Beckam's Weekend Birthday Bash

For Beckam's birthday this year we decided to take a little weekend trip. It's hard to know what to get you child for his birthday when it's a week before Christmas. I think we had found a great alternative. I think we may have to take a fun little trip for Beckam's birthday every year.

After just a few short hours we made it to our hotel the Edelweiss in New Braunfels. The boys were excited to open presents. But we had to take a quick cookie break first.

Beckam got lots of fun presents all of which his big brother helped him open.

Dad, Isaac, and Beckam trying out the new "Quadzilla" aka a marble run.

The next morning we didn't have any plans for the day so we hopped in the car and started to drive. We took the road along the rafting river and made plans to come back to try that out. It was a really pretty drive. Then we drove out to see the dam and the reservoir.

The boys helping mom walk down the trail to the water.

I don't think my boys could ever get sick of throwing rocks...

...and more rocks...

...still rocks.

Hanging out near the water. We even built our own little dam.

Isaac also built a computer. He found just the perfect rocks. He even found one to be the mouse. Everyone had to try it out.

After playing with the rocks by the water we hiked back up to check out the dam.

The boys found these all along the way and thought they were pretty cool. They would run and then stop at the next one.

Isaac told us he worked at the dam and even found his rock key that he was going to use to open the gate.

I love to take pictures of my boys.

After the dam we went back into Gruene ("green") and after Beckam took a 15 minute nap we went and found some lunch. We ate at the Gristmill. We had a fun table that had a great river view and the food was really yummy. Then we walked around Gruene and check out lots of the cute shops.

We got back to the car just in time for a quick snack break and then we were off to our evening activity.

Isaac was so excited to see Santa again. The first time he had only asked him for the whole Star Wars and had forgotten about Kung Fu Panda. So he was excited he had a chance to redeem himself.

Beckam had the same reaction both times he saw Santa this year.

The boys loved the hay maze. They kept going through it over and over and we even had to go back a second time before we left.

That night we took the boys to Schlitterbahn. It's a huge water park just outside of San Antonio. Instead of water and slides. There were tons of Christmas lights, Santa, and some fun things for the kids to play on. This was the initial reason for heading out this direction and I have to admit is was kind of a disappointment. They made it look a whole lot cooler on their website. Although the boys did have lots of fun, we were very happy that we had had so much fun during the day.

Two

The week of Beckam's birthday I was in charge of playgroup. Since the weather had been rainy all week we ended up at McDonalds. We made rice crispie treats for everyone and Beckam even got a few gifts. Thanks.

Isaac's tooth incident

Yes, it's hard to tell what in the world the whole point of these pictures are so I'll tell you. On the 13th of December our friends the Stuckey's had a Christmas party. During the evening Isaac jumped off of either a couch or some stairs and hit his mouth on Beckam's head. He knocked his front right tooth back and a little crooked. Neither Sam or I saw the incident because the kids where upstairs playing. It was solid in it's new place the second it got knocked and luckily it is just a baby tooth so we didn't freak out about that. Luck for me I have two uncles who are dentists and I was able to get a hold of one on the phone that evening and he told me there wasn't a lot we could do since the tooth wasn't broken and was now solid in it's new place. So after a couple of days and some medicated Martinelli's sparkling cider Isaac is doing fine and so far his tooth seems to be fine as well. His tooth even seems to have moved back into place a little since the initial hit. Just one of the reasons I love being a mom of all boys.

Our Christmas Tree

For family night we went and picked out our Christmas tree. This proved to be a little harder than we had initially thought. Apparently everyone in Katy Texas has a fake tree. Well maybe not everyone but most everyone. In Utah there are Christmas tree lots everywhere. I'm not exaggerating when I say everywhere. You can pick your real Christmas tree up at a lot near any grocery store, or on just about any other corner of a major intersection (that maybe lacking a grocery store). In Katy we found one place, thank heavens we get the Sunday paper even though it rarely gets read. So off we went. I was a little disappointed at first because they don't seem to have the "Taryn" Christmas trees in this state. After some looking a found a few what most would call, "Charlie Brown" trees but they were all so short. In the end I think we found the perfect tree for us this year. It did take us a little while to find it, and then we had to run to Target to get light. So we didn't decorate the tree until the next night.

Dad and Isaac putting lights on the tree (yes colored lights believe it or not) what goofs.

Beckam hung out in the fireplace during the light stringing.

Don't ask me why the blue lights show up so much better in the pictures than the rest but they do.

All finished!!

We even put lights on the house.

It was a year of firsts for us starting with the decorating. Fat tree, colored lights, house lights... For those of you who really know me you need no explanation for this but if you don't know. I have from birth been oppose to fat trees and colored lights. What you'll do for your kids. I loved our tree this year. It was very strange to have Sam put the lights up his way and let the boys run the show as far as decorating but I loved every minute of it. I got over my want for a second tree almost as soon as they got started.

boys in bins

Just a few days after we got home from Utah I went upstairs to check on the boys and found this. They had cleared all the toys out of their bins and climbed in. Of course I had to take a few pictures.

Utah trip- Lights @ temple square 11/28/08

We went to see the lights at temple square with my family, and Nick, Nat, Addie, and Lizzy. I even got everyone to go to Settebello for dinner before, yum.

Beckam left the car all bundled up and in a stroller.

Braden

But soon he was out of the stroller with no shoes on and no hat. It was really cold, but my stubborn child would not keep a hat on or stay wrapped up. He also wanted me to hold him of course since I'm the large pregnant lady.

Our family in front of the temple.

The lights were pretty and we had fun but there were few pictures and the trip was not the longest I've ever had at the lights. Isaac was freezing and Beckam wouldn't stay wrapped up and just wanted to get down and run around. So the end.

I do have to say even though Beckam was kind of a pain on this trip he was so cute when we went over to watch the Nativity. He loved it! He loved baby Jesus the wise men the shepards and all the animals. It was really cute. It was a nice reminder amid the chaotic evening to what Christmas is really all about.

Utah trip- Thanksgiving Point 12/6/08

Nana, Christen, Jeff, Ryan, Mom, Isaac and Beckam all went to Thanksgiving Point to see the animals and ride the neighs. This was another request of the boys as far as what they wanted to do in Utah.

Beckam loves animals.

My boys are much braver than I. I'm always a little scared to feed the animals.

They even had some of Santa's reindeer there. We had lots of fun.