Christmas in Texas

We had such a great Christmas in Texas! We were able to visit with both Michael's Mom and his Dad!

Caleb was REALLY into the flight this time - the previous times he flew he was too little to really understand what we were doing. This time, however, he was ready to "zoom to the moon"!!

Ready for takeoff:

Daddy held baby girl before we took off:

The leap pad and the ipad were lifesavers on the long layovers and long flights!

Heading down for the long flight from Charlotte to DFW!

Our little circus:

Starting to get sleepy since he'd been up since 0430 and it was after 1130!

... and out.

Snuggled in with Daddy:

After the airline losing all of our bags, and delaying our car ride to Steve and Jan's house by 2.5 hours, we finally arrived after 930pm! Even with a rocky night of sleep, Lexi was super baby and was all smiles for Steve!

Jan got to get in lots of baby girl snuggles too!

It was so great for Caleb to get out some energy on a little bike!

Lexi loves being outside!

She has become so much more animated when she's on the ground and loves to roll from side to side to look around!

Hey guys!

Caleb and Tipsy had fun playing together too!

Pupdog belly love :)

Caleb had a ball on the backyard swing:

... and pushing Daddy on the swing:

But his FAVORITE thing to do was help feed the "reindeer"!

More smiles with Jan!

Early morning snuggles with Mama:

They got Caleb a little easel so that he could color! He really liked being an artist at his own table!

and he LOVED getting to go up in Granddad's real tractor!

Feeding the reindeer again!

Someone didn't eat their dinner ... but grandparents get to spoil their grandkids (right?) ... so he got an ice cream bar instead :P

Stinker.

Baby girl all dressed up in her snowman dress!

Jan and Steve and the kiddos!

Granddad and Caleb wrasslin'!

Lexi meeting her Great-Grandad for the first time!

Caleb and Great-Grandad Roy getting hugs!

Great-Grandmother Oneita and Lexi getting to meet for the first time!

Michael's cousin's wife, Ryanne, getting some baby girl snuggles!

After a quick stop at the Great-Grands house, we went to Garrett and Sarah's for Sydney's 11th birthday party! Caleb thought Ethan's room was so cool with all of the legos!

"Someone" threw an EPIC fit during the party ... and crashed before we even got on the highway back to Steve and Jan's. He fell asleep, let us transfer him to a bed in the house, and slept for a straight 15 hours!! O-v-e-r-t-i-r-e-d!!!

Caleb did a good job of helping Steve play Texas Hold'em :P

Granny J got a gingerbread house kit so we got to work! I piped icing, Michael rolled fondant ... and Caleb and Granny J decorated the house!

Such a concentration face!

It turned out SO cute!

He was unbelievably proud of his house!

Baby girl snug as a bug ready to hit the town!

We went out and Granny J and Granddad got Caleb his first pair of cowboy boots! It was seriously one of the cutest things I've ever seen!

... then he got all dudded up with some Texas Cowboy gear!

Granddad and his grandson!

So cute!!

We stopped for some Mexican food (yum!) and Lexi was such a good girl!

It wouldn't be a trip to Texas if we didn't shoot guns :/ Michael had a blast ... and even I did a little shooting (shocker, I know)!

So don't know what I'm doing ... I did decently though!

I liked the muzzle flash :)

Steve and Michael had a good time shooting a bunch of guns!

Granny J and Caleb went and did some chores though.

You know, like feeding the fish and the reindeer! (insert Caleb's HUGE smile here!)

He did such a good job taking the corn out to the bins and pouring it himself! He really looked like a little boy that was about to head to A&M!

Lexi was napping ... and then she woke up!

She looks so innocent in the mornings!

Caleb's first taste of biscuits and gravy ... while wearing his bibs :)

Some hugs from the boy in bibs!

I got some boots too! I love them!

After a few days at Granddad and Granny J's, we headed over to P-Mo and Pop Daddy's house! First order of business ... get into warm clothes and go outside to see some chickens!

Lexi and Caleb got baths in the big bath! Caleb loved "swimming" in P-Mo's tub!

Hanging out!

P-Mo was able to get Lexi to take some naps!

Lexi's first Christmas!!

Our bebes on Christmas Eve! Caleb did such a good job holding his sister!

Checking out the presents!

So ready for Santa to come!

Reluctantly eating Christmas Eve dinner ... he wanted Santa to come!

Heading out to sprinkle oatmeal for the reindeer!

Hoping they come and eat the food!

Writing a note to Santa on the cookie plate!

Setting out the milk, cookies and carrots!

Big boot and little boots :)

Reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" in bed (we forgot our book so we had to read it from the phone!) 

Lexi wasn't sleeping well at night so Michael was on the couch with her most of the time! They were already ready when Caleb woke up!

Santa came!

...but she fell back asleep while Caleb opened presents.

She woke up in time to get her present though!

Digging into his stocking:

Elmo books!

Lexi got a giggling baby doll!

Caleb got some floor puzzles from Santa!

Lexi and P-Mo hanging out on Christmas morning!

Our little family :)

Pop Daddy and Caleb heading out to feed the chickens!

Lexi was super smiley with her P-Mo!

Pop Daddy and Caleb in the chicken coop!

They found an egg!

Caleb and Pop Daddy took the golf cart out for a spin to check the hog trap!

... and Caleb even got to drive!

Caleb was a super menace to his cousins :/ He is a super busy little boy who loves to wrestle rough with his cousins!

Aunt Sarah got them to play a calm game of duck duck goose for a little while though!

Just a boy. In some dirt.

Aunt Sarah and Aunt Leslie playing with Lexi!

Uncle Garrett with Lexi! He has lots of practice with little girls so he was right at home!

We got dressed up for family pictures - I LOVE the way Lexi looked in her hat with her blue eyes!

My sweet baby girl.

Caleb heading out for pictures:

Daddy and his little girl:

Caleb wanting to climb the ladder so bad with Annsley and Hadley!

Uncle G and Caleb!

P-Mo and Pop Daddy with all of the grandkids!

Pop Daddy and Caleb hanging out!

Opening presents with the family - Ethan loves babies and was so good with Lexi!

Granddad and Grandmother came to watch us open presents!

Caleb heading back out to feed the chickens again!

We went over to Steve and Jan's and Krista and Roger had made it into town! Lexi and Krista meeting for the first time!

Baby girl had on tights with boots on them!

... and a squiggle booty!

Steve, Jan and all their grandkids!

... not sure what faces Caleb was making! lol!

Me and my boy :)

Krista made up a game for the kids to figure out before they could open their gifts! Caleb thought the star necklace was pretty cool!

Aunt Sarah was a baby whisperer with Lexi!

Opening up presents!

So excited!

Getting sleepy!

Marcus looking for some handouts :P

Eating some delicious fried ice-cream that Aunt Krista made!

Hanging out on the deck while the kids played in the yard!

Caleb and Annsley had a sleepover on the pullout couch!

Lexi dressed up for another family Christmas!

Caleb got to eat dinner with his Aunts, Uncles and cousin Doug!

Sarah and Garrett making Lexi giggle so hard!

Sydney was amazing with Caleb! She even helped him decorate cookies!

Back down at Garrett and Sarah's for Hadley's birthday party!

Owl booty with little boots!

Michael with his grandparents!

My sweet girl!

We took pics of the boys in their uniforms ... just like we did in 2004! They are all currently the same rank! (for a little while longer, Bryan is a Commander-select!)

Caleb got super messy eating fig newtons while we took the boys' pictures!

Gig'Em!

Kisses with my Marine!

Uncle G is so funny :P

SUPER happy girl after her nap!

All snuggled in at the airport on the way home:

Back on the airplane ... heading back to Virginia!

It was such a great visit and so many family members got to meet Lexi! It was tough to get down there, but so worth it once we were there! We were ready to start the New Year ... until Caleb got sick over New Years ... ugh! lol!!