Christmas 2010

Well, Crew's 2nd Christmas is over and boy was it a memorable one! I won't bore you all with the 600 pictures I took this Christmas break (yikes!), but here are a few of my favorites!

We started out the holiday in Austin. My parents and John came in for the weekend and we enjoyed some holiday fun and cookie baking! Crew went down for a nap late that Sunday afternoon and when he woke up Santa had come! His big toy from Santa this year was a table and chair set and he loved it! He kept moving from one chair to another sitting in each one, ha!

Brett's papaw passed away so we headed to Dallas a few days earlier than planned. Brett gave a very heartfelt eulogy at the funeral, and we enjoyed time with the Carson side of the family afterwards. We had our family Christmas with Brett's mom and her side of the family on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas day we headed to Katy and spent a few days there celebrating with all the Lattal's. We enjoyed celebrating our blessings with our family. Oh what a joyous time of year it is! I kept trying to explain to Crew the meaning of the season, we played with our nativities , read our bible stories, but I know he doesn't quite get it yet.... I pray for the day he does! I think he was a little confused about all the presents, but he did like the bags, wrapping paper, and especially all the tags. Christmas is so much fun with a child! Tis the Season!

P.S.- Two of my good friends got engaged over the break and we could not be happier for them! Congrats Jordan & Brian and Valerie & Fredrik! Can't wait to celebrate on your big day!

Christmas in Austin

My mom and I baked our classic Christmas cookies together! Yum Yum!

Santa Came!

Ahh... a tunnel, this is so fun!

Christmas in Springtown with the Carsons

Brett's cousins from Idaho

Christmas Eve at "The Ridge" with Grancie,

and with the Duncan side of the Family

Grancie (my mother in law) always has a theme for Christmas.
This year it was elves- all her tags were elves, and she had little elves hidden around her
house. She also found an elf outfit that Crew wore as we handed out gifts on Christmas Eve.

Umm.. who do you think these little tags look like?

(hint- elf pic below)

Remote control cars are funny!

The little ELF!

(she even found elf shoes with jingle bells on the toes!)

Christmas in Katy with the Lattal's

Texas Tech Alphabet blocks- thanks Uncle John!

We even got to visit with Tara, so fun!=)

Merry Christmas

Hope you all had a blessed day enjoying our Savior's birth!

Merry Christmas from the Carsons!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas...

Well its beginning to look ALOT like Christmas around here this week! Crew counts down the days for baby Jesus' birthday and Santa Claus to come on his advent calendar. Well, he actually tries to eat the little candycane that goes in the days, but we try! Shopping is done and gifts are wrapped!
I wanted to give the grandparents an ornament with Crew's picture and a Santa pic from this year- so here is the finished product- shh.. I was happy with how they turned out and even made a few for our tree.
Also, I have never made gingerbread before so I decided to give it a whirl! I made the dough during Crew's nap, it had to sit in the fridge for 3 hours or more. When Brett got home we cut out and baked the cookies. They turned out great, taste so good, and made our house smell yummy!!
How are your preparations going?

Crew's advent calendar

Counting down the days...

Presents wrapped!

Crew's ornament for his grandparents.

I got these neat strofoam shaped ornaments at Hobby Lobby and

glued Crew's pics on the front and back, decorated with ribbon,

and poked holes so the ornament could hang.
Super Easy!

Other side of ornament.

Gingerbread recipe from TomKat blog...Yum!=)

Cut out and ready to bake!

The finished gingerbread men- yum yum!

All bundled up on a COLD night!

Ho Ho Ho!

We went to go see Santa this weekendat the Hill Country Galleria! A cold front came in late saturday night, so sunday when we went it was freezing since Santa was outside in the shade. Crew did good, he was not scared of Santa at all! In his typical fashion, "mr independent", did not want to sit in santa's or anyone's lap, he wanted to get down and walk around and check everything out! We may go back this week and try to get more pics, but this was as good as it got for this time! Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!

I'm ready to WALK...

High 5 big man!

Hill Country Home- Foundation

Well, after about 2 months of waiting, they finally started our Hill Country Home! Now after another month, the foundation is ALMOST complete. It has been such a learning process watching the building of the house (bringing back my good old days of architecture building systems- yikes!). Our house was on a bit of a slope, so we knew the foundation would be built up a little in the back- we had no idea our back foundation will be 10'-12' off the ground! Craziness! I guess our lot was more a slope than we thought! (But- it definetley enhances the view for us- we see right in the canyon now!) We will also have steps off the back patio down to the backyard- we will see how our dog Bella likes that! But, since it is so tall, they had to do 2 seperate pours of concrete for the foundation. The last pictures were taken last sunday and we have not been out there since. Hopefully they poured the final layer this week and they will start framing in the next week or so! This part seems to be going slow, but we were told that taller foundations add and extra week or 2 to the building process! I guess we are just anxious!! Will update more as it gets further along! Enjoy!

Ititial framing for the foundation

Foundation at the back of the house-

we will have steps off our patio down to the backyard.

(Look how tall it is compared to Brett!)

Moving the dirt!

Plumbing is ready!

Corner of the house- tall foundation

Ready to pour the final layer of foundation