Farris family blog: January 2014

Each year as your kids get older it is so fun to see them learning and getting so excited for the holidays. This Christmas was a blast getting to watch our kids and getting to talk more and more with them about what the holidays are about, especially during Christmastime.

The week before Christmas Carter had his school play. I don't really think any words I can write could do justice to the amount of precious and adorable Carter was that night. First, he was dressed up like a little shepherd boy and with his little blue bell on his arm singing all the songs on stage with motions- yeah, Bret and I could not stop smiling. Bret's parents and aunt also came into town for the night so it was so great to have them there as well. We went to dinner after the play and then did Christmas with Bret's family that evening. Bret had talked to Carter that evening about passing out everyone's gifts and letting them open their presents first before anyone else and it was the coolest thing to watch our three year old get so excited to let everyone else open their gifts and wait so patiently to open his own. He would pass out gifts and say "Happy Christmas" and then just watch them or even tell them what their gift was while they were opening it. It was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. That sweet boy melts my heart. I mean and he had a big blue present he was so excited about and he even waited till the very end to open it:) It was a perfect night. They both got some new luggage for all of our traveling and some musical instruments, books, and new shoes and clothes and the biggest hit of the night hungry hungry hippos. They love to play that game and it has been so fun having that game! Tucker was excited about everything as well as usual and making everyone laugh with his "no ornaments" and the funny things he says. He was very excited about his new mickey luggage and his new robot toys and puzzles!

The next day I had my 34 week doctor appointment which was great and baby was doing well! We spent the day at home with Grams, Pops and Aunt Pat because it was a cold and gross day outside:( but thankfully the boys had plenty to keep them entertained! Saturday morning Bret's family was heading to Houston to surprise Troy for his big news on moving to Africa, so the boys and I rode with them to Sugarland to see Troy and Holly! It was great to see them since we don't get to very often, and then Bret's family dropped us off in the Woodlands on their way home. Bret had to work Monday and Tuesday, so we were able to spend time with family while he was busy at work and then he came to join us on Christmas Eve and then for the next few days.

Houston was crazy busy, but a lot of fun to see friends and family. Sunday we went to church with our friends and then out to lunch. My sister Ana and my mom watched the boys that evening so my friend Amy and I could go lunch for some baby clothes and grab some dinner. Sunday was a great and fun day. Monday morning we went to play at their house and then headed back to my mom's house for naps. That evening we headed to my step dad's house for Christmas with him! Brooke is always so great with the boys so they had a blast all evening! It was a very fun evening with all our siblings there and getting to all hang out together.

Tuesday was Christmas Eve and it was even crazier. My mom's side of the family decided to do Christmas on Christmas Eve this year so that morning we headed down to my grandpa's house for Christmas Eve. All my aunts, uncles and cousins were there so it was a packed house! I have a lot of boy older cousins so the boys had a lot of fun playing with them all day and wrestling all over the house! It is still really weird not to have my grandma there after she passed away a little over a year ago, but I am so thankful she is not suffering anymore. I still miss her around though all the time. We spent all day at their house and then we headed to my dad's house that evening for Christmas with his family. Maggie's whole family was in from Portugal as well, so it was a packed house that evening. Lots of good food that evening was had, and we had a lot of fun, but the boys were so wiped by the end of the night. We didn't leave there until 10:30 and so the boys passed out as soon as we got in the car. Carter loves my dad so much and so that was so fun for us to be there so he could hang out with him and see his cousin Christopher that he loves so much. He also got some of the switch and go dinos he had wanted to badly, and Tucker got a baseball tee so both of them were in heaven. Tucker just kept saying "hit, hit" over an over. It was great to see all our cousins and I am so thankful we got to see all of our family that day.

Bret made it to my moms house around one in the morning and I was so thankful he was there. We had a fun filled few days with everyone, but its never as good as daddy being there. Christmas morning and all of Christmas day we just stayed at my mom's house and it was such a great day. We got a slow start to the morning and made waffles, eggs, bacon and sausage then my siblings all got there and we opened gifts together which was so great. The boys got a bunch of new fun toys and even without toys Tucker is fully entertained by Ana's dog Belle. He loves that dog so much and to yell along with that dog. Carter now has the full collection of switch and go dinos and was so excited about all of them. He and Tucker are so incredibly loved by so many. I hope they realize that one day and stay so thankful and grateful for all we have from our amazing families. We watched fun movies all day like Elf and August Rush and our whole family took a nap together that afternoon. It was so great and much needed for all of us. My mom had made a tomato basil soup and a tortilla soup, cobbler and tamales so we pretty much ate all day as well. It was so "wicious" as Tucker says. :) That evening all of my siblings had left, so it was just the four of us and my mom there. It was just such a great relaxing evening. Carter and I made our chocolate cake for Jesus' Birthday and sang to him. Ive had so much fun doing that with him the past few years. He definitely talks about Santa a lot and has learned about that just through people and school, but he knows the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Bret always does such a great job of getting me such great gifts because I am truly terrible at giving him ideas, but he got me a new pair of boots and a pair of sperry shoes and I love them both. I gave him some new boots, a new bible and a ATM coffee cup to take to work with him. We both love giving each other our gifts and pretty sure we get more excited than our kids sometimes:) Christmas day was great and was so much fun to just be with family and stay in one place all day long! Carter and Tucker swam in the hot tub that evening and had a lot of fun doing that.

The day after Christmas we went and ran some errands and got some things done since we don't have many stores here in San Angelo. We then went to meet my mom and sister Angie for lunch at Yucatan and then headed home for naps. That evening our friends came over to my moms and both my sisters and we ate leftovers and hung out for the evening. It was another great relaxing day, and it was even better that Bret had two days off in a row! We have def. missed him only having one day off a week!

Friday morning we woke the boys up early around 7am because Bret had to get back to work that day. It was good to get back home and be back in our own house. Tucker woke up with a fever that day and got his first ear infection:( so the next few days he was just sleeping and getting to feeling better when we got home. Our friends Michael and Megan who were the IM family here with us in December ended up getting a new assignment in Corpus so we had a goodbye dinner with them and were sad to see them go!

It is hard to believe that this past week we ended 2013. Such a big year for us. So many things have happened this year. Getting news we got into the IM program, Tucker turning one and Carter turning three, us turning 30. Leaving the Woodlands and then moving 5 times in 9 months to three different states. Learning, growing, trusting. Bret's interviews these past few weeks went great. And again we wait. I think 2014 is the year our dream will come true. I believe Bret will be an operator this year, but as for now we take it one day at a time. Today I went to my 36 week appointment and everything looks great for this little one. We can't wait to meet this kid. I cannot wait to see and watch what God does this year.