Christmas Time in Abilene

The girls were ready to get to Abilene for the holidays! I think we all were ready to enjoy time off from work and with the family. 

Here we are scrunched in our suburban, if that's possible, and headed home for the Holidays.

All five of us. Still surprises me all the time. 

We were pretty excited as Abilene is always such a fun place around the holidays. Well, usually. 

We made it and the girls quickly fell in love with Landon and Lauren's kitty. 

And we always spend time sitting around just enjoying the tree. 

Love these pics when the girls saw Landon!!!!! They sure love their uncles! 

Sweet babies taking a nap.

Now she's awake and happy! I love that she notices herself in the mirror now and smiles. This is the cutest thing with babes.

We made a gingerbread house with the girls. It went really well. Clearly I am not patient enough to take the time to ever master these. Super glue. I needed superglue. Not sure where the finished product picture is but it was a bit of a disaster. Still, a lot of fun to do with these girlies!

 Hi Babiest Girl and Aunt Lion!!!!

We wrote out Christmas card tags for people. Laney did these and I absolutely love it. Keeping this forever. This was to Linley. 

Sweet Leyton was just not herself. We knew she wasn't 100% but didn't realize how sick she was until Christmas Eve. I'm glad we had a couple of good days before everything went down hill. 

Matthew and I had a date night and went to see the Hunger Games. I felt so guilty the next day.

Sweet sleepy girl. We actually had to go to the pediatrician in Abilene as Leyton kept running 102 fever. She had a double ear infection. 

Our sneaky little elf, Gorge, brought the girls pi's and the movie Elf on Christmas Eve! What a treat this was! 

Christmas Eve we went over to Madie's. I was not feeling well either and starting to run a fever. Leyton and I were down. 

Our Beautiful Laney.

The girls and sweet Emily.

 Me and my girls. Silly and Leyton was clearly not feeling well.

 Ma and these two. Laney and Landry adore her so. What a wonderful lady Dorothy Crowell is.

 And I've always thought that Landry looks an awful lot like her!

 We got home and put out cookies, reindeer food, got in our pajamas. Our jammies!

 We also drove around to look for Santa. This has been a tradition of ours since I was a little girl. I remember all the lights and searching for his sleigh.

 A well lit tree in River Oaks.

 We got home and crawled into bed. Daddy reading the Bible and the birth of baby Jesus.

 Good Night and Merry Christmas.

Good Morning! Merry Christmas! Did Santa come?! Yup!

Landry was down for the count and not feeling well. So, 3/5 of the Crowell Crew. 

But she did get her pink kitchen!!!! 

 Landon. This shirt. I love my brother so much. Did I mention Lesley wasn't here this year? Clearly. Missing her.

 Present opening and passing out has commenced. It should be noted, I am not feeling well. In fact, I don't even make it through opening up presents. I had the flu but didn't yet know it. So I just took the most random pictures.

I wish I could remember what people were opening. I do know Dad got an Aggie hat. But other than that, I was dying and just taking pictures. I felt terrible and of all days!

Putting Leyton to bed one night. She is holding my hand with hers. Sweetest thing and I had to capture this moment.

So we were all pretty sick for a couple of days. I didn't take too many pictures until we were on the mend again and really there are just a few. The flu was awful and the timing was terrible. I didn't get to see much more of my brother either and that was awful since he was about a mile and a half away. 

We all went to the Emergency care and tested positive for type A Influenza. Even my Momma get sick. Nice that Matthew and my Dad both steered clear. 

I knew the girls were better when they wanted to ride in their barbie car. 

 Landry checking out recipes in her cook book

Leyton seems a lot better and back to her happy little self. 

 So, we were all pretty ready to get home and unloaded and well.

Funny story though. We went by the farm in Abilene where Matthew proposed to me 8 years ago. I cannot believe it has been that long. Anyway, here are the Oak trees where he had the "manger" scene. Not really, but all the candles and I was confused. A lot of beauty around this area in West Texas. Meanwhile, our little blue eyes.....

 Our darling three year old had been picking her nose and we were to busy to notice that it looked like she had been in a bar fight. Literally, blood all over her face and clothes. So, we had to change her clothes and got this picture.

 Hill Billy Baby.

 This picture pretty much sums Landry up. It was funny.

Back on the road. She's sporting my clothes and sunglasses. Going home. 

Merry Christmas yal.