Merry Christmas!...Do-Well Style

     Sadly, and for some unbeknownst reason I completely failed to include Christmas 2016 into last years book. Hence it is showing up in the beginning of 2017's book so we can preserve the memories!
     We had a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas this year. Grammy, Grandad, and Aunties Laura and Katie came over, Jason, Becca, and the boys came down from Ft. Worth, and Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Brian came in from Utah. We had a big fat stuffed house wonderful Christmas Eve dinner with everyone.
     The kids loved their Christmas PJ's from Grandma, spreading reindeer food on the lawn with their cousins, and setting out cookies and milk for Santa!

After Santa has visited

Christmas Morning:

Some post Christmas sight-seeing at the San Antonio Missions

2016 has been an incredible year with this family of mine - we've had more than our share of love, quality time, fun, learning, craziness, and laughter - I couldn't ask for anything more. I love you all!

Isaac Turns Two!

 I cannot believe that this boy is already 2 years old! The time with him has been an absolute joy and has flown so quickly! We celebrated with family and as Isaac LOVES both Octonauts (a TV show) and the movie Finding Dory we had an aquatic theme. By theme I mean we had an Octonauts cake and Finding Dory plates. Oh yes, and some coordinating streamers.... Isaac loved it! And we love you buddy!

Here he his *helping* me decorate his cake 

 I can't imagine ever forgetting but I'm positive I will so I want to document that Isaac would walk around saying the names to these characters all the time! "Time for Creature Report! Quasi! Peso! Shellington! Daschi! Inkling! Tweek!....Tunip! And of course Capt. Barnacles"

I couldn't find Octonauts anything in the stores but luckily I found a lady on Etsy who 3D printed these tiny Octonauts cup cake toppers for me. I was pretty happy with how this cake turned out!

Turning 2 means it's time for the carseat to turn around! He was, of course, amazed at his new view. He kept looking at us in the rear view mirror and going: "Hi guys! Hi!, Hi Mommy, Hi!"

All three of these boys loved to play with these decorations 

 

 

He loved this scooter!.....but not until 8 months later....Our neighbor Delaney has a scooter like this and he couldn't get enough of it! So we buy him one and of course he loses interest. (No worries though - he'll discover it the following August and fall in love again.)

Isaac at 2:  

Favorite....

TV Shows & Movies: Octonauts, Little Eintsteins, Finding Dory, Minions movie

Foods to Eat: golfish, french fries, bananas, grapes, yogurt, candy (he grasped the concept of Trick or                        Treat incredibly quickly ;), chicken nuggets, chips, peas, pizza and he Hates: any and                            all other vegetables

Things to Do: check the mail, take walks around the neighborhood, play with sibs and friends in the                           cul de sac, ride neighbors scooter and be pushed around in their pedal go kart, watch                             his shows, play lots of trains, and cars, play with his Grammy and his Nana, play                                 outside at the playground or be pushed in his swing, take baths, friends, fireworks, Six                         Flags, playing in the water, boom guns (nerf), spraying the hose everywhere,  and he is                         SUPER int o Santa Claus and presents!

We love you so much Isaac and we are so glad that you came to us during the Christmas season! Celebrating you during the most wonderful time of the year is truly wonderful indeed!

2016 Christmas Season Fun!

First FHE after Christmas is ALWAYS set aside to decorate the Christmas tree. This is a favorite tradition of everyone's - especially when they get to hang ornaments that belong just to them.

This year was L's year to top the tree - Lillie we'll see you here again when you're 16!

I love our house at Christmas!

My toddler Mr. I. reading underneath the stockings - this is a favorite place for him!

 Bass Pro Santa with the Zufelts 
Ashley and I have determined that even if we don't see each other for an entire year (hasn't quite happened yet) and no matter how old our "littles" get - we will always meet up for Santa at Bass Pro.

These boys LOVED the ball pit!

...and the Merry Go Round was a favorite for Mr. I.

Everyone loved target practice but they were all over the place so I. is the only one I grabbed a pic of 

L and her girl Madison

I. and his Grammy chillin' for the 1st Presidency Christmas Devo

 

Here is the 1st time both Tim and I were able to be at youth baptisms with Lillie. It was such a beautiful time to all be together in the temple. Lillie was able to take family names and it was so wonderful to have her dad and her perform the baptisms! We are so proud of you Lillie for living your life in a way that allows you to receive the blessings of the temple!

 Sonterra Ward Christmas Party
Tara Collette and I were in charge of the ward Christmas party this year. It was fun but mostly stressful and as always I am grateful for anyone who volunteers to put one of these on in the midst of the holidays. Our theme was Christmas morning and everyone had a lot of fun at it. We had an option to wear Christmas jammies, a fun photo booth (thank you to a very pregnant Sarah Jacobsen for putting that together!), Christmas brunch, and gingerbread house decorating.

L and Hannah

Some friends! I figured I should document something like this so years from now I can remember at least some of the people I used to hang with!

me, Nikki Rudin, Angie Conrad, Rachelle Wright, and Tara Colette with Blakely

We spent a fun day at Sea World sponsored by T's work Harland Clarke. Awesomely we ran in our friends the Meadows family right as we walked in! They snapped this Christmas card photo for us and then we hung out for the rest of the day. Sweet!

Group pic while taking S present shopping for his siblings

Auntie Katie and Isaac enjoying the nice TX "winter" weather

Class Christmas Parties
And now it's time for my last year with 2 with elementary Christmas party's to attend. I cannot believe I am already to this point in my life! From here on out I'll only be going to one party at a time until Isaac graduates to middle school.
The rooms moms for S and G planned two great parties and it was so fun to be there with the boys before school let out for the break.

Mom and G in Mrs. Mulroy's 2nd grade

 

G with his friends: Kenny, Danny, and Finnley

S with his 5th grade crew from Mrs. D'Ambrosio's class 

S and his BFF Teancum

with Mrs. D.

 No class Christmas parties for 7th graders so these girls made their own!

They spent the night at Ava's house, drove around and looked at Christmas lights,and made and decorated Christmas cookies.  

Here are these 4 awesome chicks in a little chapel in someone's superbly decorated yard

Kenya, Ava, Lillie, and Hayley