Health Camp

So there's this little hamburger joint in Waco that my Grandpa Mejia used to take my brother an I were little. There wasn't a place to sit when we were little. There are 2 windows outside that you order from, and you take it with you.
I remember going all the time with him. I remember how yummy it was and how I used to think ordering from the window was do cool.
On our drive into Waco this week, I saw a billboard for Health Camp and told Craig that we were gonna take the boys the next day! So,we did!


The ordering window! You can order here or go inside!



Same burger I've always gotten!!!! Bacon cheeseburger.



And I just had to get a chocolate shake! This time I shared with Dylan, not my grandpa!
I'm pretty sure that we started a new tradition!
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Gingerbread house

Drew's side
We do a gingerbread house every year. And every year, I get so frustrated that I wonder why I continue this tradition. They never stay together for me. I can't ever get the sides to stay up. Then when I do, the roof caves in. I'm tempted to hot glue it together every year.
We got this one together in one night. Then we let it sit til the next day. It worked out better.
The boys completely took over on the decorating part. The only icing I did was under the candy canes! Everything else, they did all on their own.





So proud of their work!


Dylan's side.
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Last days of Cane before Christmas

Day 21--working the McDonald's cash register



Day 22--sitting in the ice dispenser. Guess he was a tad homesick.
Ooops to day 23. He didn't move---we told the kids it was because they were so bad the day before, he didn't want to tell Santa how bad they were.



Day 24--under the tree. Making sure its ready for Christmas Eve night!
Cane flew back to the North Pole that night after Santa came and left some presents. We will miss him, but maybe he will make sneak appearances throughout the year!
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Dell Children's Hospital

We went to Dell Children's Hospital last Friday after school to visit one of my students. That's a really cool hospital. I took some fun pics.
Hope we never have to actually be there ourselves.



Dylan in front of longhorn tree. Drew refused to stand close to it! Ha. I tried to get him to put his horns up, but he wasn't really feeling the whole picture thing!



Big 12 tree......



The best one I could get with them together. Outside courtyard with waterfalls.






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Cane the elf--days 16-20

Ok.....we are running out of places....





Day 16--took a spin every time we got a paper towel.



Day 17--on the big tree!



Day 18--Hugging our big H in the entry way.



Day 19--Hanging from the Tonka firefighter helicopter.



Day 20--in our bedroom....hoping the boys would see him right away when they came to wake me up....it took them a while!
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Cane days 11-15

the adventures continue......



Day 11--In the Christmas movie bin. Guess he wanted to see more elves!




Day 12--checking out our Disney picture!




Day 13--hanging on the boys gem jars! That's one heck of a reminder to behave!




Day 14--hanging from living room ceiling. Crash landing?!




Day 15--going for a joy ride!

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Adventures of Cane: days 6-10

Day 6-- on our fireplace mantle by the stockings.



Day 7-- on our computer at the Elf on the Shelf website!



Day 8-- hanging on the playroom Christmas tree.



Day 9-- on the fire truck ladder! In the igloo tent, we think he was a little homesick this morning.



Day 10-- watching tv! He won't give up the remote!
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Wordless Wednesday

Day 7 Advent activity



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Goodbyes

Saying goodbye to someone you love is never easy. We have had to make the tough decision to put Yoda down. The vet confirmed yesterday that he does infact have cancer. It's aggressive and it would more than likely take over his body quickly. He is already at the point of needing diapers because he literally can't pee on his own. So to save his dignity, we will say goodbye to him today. We gave him extra loving last night and let the boys give him treats last night and again this morning.



We all have heavy hearts right now and will miss him terribly. He truly has been the best dog ever. He is the reason I'm a dog person now. I will miss his fluffy self and his overprotectiveness with all of us. I'll never forget how I would find him in the boys rooms at night, especially when they were babies.



We love you Yoda. Have fun in doggie heaven! xoxoxo



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Adventures of Cane: days 1-5

Our elf, Cane arrived December 1st. Just in time to get ready for Christmas. He's here to check on the boys! Every night, he flies back to the North Pole and reports to Santa. When he
comes back, he's in a different
spot and the boys have to find
him! We love this tradition!



Day 1-- on top of kitchen table tree.



Day 2-- on our snowmen family tree



Day 3-- in the Christmas candy dish! York peppermint patties are Santa's favorite, so he took a few back with him that night!



Day 4-- reading Christmas books under the big tree.



Day 5-- helping make Mommy's Monday morning coffee (in her new Christmas Starbucks cup!)
20 more days until Christmas means he has 20 more trips and 20 more clever places to be!
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Yoda

our sweet Yoda is sick. We are weighing our options, but the outlook is pretty grim.
We are giving him extra loving these days.



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Advent 2011

So, last year a dear friend of mine did this advent calendar starting December 1st with her kids. They had a different surprise or activity for every day in December! I LOVE this idea.

So, today at work, I asked her about it. And I took her ideas, another one on a different blog and added them to my ideas looking at our calendar, and came up with a list of things to do.

I then went to Target and bought some things. Then came home and wrote the list down, printed it in red, cut them into the days and then folded them and placed them in their appropriate day in an advent calendar we already have for December! So, each morning after the boys find Cane (our Elf on a shelf) they can go to the calendar and see what the activity or surprise is for the day!

Here's the list........

1. Welcome back CANE!
2. Santa cups
3. Make Christmas wreath
4. Daddy’s helper with outdoor lights
5. Give Dan his Christmas shirt
6. Joke—What do snowmen eat for breakfast? Snowflakes!
7. Christmas movie—An Elf’s Story
8. Christmas PJ’s
9. Foam Christmas tree
10. Breakfast with Santa/Pflugerville tree lighting
11. Make Christmas gifts for teachers
12. Write letters to Santa
13. Foam ornaments
14. Kids choice for dinner!
15. Joke—What do Santa’s Elves learn in the North Pole school? The ELFabet!
16. Decorate your doors
17. Make a Christmas card for Momo and take it to her! YEP! We are going to Waco!
18. Write and illustrate a Christmas story
19. Make Christmas playdoh and use cookie cutters
20. Sing Christmas songs & drive around looking at lights!
21. Make Daddy a Christmas surprise (cookies) and take it to work and lunch!
22. Make an ornament for a neighbor
23. Gingerbread house
24. Christmas Eve—before Grandma’s we tell what we like about each family member! Movie—Prep & Landing
25. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

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me and my boys

and this was our attempt at getting a good picture of the boys and I...

this is only about half!

Suspension Bridge

This year after Thanksgiving lunch, I wanted to take the boys to the famous Suspension Bridge over the Brazos River. Craig really loves bridges, and somehow, I've never taken him to this one!

So, we went and I took my camera and took about 400 pics! I think I got a Christmas card pic!

The boys had a blast! There were big iron cows they climbed on and hung from, and then we walked down to see the ducks and get a closer look at the water. We spent about 2 hours out there just running around and we walked all the way across the bridge and back. We will definitely go back to the bridge next time we are in town.

Drew 6 1/2

Dylan 3 1/2

The boys were amazed by this bridge. (look at the other cool one in the background!) Of course smarty pants Drew asked where the Huaco Indians got the metal........

LOVE this one!

brothers walking together....LOVE! The ducks were very friendly!

the historical marker that explains the park (where the Huaco Indians lived) and bridge--the 1st bridge to cross the river

This one is cool because you can see the other neat bridge in the background--that one you can drive on, so of course we did after we were done here!