off Christmas dinner? Who eats Fruit Cake?

26. What's a special Christmas memory? Trying to stay up all night while excitedly waiting for everyone to get up to open presents

I tag anyone that wants to play!

"Chicken Fried" by Emma

For those of you who listen to Texas Country, you might be familiar with Zac Brown and his big hit "Chicken Fried". Well, Ms. Gwen has been teaching it to Emma, and I finally got Emma to let me record her singing it (a word or two has been changed to make it more kid friendly!) And again, I apologize for the sideways picture!

School Christmas Open House

Emma had a Christmas Open House at her school on Thursday night. The whole time she was there she made awful faces at us and acted like it was pure torture for her to have to be there. I tried to capture one of the looks on the camera, and this is the closest I got:

They also did a little program and sang a few songs. I know she knows all of the words to every song because she sings them loudly in the car and at home. However, she was barely singing and would only mumble every other word during the performance. She also refused to do any of the hand motions that they had learned. If she caught Jamey or I looking at her, she would give us a very evil look. We just laughed the whole time. Here is the finale to the program. They are singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". Notice how Emma refuses to look in my direction! (PS Sorry the video is sideways. I haven't figured out how to edit it to turn it around!)

Ms. Gwen's Christmas Party

Today was the last day at Ms. Gwen's house for the year, so as always the kids had a little Christmas Party. Here is a picture of all of the kids Ms. Gwen takes care of this year.

Snow Night!

Yes, believe it or not we actually got some snow down here in South Texas! It snowed for a couple of hours at our house. Emma LOVED it! I wish we had been a little further north where they got a lot more snow because I know she would have had fun making snow angels and snow men. We had enough to make some snowballs though, and she thought that was super cool!

Hannah Montana and Christmas Party

A lady I work with Rhonda, whose son and daughter-in-law Clayton and Kaysie are also good friends of ours, gets invited with her husband to this huge Christmas party every year. When I say huge, I mean bigger than you can imaging...like literally 10,000 people. It is held in the back yard (probably 30 acres or so) of these people, and they basically set up a fair with rides, petting zoos, cotton candy, funnel cake and hot chocolate booths, catered mexican food and bbq and then they always have a huge concert. Well this year, the entertainer was Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana), so she invited us along to take Emma. Needless to say, it was a fun filled afternoon!

Emma with Kaysie and Clayton on the Ferris Wheel (her favorite ride!)

Emma and Mama in the Spinning Dragons:

Emma on the Pony Ride:

Miley Cyrus:

Emma watching the concert on Daddy's shoulders:

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

We put up Christmas decorations the first weekend of December. Emma had her own pink (of course!) tree this year, and picked out the ornaments she wanted to decorate it with. Here are a couple of pics of Emma with her tree:

This is our tree:


Emma and I put a gingerbread house together. She did the decorating with the candy herself and is very proud! She keeps trying to eat some of it everyday, so we've had to move it to the top of the refrigerator so she can't reach it!