I can't believe Christmas has come and gone. We had a wonderful Christmas. We drove down to Austin to my parents lakehouse on Thursday morning (Christmas Eve) before the Ice Storm of the Century hit Dallas (we had no idea it was coming). My parents and my dads cousins were there and then Nathan's parents came in later that evening. My brother didn't get to come home this year from Moldova for Christmas.
Christmas Eve we had tamales (new tradition) for dinner and then my dad read The Night Before Christmas to Taylor. Man is Taylor a wiggle worm! She was crawling all over the couch and my dad while he was trying to read the story to her. It was quite humorous. After the story, she put out some cookies for Santa (we forgot to buy carrots for the reindeer) with some milk. She was so excited to go to bed so that Santa would bring her the pink Jeep she has wanted for the past 2 months. We put her sleeping bag inside her tent for her to sleep in inside the enormous closet upstairs. We were afraid she wouldn't like it, but she loved it!
Christmas morning was fun when she came down the stairs and saw her pink Jeep waiting for her. We spent the next 4 hours opening presents. It was mostly Taylor opening presents and we even had to get her a snack because she was starving half way through since we don't eat breakfast before we open presents. After opening presents and lunch, Taylor took her Jeep for a drive.
She loved driving it up and down the street and then we went off roading down to the lake. It was funny because she would forget that she was driving and just take her hands off the steering wheel to make sure her puppy (co-pilot) was buckled in while her foot was still on the gas. Then she got to wear she liked going in circles and trying to run us over!
The next day we went to Inner Space Caverns which is in Round Rock right off of I-35. We have been wanting to go for some time, but never made it. Nathans parents had to go home early that morning, so they didn't get to go with us. The caverns were really neat. They are 5 miles long, but we only did the short tour which is not even a mile long. My favorite part was the itty bitty bats that live down there. They call them "chicken nugget" bats because they are the size of a chicken nugget. One flew right over Taylor's head and I'm glad she didn't notice it or it might of scared her to death!
We left Sunday and headed to Brownwood to spend some time with Nathan's parents since they only got to stay for a day. We did a lot of much needed relaxing while in Brownwood. It snowed on Tuesday for about 6 hours, so after nap, Taylor and I went out and played in the snow. It was pretty cold, so we didn't last long. We came home on Thursday (New Years Eve) in time to unload the car, go pick up the dogs from the kennel, and then have dinner with some friends. It was a nice, relaxing New Years Eve. The theme of our vacation was 'relaxing' and it was much needed!!
Taylor helping Grandpa set up her tent
Grandpa trying to read The Night Before Christmas
Putting out milk and cookies for Santa and the reindeer
Playing Yahtzee! with us (she was actually pretty good)
Driving her Jeep around
Taylor was ready to go spelunking at the Inner Space Caverns
Inside Inner Space Caverns
The black thing in the middle of the picture is the "chicken nugget" bat
Taylor playing in the snow on Tuesday in Brownwood
