Christmas Day, 2007:

This year we stayed home and had Christmas morning with just our family. Grey woke up to find his stocking stuffed with dinosaurs, bath toys, and a light saber. Santa left out this super fun Imaginext castle and a singing Rudolf the Red-Nose Reindeer. Grey really wanted a teeny-tiny reindeer from Santa and we had to have several talks about how Santa needed his reindeer to take toys to the other boys and girls and Grey agreed that a toy reindeer would be fine. One funny thing he said when he opened his stocking was "Silly Santa, these aren't tiny dinosaurs". I guess everything was supposed to be tiny this year! We had a great Christmas morning and enjoyed the family time. Billy's Mom, Mark, Gramma Holman, and Papa Lemons came over for Christmas dinner and we had the traditional Christmas meal. It was a wonderful Christmas and we hope you all had a great day!

Breakfast with Santa:



Grey's school had Breakfast with Santa. Billy and I both got to go and it was so fun to see Grey in his class. We were so proud of how well he behaved and how sweet he is with his friends. This year Grey asked Santa for a teeny-tiny reindeer.

Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas:

This weekend we decorated for Christmas. Our outside of the house is still not very Christmasy, but the inside has finally come along! Billy was out of town last week in England, so we were very excited he was home. We spent Saturday resting up and just having good family time. On Sunday we got the trees decorated, put up our holiday decorations, and made yummy cookies. It was finally cold enough to feel like Christmas, so we had a fire going and enjoyed the time together.

The cookies are my new favorite Christmas cookie. They are so yummy! I thought I'd share the recipe:

Chocolate Candy-Cane Cookies:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
1 pkg. (6 oz.) BAKER'S Premium White Baking Chocolate
12 hard peppermint candies, crushed

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Blend in semi-sweet chocolate.
SHAPE tablespoonfuls of dough into 52 balls. Roll each ball into 3-inch-long rope. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheet, bending top of each slightly to resemble a candy cane.
BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until lightly browned; cool 5 min. on baking sheet. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely. Microwave white chocolate as directed on package; drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candies. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

These are so yummy. I'm having a very hard time staying away from them. So, if you are looking to try something new and sweet, I would definitely recommend them. And if you make them and decide you don't like them, let me know. I'll pick up any leftovers!!! :)

Tonight was Grey's Christmas Program at his pre-school. I was so proud of him. He did great! Grey's Gramma Dee, Grampa Mark, and Markey came to watch him as well. Here are the two songs his class sang. The first one is Away in a Manger, and the second is Celebrate Jesus. Enjoy!!!

I saw this on Alyssa's Blog and thought it was neat. So, I tried it and was certain the meter would say Grey looked 95% like Billy (since Grey is often called "mini-Billy" by our friends). But I was suprised to see that he looks equally like us. What do you think? Is Grey starting to look more like me?

Disney, 2007:

There is just too much to say about our Disney trip. We had a blast. We drove from Dallas to Orlando (18hrs) and it was great. Grey did great on the drive. He stayed busy with puzzles, games, movies, and naps. We went to all the Disney parks, but Magic Kingdom was Greys absolute favorite. His favorite ride was Goofy's Barnstormer. He got to meet June and Quincey from Little Einsteins, Mickey, Goofy (whom he "bonked" on the nose), Buzz Lightyear, and several other of the main characters. We also went to Cocoa Beach, and Mexico Beach. We had a great time! Enjoy the slide show.


Disney 2007

Halloween:
Grey really got into Halloween this year. This year we went to the Sachse Library for a Halloween party where they had games and a costume contest. Grey won the contest, but was so shy. He would not let them take his picture or smile or anything. But once we got home and he realized that if he smiled he would get candy, it was on! He would tell me to "stay right here mom" and want me to stay at the end of the sidewalk. He'd walk right up to the door and ring the bell over and over with one hand, knocking with the other, and yelling "Helllloooooo" until someone would come to the door. Then he'd do the trick or treat thing and people usually said, "oh a cowboy". He was very quick to correct them and he would say "I'm Woody. There's a snake in my boot.". Then the very next thing he'd ask if they had a pet and just invite himself in. I had to run all over strangers houses chasing him! But, he had a blast and got tons of candy (which I am eating!). Anyway, it was a great Halloween. We had so much fun with Grey this year, that I can't wait for next year when he REALLY gets into it!

This weekend we went to Kansas to see Grey's cousins Shaelin and Alaina (and of course the rest of the family!). Alaina had a soccer game and we got to watch her play. It was really fun and she did so well. We are so proud of her for her hard work, and really playing her heart out. I was so impressed with her coaches. They were very supportive (coming from the world of competitive gymnastics, i am not used to seeing that) and made sure each girl got playing time. The girls ended up in a tie with a team that was undefeated and untied, so good for them! We also got to meet up with some college friends and watch their daughter play soccer. It was so fun to see them and catch up for a bit. We had a fun weekend with family and loved ones. I did not get any pictures. The batteries in my camera died at the soccer game. But, we'll get more pictures next time!

Recipe Sharing:
Some of my friends have posted recipes and I have really enjoyed trying some different things they have shared. So, I thought I would post a few favorites around our house. I use the Kraft Magazine a lot, and if you don't get it, I would recommend it. It's a free magazine that has tons of recipes of quick meals with ingredients you typically have on hand. All 3 of these are done in under 30 minutes, which is huge if you are cramped for time. So enjoy! And keep sharing your family favorites! :)



Quick 'n Easy Pasta:
8 oz. spaghetti, uncooked
2 cups frozen peas
3 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon
1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding peas to the cooking water for the last minute of the pasta cooking time. Meanwhile, cook bacon as directed on package.
DRAIN bacon. Set aside until ready to use.
RETURN pasta mixture to saucepan. Crumble bacon. Add to pasta mixture along with the dressing, eggs and cheese; mix lightly. Cook on low heat 2 to 4 min. or until eggs are cooked through, stirring constantly.

Roast Pork Tenderloin:
2 pork tenderloins (1-1/2 lb.)
1/4 cup GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, cubed
1 lb. fresh green beans (about 3 cups), steamed
PREHEAT oven to 400ºF. Heat large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add meat; cook 5 min. or until browned on all sides, turning occasionally. Remove meat from skillet, reserving meat drippings in skillet. Place meat in 13x9-inch baking dish. Combine mustard and thyme; spread evenly onto meat.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until cooked through (160ºF). Transfer to carving board; tent with foil. Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing as directed on package, reducing the spread to 1 Tbsp.
ADD broth to same skillet. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add Neufchatel cheese; cook 2 min. or until Neufchatel cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly.
CUT meat into thin slices. Serve topped with the Neufchatel cheese sauce along with the stuffing and beans.

Speedy Chicken Stir Fry:
8 oz. angel hair pasta (capellini), uncooked
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup KRAFT Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. each: ground ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper
1/3 cup chopped PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts
COOK pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time.
MEANWHILE, spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 min. or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 1 min., stirring occasionally.
DRAIN pasta mixture; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon evenly into four serving bowls; sprinkle with the peanuts.

We got Grey's Halloween costume over the weekend. He is so excited to be Woody! He's about the cutest cowboy I've ever seen! :)

Tonight Grey asked me for a bowl of ice cream and our conversation went like this:

G: Can you get me a bowl of ice cream?
M: Yes, but I need lots of hugs, lots of kisses, and lots of sweetness.
G: I'll just get it myself.

He is already turning into such a boy! This made me smile and I wanted to remember it! :)

The Gift That Keeps On Giving:

For Mothers Day, Billy gave me a beautiful rose bush. Its a Smooth Velvet from Meas Nursery, which is in Lindale, TX. Anyway, the beauty of a smooth rose is that they are thornless. Mine is a really pretty hot pink that can either be a climber or just a bush. So, since Mothers Day, I have had fresh roses cut and in my house almost every week! This has been one of my favorite gifts, and I've loved having my beautiful roses!

Yesterday was Grey's first day at pre-school. He woke up around 2:30 am and asked "Is it today yet? Do I get to play on computers today?". Needless to say, we sent him back to bed. But he was just so excited. At this school he will go on Tues/Thur. They get to go to computers each day, have a music class each day, as well as regular pre-school activities. He has been so excited about the computers. So, we packed him up and took him in. He did great. He went to his seat and sat down and started playing with the play-doh they had out. He never fussed or whined about us leaving. When he got home he said he had so much fun. He said he got to play on computers, learn new songs, meet new friends, and play on a new playground. He said his favorite part of the day was the computers (surprise surprise). I am so proud of him!

Getting Crafty...

These are my latest creations. I'm just learning to sew, so the dress is one of the first clothing articles I've tried. This is the first dress I've done and the first time I've made something for someone else. The cake is for my Mother-In-Laws birthday. It's a vanilla cake with pineapple filling and cream cheese icing. I hope it tastes as good as it sounds!

Update #2 -

Stace is doing so much better. Yesterday they were able to take out the breathing tube and today she will be moved out of S.I.C.U.! So, Thank you so much for all your prayers and concern. :)

Update - Stacey is doing better. Please continue praying as she is not yet awake. There are positive signs that the Dr and Nurse are seeing, so we are hopeful. Thanks.

Prayers Needed:

My moms very best friend, Stacey, is sick and is in the hospital. She had a bad reaction to medications and is currently in a Medically Induced Coma while her body works out the bad medications. Right now I don't know much, but I do know that her pupils responded to some test, which means there is brain function. Please pray for her, her family, and my family. Right now we don't know much, but we do know God is listening. Thank you.

This past week Greys cousin Shaelin has come and spent some time with Grey and with Gramma Dee. We had Shaelin for a few nights over here and I was able to do some "girly" things! If you have not been to Libby Lu, then you are missing out! She had a blast. She got her hair and make-up, and nails done, and got to pick out some fun bath stuff as well. It was so fun to get to do something totally out of the realm of possiblity with a boy! Anna and Craig brough Alaina down and spent the weekend. It was a great weekend and I failed to take any pictures. The kids got in lots of time together and did so well. It's so great Grey has these awesome cousins who love him so much and are so wonderful with him!

Rusk State Park:



We took a few days off and took Grey to the Rusk State Park to ride the Texas State Railroad. Grey loves trains, so he was so excited to ride it! The park is beautiful and very quiet, relaxing. I would definately recommend it to anyone looking to get out of the city for a while.

Cousin Time:

This week Greys cousin, Alaina, has come to spend some time with us and with Gramma Dee. I took the kids to the waterpark in Rowlett, and they had a blast!

Photography

I have finally set up a blog with a few of my pictures. There will be more to come as I convert my 35mm pictures to digital. Check it out:


www.knaussphotography.blogspot.com

Fathers Day:

We celebrated Fathers Day a day early. Grey and I took Billy to dinner and to the drive-in movie theater in Ennis. We saw Fantastic Four and Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a great day just being together and enjoying Daddy's pick for movies. If you haven't done the drive-in, you should go. It was great family entertainment and a fun way to spend time together.

Decisions, Decisions:
Well, after lots of prayer, we have finally made the decision and placed membership at the Wylie Church of Christ. We really enjoyed our time at Prestoncrest, but we needed something that was a better fit for our busy family. We really like the Wylie church and are glad to have such a good church so close to home. We can make it to Wednesday night services after a work day with no problems, and Sundays are just all around less frantic! We will miss all our friends from Prestoncrest, but we feel this is what is best for our family at this time.

I'm so far behind in blogging. So much has been going on. Billy and I had our 10th wedding anniversary. We are planning a family trip to Disney World this fall to celebrate. It's been a great 10 years, marked with the highest of highs (having Grey) and the lowest of lows (losing Billys Dad), but we've stood strong together and I wouldn't change that. Billy and I married young, so we will get the joy of growing up together and celebrating many events together!

Grey is keeping us busy, as always. He is so fun and such a joy to us. He is really in to singing and goes everywhere singing his songs and playing. I love hearing him and knowing that he is happy enough to sing all day. He is a great boy and we are so lucky to have him.

Last weekend we went out to Kerrville to visit my Gramma. It was a great time. Grey got to ride the "tractor" (riding lawnmower) and throw rocks in the creek. We had a ton of rain over the weekend and the creek was really up and flowing. Grey had a blast playing there. I got in some great time with my Gramma and learned a family recipe that has not been written down, so got that preserved. I also was able to work on sewing some and with my Grammas help made a really cute skirt (if I do say so myself). So, while the boys were busy outside, the girls were busy inside and it was all around a wonderful weekend that I will cherish.

Happy Birthday Grey!!! Today was Grey's 3rd birthday. Superman is his favorite right now so the birthday boy got a great Superman cake. This was a group effort and I have to thank Sean and Dee for the help. Sean made the stencil for the Superman design, I made the cake, and Dee is an icing wiz and made the blue butter cream icing and helped me with the fondant for the Superman emblem. It was great, and I was so pleased with the final product!

I can't believe my baby is almost 3. Poor kid. Having a spring birthday means every year he is going to have his birthday picture in the wildflowers. Thankfully he does not seem to have Mommys allergies!

Easter Sunday was cold, so we had our egg hunt inside. Grey didn't seem to mind and he had a great time!

It's been windy, so we got out Grey's kite. He had a blast!