First Christmas at Home in Texas

Last year was our first Christmas in Texas... but were up to our chin in moving boxes, had no idea where anything was, and spent Christmas in California with my family. This year, we stayed home! Again, sad not to be with family on a holiday... however, we lucked out by getting a WHITE CHRISTMAS! :) We even made a snowman! :)

Let's start this post with a nice picture of "The Christmas Card Project"...uhhh it was fun, but glad they are done and mailed off! :)

We bought a live tree... all the way from Oregon! Special order just for us! :) Well, not really... as most Christmas trees come from Oregon... 'The Christmas Tree State". :)

It snowed most of Christmas Eve... and snow was still on the ground this morning when we woke up!

The yellow rose of Texas... evidence that it has been warm enough for a rose to grow... and now cold enough for snow!

Nothing like Utah or Tahoe snow... but it's snow! :)

Pretty window snow!

We went to wake up DJ since it was after 9am! He started telling us a completely non-understandable story... he was so excited as if he knew it was a special day! :)

We took him downstairs to where the Christmas tree and gifts were... he made a B-LINE for his new Barnyard Door toy! Thanks Grandma Kurtz!

Quickly came a big smile when he saw the LIGHT SWITCH!! He ALWAYS asks us to turn ON the lights. We pick him up so that he can do it himself!

He loved the barnyard door soo much... that he sat in it while opening other gifts!

Books! A BIG HIT! :)

Don got DJ his own remote... for reasons you can probably guess... in addition to our remote being on it's last leg from getting dropped too many times from the 2nd story down to the 1st story BY... DJ! I'm about to put plastic wrap around all the banisters upstairs to prevent future 'DJ bombings'! LOL LITTLE did we know that remotes also double as phones!

One of DJ's first words was socks... and he wanted to put the 'socks' on his feet!

He completes his festive ensamble with a coordinating hat!

All bundled up to go play in the SNOW! :)

DJ wasn't too sure of the snow at first... he stood still in one place until I took him by the hand and led him through ALL 1 inch of snow! :)

I showed him how to eat the snow!

Don built a snowman...

Sweet DJ has learned how to give hugs and pat you on your back... Snowman's turn!

Mr. Snowman is fearing for his life with a little ankle-biter so close with a shovel in hand!

Rightly so... poor guy lost his nose!

Don moved Mr. Snowman to the front yard that stays in the shade most of the day... he's still standing! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

DJ's First Time on Santa's Lap...

...and he LOVED it! :) He points out every Santa we see! "Santa! Santa!"

Trip to Africa! ;)

Well..... it was kinda like Africa! :) This place is called Fossil Rim and is about 1.5 hours from our house! You are able to drive your car through the park and feed the animals from your car with a bag of food you can buy at the front gate! Soo cool! :) You are to remain inside the car at all times, except while at the petting zoo. :) So here are a few animals we saw... I don't remember all their names... but I'll give it a try! :)
An ostrich! He was very anxious for food... went around the car several times. Looked in all the windows including the sunroof on the TOP of the car! :)
A deer!
Something with longhorns only twisty and straight..?? (if that makes any sense!?)
Something from Lion King. Hakuna Matata!
Another strange bird!
Somebody else...
and Somebody's baby!
Another deer. Pretty!
Zeebras... these guys are pretty too... but BITE! We closed the windows when they'd get too close... they tried biting the car windows and doors! YIKES!
Zebra foal/baby.
This looks kind of like an Elk! Come on in Dude!
Don's thinkin' it might just be a little too close for comfort! :)
DJ was loving this!
So was Bapa!
The Petting Zoo! We got to stretch out our leggies... and see more animals up close!
There were goat, birds, turtles, pigs and more! DJ loved this part!
Back in the saddle... I mean car!
Cheetas! They looked hungry as they paced back and forth!
Isn't this one pretty!? She was nice!
Then my favorite part! The giraffe!
IN OUR CAR! :)

DJ was all tuckered out! :)

Family Photos...

Well... we were on our way to make a visit and I asked Don and Bapa if we could stop REAL QUICK to TRY and get a family picture!
We got some... but the sun didn't cooperate. DJ didn't cooperate. My hair didn't cooperate. The list goes on!
These aren't my favorite... but here they are! :)

Grandpa Kurtz Came to Visit! :)

Grandpa Kurtz came to visit us... and DJ quickly learned to say Grandpa... only it was something more like Bapa... :) DJ is learning to say soo many words... copying us a lot!
First things first... we made Bapa a birthday cake since his birthday was a few weeks ago.
This was DJ's first time at licking the beaters 'clean'... I don't see anything clean here! :)
But as you can see... DJ sure had a great time... he is definately a chocolate-loving Kurtz!
Next, we took Grandpa to see a Christmas light display. We got a group picture, but it's a little blurry since it was taken with a phone camera. BUMMER we left the camera at home! :(
While Don was at work... DJ & I took Grandpa to the Fort Worth Stock Yards to see the Texas Longhorns! So COOL!
They take the Longhorns for a walk down this street twice a day!
I can't believe how close we were able to get. :) They are so big!
This was the Big Daddy with his own bell under its neck!
We went to see the Longhorns in their pen after they walked through the street... they are quite impressive! This one came right up to us at the fence!
Before I knew it, he had put one of his horns through the fence and touched DJ's shoe! I quickly pulled DJ away! I thought he'd get his horn stuck, but he didn't! :)
DJ enjoyed this train! He got a wave from the train engineer!