Catching up....

Walker with his friends at school during their holiday party last Friday...they were in the same class last year and are still good friends this year!

Reagan has really warmed up to the kids. She misses Ben, and in his absence, she's pretty much decided she'll snuggle with anyone who offers. :) It's only taken Reagan 9 years to do this.  

sitting on the bench, waiting for his turn

The boy can hustle! :)

with Kasen

I can't believe these boys have been good friends for so long! 

And, here's a picture of Lainey with her baby. :) 

They are working on their bonding process.

Baby Joe (my cousin Anne's baby, born three days before Ben's admittance to the hospital) came to visit Ben at the hospital. :) He's so cute! And so calm!

Walker spent some time with friends building gingerbread houses; his facial expression in this picture makes me laugh. :) He's so skeptical.

I think this picture proves he had fun, though. :)

a sweet picture of Baby Tom

Merry Christmas!

I sent out our card digitally this year! :) Here it is for those of you whose email addresses I don't have (for whatever reason)! I seem to have lost so many email addresses over the past few years! :( 

Introducing Belle

We picked up Lainey's bunny Belle on Sunday! She's the cutest little thing; she's awfully soft, very sweet, and seems to have a gentle temperament. She is a bit skittish but overall, she's very easy to handle and approach.  Since day one (yes, I realize it's only day four), Lainey has taken full responsibility for Belle. She cleans the cage daily (when she's home) and when she's not, I help fill in the gaps. I don't mind, though, as she is doing her part. She feeds her every day and likes to give her hay. We are working hard on litter box training!

Good friends Anna and Eva came with us to pick up Belle in Waco. :) 

We got home just in time for Walker's first basketball game! :) While Walker may not have a future in basketball, I'm so proud of him for trying and doing his best out there! He hustled and paid attention and even got the ball a few times! :)

Back to Belle....Emmy said her ears look like airplane wings in this photo. So true!

After school on Monday, Lainey did her homework next to Belle's cage. And if anyone is wondering, Reagan has barely acknowledged Belle. When they did meet face-to-face, Reagan started shaking and trembling and just wanted to be held. She then turned her head away from the bunny. Basically, Reagan "shunned" her. At least she didn't try to boss her around. :)

Belle already has about ten nicknames. Bellerina, Belly-Boo, Baby Girl, Belly, Bella-Boo...just to name a few. 

Until last night, Belle had no idea how to get up onto the "loft" in her cage. But - overnight - she figured it out and had a grand ole time up there...she pooped everywhere and peed in the box after discarding the pillow and blanket that had been provided for her by Anna, Lainey, and Eva. The girls made lots of things for Belle - but sadly, this box had to go... Belle did get some enjoyment out of it, however. Besides peeing in it, she nibbled the sides and took off some of the stickers. ;)

Bucket Filler

Walker received the "Bucket Filler" award today at school. He's so pleased! And we are so proud of him! :)

And look at this sweet face. Reagan has adopted a human-like sleeping position at night...she lies next to me, with her head on a pillow, under the covers. :) Over the past week or so, our sweet thirteen-year-old dog has developed some very anxious feelings. I think she's just so confused...she misses Ben, she has almost completely lost her hearing, and this cold weather is not her thing. She wears a tiny sweatshirt which seems to help a little bit. :)

A Busy Dance Weekend

The girls' LAST class in the old studio was November 30th! 

L to R: Emerson, Madeleine, Lainey, Kali, Ella, Allyson, Brooklyn, and Izzy

Lainey and I headed to a dance convention in Dallas for the weekend, and Walker spent some time with the Sievers family. :) I am so thankful for our friends' and family members' help and support while Ben is in the hospital. I couldn't do it without them!

Lainey with friends Kherington and Reese

Her little "tribe" of friends - what a solid, awesome group of kids. I'm so thankful for them AND their moms! 

getting her tap shoe signed by one of the most talented tap dancers around...Anthony Morigerato 

bottom row, third from the left

with friends Lucah and Avery

cute little tappers

with Jenna from So You Think You Can Dance

Walker spent some time with this little guy...here he is...Thomas Shelby holding the "Shelby" car!

that purplish blur is Lainey...doing her "improv" down the aisle towards the stage during the closing show

Lainey - middle, next to one of her favorites, Anna

This is the cutest photo. I love the hugs they are giving each other. Such an HONOR to even be recognized at these huge conventions. The fact that they are both up there, for the first time, is HUGE. :) 

Three out of four girls are from Lainey's studio. Way to represent, ladies! :)

Morgan & Lainey :)

The new dance studio opened! Dance Industry's new home is AMAZING! 

with Mikey - who is such a wonderful, talented person and who happens to be choreographing her solo this year (we are so lucky!)

with Ms. Christy, the owner

with Ms. Jamie, the studio's "rock" and office manager

playing around in the new ballet studio

And - unrelated - but here's Reagan...and whenever Reagan isn't feeling well (she had a rough few days at the beginning of the week), she climbs into the kids' laps. She will sit wherever she's welcome. Her love language is definitely "physical touch" as she LOVES to be held by anyone and everyone...even kids, if she's desperate enough. ;)

again, sitting with Walker

Reagan started feeling better yesterday evening, and Walker made the comment that "she doesn't like to sit on our laps anymore." :) When she's feeling sick, she likes the laps....but when she's feeling well, not so much. :) She quickly reverts back to her skeptical, feisty self around the kids!

Walker and Lainey have been taking art class through a program called Young Rembrants. Lainey loves it...Walker sorta loves it. However, Walker HAS started to become more interested in drawing. Emmy and Walker spent a little time drawing together last weekend, and just yesterday, Walker drew this picture at school. I think it's pretty good! He obviously has incorporated some of the things that he learned - the shadows, the horizon line, the narrowing of roads as they fade into the distance...all big things! I'm so proud of him! :) And thanks, Emmy, for the tutorials! :)