Christmas Cookie Fun!

This morning we headed to the Burford's (well one of them!) for their annual Christmas Cookie Decorating Party!  We were all in our PJ's and ready for brunch and lots of decorating fun!  I was super excited to see that even Emily Aclin, aka Miss Aclin to Mason, was there - we always feel excited to be wherever she is!

Conner headed straight for the donuts and tractors but Mason went straight to work!

Four donuts and 2 donut holes later, Conner joined the fun!

This is serious work!

Sweetheart!

Here is Conner . . . seconds after I found him drinking the black icing like a bottle!

Even after all the sugar, we still went to visit my Granny (at noon in our pajamas!) to wish her a Merry Christmas!  They were surprisingly well behaved and we had a great visit!  They did make her sit on an arm rest to take a group picture but I'll overlook that!

Jolly Ol' Saint Nick

Ryan wasn't feeling well yesterday so I bravely traveled to Bass Pro at 6:00 p.m. to wait in line to see Santa with the boys! I spent about 45 minutes promising Mason that all he had to do was stand in the general vicinity of Santa, just close enough to be in the picture.  He didn't have to talk and didn't have to sit in his lap.  Conner was very excited about Santa, however.

And all that changed when it was our turn! Conner wanted no part of Santa and I told Santa Mason only wanted to stand by him, but this Santa was pretty insistent that Mason would be OK on his lap.

Here is the end result!!!

'Tis the Season to be Jolly!

We've been having lots of Christmas fun lately! So much fun I've been too busy to blog but a special thanks to my Coushatta friends for wondering what I've been up to!! (P. S. you could leave a comment or perhaps become a follower . . . just saying!)

Kelly & I were in charge of the Kindergarten class party last Tuesday and as luck would have it the stomach virus struck both of our houses!! O' Christmas cheer!  Mason was the first and worst to go down! Thankfully I got the bathrooms cleaned and sheets washed before it got me too and just as I was beginning to feel slightly human Conner got sick and around and around we go!  Kelly so graciously offered to shop for our last remaining supplies until she got sick too! We threw it together at the last minute and Mason, Conner & I were able to attend for about 30 minutes before we headed to the doctor because Mason had an ear infection!  I was really quite worried about him for a while because he was so dehydrated but thankfully he is better now!

And fortunately he was feeling good enough to go caroling on Friday night with our church! I love Christmas music and was very excited about caroling!  I bought a new "pocket-sized" camera for events such as that and would love to show you cute pictures but the battery went dead (never charged it since I bought it!).  It was really cold and we were on a trailer driving through the neighborhood - freezing!  Only a few folks wouldn't let us sing but most everyone was happy to see us! We got our best reception at the housing project apartments and that was so sweet!

Sunday was our church's 2nd Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Fellowship and it was great fun!

Conner, trying to run away with a present!



Mason, all smiles and ready for Christmas

My sweet boys during some serious construction!

Conner, not really understanding the concept of putting the candy on the house!

Mason's house was so neat and tidy, not one drop of marshmallow creme on him!

Mason & Payne, school and church buddies!

Got the boys the cutest "Santa Countdown" placemats for Christmas and everyday you can turn the "dial" to show how many days until Christmas! Mason is ready for breakfast every morning to move his around -- ONLY 5 MORE DAYS!!!

Perhaps Mason Sang in a Christmas Program . . .

but since he hid behind some girl the entire time so that I and my camera could not see him we will never know!  If it weren't for my new camera with it's super quick shutter speed I would not have him on film at all because as soon as he realized he was exposed he would duck behind the kids in front of him!

His school's gym is super tiny and there is not enough room for all the parents to come so Kindergarten only did their portion of the play in the morning.  I didn't really like that because Ryan couldn't come due to work and because he had to wear his uniform and not a cute Christmas outfit! 

The play was really good though and we (me, Mom, Dad, and Conner) enjoyed watching the kids (the ones we could see!).

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree . . .

The Brown family has been rockin' around this Christmas season!  I have put myself on a "blog restriction" because I have needed to study for the Praxis and GRE, organize school functions, teach Sunday School, Christmas shop, haul kids to doctors and dentists, you know life in general, and I had no spare time for blogging!

Here is a quick recap of our comings and goings!

Deer Season arrived!  Here are my mighty men on their way to help my brother, Josh,

clean one of his two deer!

Good thing they helped Josh because a few nights later Ryan needed help!

Here is Ryan's 6-point buck!

Ryan celebrated his birthday the day before Thanksgiving!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!

That look is because I am trying to get him to smile by singing 50 Cent "Party Like Its Your Birthday,"

but I don't actually know the words!

Getting ready to cruise the pasture for our "charlie brown" Christmas tree!

I do not like spending money on a tree so we go the homegrown route!

A little brotherly love!



My little niece, Faith, is almost here!

Here's the lil' momma at one of her showers!

(yes, I'm not joking she is pregnant and due next month!)

Check out my friend Holly for some pictures of our Black Friday shopping! Check out my friend Lauren for some charitable Christmas shopping!