It's Christmas Already!

It's Christmas time already. What has happened to the past six months? I guess the old adage that time flies when you're having fun is true, but it also flies when you work a full time job and have two incredibly adorable twins, a great husband and awesome friends who love to have a good time. So here's what's been going on..

Lately, everything is all Christmas. The girls are very into Santa Claus this year and all things Christmas. They even put up their own little tree. Rowan has been singing Christmas carols. Her favorite is, "Rowan the Red Nosed Reindeer."

She is really one of the funniest kids I've seen. We went to cut down a Christmas tree at the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm. As we were walking through the trees, Andre and I were saying, "how about this tree..." "how about this one.." Rowan was walking behind us and said, "how about this tree?" I turned and looked, she was pointing to a tree stump! So funny. And she knows she's funny and loves to make people laugh. So if you laugh she'll repeat the joke--whether she said it or Evelyn did.

Andre's mom, Carmen, is joining us this year for Christmas. The girls so adore their Abuelita and have had a great time with her.

My last post was in June, so let's begin with July. Andre turned 36. We had a very tame birthday party at one of his favorite restaurants. The girls also got their first hair cut that month. We kept Evelyn's hair long, but a couple of months later she cut it herself--quite short.

Rowan came running down the stairs saying, "Evey's cutting her hair! Evey's cutting her hair!" I ran upstairs and Evey was no where to be found, but piles of hair were on the ground. I found her hiding in the closet. She said she, "wanted a change." So she now has a really cute little bob.


In August, I became Of Counsel for another attorney who has been in practice for many years. It was a huge career move and I have been so happy working there. I now have staff to help me with my practice, a mentor, an incredible business manager, and some really good friends.

We also went to the circus. Which the girls, of course, loved. Evelyn is very fond of elephants, and Rowan still adores the white tigers. They agree though that cotton candy should be eaten every chance they get.







In September we went on a cruise with my mom and her longtime friend, Sue. We went to Jamaica, Cozumel and the Grand Caymans.

We went to the beach in Jamaica with my mom. Saw turtles, turtles, and more turtles in the Grand Cayman and swam with Manta Rays.


While in Cozumel we signed up for a "Dolphin Encounter." You can touch the dolphin, let it kiss your cheek, and shake hands. After our encounter we explored the national park, swam in the pools, and went to see the Sea Lion show. Our tour guide approached us and asked if we'd be willing to take some promotional pictures for an excursion they were putting together for the Disney Cruises. Of course we would! So the girls were able to ride on the dolphins, get pushed on a boogie board, and truly interact with them. The photographer said they got some great pictures we were given copies of all of them.


In October, we took a trip to South Padre Island for a bagpipe training/ playing event. All of the people in the band and their families went. It was a lot of fun. Andre left a few days early to drive down with some other band mates, so the girls and I flew. It was my first time flying with both kids by myself. But it was a short trip and everything went great.

We also had our first annual Halloween party. The girls invited all of their friends from school and friends they know outside of school too. We had an outdoor film projector showing Charlie Brown's The Great Pumpkin. Rowan dressed as Belle and Evelyn was Tangled. Since cutting her hair she is very intrigued by long hair. Andre and I went as Morticia and Gomez Addams. The party was a great success and it was so fun to have a little kid party that is not a birthday party, there are no presents, no "special kid." Just a bunch of people wearing costumes, eating candy, and having fun. Everyone loved it and it ended early enough for Andre and I to then go to an adult Christmas party.

Evelyn was very insistent that we invite "Daniel" to her party. Daniel is a cute, little three year old with a bowl haircut. I placed the invitations in each child's cubby, but Evelyn had to personally hand Daniel's invitation to him, told him to open it, and then getting very close to his face said, "it's for my party." All she could talk about leading up to the party was Daniel, so I was happy that his mom called to say they were coming. And he did come. He dressed as a transformer and played with her toy kitchen half the time.

At the end of the night I said to Evelyn, "Well, it was a great party, all of your friends came, and we had a good time." Evelyn said, "But not Daniel!" "Evey he did come, he was here." "Whaaa!, I no see him!" Ha! Such is life, eh? Anyhow, she hasn't mentioned him in a long time now, so I guess she's moved on.

In November, Andre and I took our first kid-free trip. We went to New York to visit my friend Swan. It was so much fun. She lives right in the middle of Manhattan in a gorgeous apartment. And another close friend, Christina flew in to meet us. We did so much, but I think my favorite thing was riding bicycles around the city. New York is the perfect place for a bike. The streets are flat, the cars are at a standstill, and everything is within biking distance. Honestly, I think it's faster on a bike than a cab. It was so nice to see my friend too. The good thing about having friends who live in cool places is that you get to visit cool places, the bad thing is that you miss them the rest of the year and can never visit everyone every time.

So that brings us back to December. Have I forgotten anything? Somewhere along the way we realized one of our chickens was a rooster, Andre built a chicken coop that looks like the Dr. Who Tardis, we repainted the house, we went to Dallas, and San Antonio for conferences, saw the Book of Mormon, the Addams Family with Brooke Shields, the Moth live at the paramount, went on the Polar Express in Grapevine, Andre was in two or three parades (I forget), the girls had ballet lessons, swim lessons, I started swim lessons and we went to the Serengeti Resort with the Connell's. No wonder I'm exhausted!

I think the biggest thing though is how much the girls have grown. They play together every day. They wake up and get out their barbies and their dolls and just play. They are such a joy and this time with them is going quick. I miss my dad and wish he was here to see them growing up. He would have loved to see them at this age.

Looking forward to another year of fun. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.