Christmas in Tyler - 2009

Christmas was fun this year and so different because of the new baby girls. I have to admit it was an adventure buying baby gifts and going to toy stores this time of year. Maybe I'll get tired of it in the future, but this year it was pretty entertaining!

Beth and Sarah got together and made Christmas cookies on Tuesday. We've done this every year since they were tiny and this year I didn't do a thing - just watched.

They turned out so pretty and tasted so good (I've been eating the leftovers all day today). Really kinda artistic I think. I think Camryn would like to try one, but they're not on the baby food list yet. Maybe next year.Everyone came over on Wednesday afternoon and we just sat around and watched the babies and talked.

Christmas Eve is our family time. Again lots of watching babies Thursday afternoon. It's really entertaining. Oh there was a lot of cooking going on too: turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, fruit salad, Momo rolls (they still weren't quite as good as hers).

This is Emery's Christmas dress - Beth bought it before she was born. She's getting so strong and wants to stand up all the time now!

It started to snow - big fluffy flakes - we were all pretty excited. I think it's the first time in my life that it's snowed on Christmas Eve.

Here are Beth and Matt taking a minute to enjoy the moment (and yes Emery was taking a nap).The only sad part was that Greg had/has a nasty cold and couldn't hold Camryn or Emery the whole time.

But Greg's dad got to hold them both, although Camryn pretty much just slid off his lap and went for the toys.So here are the family pictures in front of the tree - so cute!

Gigi Strikes Again

My mother taught me to knit. She patiently showed me how to knit, purl, yarn over, cast on, etc. She was a master "knitter". I'm not sure that's actually a word, but oh my goodness she loved to knit. I've got some beautiful sweaters that she made and I just love them.


So I dusted off my knitting needles as I became a grandmother. I made these little hats for Camryn and Emery. Here's Emery. Just enjoying her hat. Way to go Emery.

And here's Camryn NOT enjoying her hat - trying to take it off. Sarah said she barely had time to take the picture before Camryn yanked it off. Oh well - she looks adorable in it.
And by the way, there are countless books and videos online that show you how to knit, but it's not the same as when your mother shows you how.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SARAH AND TYSON

Am I counting right? SEVEN years? Wow. Here is the happy couple during their rehearsal dinner. I'm sure everyone remembers the awesome fajitas and the ice cream from Marble Slab. I have a picture of Tyson in a sombrero that I will probably post next year. Heads up Tyson.

This is a picture I took during Sarah's bridal portrait session. I don't think I was supposed to take it, but I did and I just love it.

Happy Anniversary - A Day Late

Happy 3rd Anniversary Beth and Matt!

What We Did Today

When I taught Kindergarten, I used to send "What We Did Today" notes home. I would take pictures during the day and during my lunch 1/2 hour I'd print a few out with script to explain what was going on in the picture. Well here's my "What I Did Today" for Friday, December 4, 2009.

First of all, I went to WalMart cause I was totally out of just about everything. But I got there early, had a list and was victorious - less than $100 spent - yea me. I will NOT buy chocolate Kisses wrapped in Christmas colors - I will NOT - yet.

Next I skyped with Sarah and Camryn - who had clapped for the first time today! Camryn, not Sarah. She was so adorable and I got to see it. I wish I had taken a picture, but did get a picture of this later on in the morning - SNOW!! It only lasted for about 10 minutes, but it was in the 30's all day today. It's really there if you look hard enough.

Then guess who came over!!

Beth was working on a little sewing project and needed some expert help - which she didn't get from me, but between the two of us, I think we figured it out.

When Sarah was here at Thanksgiving, they decided they would applique these cute snowflakes to onesies for their girls. Anyway we weren't sure how to finish the edges. But I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to sew it to a placemat! FYI Sarah if you read this, we decided to blanket stitch it, cause neither one of us could zig-zag it neatly enough.

While all the sewing fun was going on, OK read Emery a little book called I Am a Bunny. I've also got a picture of him reading it to Beth when she was a little girl (somewhere).

And he TRIED to read it to Camryn when she was here at Thanksgiving, but she was too busy crawling around and playing with the jingle bell toy.

Finally - just finished the Christmas tree. Here's a picture. It's looked pretty much the same for the last 20 years, except for the bows at the top!

Well, now that I look at this picture - you can't actually SEE the bows so never mind!

I Love Thanksgiving

Well I do love Thanksgiving. First of all THANK YOU for cool, delicious weather! Growing up in South Texas, it was summer all year long, so I love the change of seasons. Tyler is beautiful in the fall. And YES, thank you for Grandchildren. I just adore them.
I like this holiday because you don't have to DO anything except cook, and eat and be thankful. No costumes to make, presents to buy, trees to decorate, Valentines to mail or eggs to hide. Just be thankful. Take a breath, play some games, watch a movie or take a walk. Well truthfully I'm not crazy about all the dish-washing, oh well.

We've eaten with Tyson's family the past few years and this year it was Janice's time to host. I wish I had taken a picture of her tables because they were so pretty. So inviting and so special. I brought a Cajun fried turkey and some mashed potatoes. Sarah made a broccoli/cheese casserole, Beth whipped out a pumpkin cheesecake, Janice and her family brought a ham, a green bean casserole, fruit salad, dressing, gravy and MOMO rolls.
This is Tyson and Sarah and Momo - Tyson's grandmother - and she makes rolls ... really good ones.
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I'm thankful that our daughters are such amazing moms.
I'm thankful that Tyson and Matt are part of our family now - they're such good dads.
Did I mention that I'm thankful for grandchildren?

Christmas Calendars

When Beth and Sarah were small, my mother (Grandma Hall) gave them a Christmas Advent Calendar that she made. It was so cute! It was made from felt and in each little pocket there was an ornament to put on the tree.

She must have loved sequins because EVERYTHING had sequins on it. There was the little train at the bottom of the tree....
Each ornament was adorable and sequinney and cute...


Each day during December, the girls would look forward to putting an ornament on the tree. Actually I STILL look forward to it! Here's what it looks like with all the ornaments.

SO I had to make one for Camryn and Emery (and their siblings)!

Honestly, mine are not as detailed, but I think they turned out nicely.

Love, Gigi
PS: Grandma Hall also made elaborate Christmas tree skirts, which I will NOT be doing !