The Holidays

Faddis Family Pictures 2013

Christmas in Texas

My dad and Houston came up to Rock Island for a few days to hunt coyotes on our property and then drive us back to Texas.  I was so grateful to have help getting us down there because Sampson wasn't sure with his new rotation that he was going to be able to come down.  Once we got to Texas, we went to see Santa and the girls mailed their letters to the North Pole.  We also went to see Frozen again...that movie has forever changed my girls.  They sing and act like Elsa and Anna CONSTANTLY!!  They can't seem to get enough.  They also went to dance camp with Brooke.  Eva was so excited because last year she was too little to go.  She kept reminding us that she is 3 now and she that she is really big now.  She is so eager to grow up and I just want her to stay little forever.

 

Luckily Sampson was able to drive down and get there on Christmas Eve and enjoy Hin's Garden and Christmas Vacation (The Faddis Family tradition).  Eva became a little daddy's girl and wouldn't leave his side the entire time he was there.  It was so cute.  When the girls went to bed on Christmas Eve, Kenny made reindeer sounds in the attic and the girls went nuts thinking that Santa was up on the roof with their presents.  We told them that Santa wouldn't come in until they were asleep.  I am pretty sure that is the fastest they have ever gone to sleep.  Christmas was great and so much fun to have everyone there together.  It has been a long time since we have all been together and it was great!  

Chuck E. Cheese

To celebrate Brooke and Eva's birthday we all went to Chuck E. Cheese.  As an adult you would think this place is for kids, but for my family it means 2+ hours of pure intensity.  Dad, Kenny, Houston, and I took turns setting the record for the basketball game.  We all wanted to be the one that held the record...I don't think anyone else got to play that game the entire time we were there.  We are a slightly competitive in our family :) We also had competitions at Skeeball and Sampson and Kenny disappeared for about 30 minutes as they were conquering the world by shooting one alien at a time.  The girls loved every minute of it, especially when Chuck E. came out.  Derek, on the other hand wasn't too excited to see him.  The girls looked so cute in the new outfits Pitty had given them for Christmas!

Bowling and Trip to the Houston Temple

We all went bowling together. I hadn't bowled in a long time and bowling when your pregnant isn't as much fun.  I just wish I could bend over!  It was fun to watch the girls though.  They are so cute.  This was the first time Eva had ever been bowling.  She loved it.  She carried her ball up to the ramp by herself every time.  As soon as she let it go she would run back to her seat before the ball even reach the pins.  And her shoes were too big for her so she almost tripped every time. She bowled for about an hour and half straight before she got really tired.  She is so funny.  Phoenix and Brooke had their rotation down to a science.  I think they ended up bowling more games then we did.  

We also had a picnic at the temple.  They loved walking on the temple grounds. We talked about how families can be together for ever after they are sealed in the temple.  Then a bride came out to take pictures and Eva and Phoenix proceeded to tell me that after they get married in the temple to a boy, all their babies will come out of their tummy (the currently think they are pregnant with me:).  At least they are understanding the order of things haha 

New Year's Eve

Nate and Houston got sparklers for the girls...their favorite!!  Phoenix was dancing and spelling her name in the air while Eva kept trying to light the grass on fire.  We went through a lot of sparklers.  Meanwhile, Kenny, Nate, Houston, and my dad kept throwing these adult poppers on the road so that when the cars ran over them if sounded like their tires popped.  Most cars kept driving, but a few stopped and got out to look around all the cars parked by our house for some punk teenagers.  If they only new they were all adults doing it...hahaha. 

 New Years Day at the Houston Zoo

Every time we are in town our goal has been to go to the zoo and we just can't seem to get there.  This time we actually made it happen!  It has been a long time since I went to the zoo.  The last time I was there, Houston and I were in high school and we got kicked out for feeding goldfish to the monkeys.  We tried to be on better behavior this time :) The day was perfect: weather was great and Luke even came! (he always hates going anywhere with crowds :)  I think my favorite part was when the girls fed the giraffes.  They weren't afraid at all.  The only person who screamed was my mom (of course) because she thought one was trying to get her.

Fall/Winter in Rock Island

Here are a lot of random pictures from my phone.  

What's Happening: Eva turned 3, Eva started gymnastics and got the star card her first day,  Phoenix dressed up and Rapunzel for Halloween, the girls played dress up, and a picture of Phoenix's "rope" hair.

What's Happening: We set up our Christmas tree and train, the girls danced in the window at dance class, they visited Gingy at Opry Mills, sat on Santa Jefe at church party, went to a Christmas concert in a cave, Houston and my were shooting guns and black birds in the bamboo, and Eva ate purple pancakes on a purple plate with a purple fork in her purple leotard!