Christmas Eve with the Goodells

Christmas Eve I went to mass with my parents. Afterwards we did some sparklers in the backyard.

And my mom and I decorated a gingerbread house.






Ruby got to visit with her Grandpa and her Aunt Mollie.

Christmas Eve playtime at the park

It was pretty warm on Christmas Eve so Alex and I took Ruby to a local park to let her burn off some energy.

She enjoyed sliding with daddy!














And she loved running all over the hill in the park. Alex and I always laugh about how she throws her arms back when she takes off running fast!

Christmas in Beaumont

Alex, Ruby and I drove down to Beaumont on December 23rd and spent time with my family. My brother, Preston, and his wife Camlin had just recently moved back from their adventures overseas. So, we had all of us Goodells together once again!

Grannie Lynn enjoyed lots of Ruby hugs!

Pre-Christmas visit with the Hendricks

On our drive down to Beaumont we stopped in Huntsville to see the Hendricks family. We enjoyed a nice lunch and visit at Chili's before continuing on.

Ruby's big Christmas gift - her own playhouse

Ruby's main Christmas gift this year was a playhouse for the backyard. Alex put it together in a flash (such a handy daddy!) and Ruby just loves it!

It has a neat doorbell which she rings before she goes inside. It has two little seats and a table built into the side and a phone that makes real ringing noises.

It has two shutters she can open and close. Here's daddy peeking in!

Christmas packages (early)

Alex and I let Ruby open her packages from Santa a few days early since we didn't want to transport everything to Beaumont. As much as we love spending Christmas with my parents, we will start spending Christmas day at our own house. We want Ruby to enjoy waking up to Santa's surprises in her own home.




She liked all the fun wrapping paper, but still needed a bit of help opening things. She kept opening one thing and wanted to play with just that one thing instead of moving on to something else.

She got a tiny baby doll in her stocking.

It has been so much fun this whole holiday season watching her get excited about the santas, snowmen, jinglebells, snowflake decorations. Her eyes have just lit up with all the lights and songs and it has just been magical.

And Santa must have known that this girl likes jewels because she got a sparkly jewelry box filled with baubles.




She liked the pretty owl and moon statue and we 'hoot hoot hooted' at it.

Celebrating Christmas early with the Macnabs and Robersons

Alex's sister, Kate, hosted an early Macnab/Roberson Christmas since we were spending Christmas day with my family.

We ate a delicious dinner and then opened packages!





I made a spinach/balsamic onion/goat cheese salad.






Ruby got to eat dinner with her cousin at his toddler table.






Kate found these neat beard hats for Alex and Allen. She always finds the neatest stuff!



Thanks Macnabs and Robersons!