Let's Go Mavs!

As you know from previous posts Caleb has started a new athletic endeavor (sounds so important!) - BASKETBALL! Robert and I have never been too big of basketball fans but lets just say we are getting into the spirit. It is definately a faster paced game than baseball or football in my opinion. So we start off our Saturdays in the month of January and February with The Maypearl Panther basketball games - alot of fun for all of us. Caleb's team is doing well and if I am correct they have either won or tied all of the games so far.

This particular Saturday was all about basketball from the morning till the evening. Aunt Jessica invited us to a Mavs game in her company suite. We decided to make it a boys night out and Robert and I left the girls with their Mimi and took Caleb and Scott and Ashley took Carson. We had a blast! Robert was a little under the weather but he still had a great time. They played the Chicago Bulls and came out the winner after going into overtime. The score was 115 - 114. This was Caleb's first Mavericks Game and he loved it - of course he also loved that his Aunt Jessica once again spoiled him with a Mavs jersey and hat!

Here the boys are showing off their Mavs gear!

Ashley and I taking timeout for a picture.

A night out with my two favorite men!

The boys getting into the game!

Snow day for the kids... oops I mean ice!

Of course living in Texas we don't get the usual snowfall as up north and that is exactly why I live down here and not up there! Our snow usually consist of sleet and ice and on rare occasions that we do get snow it doesn't last long. This year around we had the ice. Enough to get the kids out of school early on Tuesday and off on Wednesday. Caleb and Kelsey were so excited and couldn't wait to get out in it. I had to remind them that of course you really couldn't play in it b/c it was pretty much ice and below that mud - we are still working on growing grass! Needless to say they had a good time "skating" on our back patio as Chloe looked on in the nice warm house. Too cold for me to spend 15 minutes to bundle her up and only 2 minutes outside! She got to atleast watch them through the screen glass door while they played!!

The Count Down Begins....

Day 122 - it has just begun!! Disney World here we come!! Robert's parents have blessed Robert and I and the kids with a trip to Disney World in June. We are all so excited and cannot wait. However to avoid the dreaded "How many days?" question every other day - and let me remind you it will be alot of days - I have created a poster (thanks "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" for the tip!) that will avoid the constant nagging of when we are going! Along with the poster we have also put a money jar labeled "Disney Money". The kids can put in whatever money they have whether it be allowance, daddy's pocket change or money in the coach which yes we do occasionally get! This way come June we can add up all the money and split it between the three kids and of course Robert and I b/c we need souvenirs too! This will be our first trip to Disney World with the kids and we are really looking forward to all the excitement! Stay tuned for more counting down updates and see how much bigger the kids smiles get as the days get smaller!

He Shoots - He Scores!

Well today was Caleb's 1st basketball game. He has always participated in Tball and soccer but this was his first try at basketball. Despite him being vertically challenged, esp. for his age, he scored two baskets!! (Is that what you call it baskets not goals??) Mommy is also new to the whole basketball thing too. Robert and I were never big basketball people but we are starting to enjoy it more and more. A little faster paced to me than baseball and more scoring going on! Anyway we were very proud of him today and his cousins who also had games this morning. Nothing like getting out and supporting your hometown kids sports programs! Oh and Kelsey and Chloe did great sitting through the games too!

I love this picture of the girls and wanted to include it. Kelsey loves having PJ day and Aunt Jessica bought the cutest winter PJ's for Kelsey and Chloe. They will definately get a lot of wear out of them and they are soft and warm to spend all day at home in. Thanks Aunt Jessica!

Happy New Year - I think??!!

Our New Year Celebration was a little different this time around. For the first time in the 13 years that Robert and I have celebrated this holiday together - we weren't together this year! Instead I was home with the kids and Robert was at our cousins home. We started off together at my cousins but b/c of Chloe still getting over the stomach bug mom and I decided to take the girls home around 10:30. Since Caleb was not feeling to well we decided to take him home too. Sure enough about 10 minutes into the car ride home he decides it is time to throw up - and he did! All over my floors b/c of course he didn't unbuckle and move to the window. Seven year olds still aren't familiar with the hanging the head out the window and throwing up there yet! So we all got to drive home for the next 10 minutes with the wonderful aroma of that. (Robert got to clean that up the next morning since he missed out on all the fun!) Needless to say when the clock struck midnight the girls were already fast asleep along with my mother in the other room and Caleb woke up once again right at that time so I could hold the trashcan for him to throw up in - thank goodness that is much easier clean up than the car! So as I said before no New Years Eve kiss for us and I wasn't about to kiss Caleb!

Kelsey and I seemed to miss out on the stomach bug however we got sinus infections and Chloe also got an ear infection. 3 out of 5 of us are on antibiotics for the next several days. I am beginning to think of our pediatricians office as our second home!

I have to remind myself daily God does not give us more than we can handle and I know our minor illnesses are nothing compared to what alot of families go through.

So as we begin our New Year a little run down in our household we are definately looking forward to what lies ahead. Caleb's first basketball game is this Saturday, Kelsey is enjoying going back to preschool and Chloe is so close to walking and we are anxiously waiting for that day!

By the way I got a new digital camera for Christmas but unfortunately Robert didn't read on it that a charger was not included! So once I get to use it for more than a minute I am looking forward to posting more pics of the kids along with videos too!

"Twas the Night Before Christmas"

'Twas a few days before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse - thanks to our mouse houses out in the garage!
The stockings were hung by the TV Armoire with care (no chimney in the barn house for us) in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,while visions of Wii games and Barbies and Babies danced in their heads. And Mama in her flannels, and I in boxers,had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

No such luck for the nap - I did mention only a few days before Christmas didn't I?!

In place of the napping I am getting some kid free time. Robert took Caleb and Kelsey to work with him today and Chloe stayed with Aunt Ashley while I ran a few errands. Any free time is better than none even if you have to deal with Walmart shoppers three days before Christmas!

We are here for Christmas Eve and Day and then will head up to Tennessee on Friday to see Robert's parents. No fun to drive up on Christmas Day unless you really want Subway or a pecan log to count for your Christmas dinner!!

The kids have two whole weeks off for Christmas break - maybe Robert should have waited till next week to take the kids to work - would probably really need the alone time by then!

Hope everyone has a Wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. With the Tennessee trip and the preparations for Christmas (baking, wrapping, cleaning, etc.) I will post again in the New Year!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight or at least one good night of sleep!

Chloe Turns 1!

November was a busy time for the Heller household! Chloe turned one on November 20th, we had her birthday party the weekend of Thanksgiving and prior to that we also had Thanksgiving at our new home. Note to self - do not have two things at our house in one weekend!

Hard to believe but our youngest is already one years old. Not walking yet but getting very close. She is standing up and crawling all over the place. She is into everything of course but she is still a very calm baby - nothing like Kelsey was! Maybe she has to be with her brother and sister always running around. Her birthday party was alot of fun - we did a hayride and bonfire - firsts at the new home. We love living in the country! Have to also mention mom and I were quite impressed with ourselves on the cake. I decided this year since it was a barnyard theme and also on Thanksgiving weekend (not too many cake stores open) that I should make the cake. Didn't we do a good job??!!

As I said before we also had Thanksgiving at our house. It was a lot of fun. I am so excited about our new home and it is nice to show it off. We were happy to have some new people come this year and we were also a little sad about some that couldn't make it! I know my dad missed out on our Nanny's cornbread dressing. Busying working up in Denver! It was a very relaxing day. Everyone got a chance to ride around on the four-wheeler or the truck and explore our land! Did I already say how much I love living out here?! Memaw and Pepaw Heller along with Mimi all stayed the night that night and got to play on the Wii with the kids! They had a blast along with a few laughs on trying to get the hang of it!

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. With the temperatures dropping we are also getting into the Christmas spirit. I am baking lots of cookies and the kids are constantly wanting Hot Chocolate. Along with the low temperatures the wind is pretty strong out here too especially with no trees to block it out. We will be working on the tree situation in the spring! The kids are loving their warm cozy pj's and I am loving tucking them in earlier than usual and getting myself into a warm bed early too! Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!