Celebrating 2011!

Well its 2011! Where has 2010 gone? The biggest thing that happened for the Carson family in 2010 was that we found out we were moving, put our house on the market- sold it in 2 weeks, and made the big move to Austin. The other big change was that I decided to stay at home with Crew once we moved and Brett got a new job. The year has just flown by and we are amazed at how God can change your life in the blink of a second! I am so happy that I am feeling better since 2010 was a very rough year for my health (2 different 2-1/2 week hospital stays and my gallbladder taken out!) But, I pray that I am on the uphill. We are wondering what 2011 will have in store for our family? Our main joy is watching Crew grow and change each and every day!

We had been traveling for over a week for Christmas and decided it would be best to stay in Austin for New Years. (Although, I know we missed out on two big parties with our friends in Dallas- so sorry we couldn't be there!) We had the Naizers over for a night of family fun and celebration! We had 4 kids under the age of 5 so our house was a little crazy but it was WONDERFUL! The kids enjoyed a nice mac and cheese, chicken nugget dinner- while Brett cooked up some good steaks for the adults. The kids LOVED playing with my karaoke machine from college- yes I still have it! I forgot how fun this was-as I was packing it up Brett and I had a little American Idol singing session ourselves! We also had a silly string fight to top off the night.

On New Years day we took Crew to play a Zilker Park and then went to the Sikes Lakehouse. We enjoyed a day of football watching and eating some black eyed peas and cornbread! It was so wonderful catching up with the Sikes (and Kummer) family and of course, oohing and ahhing over adorable baby Preston- what a cutie! Crew and Preston will be running around playing together before you know it! And, we had extra fun getting to see and catch up with Abby too. What a great start to 2011! I sure hope its a year full of blessings, good health, and many new adventures! Cheers!

Centerpiece

Placesetting
(my china is in storage so we improvised..)


Kids and adults cups- cheers!

Tyl, Lathan, Crew, and Kinley eating dinner

Ty and Crew helping clean up and loading the dishwasher

Karaoke Party!

Silly String Fight!

Amy and Preston!

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!