Texas Day 6: New Years Eve 2016

DAY 6:

The kids loved to ride the elevator any chance they got. They were only allowed to ride with an adult to be on the safe side. Bennett was a rebel near the end and rode it several times by himself before we caught on.

The traditional girls shopping trip!

Here is the front of the house as we are loading up

I have always wanted a giraffe like this for my kids' nursery. So when I saw them here I had to jokingly ask Jason if I could bring it home. It said no. Or, more accurately, "no!!!!!"

When we got back from our shopping trip, we started on prep for lumpia. I LOVE lumpia and haven't had it since Imy made it for us three years ago in Chicago. So I put in a special request. It requires a lot of chopping. Good thing there were so many willing hands.

Head chef working hard.

I learned how to roll the lumpia

The cute grandparents with the completed feast. Dad said he didn't help with the prep so he shouldn't be in the picture. But he DID do the dishes. So he gets some credit too. ;)

yum, yum, yum

Yes, lumpia deserves this many pictures.

After dinner we put the kids to bed and then partied hard with a game of scum.

Near midnight Sarah started pouring the glasses of bubbly (sparkling cider).

Then we all went out on the deck to celebrate with poppers and a selfie.

Jason half-jokingly suggested jumping in the ocean at midnight. He didn't think anyone would go for it but suprisingly all the guys (except Scott) did!

Before...

...and after. They said it was pretty cold and they had to run out pretty far to completely submerge. But they did it! And the girls were on the beach to cheer them on.

Texas Day 5: Sunset Beach Walk

After all the Christmas festivities were done, my little family decided to go for a walk on the beach again. Living in a landlocked state we have got to get as much of a beach fix as we can. I miss the ocean so much!

My three cuties at sunset. Bennett left, Cooper right

Being from the west coast, it was definitely strange to me to not have the sun set over the ocean. But it still made for gorgeous lighting.

Since I love the ocean so much, I asked Jason to please document.

This picture combines so many of my loves: The ocean, the sunset, and all my favorite people.

Seriously, the sunset was so pretty!

We also ran across several washed-up jellyfish.

Heading back

The amazing house we stayed in all week.

Texas Day 5: Christmas Morning

On our Texas Christmas morning we woke up to this BEAUTIFUL sunrise.

The kids couldn't wait to start opening their presents.

We started with the youngest so all the cousins gathered around Cosi. She is still figuring out the whole unwrapping thing so her older sisters had to assist.

Then it was Tessa's turn. She had no problem grabbing her present and ripping into it.

All the grands with their new gifts. Kaylee received a second Hatchimal and Penny and Jane scored one as well. They were all pretty happy about that.

The kids were distracted after opening one gift each so we decided to take a break and feed the hungry adults (and kids).

Then we continued with the gifts.

The boys each got a bubble gun.

Bennett and Tessa

I was impressed with the bubbles. Tessa had fun popping them.

Kaylee showing off her Hatchimal. Penny patiently waiting for hers to hatch.

The boys and their gifts.

Yes, the adults got gifts as well.

Each family (*ahem* husband) got a virtual reality device from G&G Damstra. Jason and Scott couldn't wait to try them out. And they looked pretty silly doing it.

The twins' big gifts were more train tracks and trains. They were stoked. They still play with their train tracks every day.

Sarah gave my dad a shirt that said "My favorite people call me grandpa" and it even had a mustache on it. So I thought it would be fun to surprise him with all of us wearing mustaches to go along with his shirt.

Here is a better picture of the shirt, and my cute niece and nephew.

Tessa's little mustache killed me. Haha.

Cosi (as well as all the other kids) loved her new horse. Such a cute little elf.