Christmas Vacay: Snow tubing in Texas and Ice! Show

 I am embracing the long hair on this baby boy. I don't think he can be any cuter.

 Sugar cookies! I love sugar cookies, but my kids typically do not, nor Juan. But this year, Amelia was on board and helped me eat them.

 Plus we gave some away to dear friends.

 We went to look at lights! I love this sweet picture.

 We came upon this awesome street in Austin.

 They served free hot chocolate and a bonfire, and it was actually a cold night!

 Christmas Eve we celebrated with our dear friends and the kids successfully acted out the nativity.

 And looked so cute. Maya was a dedicated Joseph.

 We sung Christmas carols while Dave played guitar and it just touched my heart. Memories!

 And then we decorated Christmas tree sugar cones and they loved it.

 We got home, set out cookies and milk for Santa and "8 carrots for the 8 reindeer" as directed by the bold Santa at HEB. Which side note, Amelia informed me was not the real Santa because he didn't have a real beard. And we discussed that the real Santa was pretty busy on the 23rd so he had to ask for help. My girl is growing up people!

 All set up. 

 And then Christmas morning by the stairs! Maya came in about 6:20 and asked if she could go down and watch tv, totally oblivious it was Christmas morning. I told her no, she had to wait until it was light out. And then I couldn't sleep, so I got up and showered. Which doesn't really show through in the pictures... shouldn't I look better than this after a shower and fresh make-up?

 We went downstairs at 7 am and the present opening began!

 Maya was pretty thrilled to get Aladdin and Jasmine barbies!

 I can't get over these Christmas morning pictures of Amelia. Doesn't she look 9 years old?

 "ooooh"

 Traditional picture by your gifts. We LOVED our Christmas, I kept it simple with Juan's urging and they got 4 gifts from mom/dad/Santa and then Grandparent gifts and a cousin gift.

 They were so happy!

 Juan picked out the cutest slippers for me. And I got a watch, Tim McGraw cd, and some earrings.

 (The best part of Christmas aftermath is watching them play play play).

 Juan got a Simpsons puzzle, Guess Who, remote control Motorcycle, and then also a fire pit!

 And Oscar, he's so happy!

 Juan's remote control motorcycle is for sure his favorite gift and we played at the park all afternoon with it. Best part, it was a garage sale find, only $3.

 Amelia's Sleeping Beauty sleep mask, she is dedicated to wearing it each night. The best.

So here I was, feeling pretty good about our simple Christmas, and then Juan comes in with: a surprise Christmas vacation!!!!!!

The day after Christmas we headed toward Dallas to stay at the Gaylord Texan. It was this dream resort with a huge atrium decorated to the nines with Christmas and a mini riverwalk and then snow tubing and an Ice exhibit. Juan did good. We loved it!

 The view from our hotel room.

 Snow tubing! That is Juan and Maya on the far left, and then Amelia headed down backwards in the 3rd lane.

 Do we look thrilled? It was so much fun.

 Amelia was professional, she carried her own tube, up stairs and everything, and just did it all on her own.

 When we headed over to the Ice exhibit, things got less ideal. The kids were antsy and expected to wait in a long line, plus we were semi-bundled ready to be in 9 degrees, but it wasn't 9 degrees yet. 

 We were hot, carrying a squirmy Oscar, and constantly snapping at the girls to stay in line.

 We finally got inside and it was pretty cool.

 They stood in line to go down the ice slides and I stood at the bottom with Oscar sleeping on my shoulder (in 9 degrees!) and I was so cold and so uncomfortable from holding him on the one arm to keep him asleep that I just started laughing from what we go through to provide these children with memories. Worth it.

 Toward the end we kind of ran through the rest of the sculptures because the girls started to panick they were so cold. During this picture Amelia was running through the final tunnel frantically saying she needed to find warmth RIGHT NOW!

 River Walk.

 Waiting to leave. And hating the cold wind.

Two days of napping on the go, he was over it. He was glad to get back to his own bed and nap schedule.

We had a wonderful Christmas and I just kept soaking it all in and thinking, we are so blessed. These ages: 4, 2, and 1. I will always remember this Christmas and how fun it has been to have tiny children. Everything we have is from Heavenly Father and I remind the kids of that every day and we say prayers of thanks every day. We are so very grateful. Merry Christmas!