A Year in Review, 2011!

So 2011 has come and gone... and what a year it was! 

A Year in Review, 2011

Grady - you turned 4 and had a joint birthday party with Brody at Chuck E. Cheese - you had so much fun!

We had 4 days off of school due to ice and snow - record temperatures - and we had so much fun playing, baking, making snowmen, sledding down the driveway, etc.  Mommy was about 9 months pregnant so the time off was awesome timing!  We also had a little Super Bowl get together with the Vaughn Family and Rabadeux family!  The Super Bowl was held in Dallas this year - Packers vs. the Steelers - the Packers won.    

Obviously, Cole's birth is the main highlight... sweet baby boy #2 has brightened our life in every way and made my sweet #1 a Big Brother!!!  I LOVE my boys and want so much for them to be best friends.  They are already off to a good start... they absolutely ADORE each other!

My maternity leave... LOVED.EVERY.SECOND - enough said!

Mother's Day and Father's Day - very special because of it being the first time with two kiddos! 

Our summer, family trip to Florida!  We went to Cocoa Beach to see Mimi and Papa and to have some relaxing beach time.  Uncle Craig was there and so was Cousin Julie!!!  It was Cole's first trip on an air plane and to Florida - he was perfect!  Grady had his first golf lesson and also had a run-in with the coffee table - ouch!

Summer 2011 - full of HOT, HOT weather but lots of fun!  Lots of swimming, playing with friends, making a bean-bag toss with Dad, trips to the Library for story-time and check-out, 4th of July and fireworks, a Speight Family Reunion in Branson and trip to north MO to see the Williams side of the family!  First time for Cole to meet his Great-Grandmothers!  

Grady's first VBS!  He LOVED VBS and still talks about when it will happen again...!

Rangers games - Grady even got thrown Matt Harrison's warm up ball two different times!  Uncle Jerry and Auntie Val even came with us to a game!

 A quick trip to Utah to see Mimi and Papa - a rodeo, dinosaur park, relief from HOT Texas weather, and lots and lots of outside play time.  

Grady was a Ring Bearer and Richard was the Best Man at Uncle Brian and Aunt Christina's wedding!    

Grady starting Pre-Kindergarten (and Momma back to work) - He just loves school, his teachers, the kids, etc.  He is learning so much and it just amazes me each day how much he is growing up! 

Cole starting with the same babysitter Grady left and had for 3 years, (I hate to call her that because she is sooooo much more than that) Mrs. Stephanie... she just loves sweet Cole and is very popular in our house!  He is thriving there and we couldn't be happier with his care.  :) 

Richard and Grady's trip to OK for a little outdoor "guy" time together.. lots of fun at Nanny and Poppys!

Grady playing T-ball for the first time and Richard being one of his coaches - such a fun season!

A visit from Mimi and Papa - always bunches of fun - a fun trip to the Arboretum with Mimi!

Daddy took a day off of work and took Grady to the Texas State Fair... they rode the train and had the very best day!!!

 Halloween - the kids were Spider-Man and a Lion!  

Thanksgiving -- oh my, I renamed it "Vomitgiving" and am still trying to forget it!  Not entirely though... we flew to Mimi and Papa's house in Florida and did have lots of fun at the beach each day (we weren't sick) and at Busch Gardens!!!

Christmas - we hosted at our house this year!  Cole, this was your first Christmas and Grady - you totally got it and LOVED it!  Grammy Elaine, Uncle Jerry and Auntie Val and Uncle Brian and Aunt Christina came over.  We played, ate lots of yummy food and opened presents.  Most of us went over to visit Aunt Lana and Uncle Curt because Uncle Curt had some surgery and they couldn't come over.

The Day after Christmas we traveled to Utah for Christmas with Mimi and Papa.  Grady, you skied and were AWESOME!!! 

Here we are, December 31st - I am amazed at how much fun we have had this year... and how much life has changed!  We went from a family of three, to four - and Life is Good!!!  Whether we were at home, with family or friends, traveling, sick, having a baby, trick-or-treating, at a Rangers game, learning to crawl, throwing snowballs, playing games at Chuck E. Cheese, starting school, or just snuggling, I couldn't wish for anything better than what this year was for us!  We are truly blessed!

Here's to 2011 and wishes for an even more fabulous 2012!!!