Gingerbread House

Here's a peek at Daddy and Carver's Gingerbread House project this morning. Turned out quite perrty if you ask me. Surprised to see how much candy made it on the house considering what went into Carver's mouth. It turned into a breakfast of candy and a very giddy little boy on this Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas!

Carver Christmas 2009

Typical mom- put Carver in a preppy Christmas sweater then make him say "cheeeese" in front of the tree and label it as "Carver Christmas 2009." Had to share, you can just see for yourself how handsome he is!

Zilker Park Trail of Lights

Gilbert & I took Carver to see the infamous Zilker Park Trail of Lights for his first time. He was his typical self - the observer - but did love the lights and displays that can only be found in our own funky town of Austin. The flash on my camera and all the lights made for what appears to be a bunch of psychadelic photos but hey - some of them are pretty cool. Here's a small taste of our trip...

I can never get enough kisses from my boy

The Zilker Tree from afar
A trio playing Christmas songs on the side of the street, to which Carver not only asked for "moneys" to put in their guitar case, but also danced.

A dinosaur display

Under the tree looking hundreds of feet up at the star

"Snow Day"

Teeeny, tiny flurries of snow hit central Texas and what do ya know? So small that I couldn't even catch them on my camera. Unlike Houston where I saw pictures of snow covering streets. So on our Texas "snow day," Carver & I played outside just before the flurries began. He went down for a nap and then they started...of course.
But I enjoyed feeling like a kid and having that moment to myself. I watched the flurries fall from the window while he slept & I snuggled on the sofa under a blanket. Life's pretty darn good.

Christmas a la casa Chavez

Did I mention just how much I love Christmas??
Wait til I post the pics of the outside lights!

FAMILY

Didn't occur to me to include this picture in the previous post. Here we are. Hornishs. Farriors. Reedys. Chavez. Hills. Wish we weren't missing the Carvers.

What a memorable Thanksgiving 2009.

Cousins

This post is all about the cousins. We just got back from our annual Thanksgiving in N.C. with my family as well as my aunt, uncle & cousins. It's the one guaranteed time of the year that I will see my extended family and for that, it makes it quite memorable! Anyone who knows me knows how close I am to my siblings and parents. I am as close as it gets to my cousins as well. And I can't begin to say how special and warm it is to see your child play with your sibling's children. It's as if they instinctively know they are of the same blood and family line. It's awfully special and unique. So here are pictures of me with my cousins as well as Carver w/his cousins. I figure it was also a good way to show off our hike we did to Schoolhouse Falls one afternoon. Gilbert & I actually did it twice over the week and it 's oh so so beautiful.
Like most of us, we are overwhelmed by our blessings.

Cousin Todd, Ashly, Paige with her 2 boys & Gilbert

Cousins Ashly, Paige & Jenny

Sweet Meryl (Mimi) and Carver
Mimi is known as my "mini-me"

I told them to say "I love Aunt Jenny" at this moment and sweet Carver even repeated it

Mimi, Carver, Payne & Blake

Cousin Payne, Carver & Mimi

Oh the age of innocent wonder!

Mimi always ready for the camera

Happy belated Thanksgiving!