Time to Trim the Tree

We finally got the tree out!  We love Christmas so we always like to get everything out as soon as possible so we have longer to enjoy everything.  So this weekend we got started.

 

 Of course we have to go through each ornament, one by one and tell the story of how we acquired it.

 I can't believe how much they have grown. This picture of live was from 2 years ago.

 For whatever reason, this was Juliana's favorite ornament this year.

 And this was a special ornament that says something really sappy about the honor of being your sister.  I thought it was so sweet that she paid such close attention to it.  She really does love her sister!

Family Time

This week was a great family week.  Omi and Opi came in on Sunday and Olivia was stuck to her like glue.  So they were supposed to babysit Baby Izzie this day, but unfortunately Baby Izzie had an ear infection and couldn't come.  Liv was devastated because she had put on her "babysitting clothes and everything!"  So instead they opened up a daycare which included all of her babies and stuffed animals, but NOT CASEY!  She was kicked out of daycare.  Then it was time for crochet lessons!

Juliana and I were at appointments all day and she was a trooper.  She had blood drawn that morning, an appointment for Botox injections she will be receiving next month and she had to get her AFO's adjusted.  She is such a tough cookie.  Just look at that smile!

Then the next day Baby Izzie was feeling a little better and she came over to play awhile.  She is a doll and Liv and Juj love her!

Then that night Aunt Melissa, David, Kayla and Ty came over.  Ty and Olivia LOVE each other so much and always have a blast together.  I love this picture so much because this is what it is like the entire time they are together.  Nothing but big huge belly busting laughter!

Juj had a great time as well.

And then finally it was Thanksgiving!  No traditional Thanksgiving meal for us.  No sir.  We went out to dinner.  Thank you TX Land and Cattle for a very delicious dinner!

Daddy and Juj

 Omi and Opi

 Ty and Olivia

 Melissa, Kayla and David

 Omi and Izzie

 And this is what Omi chose for her dinner.  They did offer a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but Omi, being the carnivore that she is chose the steak and potato.

 Opi went for the traditional

Then after dinner, Omi and I decided to brave the stores and went to Walmart.  I mean how bad could it be, right.  It was 8pm and the real sales weren't starting until 10pm.  Let's give it a shot.  BAD IDEA!  When will we learn.

Last Day of Horseback Riding

This was our last day of horseback riding for this season and we will be sad to say goodbye to our horse Peter Pan.  Just look at my girl go!  We have been coming to Spirit Horse for about 3 years now.  And let me tell you, when we started Juliana has almost no trunk control on the horse.  We had to fully support her on the horse which always felt like way more of a workout for us than her.  And here we are today, only providing very light support and she does the rest.  How far we've come!

 This is her instructor Crystal who we LOVE!

 Does she look proud or what?

Juliana's 1st School Program

Was a total FAIL!  I should have know, but I refuse to keep trying.  She was so excited about the event, smiles all afternoon when we talked about it.  Even as we headed to the school that night she was awake and excited.  Then we entered the gym where all the kids were waiting and the noise and sheer amount of kids started to stress her out a bit.  Then we saw a fully packed cafeteria - standing room only in fact and it was over. Couple that with the fact that it was HOT and here is what you get.

I finally put her out of her misery and she nuzzled in my neck and fell asleep for the duration.  The second we stepped outside, she was awake and smiling.  Oh well, maybe next year.

CDC 2012 Fun Run

This year's CDC Fun Run was a blast. 

Here is Team 1 running in the Wheels division of the race: Roger and Juliana!

And Team 2 - Marisa, Kristy, Olivia and Faith

 And they're off!  I have to say that a year really makes a difference.  I rememeber running this with Olivia last year.  She was 3 and a total wuss.  Granted she was only 3 years old, but she tired out before we hit the first 1/4 of a mile.  This year, a different story.  She was determined to win.  I had gotten up in the middle of the night with Juliana and Olivia rolled over and said, "Are you taking her out of here so I can get some good rest and win my race?"  Yes my dear.  Then she woke up in the morning and told me she needed pony tails today because in her words "Hair down, slows you down!"  All she talked about was how she was going to win that trophy.  I thought she has a fighting chance.  Although she has Roger and my genes (which don't include the running genes), she is one of the older kids in the class, and she is taller than them all, and she really wants to win this year.  They give out a trophy to the first place girl and boy of each class.  So she only has to be faster than the girls in her class.  Please Jesus, just this once, let her little legs carry her to that trophy she wants so badly.  Well, not so much.  Unfortunately she didn't even make top 3 of her class.  She was kind of bummed, but to told her how proud I was of her.  How much she grew in a year, that last year she cried the whole mile and this year not so much as a tear.  I really was so proud of her.

 Here is Juj catching up with her favorite Mrs. West.

 And here is Juliana and Roger, winning 1st place in the Wheels division.  Yes of course we were happy for them, but it was kind of like salt in Livi's already stinging wound.

 And this has to be one of my favorite pictures in a long time.  I took it.  Doesn't it remind you of the family portraits you took in the late 70's with your parents. It's like Roger with his 3 daughters.  Love it!