Merry Christmas!

Even though this is our 6th year in El Paso, Christmas doesn't seem the same as it used to. However, we've started a few traditions of our own and have enjoyed spending quality low-key time with our kids. Don't worry--we miss everyone and wish we lived closer.

So from our home to yours, Merry Christmas!


This is the train cake we took to Christmas Eve dinner at our friends' house.





Since Syd's a big 8 year old, she received big girl gifts. GranMary and Papa Rod gave her a DVD player for her room. No more fighting with Thomas-crazed Bryce to get Barbie some air time!





Brady's favorite gift is this bongo beats monkey noise maker. His smile's too cute when he's playing with it to be annoyed by the loud monkey!





Bryan loves Jay Jay the Jet Plane, so he received a few Tarrytown Airport pieces (and a few more planes). While Bryce turned their bedroom into a Thomas Lego heaven, Barry helped Bryan transform the play area into an airport. Bryan had a blast!




The kids love the pop-up teepee/tent/tunnel from Aunt Evelyn & Uncle Paul. After Bryce cleaned up his Legos, Barry put this gift together. Later in the day, Barry attached the tunnels to each other and put the teepee in Syd's room so the kids could have a secret passage. Bryan even got his new flashlight out to help him find his way!

Happy Birthday, Sydney!

Sydney turned 8 years old today! She chose to celebrate with a sleepover with Lauren and a ballet slippers cake. Her 'party' will be in a few weeks at the post ceramics shop. The girls practiced ballet steps, dressed dolls, and played house with Bryan & Brady (who cooperated only when being fed). Here are a few highlights of the day:


OK, so this isn't a bd picture of Syd. But isn't it hysterical? Bryan fell asleep while painting (his latest and biggest obsession).




We gave Syd a Nellie doll to keep her Samantha doll company. She keeps asking where Nellie's clothes are. Of course I can't tell her she's getting them for Christmas, so hopefully she'll make do for another day!




Nana & Papaw gave Syd a ballet barre, DVD, and tutu--pink, of course!




Syd & Lauren pose with the ballet shoes birthday cake. (The cake was a 2-day project for me; fortunately, Syd loved it!)




Sydney and Lauren decorated cake trains. Bryce joined in, but he liked eating the icing better than decorating.

Sydney the Ballerina

Sydney started taking dance last year (Sept 05), but we didn't put her in ballet. I'd heard from several people that ballet bored their daughters. So we put Syd in Rhythm & Dance, thinking she'd learn jazz and lyrical. (She didn't.) In May, her dance teacher missed a class, and the ballet instructor offered to let Syd try her class. Syd loved it! We took the summer off and signed her up for ballet in September.

Three months later, she says she wants to take ballet until she's "an adult and 29." Her ballet teacher, Ms. Amy, has danced with Janet Jackson & Gregory Hines, to name a few. She loves to dance, and she loves to teach dance--and she loves the kids. (Plus she's a Christian, so the kids never do anything or dance to music that's inappropriate!)

Here are a few pictures from last night's recital. I don't know if Barry will get any better ones tonight (we traded nights so the boys wouldn't have to go). If he does, I'll post those later.


Sydney received roses from Nana, Papaw, Papa Rod, GranMary, and me & Barry after her recital. (Actually, she's getting a dozen roses each night, but we didn't take all of them with us.) She's in front of an 8-foot tree at the NCO Academy.




















Bryce wanted his picture taken with Sydney, but after several attempts, I quit trying to get them both smiling and looking at the camera.




















This is during Syd's class's performance to "Summer Wind" by Frank Sinatra. Sorry about the lighting & overall photo quality--Soldier Hall is dark. I tried to play with the camera settings...Barry knows more about lighting and stuff. Hopefully his pictures will be better!