Wonderful Christmas!

Mid December Photo Blog

Well, two crazy weeks of living have come to a close! I took pictures of most of our events, but didn't bring my camera to our piano recital or Christmas parties. Here is a picture blog of a few of our recent activities.

Ballet Viewing Class: Last week, the parents were allowed in to watch a ballet class. Here is Mary Beth with her best bud, Whitney. I feel like I have as many pics of Whitney as I do my own children! The girls love to say that they have been best friends since they wore diapers and will be best friends until they die. Very morbid but sweet! I love watching these two together!

Matthew's Ornament: Our PTA takes pictures of every child and puts them in ornaments for the parents. These are my favorite things on our tree! I watched Matthew's 4th grade class last week while his teacher took a much needed 2 hour break, and took pics of his entire class. Here is Matthew's 4th grade picture:
Thomas's Class Party: Several room moms took a morning last week to make these cute reindeer shirts. The antlers are hands, and the face is a foot. The second graders switch rooms for their Christmas party, and I read Mr. Willoughby's Christmas tree 6 times that day!
Jack's 1st birthday party. I love being an aunt!
Thomas's 8th birthday. You just have to know this funny kid. One of my PTA responsibilities is to PAW birthday kids. That morning, after the signs were delivered, I asked Thomas to get the paper. He walked outside, got the paper, and came in.....never noticing these huge birthday signs in the yard! He gets so focused on a task that he doesn't let extraneous information in! He was very excited once I pointed them out!
Hanging out with sweet cousin, James.
Mary Beth's kindergarten party. I can't believe that half of kindergarten is over! What a great year so far!

Another of my huge PTA responsibilities this year was to organize the parent chaperones to the Gaylord Texan ICE exhibit/Rainforest Cafe' tour. It was a ton of fun!

Church family night. We painted a nativity scene, played games, watched a movie, and ate cookies. Thomas was thrilled to be painting a "presepio". I had no idea what he was talking about until he explained that the Italians have a Presepio, or nativity scene, in every town. He learned a lot in the 2nd grade Christmas Around The World!
We had a gorgeous 30 minute blizzard recently. I was the goofball taking pictures with my iPhone at stop lights! ;)
Mary Beth's kindergarten ornament picture.

Back to Jack's 1st birthday party.
Celebrating Thomas and Dad's birthday. This was also the SEC championship day. We were all THRILLED! Mainly to be celebrating the birthdays. Is that what I am supposed to say? ;)
Happy B-day/SEC championship!

Mary Beth doing her school work. I can't believe how much she has grown up these past few months!

Does anyone besides me hear the Hallelujah Chorus in surround sound?

1 year and 34,485 stitches later, I have completed Mary Beth's needlepoint name! I hope she cherishes it always and has it at the top of her list of what to run out of a burning building with.

There were many times during this year that I wished I had named my daughter, Jo.

Complicate kisses

This is a funny slice of the Barnhill family life that I feel like needs to be documented for posterity.

There was once a day when kisses occurred in our house with little fanfare. It was a simple time in our lives.

Then, about a year ago, Thomas decided that he wanted to have more kisses from me than Bryon did, so after Bryon and I would kiss, Thomas would squeal, "Erase!" This was very cute.

Then, over time, it was "Erase! Final!" then

"Erase! Final, Infinity and beyond!"

then, eventually...

"Erase!" and in order to keep the kiss, you had to say, "Final! Infinity beyond, no changes, and forever does it NOW!" before someone says, "Erase!" Thomas likes to give me a kiss when no one is looking and whisper the Final Infinity before Bryon or his older brother scream "Erase!"

Sometimes, he say it really fast, sometimes he sings it to the church hymn of "Yonder over the rolling river where the shining mansions rise".

Now, Mary Beth thought this was very sad that Bryon didn't get to keep any kisses from me, so she started screaming, "Lock!" after Bryon kissed me which would immediately negate the "Erase!" without having to do the Final Infinity. Matthew likes to join in on this to annoy Thomas.

So now, every time Bryon kisses me, we have three eager children ready to scream "Erase!" and "Lock!" after the kiss is over!

Never a dull moment!

A friendly Thanksgiving

We had our usual fun trip to Conroe for Thanksgiving this year. We had enjoyed hanging out with Bryon's family, and it is always nice that my in laws invite my parents to come along. The day after Thanksgiving, it is a tradition that my parents and I go to Old Town Spring for some fun holiday shopping. This year, we were so excited that my dear friend from Tuscaloosa, Karen, joined us! Her sister lives nearby, and Karen and her boys were spending Thanksgiving with her family. We enjoyed a yummy lunch, good conversation, and lots of holiday shopping together! What a fun day!

We spent the weekend getting our house decorated, and only have one project left to do. I love having the house decorated! We had a wonderful weekend together, then it was off to school and work yesterday. I was sad saying goodbye to the family, but so excited about my day yesterday!

I met Emily and Jere' when I was a teenager. Jere' and I played piano and sang in choir together in middle school, and we met Emily after she moved to Abilene at the beginning of high school. I absolutely adored these two, and I was devastated to leave them when we moved to Waco my junior year. Sadly, before the wonders of the internet, I lost touch with my two friends. I did find them 5 or 6 years ago, and have enjoyed spending time with the two of them on several occasions in Amarillo, Denver, and Ft. Worth. However, yesterday was the first day since I was 17 that I was with the two of them together. We had a wonderful day, and spent lots of time laughing and picking up where we left off. I hope we can get together more often! Love these two! I was so happy that my friend, Kristen, happened to be passing by to take our picture. Thanks, Kristen!

My 16th Birthday. We had just moved to Waco, and Emily and Jere' came from Abilene to meet us at Hard Rock Cafe' in Dallas.

I was trying too hard not to laugh in this picture. Emily always brought out my giggles!