My Funny Valentine!

2012

Funny story, a little sad, but funny!  So Curtis and Kinsley got all dressed up to the nines for Kinsley's 3rd Annual Daddy/Daughter Dance.  Let me preface this by saying this is an event she looks forward to EVERY year!  She talks about it the whole year, anticipates it, reminds us as its getting closer, loves to get dolled up, can't wait for the big day, etc....

So...they head on up to our community center, dressed up, hair fixed, nails and toes painted, roses from Curt to Kins - the works...only to find out the Daddy/Daughter Dance was...the....week...before.  Kinsley was such a good sport and didn't get too upset.  Curtis was a trooper and took her out for a date anyway to Chili's to get dessert.  Way to go Dad!  Better luck next year!

Here's some pics of past Daddy/Daughter Dances:)

First dance - 2010

Last year - 2011

A Day at the Rodeo

A few weeks ago we surprised my Aunt Jane for her birthday by meeting her and her family down at the Fort Worth Stockyards for some rootin' tootin' fun and for the evening rodeo!  We had such a blast.  It just doesn't get more Texas than this - I must get us all boots and hats soon - I LOVE IT!!!!  So glad to be born and raised in this great state!  

What is it about fake jails that gets kids so excited???  I pray they are never in one for real (God willing) - but it is fun to pretend!!!  Somebody let the poor babies out!!!!

I remember getting together with my cousins a lot when I was little.  I pray my kiddos grow up close to theirs as well.  Here's Kinsley, Kaden, Alexandra, and Gabriella!

The rodeo was a blast!!!  We could not stop laughing the entire time.  The baby didn't understand why the man in the middle kept getting rammed by the bull's (for you non-Texan folk - they put a dummy out in the middle to distract the bull once it bucks off the cowboy).  Poor little thing, she kept putting her hands to her face and saying "Oh, NO!"  Cracked us up!!!

This is my cousin Natalie, my Aunt Jane (the birthday girl), and Richard (my uncle)

Such an exciting sport to watch, you have to be a little bit brave and a little bit crazy to be a cowboy like this!!!  We will definitely make this a tradition - we all had an AMAZING time!!!  YEEEEHAW!

A Very Pinteresting Happy New Year 2012

I love me some Pinterest.  I wasn't sure what we were going to do for New Year's until I started seeing all this cute stuff on there...and so...a party was planned!!!  How did you ring in the New Year?  We had a little New Years party thanks to all the fun finds on Pinterest - I love me some printables!!!!  We toasted to a great 2011 and looking forward to the future of 2012, made resolutions, ate some yummy desserts and watched the ball drop!!!

It was just a little dessert party since we had already gone out to eat beforehand.  Sparkling cider, cream puffs, chocolate covered almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts, and vanilla cupcakes - YUM!

Countdown bags - another cute idea I got from Pinterest - these had a New Years resolution sheet inside, a pen, and a blower...and guests picked up their hats to go with!!!

Mom and John ready to party!

  

We all wrote resolutions on the chalkboard and took our pics by them:)!  Another pinterest idea!  Here's Jae, John, Kai's hand, and baby C (in Jae's tummy).  Resolutions:  baby, home, clipped (John's vasectomy - ha ha), love more, etc.

Mom and Dad, resolutions:  bible study, sell art, read, travel, etc.

My in-laws David and Susan and Malakai - resolutions:  be positive, pray more, view challenges as things I get to do, and David wrote stop smoking as a joke!!!

Me, Curt, Kaden and Kinsley, resolutions:  Read, date (as in Me and Curt need to go on more dates), Run, create, Kaden's:  pass lego Harry Potter, and Kinsley:  lose a tooth:)

Resolutions up close:)

Christmas Decor 2011

Keep Calm and Jingle On...love this saying...This was totally my thinking this Christmas - my first official Christmas since going back to work - I was more into soaking up the time with family this year than the decorating - so I went for a much simpler look this year than before and here is how it all turned out!

Christmas in Pictures 2011

Here is our Christmas 2011 in pictures - it was beautiful and everything we wanted it to be:)!!!

Kai, Curt, Kins at the Downs house - snuggling and football watching

Kins and Kai making cookies with Susan

Happy cousins on the couch!

Santa Came!!!!

Kinsley loves her new guitar!

Kaden wanted to make sure Santa knew he did not have to eat the yogurt if he didn't want to - I'm sure Santa appreciated the reassurance:)!!!

...and we begin the year of the DS...we put it off as long as we could - but she was sooooo excited:) - as long as my family is not the one in restaurants where the kids are on DS's and the parent are on Iphones and no one talks to eachother - can I get an AMEN?!!!!  Please Lord, help that not to be us!!!

new Wii games for Kaden!

...and on to the Westmorelands house...here's Kai with her new bike helmut - so cute!  Yes we have 2 Kai's - Malakai (aka Kai) on Curt's side of the family, and this sweet Kai - on my side of the family!!!

Showing off her new bike - she cracked us up wearing this onesie which she wouldn't let anyone button!!!  She ran around all day like this - sooo funny, this girl!!!!

Something was funny!

This is the aftermath of opening presents at Mom and Dad's - gotta love it!!!

Happy pretty girls!

 We went to the Gaylord Texan hotel to see Shrek the Halls ICE!  It is beautiful there at Christmastime!

John and Kai

Brrr, it was a chilling 9 degrees inside but so fun!!!

Kai, Kins, and me on an ice bench!

Gingy and friend:)

Huge crazy dragon!

The beautiful ice manger!

You better believe we had some hot chocolate after this place - but it was such a fun memory to make!!! We had an amazing Christmas full of Christ, family, food and fun!!!