2011: A B Odyssey

First post of the new year. Per Hope's rule, or was it Katie's, I didn't post the Christmas photos before the next holiday (New Years) but I am posting before the 2nd holiday (Valentine's) so I deserve some credit, yes?Christmas was fun. We went on the Polar Express and when Santa gave the kids their bells, I heard it which must mean I still believe! McButter continued to be terrified of 'Tita but wasn't so scared that she didn't turn to him, grab her bell and then turn back and hide her head in my shoulder. Kids are encouraged to wear their PJs and they read the book, play the songs from the movie and it's just really, really cute.
My folks were with us at Polar Express and then followed us back to H-town for our annual Christmas Eve day visit to the museum and ceremonial renewal of our museum membership as my Christmas gift. We visited one of their special exhibits about Pirates and it was really interesting. Though explaining to Miss F why they had a cage to hang pirates on the outskirts of town as a 'warning' took a bit of side-stepping. The picture below cracks me up. Miss F just hanging out on the pirate statue and McButter giving him the stink-eye.
After a wonderful Christmas Eve meal and a candlelight service at our church, we said good-bye to Mimi and Papa and had Christmas morning all to ourselves. The favorite gift for Miss F this year was the addition of Ruthie to be her Kit's best friend and a trundle bed for them both to sleep in. McButter didn't know what to do with all her goodies but I think the doll stroller is popular. Me? I loved that Santa was so smart to bring a group gift to the family--a zoo membership. I am glad he thought that since we renew it anyways, that it would be nice to use it as a gift and not add more trinkets to our house for the group gift. Good Santa!

As per usual, the B's found themselves on a bit of an adventure between Christmas and New Years when we discovered that 'original Molly' was going to be in the state lines and since even 4 hours is closer than California, we made a trip up to bust her out of her paralegal prison for dinner and breakfast in Marshall! Great trip. Cute town. What I'll remember most is that I missed the Von Trapp Family Singers by mere days. Such a shame.

New Years rang in with good friends and Justin Bieber cutouts at a 4th Annual party where it used to be adults only at midnight and now the kids are slowly joining us in staying up to ring in the New Year. And as always, at 12:04 we say our good-byes and head home to bed!! We headed out to camp on New Years Day and then rounded out the 2 weeks off school with a visit to a local indoor playground that Miss F loves and then off the kids went back to school.