Texan Christmas

This year we decided to stay in Texas for Christmas, it was the first year spent away from our families.  I’m not going to lie, we definitely missed them at times, but it was good to celebrate just with our little family too.  Although it’s wonderful being able to see both of our families when we go home, it was nice just doing what we wanted and relaxing here together!  Kennedy even slept in until 9:30 Christmas morning, what a nice present to us!

Our Christmas Eve Dinner   Santa ate the milk and cookies we made and filled the stockings!

I loved being in our living room with the Christmas Tree lights on, it was so cozy and peaceful!

Checking out her stocking and presents! We were having issues with our camera and sadly this picture is blurry, but I’m posting it anyways because her excited face is too cute! Kennedy loved her princess dress from Gma Barb! Our Texan Christmas Dinner- Brisket and Potatoes with Rudy’s Bar-BQ Sause of course!

We hope ya’ll had a wonderful Christmas too!

Sesame Street

Sea World only has a Sesame Street show during Holidays and special occasions. So when they do have a show, we make sure to see it a couple times because Kennedy loves Sesame Street and especially Elmo.They put on a good show!

Kennedy’s dream came true!  She got to meet Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster!  What a lucky girl!

  Hugs for Elmo!

   That’s one Big Smile, from one happy girl! She was all smiles the whole time!

       

Sea World Christmas Fun

Sea World was open for 2 weeks during December, so we made sure to go a few times and soak in all the Christmas fun with friends,  even daddy came along with us one time!   Kennedy and Chandler under the World’s Largest Mistletoe She got to see Santa at Sea World too, still no smile…

She even got to meet Shamu Santa! Giving Otter a hug

A bunch of the Sea World animal characters come out in the afternoon and have a Christmas hoedown!  Kennedy loved seeing all of them and dancing to the music!  She loves to dance! Dancing with the Penguin

                               Boot Christmas tree…only in Texas! 

Clyde and Seamore’s Christmas Countdown, it was a cute new show!

Kennedy and Zak checking out all the Alligators taking naps in the warm 75 deg weather! Kennedy loved watching and feeding all the ducksThis is the face we get when we ask Kennedy to smile and say cheese! Ha, love her!

Santa Claus

My good friend Aubrey and I got our girls dressed up in their cute Christmas dresses and took them to see Santa at the Bass Pro shop one afternoon in December. Kennedy LOVES Kaylee and Allie, and it’s so cute to see her get so excited when she sees them, and to watch them play together. We had a great afternoon with them!

Kennedy and Kaylee Still no smile with Santa, but at least she looks cute in her dress! I almost caught a smile with him here, she’s doing the end of her “cheese” look, I was just too slow. Kaylee taking Kennedy and Allie for a ride

We thought this antler tree was pretty neat!

USAA Christmas Parties

USAA goes all out for their Christmas Parties! The beginning of December they had the kids Christmas party at work. The Magik Theatre came and performed, “If you give a Moose a Muffin.” Santa was there, there were tons of carnival type games and candy, and many Texas and Holiday characters were walking around. The Magik Theatre did a great job and Kennedy loved the play! Carnival Games We still have yet to get a smile from Kennedy with Santa, she’s not afraid of him, but really shy and won’t smile

Kennedy loves HEB (the only grocery store here in Texas), and she excitedly screams “HEB” every time she sees the sign as we are driving.  So when she saw the H-E-Buddy at the party she ran right up to him!

   

This last weekend was the adult Christmas party downtown at the Alamo Dome, this year the  theme was “A Holiday in Hollywood.” 

Kennedy and I just before we left for the party

When we arrived downtown there was a red carpet and about 20 photographers snapping away as you entered the Alamo Dome! We felt pretty cool! :) Once inside people came up to you with h’orderves and then we met Whoopi Goldberg and Rod Stewart (ok, so it wasn’t really them, but they sure looked and sounded just like them!) There were also a lot of other Hollywood characters and look a likes wandering around and the whole place was decorated Hollywood style. It was a pretty big deal!

(this picture was taken with my phone, so it’s not very clear) We didn’t take our camera so we don’t have any other pictures, but they had a fancy buffet dinner and dessert bar to start off with which we got to enjoy with lots of our friends. Then they always have a band playing most of the night and this years entertainment was “Band from TV” and “Darius Rucker.” They were both quite good and it was fun listening to them.  There were also other side artists performing in different parts of the Alamo Dome that we went and explored. It was fun to get all dressed up and enjoy a night on the town,  and spending the evening with Zak and our friends!

Gingerbread Houses

We had fun making gingerbread houses together as a family this year!  I was just going to buy a gingerbread house kit, but when Zak heard that, he wouldn’t have it and insisted on making our own gingerbread!  So him and Kennedy made the gingerbread and had a great time!   They forgot to include peaks on some of the gingerbread pieces to hold the roof, so instead we went for the adobe style gingerbread house look!  There was definitely more candy eating than decorating help from Kennedy, she loved it! Don’t you love Kennedy’s big cheeser smile, silly girl! Kennedy was very helpful when it came to decorating daddy’s roofI’m surprised it didn’t cave in with all the candy on it!