Bowl Trip Day 2

Day 2 of our bowl trip was quite a fun adventure!!  We actually stayed in Ft. Worth for the first few days since it is technically a Ft. Worth Bowl (game is normally played at TCU stadium, but this year it was under renovation, so game was played at SMU stadium). 

We decided to take the kids down to the Stockyards for a real Cowboy Adventure! Everyday, twice a day, they do a real long horn cattle drive (which is more like the slowest cows walking). But it was still pretty cool!!

Watching some ponies while waiting for the cattle drive.

 After the cattle drive we grabbed some lunch.  Then it was onto more fun.  Well--I thought it was going to be fun!  The real pony rides are always a big NO with our kids.  So--I thought the 50cent ride has got to be more fun and not as scary.  Brooklyn was into it.  And just our luck, there was a ride with three ponies!!  So they all find their pony, and off we go....

Raegan was the first one screaming--check her out in the background.

The other two did good for another 30 seconds.....

Then Jamison freaked out--notice mom with two kids in tow.  But Brooklyn was all smiles!

 Then--another thing that I thought the kids would totally be into---a REAL train!!!  Once again I had kids freaking out!!!  I think it was just too loud for them!  Good thing I didn't actually buy tickets to ride anywhere on this thing!!

We did some walking around and shopping though--got some ice cream--tried on cowboy hats, etc.  And a Double Bonus to Day 2 was that our good friend Mere came to visit us!!!  We were so excited to see her, and glad we got to spend the day with her!!

After we got done at the Stockyards, it was back to the hotel for a short nap.  Then it was onto Billy Bob's for dinner with the team.  Billy Bob's is the world's largest Honky Tonk--whatever that means.  But we had some good BBQ for dinner, and some entertainment.

Here is a picture of the trophy this year.  An interesting piece of information--the trophy was made from metal from pieces of fighting helicopters used in Afghanistan and Iraq.  I thought that was pretty cool!

Brooklyn with the World's Largets Belt Buckle!

 And Daddy and Jamison too!

 After Dinner we had some time to kill while the team was picking out their bowl gifts from the Sony Suite.  (Chris was fortunate enough to get all the bowl gifts too!  Sony Ipod touch is what was picked out.--along with a football, and some other things.)

While we were wasting time, there was plenty of music to dance to....

 Arcade cars to be driven...

 Motorcycles to be riden...

 And booties to be shakin!!

 Day 2 was a great day!  Lots of fun and the weather was so nice!  Riding the bus and having a police escort and seeing the police motorcycles was a lot of fun for the kids as well! 

Bowl Bound! Day 1

Tulsa made it to the Bell Hellicopter Armed Forces Bowl this year!  Game was Dec. 30th in Dallas TX.  We decided to drive our van down so that we could get around easily and have the car seats.  We left to make the trek down at 7:00am Dec. 26th.  Another special treat besides a week in Ft. Worth and Dallas, was that Aunt Julie flew down to meet us there for the week!  Mom was especially excited about this to have some extra help (which she ended up needed BIG TIME!), and it would allow for us to get out and about a little more!

Once we got there on the 26th, we got checked into our hotel and Daddy had to go to practice.  Mommy and Julie got the kids to take a quick nap.  That evening we took the trolley down to downtown Ft. Worth and ate at PF Changs.  It was a fun dinner, and the kids did pretty good for the most part.  Riding the trolley was fun too!

Getting the kids to sleep that night was not easy.  Why can't hotels be more kid friendly???  Hopefully the night's rest is good enough for our adventures tomorrow!!!

Christmas Day cont'd

Our Christmas day continued with a nap, some playtime, packing for our Bowl Trip to Dallas, and having Papa Vince, Grandma Mary, Great Grandma Kingsley, and Aun Ru over.  So glad to get so spend part of the day with family!  I didn't get many pictures--but here are a few....

Our little Drummer boy Wiseman

And our Drummer Girl

By the end of the night this girl was ready for some quiet time!

 We saved one of the big presents for that night!  A motorized 'motorcycle' as Jamison likes to call it.  All three of the kids got right on and drove through the house, and running over a few things/feet.

 The kids also got a much needed item in our house from Grandma and Grandpa--a new sled!

Now we just need it to snow so that we can pull them around (and so we get a snow day to stay home again :).  

We had a great Christmas 2011!  Brooklyn was AMAZED that Santa knew just what to get her!!  He even got her things that she didn't tell him, but that she really wanted!!  A few days before Christmas each of the kids got an email from Santa--and they each got green lights, which meant they were going to get gifts.  There were lots of smiles and cheers when they got their green light!!  Between the emails, Cheery the elf being at our house, and getting just what we wanted--we all Believe that Santa has some pretty magical powers!!

Only 365 days til Christmas 2012!!  I can't wait!

Christmas Morning

Santa came!!

New shoes always make a girl smile!

Chuggington train books!

Right after he opened his new soft blanket.

New movie!

A soft blanket for Brooklyn too.



Mary and Baby Jesus--also notice her leg warmers and toe socks!!

Chuggington Train Set--a much wanted item by all three kids!

Even Raegan likes the train set!

This big truck and tractor were a huge hit!

She got a new Baby Carrier!  She loves it!

The kids all got lots of stuff!  Stocking were full and each got chapstick (which they love!).

Other things they got include:
Brooklyn--toe socks, leg warmers, books, a ballet barbie, baby Carrier, lots of clothes, some pink boots, pajamas, an outfit for baby doodle
Jamison-books, a soft blanket, train stuff, big truck and tractor, shoes, slippers,
Raegan-books, clothes, shoes, a new baby, hair pretties, a highchair and swing for her and Brooklyn's babies. 
And much much more!!!  We had a very fun morning opening gifts!!  We ate some lunch, got a nap in, and got ready to have Papa Vince, Grandma Mary, Great Grandma Kingsley, and Aun Ru over for dinner.  We even saved a few Santa presents for the evening!!--More pics to come!!

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve was pretty low key.  Brooklyn sang at the Service of the Bells, which is a family friendly Christmas Eve service that has kids dressed up for the nativity scene and we shake bells as we sing Joy to the World.  Jamison was all into the wisemen, of course!! 

Brooklyn is just to the left of the top of the candleabra. 

That evening, each of the kids got some new jammies to wear.

Love this picture!!!

 They are all ready for Santa to come!! 

 Brooklyn put out some egg nog and pretzels and cookies for Santa before she went to bed.