The Faces of Christmas...(some)

(per Nicole's request) :)

I was 100% on Santa's "good" list. With that, he honored me with a Canon Rebel XSI camera.

Husband-Wife Getaway...

...to New York City!!! Could not have had a better time. We stayed in the best location, ate the most amazing food (every single restaurant was amazing), road the subway everywhere, and just had fun being together! New York was a trip I'll never forget. Our good friends Marisa and Ryan joined us. (Actually, we joined them on their annual trip).

We ate at Lombardi's, Patsy's Pizzeria, Bloom Cafe, Blue Ribbon Sushi, some other fancy sushi place, Balthazar's (AMAZING) in Soho, Angela's Deli, and a hot dog stand.

We went up in the Empire State building, down deep in the subway, and ALL over Manhattan. We would leave our hotel around 9am, and not get back to the room until after midnight. So much to see! I recommend a December trip to NYC to anyone and everyone...that's willing to do a lot of walking! LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR TRIP. Oh, we could have done without one thing...Rod and I got a glass of wine and a mixed drink at the Meridian hotel. The tab for the two drinks was $41.00 Pretty proud, pretty proud.

Our hotel was RIGHT next door to Grand Central Station. Perfect location if willing to take subways everywhere. So wonderful! Inside the station, they had several tents for vendors to sell their stuff. Multiple Christmas gifts were purchased here.

The first morning, Rod and I walked to Byrant Park, before heading to Patsy's Pizzeria to meet up with Megan (Hanus) Coburn and her family! We had some YUMMY pizza and a fun time catching up with her and the kids.

Megan and I have been friends since we were three. She and her family live in Baltimore now. They too decided to take a trip to NYC for the weekend.

Lovin' NYC!

This is Balthazar's. (spelling?) Jamie Schultz is another friend since childhood. She lives there so knew some great places to take us. This being one of them. We had some wine and dessert here. Hands down the best dessert ever. We ordered three different ones. All of which were amazing.

We not only took a picture in front of the Dave Letterman sign....we got to see a taping of the show. Yep, AND we were in the second row!!! Mimi (Rod's mom) got a picture of the t.v. with us in the audience!!! Before we arrived to the taping of the show, we had just eaten at Lombardi's. As we were walking to a subway station, we walked right on to the set of "Life on Mars".

Beautiful, beautiful!!! Aren't we?! No, the tree was gorgeous!!! It had Sarwoski crystals on the star at the top. LOTS of people. We saw a guy propose to a girl on the ice, just under the tree. I tried so hard to snap a picture of the two of them just lookign in to each other's eyes, but my camera would not focus to save my life.




And, if you know anything about me, I LOVE GMA (Good Morning America). Diane, Chris, Robin and Sam are the NICEST people, and they just seem so geniune. I, being the big girl that I am, went down to Times Square (also near our hotel) by myself and got on t.v.!

I believe this was the last day. The BIGGEST snowflakes were falling. We made a stop in the Plaza hotel so Rod could get some work done. Fancy? YES! So, while I enjoyed the lobby, I looked out the window and saw that it was snowing. Queue the camera. I asked the bartender (acting like I'm staying there...I'm sure she knew quite well I wasn't) if the gi-normous snowflakes were normal. She said she's never seen them this big before. So, I tried to snap a pic so you could get the idea. No justice. They seriously looked like cottonballs falling out of the sky. Soft and innocent.

We really had a great time. LOVED the feeling of Christmas there. I had to go to work the day after we got back, and was sad that San Antonio just doesn't look like "Christmas".

Some of you are wondering if I missed Ryan while I was gone. Yes. And, no. I had a little anxiety on the plane ride up there. Just thinking how far I was from him. Then, I realized I needed to get over that. So, the next three days, my mom said I never mentioned his name while talking to her on the phone. (Which I called her several times a day to tell her all the amazing things we were doing and seeing). Last day..."get me home to my baby."

Wrapped and Ready!

He's playing "Guess what's in the box". Jenny, that's your gift he's standing on.

Ryan asked Santa for a tricycle and Elmo Live.

To Cindy....

Well, I guess I'll be hearing many more "swooshes", and seeing even more divets in my carpet.

Gearin' Up for the Big Guy

Our new, fake Christmas tree that I just LOVE!

Ryan, I promise there is a Santa!

He's tuckered out! Killer time at the Tootles! I got to babysit Hudson Wednesday night. He's such a sweet baby! And, super easy to babysit.

I was folding his socks (laundry morning), and he kept trying to sit on my lap to put his socks on. He has two socks on his right foot. The white sock is my sock. It was HILARIOUS! He was prancing around like a deer.

Finally, a husband and wife picture!!! This was just before Beau and Rod left to go hunting.

They both bought new knives for their hunting trip. Very proud.



So, while the men were being the "hunters", the women took the boys out for some fun...to nurture! Nama came along too!

So, if you ever want to feel snow in Texas, you have to go to a festival. I don't know. I would say it was more like "ice". But, don't tell the boys that.

How We Spent Thanksgiving Day

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

We're ready and waiting!!!

Thankful for...

...the yummy Thanksgiving dinner we had at a friend's ranch. Beautiful weather, lots of kids, and yummy apple cider. What really topped off the AMAZING day was the Luby's mac n' cheese.

....friends and family that genuinely care and love each other. Mike's medal is from the Rock n' Roll Marathon he ran earlier in the day. This pic was taken at Specht's. Another fun day!

...Heather and her sweet boy Bryce. She's the one who put on the DELICOUS Thanksgiving feast at her family's ranch. She really made the day so special and lots of fun!

...Ryan's love and curiosity of the outdoors. And, for the opportunity to let him roam free outside without worrying.

...this photo opp! He wanted no help getting on this horsey.

...the Turkey dinner, compliments to the Knells.

...again, Ryan's love for the outdoors. He LOVED this sandbox, and the shovel. He thought it was hilarious to scoop up sand and throw it outside the sandbox. Heather JUST filled it up with six bags of sand. Such a little toot!

...the 30 minutes he played with the shovel while Mommy sipped on her hot cider, and RELAXED!

...this maroon sweater that is sized 6-12 months, and still (sort of) fits him. I bought this sweater the day I found out I was having a boy.

...our favorite peeps moving back to San Antonio! Welcome back Sturm Family!!!

...little boys!

...our 18-month old son!!!! Love you sweet boy!

Fancy Clothes for a Fancy Night

Rod and I were invited to an event with lots of San Antonio flare. We're still not 100% sure what it was we went to. We believe it was the the inauguration of the new el Ray Feo. And, that's about all I got on the event. What I can say is that the evening was VERY lavishly decorated, the women were all in long gowns (wammie #1), tables covered in immaculate linens, and well it was just all a hint excessive...we fit right in. :)

The center piece supposedly had sugar water in it. You're supposed to mix it with some kind a liquor that was on the table. Rod and I were so thirsty from the hour long socializing before the dinner, that we started pouring ourselves some water...wammie #2.
Wammie #3...At one point, we were talking to a very beautiful lady, having NO IDEA she was the Queen of Fiesta. I think she's the Queen of Fiesta. It just hurts me that I don't know more about the Fiesta culture in San Antonio. I celebrate with the best of them during Fiesta Week, but had NO IDEA of the deep rooted culture that goes behind it. Pretty neat.

Ryan's Words

If you're having a hard time understanding Ryan, here's a little dictionary to assist:
Baaa-bah- basketball
Elba - elephant
shiss- shoes
mohma - more
nah nah - blankie (night night)
sauce - socks
daughtie - doggie
neeeeeoowwwww - meow (as he cleans his little paw)
Boon - Boon (Grandma and Grandpa's doggie)
side - outside
apane - airplane
Nana - banana (said with lots of enthusiasm)
bat - bath
upadove- "up above"...the world so high (Twinkle Twinkle)
toot - two
pah-poo - poo poo
moema - Grandma

This dictionary is courtesy of Mommy's neglect to start a baby book.

What do You Get When...

...you mix two beautiful ladies and four flashlights???

CASEY AND JENNY!!!!!!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

Maybe Next Year???

First Halloween party, he was Half Man/Half Dragon.

Then, he committed to full-on dragon. He killed me in the game of "Freeze".

Do you think he's upset with me?

And, your answer is...

So, Walgreens to the rescue, minus the hog. (check out the tats on his arms)

This is the only shot of the three boys. Holden, Walker and Ryan.

Oh, I'm sorry. Left one of them out. Gotta love those bad boys!

So tough.

Saturday, we went to Sea World. The dolphins were soooo friendly this day.

I asked Rod to take a pic of me feeding the dolphins....of course. Yes, this is me people!

Rod trying to fake-out the dolphin with a pretend fish...all while the lady on the microphone said the dolphins know better.