Last Day of 2010

Recap of 2010....

January:

 We rang in the New Year with friends and family

Full month of school for Bryan

Playdates and mommy's day outs for the boys and I

February:

 Annual ski trip with the McMahan's in Taos, New Mexico

Major asthma problems for Bryce

Isaac's first ER visit for breathing problems

Forgot Grandma McGee's birthday for over a month! YIKES

March: 

Bryan turned 28

Annual Spring Break trip to Texas

Brad and Orchidia tied the knot

April: 

Another busy month of playdates and mommy's day outs with the kids

Tot-town, parks, library 

Bryce started wearing glasses for his far sidedness. 

May:

Bryan and I celebrated our 5th anniversary early in Disney World for a week. 

Grandma and Grandpa stayed with the kids, and enjoyed every minute of it...even getting locked out of the house with the kids inside the house. :) Oh the things we don't know until we come home...it's best that way! 

I turned 27 this year, and I feel 30 getting closer and closer everyday. 

Bryce turned 2 this year, he had a Tow Mater birthday party. Noni was able to fly out and enjoy the celebration with us. This year was extra special for Bryce and I both. His birthday was actual on Mother's Day this year, so he got 2 birthday parties. One with all of his friends and one with all of his family in Mesa on Mother's Day. It was a very special day for all the Mother's and big brother Bryce! 

Noni made it home just in time for Papi's birthday. Pawpaw's celebrated a birthday on the same day. Gotta love May babies! 

We finished the rest of the month off with pool parties and lots of swimming. Bryce became quite the fish in the water. 

June: 

18th Bryan and I celebrated 5 years of being married! 

I lost a wonderful college professor this month to cancer. 

We spent almost every other weekend up at the cabin for the whole summer. 

July:

The boys and I made a surprise visit to Texas. Stayed with the McMahan's for a few days and headed off to Dallas where it was a HUGE surprise to Noni that we came all that way without telling her. We ended our trip at Pawpaw's and Grandma Judy's. Making stops at the Great Grandparents Leta, and James, and Granny-dot. 

Same as June, spending tons of time up at the cabin escaping the heat of the valley.

August:

Nothing to exciting happened. Bryan finished up another block at school passing all of his classes! 

September:

Wow, what a busy month...

Weekend get away to La Jolla, Ca

Made stops at Sea World, Anthony's Seafood, USS Midway, and played on the beach.

Isaac turned one!

Noni and Papi came out for the HUGE celebration. Isaac had a Cookie Monster birthday party, with about 35 people celebrating with him.

Well they were still in town we ventured up north an paid a visit to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and Williams, Az. While in Sedona we took a hummer ride out into the desert and enjoy the red rocks. 

October:

Ghost and goblins

We hosted our first pumpkin carving party! What a great turn out we had, and so much fun it was to see everyones work! Our family alone ended up carving 8 pumpkins this year. Everything ranging from Woody, Buzz, Thomas the tank engine, spiders, Jack from the Nightmare before Christmas, and so much more. 

Bryce wasn't into dressing up this year for Halloween. Maybe next year will be better, he was still a little confused about the scary costumes. We had a couple of events that we had to dress up for, so pulling all my tricks out of my hat I dressed him up as a cook. He wore my scrub hat, his cooking apron, and had a blow with a whisk. He loved it! Bryce on the other hand got some really cute monster pj's for his birthday and he wore those for his costume. Easy and simple, and CHEAP!!! 

November:

Thanksgiving in Texas was our BIG thing this month. We had a blast visiting with everyone and getting away from home for a little while, but it sure was nice to come back to our own beds! 

December: 

Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, Christmas programs, Christmas lights, Christmas dinners with friends, Polar Express, Christmas eve in Mesa, and Christmas day at home with Grandma and Grandpa McGee. 

Whewww my head is still spinning from the month  of December. It has been a crazy one! 

WE FOUND OUT BABY NUMBER 3 IS ON THE WAY!! 

Our goals for 2011 is to SLOW down and enjoy our family a little more. We aren't going to travel as much this year, and we are going to enjoy each other company. 

Happy New Year! We welcome 2011 with open arms! It's going to be a good one for the McGee family! 

Christmas 2010

Christmas was AMAZING this year in the McGee house. All I can think about is how much fun it is going to be next year when the boys are one year older and understand so much more about Christmas.

On December 19th, 2010 we headed up to Williams, Arizona for our annual Polar Express trip. We all climbed aboard the train wearing our pj's ready to pick up Santa from the North Pole. Hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies were served to go along with the Polar Express story that was read and all the wonderful Christmas songs we sang. We ended up have to change our plans and cancel our hotel for the evening after the Polar Express because we all came down with a nasty cold 3 days before we were suppose to leave. 

 Yummy cookies

 Ike taking it all in. 

 North Pole picking Santa Claus up

Santa Claus giving the boys their sliver bells

Christmas Eve was filled with family, laughter, good food, and great memories! Our first stop for the day was at Great Grandma and Grandpa McGee's. There we enjoyed a Christmas dinner with them, and shared gifts with each other. The boys enjoying going up and down the halls of the care center in Great Grandma power chair. 

After visiting with the Great Grandparents we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a round of phase 10 card game. Time always flies when you are having fun...in no time it was time to head over to Uncle David's and Aunt Karen's house for the big get together with the family. Aunt Karen and Uncle David made a wonderful prime rib, and so many yummy sides to choose from. Bryan enjoy being back old memories with his cousin about teaming up on Misty as a kid, and all the trouble they got into as kids.
We ended the evening with a gift exchange for the kids.
Bryan and I were excited to get home and prepare the house for Santa Claus visit. Bryce went to bed without any troubles at all, and was super excited to wake up to see what Santa and left. Bryan and I finally tucked in around 11:30 with our alarm set for an early Christmas morning.

7 o'clock alarm has gone off, and we are up and about...monkey bread is cooking, pigs in a blanket are cooking, coffee is brewing we were set for everyone to arrive. Around 8am Auntie Misty arrived and shortly after Grandma and Grandpa McGee arrived just in time for breakfast and gifts.
The boys took it easy on us and slept in until about 8:30am. Bryce couldn't believe his eyes when he came into the living room and saw Santa actually came and left something under the tree for him and brother.
Santa left Bryce a new bike, and Black and Decker workbench with all power tools. Isaac was happy to see that Santa brought him a Spider-man 4 wheeler.
Later in the morning after Ryan made it over we started in on the big gifts from Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa McGee, Auntie Misty and Uncle Ryan. Isaac was into unwrapping all the gifts, and Bryce on the other hand wanted to stop and play with all the toys.
Monster tucks were the winning toy for this Christmas for Bryce.

 The winning item for Isaac would be his Woody toy, and his 4 wheeler.

My Woody!

Watch OUT here I come!!

 Black and Decker Workbench with Power Tools

 Bike from Santa

Bryan and I plus 1

 Grandpa McGee

Isaac opening a gift from Pawpaw Higgs

Santa Baby (I mean daddy)

Wow, my first guitar!

As a family tradition we always have Swedish Meatballs and Lefse for Christmas lunch. Grandma McGee makes the best meatballs you've ever eaten, and the lefse is special ordered from Wisconsin. We topped off lunch with a peppermint cheesecake. We finished the evening with TONS of laughter and games.

Day After Christmas:
Clean up day, we had so much to clean up around the house. This past month has been nothing but on the run  24/7. So it was time to stop and pick up everything that was out of place from all the running and going. After the house and garage were picked up we all took a midday nap. Boy it's nice to slow down and relax every once and away. But we couldn't relax for to long, after dinner we headed out to another annual tradition we have and that was Zoo lights at the Phoenix Zoo. We had huge accomplishments from Bryce he braved the carousel and LOVED it. Last year Bryce was terrified to ride the carousel and kicked and screamed the whole time on it. This year he was happy, and willing to only hold on with ONE hand! Grandma and Grandpa McGee were so proud of him for over coming his fear! 

Waiting in line for the carousel.

Biggest Smile in the West!

 And we rode it AGAIN

 We didn't have a doubt in our mind that Isaac wouldn't love it!

 Zoo Lights 2010

The End! 

8 more days until Christmas

As I sit here watching Rudolph with Bryce, it's hard to believe Christmas is less than 8 days away. We've been so busy there's been no time to stop and think about Christmas being next weekend! Luckily all gifts are purchased, Christmas cards were mailed, two Christmas parties are done and one more to go this weekend. The year always seems to come and go so quickly. 

Bryce has seen Santa enough this year to know him personally. He was at our Christmas party, he also made an appearance at the mom's group Christmas party. 

Our family is cookie'd out after two different cookie exchanges this holiday season. I know one thing, I'm tired  of making cookies! I've made over 40 dozen between the cookie exchanges and sending them to Bryan's work. We've had cookies every night for dessert, everyone is done with them. All this went along with a recent gingerbread playdate with our friends, at which we decorated some more cookies. I must say the kids eat more than they decorated. It was an afternoon of bouncing off the walls for Missy and I. 

Christmas came early for a few of us in the family. Bryce and Isaac got a trampoline from Grandma and Grandpa McGee. Bryce loves it; the first day he didn't want to get off for anything. Isaac on the other hand loves the trampoline if someone other than his brother is on it. Bryce's favorite thing to do his bounce his brother up and down...needless to say Ike doesn't not care for that.  Ike has managed to figure out how to climb up and down the ladder all by himself...can you say scary?!?  Alicia also got a an early Christmas present - a full set of Fiesta dishes, from her wonderful husband Bryan.  I added this line after Alicia's original post ;)

Every week the month of December Lowes is offering a build and grow clinic. Bryce loves it, we've been working on building a train for Christmas. Each week a different section of the train is constructed. 

(piece 2, the passenger car)

Our family decided to start looking for a new SUV as the trailblazer just rolled over to 100k on our trip to Texas; it's at the tipping point of still making money on the resale and paying too much for maintenance/repairs. Another reason is having more than two kids; we would need to put 3 car seats in the middle row (which the Trailblazer won't hack). So, we started on the hunt about 3 weeks ago for a new or used Yukon XL or Suburban. After someone posed as a grieving parent of a dead Marine trying to sell a vehicle over CraigsList and looking at 4 different vehicles we finally found the perfect match. We'll be bringing her home tomorrow...it's a 2007 Chevorlet Suburban in great condition.

Couldn't of been better timing for a new vehicle. Yesterday, 12/16/2010, Bryan and I announced baby number three is on the way. We are super excited to welcome a brother or sister to Bryce and Isaac in August of 2011.

December in the 70's

It doesn't feel much like Christmas with the temp. in the mid-high 70's. But we have been more festive than ever this year. The day after we came home from Texas our Christmas stuff was pull down and the tree was up. The stocking are hung and the Christmas lights are up outside. 

We kicked off our holiday spirit with an evening downtown Surprise at the annual block party. Bryan was unable to go, but Bryce, Isaac and I had a great time with some friends. There was all kinds of neat hot air balloons, Christmas music, tree lights, and great food. 

The boys and I arrived home to Daddy being in full blown holiday spirits...he was ready to watch his annual Christmas Vacation with the Griswold family. Bryan and I sat and watched the whole movie with Bryce, and Bryan and I still crack up to this day. Between the both of us we pretty much know every line in the  movie and sit and quote the whole movie before it happens. 

One of Bryan's favorites: 

Todd: Hey Griswold. Where do you think you're gonna put a tree that big? 

Clark: Bend over and I'll show you. 

Todd: You've got a lot of nerve talking to me like that Griswold. 

Clark: I wasn't talking to you

One of my favorites: 

Ellen: What are you looking at?
Clark: Oh, the silent majesty of a winter's morn... the clean, cool chill of the holiday air... an asshole in his bathrobe, emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer...
[Eddie, in the driveway, is draining the RV's toilet]
Eddie: Shitter was full.
Clark: Ah, yeah. You checked our shitters, honey?
Ellen: Clark, please. He doesn't know any better.
Clark: He oughta know it's illegal. That's a storm sewer. If it fills with gas, I pity the person who lights a match within ten yards of it. 

Ike's wasn't willing to stay up for all the fun, he tucked in pretty soon after getting home from the Surprise block party. But Bryce was close to pulling an all nighter with us. After our movie was over we started decorating our gingerbread house. That was a new experience for us. I'm not sure what got covered in more frosting...me or the house. The frosting was the closest thing to glue, it stuck to EVERYTHING. As I was finishing up outlining the windows with frosting Bryce started putting on all the candy. Daddy had given Bryce some Swedish fish to snack on instead of all the candy for the gingerbread house, and the next thing I knew Bryce was lining the top of the roof with swedish fish. Looked like a pretty clever idea...so we left it that way! 

  

We had our first Christmas party of the season on the 4th of December for the mom's group. It was a Mexican style party with tamales, beans, chips, margarita's, chocolate fountain and best of all Santa stopped in for a visit. 

After a quick recovery from the party we were up early on Sunday morning for family pictures. We had the whole family together which was nice for a family pictures. We were able to get a few pictures of Misty and Ryan for their engagement pictures as well. Our friends Karri and Greg joined us, and I had the pleasure of taking some family photos for them as well. They turned out great, such a photogenic family! 

Never thought it would be so hard to get a good family picture with everyone smiling and looking at the camera at once. Bryce would be looking and smiling and Ike would be looking up in the sky. Isaac would be crying and Bryce would be laughing. It was pretty funny to watch them and look back at all the pictures. 

After a morning of pictures everyone (Dave, Lori, Courtney, Misty and Ryan) headed over to our house for lunch and a game of cards. Dave, Bryan and Ryan put all their heads together and put up Bryce and Isaac's Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa McGee...and trampoline! Bryce jumped for hours that evening. Bryce is super excited when brother is willing to come in and jump/be bounced with him. Isaac loves the trampoline, but doesn't care for his brother jumping him up and down. 

Monday brought an relaxing day for the boys and I, but Bryan had to get back to the grind of work and school. Bryan is working very hard on his last 3 classes and he will be complete with his masters degree. It is taking everything out of him, but he is doing amazing and juggling work, school, being an AWESOME daddy, and loving husband!  I can't ask for a more amazing person to be the father of my kids or my husband! 

Tuesday came with shopping for our adopted little girl for Christmas, delivering food to a good friend of ours who had a baby, and a playdate with our good friend who has triplets.  

Thanksgiving in Texas

On the 17th of November we packed up and headed out to Texas. Always a fun adventure spending 18 hours in the car with two kids under the age of  three. But I will have to say the way out there is always better than the trip home! 

We arrive in Bedford at Noni and Papi's about 10:30 Thursday night. We were all ready for a good night sleep. Mac and Chloe made the trip with us this year, and it has been several years since they have traveled with us. It was a long night in the hotel the night before with them. They were so unsure about the place and was barking at every noise they heard. It was about 2am and Bryan couldn't take it anymore and decided to cover up the door with towels. We were able to get a couple of hours of sleep after that, but wasn't the same. 

After a full day of rest we decided to venture down town Fort Worth. Bryan and Audolio enjoyed an evening at the Flying Saucer while Noni, Bryce, Isaac, and I went to a mexican restaurant. Downtown was decorated with all the Christmas lights, and horse drawn carriages were in full gear ready to go. 

Off to work with Papi!

 Bryan and Bryce went to work with Papi. Bryce enjoyed seeing all the cement trucks and tractors. After a long hard day of work they treated themselves to lunch at Redneck Heaven. 

While the boys were off work (hahaha), mom and I were running around getting all the stuff for tamales. As of November 2010 we have a new tradition and we are going to make tamales every Thanksgiving. This year was our first time for these two white girls to make tamales. After reading about 10 recipes online and talking to Aunt Sally about her famous tamales we came up with the best tamale recipe to white girls could come up with. It was a lot of trial and error, but we were able to make 30 dozen tamales in 2 days. It was a experience to remember forever! It was a great way to bond, I think we disagreed about everything with each other and we both wanted to do it our own way. 

Took a break from making tamales and Bryan and I had a date day! Noni watched the boys for us and Bryan treated me to lunch at a local BBQ joint. After a fabulous we headed over to the Gaylord in Grapevine, Texas for the ICE show. It was nothing but amazing, and freezing COLD! 

Thanksgiving day came a day early for us, Brandon, Chris, Randy, Ashley, Collin, Papi, and Noni were all there to get there fill of turkey. 

With all three cousins together it's always fun to see how they interact with each other. Bryce loved Collin and wanted to share everything with him, until he wanted it back of course. These are some of the cute pictures we were able to capture while playing in the back yard. 

It's official I am now a member of the tattoo club. Everyone thought I was just joking around when I asked my brother for a tattoo. 2 1/2 hours later 

 I love it, and love the fact that it represents two of the most important people in my life! 

After a long day of eating and playing with the kids we packed everything up again and headed up north to Sherman. Randy and Ashley had a full night of work planned and we decided to take Collin with us to Pawpaw house. First we made a stop off at Caruss to visit with Papi John and Granny-dot. She always knows how to put a smile on my face! 

PawPaw was on cloud nine, this was the first time that he was able to get all 4 grandkids together with him for a picture. Collin, Bryce, Isaac, and Harley all put on there happy faces for 2 seconds and we were able to snap a picture. 

Thanksgiving day we woke up to freeze cold weather. It was raining, and the temp dropped about 30 degrees. Burr we packed coats and sweaters, but we weren't ready for snow. It was all over about 3 in the afternoon, and the sun was peaking out of the clouds. Bryce and pawpaw were happy for the sun! This meant they would be able to go fishing the next day.

Black Friday...Bryan and I are always excited to wake up early and hit the stores for black friday morning. But this year it was a little different, because we had the kids with us. Everything worked out great, the kids went with us to Home Depot, Walmart, and Office Depot for some door buster deals. LED Christmas lights at home depot for $1, and 40 piece rubbermaid set at Walmart for only $9! The Christmas lights were such a good deal, we couldn't pass them up. The only problem was we needed solid color lights for our light project we are doing this year on our house. So, this evening we made each string into a solid color light. 

Not only were we able to hit up some great black friday deals while at my dads, but we were able to get some GREAT pictures of the boys roaming in the country. My dad lives on 50+ acres in the middle of no where. While Pawpaw took Bryce and Bryan fishing Isaac and I walked all over dad and Judy's place. I walked behind Isaac as he explored EVERYTHING. Here are some pictures of my little nature boy who lives in the city...

Bryan did the same thing with Bryce while Isaac and I visited pawpaw John and Granny-Dot in Sherman.

Bryce's first fishing experience with Pawpaw Higgs. They didn't catch anything, but that's not what matters to a 2 year old. Bryce had a blast, and best part of all he was with his pawpaw and he had a Car's fishing pole.

As all good things must come to an end...we packed up stuff up and headed out on Friday evening making it to Amarillo, Texas. Saturday evening we were back in our own beds with a full night of sleep! It was a great trip full of memories, another Thanksgiving for the books!