Winans family reunion Thanksgiving 2013

My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this year in September.  As a part of the celebration, we all went to my parents house for Thanksgiving.  We had a great time!  As you will see from the pictures!  We had a little Christmas celebration, birthday celebration, Thanksgiving feast AND family pictures.  A lot packed into 3 days!  

Waiting NOT so patiently for Aunt Kaysha and Uncle Kaelan to arrive

Decorating the tree!  Grandpa Tex put the star on top to avoid any sadness from little minions as they ALL wanted to do it :)

Decorating gingerbread men (compliments of Uncle Daniel)

Our early morning Christmas party!  My mom made each of our families Christmas quilts and gave us a set of the Christmas books we used to read when we were kids.  I'm not gonna lie, I had a REALLY hard time putting my quilt away when Christmas was over!  Can't wait to use it again!!!!

Each year we draw names in the summer.  Everyone's name goes in the pot and each family member is charged with picking a gift for one other person.  The kid's names are coveted, we got lucky and got both Sage and Eden this year...wooowhooo!

So my parents had this brilliant plan to buy nerf guns for EVERYONE.  We had the BEST time having a nerf war.  We all participated...14 guns in all.  Darts are CRAZY (e.g., Uncle Kaelan caught a dart in the mouth..my mom is STILL finding darts 4 months later)...

 One of the best pictures I have EVER taken :)

Playing it safe with some hot pink safety glasses

Cole's safety glasses (while equally as cool), were somewhat ineffective...hehehe

 

As part of our Thanksgiving feast, our sweet niece Eden suggested we go around and say what we are Thankful for.  I was Thankful to not be in vet-school anymore :)  Who is surprised???  Brett was asleep for most of the dinner (he just played too hard).  He finally woke up, and came to sit on my Dad's lap at the table.  We asked him what he was Thankful for...he brought up his sweet little boy figure...and without saying a word, he pointed to his Grandma Pigs (that's what my kids call my mom Peggy...what a lucky lady).  Let's just say he made my mom's day (perhaps year or even life).    Late in the week at a restaurant, he made Cole switch seats with him so he could sit next to "Grandma Pigs."  He kept telling my mom "Bend down here for a minute so I can give you a smooch!" He knows where his bread is buttered...that's for sure.

Anyways....we have a lot to be Thankful for!  

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

 

 

Tidbits from November 2013

Our first dentist visit!  Both Brett and Allison's teeth looked great!  I'm seriously hoping they have Cole's fantastic teeth.  He can go to the dentist once every 5 years and his teeth are fine (SO not fair)

Brett and Allison were devastated when I informed them they couldn't keep their art projects from school.  I had to promise I would take a picture of them....SO here you go!

He FINALLY came home

My sweet husband finished his training at 3:00pm on Friday October 11th and drove the ENTIRE way home (I think it was about 13 hours).  I stayed awake until 2:30 am asking him trivia questions off of the internet to keep him awake because I wanted him to come home so bad.  The kids and I were SO relieved he was home we slept almost the entire next day.  Didn't know we that tired :)

Quite possibly the best picture I have EVER taken...and I mean EVER.  We are sure glad he is home for a while :) 

Catch-up Weekend Trip to San Antonio in September 2013

After some convincing from my cute hubby (I didn't want to leave the kiddos), I hopped on a plane and headed to see him in San Antonio while my sweet mother-in-law came and took care of the kids.  To all those who may be reading this, if it has been awhile since you and your sweetheart went on a weekend getaway...do it!!!  We had SO much fun walking around the Riverwalk, checking out shops, going to hoaky museums, eating, watching movies, etc :)  I will admit that is was EXTREMELY hard to get back on the plane early Monday morning and leave Cole in San Antonio.  I'm proud to say that I held it together until Cole drove away.  I'm sure that airport staff and my fellow travelers thought I was a total blubbering idiot.  It was WAY harder than him even leaving Manhattan in July.  He even left like 4 times due to several mishaps (e.g., running over his ear piece, me forgetting my wallet in the car he was driving to San Antonio, etc)...haha  ANYWAYS..here are some pictures from our weekend adventure!

Cole must have missed me a TON because he even posed for a couple of pictures! 

Me care free on the Riverwalk! (Can you even imagine my two crazies walking near water like this?)

 Our hotel, The Emily Morgan.  We could look out our window and see the Alamo!

Our adventures at the Buckhorn Museum.  

Fun Fact:  Cole HATES snakes...no really, he HATES them

Fun Fact:  I LOVE polar bears (that is only because I've never encountered one in real life..I hear they are CRAZY) :)  

Unless my memory is failing me, I do believe I won a single game against Cole....

Optical Illusions

This is how I felt during my teenage years....funny story...I think this is how Cole felt too...BAHAHAHA!

Cole's dream

My Dream...I mean...uh.....My future was told :) 

Ripley's Believe it Or Not.  Perhaps to the naked eye, a total waste of money.   But when you are hanging out with your hubby for a weekend and you are running around with no cares...it was worth EVERY penny.  We had SO much fun!  We even got to go to a "4D" theater that moved and "snowed" hahaha :)

Had to take a picture with the classic Big movie prop :)

 So, I came around the corner and couldn't find Cole anywhere.  I thought he had gone ahead in the museum.  I was wrong.  Little did I know he was aspiring to be an astronaut.  What a nerd :)

This stupid tunnel thing made us sick.  We had a grand time trying to walk through it :)

The Alamo

 So we went to a wax museum and of course I had to pose with the Duke :)

 Fun Fact:  I may or may not have watched a boat-load of John Wayne movies while Cole was gone.  I suppose I missed him :)

Fun Fact:  I LOVE Indiana Jones...and Harrison Ford, but mostly Indiana Jones....so I had to pose with him too!

There was this totally creepy horror house in the wax museum with  "dead body parts," creepy people, doors, etc.  Cole made me try to find the way out.  NOT cool!  I think he was secretly creeped out because Fun Fact:  He HATES scary movies!

We looove the Rainforest Cafe, we've eaten at a few, so we can add San Antonio to the list :)

We had a great waiter, he offered to pose with me so Cole didn't have to have another picture taken!

I learned something new this weekend, Cole LOVES caramel apples.  What kind of wife doesn't know this about her husband?  We spent FOREVER trying to find this stupid Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and it was definitely worth it.  Cole got his apple :)

Last but not least, we went to the mall.  Cole bought me Croc flipflops.  I should do a commercial, they are the BEST flipflops i've EVER had.  I wish I had three pairs.  We also played glow-in-the-dark miniature golf with real-life dinosaur bones!  So much fun.  Oh ya, we also ate at this all you can eat meat place .. Fogo de Chao (didn't get pictures..I was too busy eating)

Story-Time

After school on Tuesdays, we frequent the library for story time.  For whatever reason, thinking about story-time makes me realize that my kids are growing up.  Someday soon they will be in school and there won't be things like story time.  Until then, we will enjoy!  (Please note Brett's SUPER cute Monster's University jacket that Cole brought him from San Antonio- he LOVES that thing)