Welcoming 2011

We spent another fun New Years Eve in Horseshoe Bay at the Marriott. This was our third year to celebrate there with our friends from all over the state! We hope you will consider joining us next year!

Our first year we went by ourselves and Misty and Eric happened to be there. I got no pictures of all of us but I have one of Misty and me!

Last year Aubra and Ryan, Cody and Sarah Beth, Cari and Greg, and Chris and Candice joined us. I was pregnant so it was a long night for me but a ton of fun spending the evening with everyone anyway.

This year Misty and Eric made the super long drive and I was so happy to see them for the first time in a year! Cody was sick with a cold but Sarah Beth lovingly encouraged him to suck it up and we all had a great time. Greg and Cari joined us again as well as Matt and Kayla and our friends John and Courtney. We had a fantastic time!

Congrats to my college roommate Melissa and her husband-to-be Carlos who got engaged on NYE!

Addy's first Christmas

My computer charging cord broke so I have been offline for a long time. I have missed reading the blogs of my friends and writing my own. I'm glad to be back and have a lot of catching up to do!

We have a lovely Christmas at home. I wanted to do a very "minimalist" approach to gifts because Addy already has so many clothes, books, and toys. I bought things we needed like bibs, a booster seat high chair, and formula and put them under the tree. Our families however did not follow the same methodology.

We did Christmas morning just the three of us at home.

We went to my parents' house for lunch and for another Christmas. All three of us got extremely spoiled over there. Addy and I got a ton of cute clothes and Nick got a little TV for his office at home. Uncle John went crazy spoiling his favorite baby!

We went to Nick's parents' home for dinner and the Christmas continued. We got a digital camera to take faster pictures of Addy. Our old one was about 5 years old so it was definitely time for an upgrade. One of the most unique gifts we got was a watercolor painting of Addy that the Woods had commissioned for us. It is hanging by our bedroom and we love it!

Addy and Butterbean are going to be best friends!

Aunt Alex Graduated!

We spent the first weekend of my two week Christmas break in our beloved College Station to watch Nick's little sister Alex graduate from Texas A&M (whoop)! Nick and I are both so proud of her. She is graduating a semester early and already has a job lined up in Dallas with PFS Web. She found a fabulous apartment just today and starts work on Tuesday of next week!

Every picture of Addy is an action shot!

I have loved being a full time mommy these last couple of days! On Monday, Addy and I ran all over town with my mom finishing up some Christmas shopping. Addy got the cutest sparkly pink shoes!

Tuesday, my brother John's sweet girlfriend Marissa and I went to the mall for a bit and today she offered to come play with Addy so I could go to the grocery store by myself! It was a nice break and the store is so hectic at this time of year so it was nice to not have to tote her along.

Addy and I went to lunch with Courtney and baby Bella today. Addy has a new thing where she hates being in her car seat and tries to propel herself out of it. In order to not disrupt the entire restaurant, Addy conned me into taking her out of her car seat for lunch. She proceeded to stand on me, pull my hair, knock the bread off my sandwich, and almost spill my drink more than once. It is a good thing she is so cute!

I am really looking forward to my first Christmas as a parent! I know they will just get better and better from here on out and I am excited about some of our new family traditions!

Counting it down

12 is way more energy than I have right now, so I will start near the middle...

5 Christmas Parties

What a busy weekend! Of course, I got only one picture that actually contains adults. The rest are all Addy's friends.

4 Days of School left

I am so pumped for Christmas break. I love the time off I get for tolerating teenagers every day.

3 hour drive to College station this weekend

I am so proud to see my little sister-in-law graduate!

2 tickets to Wicked

With my best friend Aubra in February!

And a partridge in a pear tree

(I had to google what a partridge even is. Here is a picture in case you are unsure as well!)

Catching Up

I know it has been forever. My last post was about the start of wrestling. I forgot how much time I commit to it though. I have seven sweet, fantastic girls on my team and am enjoying coaching them immensily.

Nick and I had a fabulous trip to Vail over Thanksgiving but we both missed Addy desperately.

She is getting so big and cute. I love it!

Love the Start of Wrestling

Wrestling practice just started a couple weeks ago. I am coaching the girls again this year. I have 3 returning girls and 4 new ones. Even though I don't love staying at school longer, I love getting to know students that I don't have to give grades to and helping them learn to do something that I loved doing. One of the coolest things about teaching high school is getting to enjoy the good parts year after year.

The girls and I went for a quick mile run after practice yesterday and were talking and laughing as we jogged along. It took me back to a time 7 years ago when I did the same thing with my friends and teammates after school. If given the chance I wouldn't go back to high school, but reliving some of my favorite moments with sweet girls who look at me the way I looked at my coach is a real treat.

Amarillo by morning

Addy's first plane ride
Nick, Addy and I spent a fun filled weekend in Amarillo to see my cousin Houston get married to sweet Melanie. We flew in Friday in time for the rehearsal dinner. I got to spend time helping set up with William while Nick and Addy got settled in. The rehearsal dinner was so much fun. The favors were adorable- Rita got Mel and Houston's pictures on boxes of Sour Patch Kids candies because they both love them and got their engagement picture on a root beer bottle. They were wrapped up in cellophane bags and out on every table. It was such a unique and tasty idea!

Love my cousins and brother

Nick took Adalynn to the indoor pool for her first swim. He said she is "reserving judgement" about whether she liked it or not. I think the temperature was not what she was hoping for.

Saturday, Addy and I went to the bridal brunch and then we watched football with Nick all afternoon. Saturday night was the wedding. Addy was perfect (she slept through the whole thing). It was seriously one of the most beautiful and romantic weddings I have ever been to. The minster talked about things Mel and Houston had said that they love about each other and things each of their parents had said. Houston and Mel are so in love and so sweet together- they are fun to watch. I was too busy having a blast to take many pictures but I have a few.

We flew back today and have been doing tons of laundry and trying to get ready for the week. Our dear friend Trey lost his dad this weekend so we went to the viewing this afternoon. Please keep Trey and his mom in your prayers this week.