S*N*O*W* in Frisco!!!

It was so exciting to get the first snow of the year this past weekend! We went to church in pouring down rain and left with snow flurries all around us. Before we knew it there were huge snowflakes coming down fast and a winter wonderland quickly building on all the yards and buildings. There is just something about snow that even puts a little wonder in the adult hearts.

After nap time the girls could not wait to put on their rain boots and warm clothes and head out into the snow. Claire just loves to make snow angels and have snow fights and she could not stop putting her own finishing touches on their snow man. Cate wanted to help daddy roll the large snow balls that made the snow man's body and wanted to get it just right. After a little lesson on how to pack the snow the snowballs were a flyin'. Sure it was all fun and games until Cate got hit in the face, but pretty soon she was recovered and ready to roll again. After a romp in the snow the girls were easily lured into the house with the promise of hot chocolate and a movie.

I should mention that Brant pronounced on the way home from church that he did NOT want to go out in the snow. He does not like being cold and wet and I can't say that I blame him too much. We did not force the issue, but I think next time we might try to entice him with a little sledding. I think he would really love that and it doesn't involve getting your gloves too wet.

Cate and Claire putting the finishing touches on their snowman. We had to get creative and use frozen cake balls for eyes.

Cate helping roll the large balls used for the snowman's body.

Claire is ready for a snowball fight!

Warming up with some hot cocoa. Mommy finally gets to use her little snowman mugs . . .

Aggies in the Cotton Bowl! A&M vs. LSU

How exciting was it to find out that A&M was going to be in the Cotton Bowl this year? Let's say I was thrilled. Of course, it had been so long that I was just assuming that the game would be on New Year's Day and we would be in Ohio. I found out late that we were going to be in Dallas and gave Brian the puppy dog eyes to see if he could find us some tickets. Lucky girl that I am, Brian was able to get us some tickets and we were IN!

The best part of the experience was definitely the tailgate party. The emails flying back and forth in the week before the game with jokes and plans reminded me of what great friends I have and how blessed I am to have so many seriously amazing (and entertaining) people in my life. Nothing can make you feel young like a kid-free evening, hanging with your college besties, drinking cocktails and getting ready for some football. We had a blast celebrating before the game and through the first quarter. Unfortunately, the game took a serious turn for the worse in the second half and the Aggies didn't fair too well on the field, but I can tell you that nothing will ever change how well they are doing off the field. Some of my dearest and most treasured friends I met during my years at Texas A&M and they are some of the greatest gifts in my life. I was so thrilled to be able to share some of the Aggie experience with Brian and I loved how easily he appreciates the school I love jumps right into the spirit. I have definitely been remiss in indoctrinating Brian into the College Station fray, but I am resolving to get him to at least one home game this year. The Cotton Bowl is great, but there is something about a home game that just cannot be described and must be experienced first hand.

I ran into this lady in the pro shop and had to have a picture. THAT is some serious school spirit!

Brian in his first A&M shirt! He looks great in maroon.

A Brant Update

I couldn't post about my girls without also posting an update on my sweet boy, Brant. Brant has struggled with speech and communication pretty much since he was just beginning to talk. We've been in speech therapy since he was 2 and this has been such a struggle for me because I want nothing more than to know what is on his mind and to share his world with him. Being the talker I am (yes, those who know me know this to be too true), speech is my main mode of communication and it has been so painful to struggle with breaking through to Brant. I've realized recently that I've in some ways been trying less to have conversations with Brant and that really bothered me. I think it is just human nature to diminish doing things that don't receive much feedback, but since noticing this I've re-dedicated myself to really making an effort to speak with Brant--even if he isn't speaking back to me or answering my questions I know he understands and this is an important part of our relationship.

On a really positive note, I believe that his social skills classes are really beginning to pay off. My mom and family have really noticed Brant being more involved in the family activities and speaking to them more directly. At church this past Sunday, the Sunday school teacher told me that Brant was more interactive that ever--even getting up on the stage to participate in the songs they were singing. This makes my heart so happy and really reinforces the postive things that we are seeing at home. Brant is such a sweet and loving son and he brings such a joy to our lives. It is so wonderful to see him reaching out more and being able to really share in his interests.

The Beauty of Twins

One of the things that I adore so much about having twins is the all their differences. I assume most people think twins (especially same sex twins) would be pretty similar. Same sex, same parents, same age, etc. It never ceases to astound me how untrue this really has turned out to be. Cate and Claire are so wonderfully fascinating in part because they are so fabulously adorable, but also because they are so amazingly unique. Cate is so precise and exacting. She impresses me with the amount of detail she notices and how well she is able to pick up on new things. Claire takes it all in stride. Mostly easy-going and fun-loving. She is not afraid to try something crazy, fall down and laugh at herself. On the way to dance today Cate declares dramatically, "Today I'm going to dance BEAUTIFULLY!" and Claire does not miss a best in proclaiming that she is going to show Miss Brenna her "cool moves" with a giggle. Ahhh, they are lights in my life. What a gift to see how differently God has created them.

New Years!

Ahhh, New Years . . . how I love you . . . and hate you . . . but mostly love you! I always feel so inspired by a fresh start to do things "right". Couldn't we all do IT (life) better? I mean I don't think I do a horrible job of it, but in the end there are always things that I would like to improve on. January just seems like such a wonderful time to kick things off with a new vigor after all the crazy, rush of the holidays and all the time-consuming tasks involved are finished. Of course, then I feel totally daunted by all that must be organized, put away and caught up on. I'm resolving to re-start the blog more as a journal than in the past. A place to record all those feelings and ephinanies about our life and little quirks of the kids that I am going to want to remember when I am old and grey. Concentrating less on the photos (although there must always be pictures) and more on the memories. I guess I was inspired by Kelle Hampton last year, but that did not end up translating into more blogging. But new year, new start . . . here we go!

We just returned from a post-Christmas trip to Ohio and I'm already running behind in being organized for the year. However, I am glady celebrating getting back to the routine of school and dance and gymnastics, etc. My Organized Life cannot be far behind. Also, I'm so happy to be celebrating the Aggies return to the Cotton Bowl after all these years. Whoop! I remember when I attended A&M we were there every year and what fun we would have in Dallas for New Years. This Friday we will be tailgating with my treasured college friends and hopefully actually scoring some tickets to the game. Woo Hoo! We are on a roll.