It was all worth it to get this look on our mother's face when she opened her newest family pictures. HA!
She loves them, but it took her a little bit to figure out why on earth there were added creatures in our pictures. Thanks Lynn for the great idea. Mom loves them, and is probably having even more fun showing them off now!
One of my favorite things about this particular Christmas is that Brooke is old enough to know what it is and anticipate it all. She was given some money from her Great Aunt and Uncle, and all she has wanted to do with this money is spend it on presents for her Daddy....well, after Paw told her HE was buying lunch instead of her anyway. We walked into a shoe store to buy a Christmas present and she was very determined to buy her Daddy some socks. She had probably heard him asking for them. She latched on to a set of socks and kept telling me SHE was going to buy them for her Daddy with HER money. SO, I let her pay the cashier, then she picked out a gift bag to stuff them in and as soon as her Daddy walked in when we got home from NM she ran up to him saying, "Daddy, Merry Christmas I got you some socks with MY money, I hope you like them" and here is the after.....One, he loves anything from her of course....but he also realized that she was very sweet to want to spend her money on him. Daddy's girl?! Of course.
Santa was too lazy to drop her new scooter off in Albuquerque only to have to haul it back to Lubbock, so when we got home it was Christmas morning all over again. She opened her presents from us and Daddy had to put her scooter together to help Santa out (okay, okay Momma forgot all about the silly thing until we were already gone....oops).
Brooke assisting Daddy in putting together her new scooter.
First test ride.
One of the most meaningful gifts, in my opinion, was one Steven alone got Brooke. Steven is a stereo-typical man in ONE way, he does not like shopping and despises the mall. He, however had one thing he wanted to get Brooke and he searched high and low for just the one he wanted. He wanted to get her a musical jewelry box and even went to the M A L L to get it. Some day Brooke will realize just how much it means to get someone out of their comfort zone for them to go get you something the really think you'd love. It is already one of her favorite things, full of her princess jewelry and she has to listen to the beautiful music it plays numerous times a day. You will be seeing more of this present in the future I am sure.
Brooke is all about anything princess lately, and her favorite has remained Ariel for quite some time now. Just a cute shot Daddy took of her first bath with Princess Ariel and Flounder.
Steven's brother and his family live just a short 45 minutes (if traffic cooperates) from Albuquerque, which made it extra nice because we didn't have to drive much further in order to spend time with BOTH sides of the family on Christmas. The big topic on every Miller's mind this year.....getting to meet Abel for the first time! Abel is the first great grandkid....and although Tracy and Angie had met him before the rest of us hadn't had the pleasure yet.
Brooke, Abel and Cooper getting acquainted.
Brooke being a great sharer....she willingly gave Abel her newest toy from Santa.....no worries, she IS three after all, so the sharing willingly ended pretty quickly....
Abel glad to be set free after a plane ride from Oregon. I couldn't bring myself to crop out all of the madness going on in the background.
Grandpa Tracy, Abel and Tracy's sweet pooch Pooka.
Our traitor of a dog, Cooper.....I thought about cropping the blanket out, but I cannot gripe about it too much since I made it for Tracy a while back.
Chelsea, the oldest grand-daughter!
The next three pictures are a cute little series I had to add. We gave Abel this little guitar for Christmas, and apparently he is already a rock star in the making....he would stand up and shake his adorable little booty while playing music. What the series is.....is him noticing the camera I was holding was MUCH cooler than his new guitar.
After the first flash, he dropped his guitar and scooted my way rather quickly.
The only way I kept my camera from getting taken away by a precious little 18 month old.....showing him his picture AS I took it.
I posted this picture for several reasons.....one, because I love giving my mother in law another reason to pick on me about posting pictures of her (she's not a big fan of pictures of herself), to show her playing with something not exactly age appropriate (HA), and to finally show the tiny little spot Brooke and Abel both kept having to shimmy through instead of going around.
You know I am all about pictures. This group hasn't all been together since Tracy and Angie got married in 2004....so, I had to have a picture with the newest additions Brooke and Abel!
The ONLY thing Brooke asked Santa for (repeatedly) was a purple violin. Santa gladly obliged and she loves it!
She also loves caking on the princess lip glosses from her stocking.
Christmas Day we mainly did lots of visiting and relaxing. It was wonderful!
The rears belong to Brooke, Steven and Cohen....
It wouldn't have been the same without our furry creatures there as well. Cooper is already like an old man around kids or other dogs, growling and running off when he's had enough. Here, Tucker was sniffing and licking him and every time Tucker would get near him he would raise those lips and show those teeth like he was going to eat him.
More lip gloss.....this time on Grandad.
It has always been my side of the family's tradition to open presents on Christmas Eve and open stuff from Santa Christmas morning.
I think the one thing Brooke anticipated more than any present is spending time playing with her cousins McKenzie and Cohen. Sadly, we only seem to get them together to play a couple times a year, but Brooke can remember every single thing the three of them do together. Since she has turned into a girlie girl this year McKenzie is one of her favorite people.
My sweet grandmother not only gave us all homemade quilts that my great grandmother made (will share pics of those later), but also managed to gift everyone something individually as well. I must say it is all loved, but there is nothing better than a homemade QUILT!
Our niece McKenzie. This young lady is equally as beautiful inside as out. She shouldn't be this big.....
My brother is the biggest character.....love him, his personality, his obvious sense of humor.....and am so proud of the family man he is as well.
Cohen....I love listening to him tell stories, he also had the cutest laugh that is contagious! We helped dress him in more Bama gear!
Brooke showing off two favorite things from the haul that night....a new horsey necklace and what she calls "tap shoes".
Anyone who knows my mother knows this sign fits! And, Steven knows where I get it from too.....after all it HAS to be passed down generation to generation right?!
My Dad is an apparent character too....a little over accessorized?!
My wonderful sister in law, Michelle. For starters, she looks amazing. I don't know if I should brag about her or not....but I will anyway. She has lost over a hundred pounds in the last year....and still manages to cook better than Martha Stewart! If I put on a single pound over this holiday season I blame two people because I could NOT blame myself....and Michelle is one of them! ;o)
Yes, more to come still.
I will be posting a lot of pictures today in hopes of catching up! We have had a wonderful holiday so far, safe travels, fun with family and absolutely nothing to complain about.
This is Brooke with her two buds, Brooklyn and Aiden at a Cookies for Santa decorating event. Brooke has loved meeting Santa numerous times.....unless he is wearing a fake beard, then she clings to me like Saran Wrap with no desire whatsoever to even talk to the fake man. Smart girl....too smart for her own good. She has run into men with white beards out in town and talks to them non-stop, but she sees a kid dressed up as Santa and she high-tails it to hide behind Momma's legs. THAT is why this is the only picture of the three of them posing at this event.....with a blow up nutcracker.
Later in the week we made cookies for Santa at home, a family tradition that makes messes but the giggles are worth it. Daddy and Brooke.
Some of our finished cookies.
We went to Albuquerque this year to get in time with both sides of the family, and both Brothers which we don't see all that often even though we are only hours away from one another.
Brooke chilling with Grandad in the Albq house.
We managed to leave Lubbock ahead of the biggest snow storm since before Brooke was born. While I was relieved we got to New Mexico before it hit West Texas, part of me was also disappointed in Brooke missing an opportunity to make her first snow angel! This was the backyard at the house in Albq.....hardly snow angel material, but she managed a few snow balls and still giggled like it was awesome!
More to come!
Brooke got to open a very generous early Christmas present yesterday from one of our dear friends.....and we have been living with MORE of a princess/diva ever since! To leave the house yesterday without all of the new princess accessories meant us having to watch a sad, mistreated little girl stick her bottom lip out and pout for a while. We had lunch with Uncle Bro and Elise and Brooke begged them to come back to her house so she could show them her new princess stuff. She received some princess shoes (5 pair to be exact), a princess dress, tiara and purse....man, oh man....she is TOTALLY into princess stuff now!
She has not taken these particular red and blue Snow White shoes off unless we take them off of her. I laid her down for a nap yesterday and when I went in there to tell her she could get up she had 3 pair of shoes in bed WITH her....haha....she is for sure my daughter!
A close up shot of our princess....notice jewelry, purse, crown and of course Sleeping Beauty dress. She is a hoot.
Currently she is still wearing her pajama's....along with all the accessories seen in the pictures above! If I get out to finish up our one last little Christmas gift purchase my guess is I will be shopping with a princess!
I will go ahead and post some pictures while Brooke is still asleep this morning. We are headed to Plainview to see Nana and Paw for the day. Brooke has been pretty persistent when it comes to requesting we drive to Nana and Paw's......so, off we go!
Thanks to generous grandparents we went to the Polar Express last night. Brooke doesn't really know the story, she couldn't care less about the movie just yet....BUT, she loves trains! We waited until Steven got home from work last night to tell her where we were going and all about it, this was her before we left.....just a little excited!
I was so worried about smuggling in our dinner (the train we went on left at 6, right when we would normally be eating) that I forgot to take a picture of the actual train.....imagine a 4 car Amtrak and you've got a good idea. This was inside the train. Close quarters, but very fun. Brooke had to sit by the window....and by her Daddy, so I was on the isle basically closer to all the elf action.
I kept looking over at my two before the train started moving and kept seeing this. Too cute. I am still trying to figure out who was enjoying it more......but it doesn't matter.
When the train finally started moving (a little late due to engine stuff), I asked Brooke if she was excited and this is the look I got. I think it is a safe 'yes.'
We were in the first car, and I really felt like we got more attention from this man, the Conductor. He was awesome, friendly, sang well and definitely danced well!
Showing off more smiles and beautiful Blue eyes!
After the cookies, hot chocolate and a visit from Santa all the kids were dancing in the isle to the Christmas music. Brooke wanted to, then she would get to the isle and chicken out.....so, this is her dancing in our seat area.
We definitely enjoyed our experience on the Polar Express. I think this is the perfect age to do it because she was impressed by EVERYTHING....including the snow (which was really cotton) the elves were throwing at the North Pole. Side note on the picture....if your child is warm natured and you are staying in a closed quarter....you might not want to dress her in flannel pajamas and boots. Look at those red cheeks!
When we got home last night I asked Brooke what her favorite part of the Polar Express was. Fully expecting her to say Santa, the train, the conductor, the elves, the dancing or something along those lines. Instead she said, "the sugar cookie and the hot chocolate"......so glad to know we can spend an entire evening away and she mostly remembers the cookie and hot chocolate.....sheesh!
