Christmas in Florida...and Texas!

 

beautiful sunrise, December 22, 2023

paws

celebrating Christmas in Florida, December 22, 2023

Arriving in Texas on December 23rd after a SUPER early flight.

We're making sad faces to send to Ben's family to make them feel bad for not picking us up at the airport.

It was fine. :) No pickup is needed!

Walker is still an amazing car sleeper.

After arriving in Texas, we met for a family lunch and a tour of Globe Life Field (where the Texas Rangers play). This is Walker in the locker room.

in the dugout

Family photo, plus Jason (Kate's boyfriend of several years)

family Santa photo

To round out our very exhausting, long day...we celebrated a friend's birthday!

With Red Reynolds...such a great night!

Ben and Ryan, in their matching shirts 

On Christmas Eve morning, I ran to our old neighborhood. It was so good to see it!

a tree along the trail

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning in Texas! Stockings!

a little Taylor Swift surprise...

gifts before the rest of the family gets to the house

Bud and Walker doing a little Lego set

breakfast on December 26th with the Cox family

Walker with his neighborhood buddies: Thatcher, Daniel, Nicco, David, and Declan

Lainey and Morgan

Family Game Night... in Frisco, Texas

Ben did really well at this one!

Ben and Lainey's team won.

Next up: family pickleball!

Lainey and Ella

a quick visit with Miley and her mom, Missy

(dance friends from Texas)

surprising Ella at her job at the bakery

Ben and his childhood friends (and a dad)

Gracie! She did great while we were away.

***

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

First Cheer Competition

Lainey's first official cheer competition was a quick "head-to-head"competition at the school. She and her team did great; it was fun to watch the routine they've been working so hard to perfect.

quick team prayer

Lainey's up in the air on the far right

same spot

same spot

She was so proud of herself for not falling and hitting all of her stunts. :)

trying to get Gracie and her friends to pose for a photo. I'm hiding behind the clock.

Better photo! And hysterical. 

Gracie, Holi, and Rico

Getting Ready for Christmas!

 

our tree (with Gracie!)

Gracie has grabbed an ornament or two.

This particular ornament is quite fitting. It's a small bag of coal.

Family LEGO time...with Dylan. :) Poor teenagers.

Catching up....

Belle

manicure and pedicure time for Belle

Gracie, on my friend Susan's console in her truck

with the remote in the backyard...

She took the remote out there (for attention) and proceeded to turn on the TV from the yard. :)

Lainey and Dylan, after a soccer game

Walker's team won a tournament this past weekend!

Congratulations, boys!

(Walker is holding the edge of the banner, above the reindeer.)

I saw this bird this morning...it had captured a fish and then proceeded to swallow it whole. Crazy.