Sierra Goes to Austin

We finally made our first trip back to Austin with Sierra! It had been awhile- our last trip to Austin was for the first football game when Chrissy was about 8 months pregnant! We really went up to visit with the family- Uncle Travis and Aunt Ashley were meeting Doug & Cindi to look for rehearsal dinner venues. We all got together with Ashley's family for drinks at their wedding location, Green Pastures, which was really beautiful! We can't wait for the big day! It's hard to imagine my litte bro is getting married- and that our little girl will be just 1 week shy of her first birthday at their wedding! This makes me feel old, so I had to share an old pic of us as kids...

The Fam in NYC in 1989



The weather was gorgeous on Sunday, so we opted for a walk around the capital building- something Chrissy has never managed to do in all her years in Austin.


Good exercise for Mama


We found the statue honoring the Texas Pioneer Women and I couldn't resist. Also, a good pic of that wrap I've been talking about.


And before we could leave Austin, we had to make a stop by the now famous Round Rock Donuts for their 2 lb special. In addition to being stupidly huge (Sierra could float the river with this thing), it was also very yummy. Sierra was excited too:

Baby's First Christmas

Awwwww- how could this not be fun?? :)

We started our Christmas adventures in San Antonio with Granny (Claude's Mom) as usual- enjoying some of the most delicious Mexican food this state has. Somehow we missed taking pictures of Sierra's first trips to Blanco Cafe and Henry's Puffy Tacos.... oops! Christmas Eve we celebrated with Carol, Byron, Lance, and Rachelle. Gingerbread-house-decorating and Lego-car-building-and-racing competitions this year. Fun stuff! :) Then it's back to Granny's for some caffeine and we're off to Midnight Mass. Sierra was a doll... of course, she was the only one allowed to sleep.....

"Wait- did you say presents??" 












Mamaw in her Christmas best: 












Cousins Lance & Rachelle on Christmas Eve:












Sierra & Granny all ready for Midnight Mass:

After a very short night, it's Christmas morning at Grannys! Let the fun begin!

"Hey this is fun!!!"













"If I'm cute, do I get more presents?"

Trading smiles with Great Granny:

Of course, we didn't forget the first-born: (It's a giant snake full of squeakers, in case you were wondering.) And Papa got a box from Italy....

Then a mad dash for the showers, some of Granny's fantastic blueberry muffins, and we're on the road to Sugar Land to visit the Stewarts. Dick, Charlotte, Catherine, Anna, and Jenny also came to celebrate! And Izzy & Moe too- they got adoption papers in their stockings. They'll officially be Pichots soon.... :)

I got to play with my new video camera there, so we have this little photo-montage:


And Sierra giving Papa his Christmas present...


After we crashed Christmas night in Sugar Land, then loaded up the car (again) with all 6 of us and headed to Beeville. This required the use of our new vehicle, a 2010 Subaru Outback. Yay!


The entrance to Claude & Cherry's new house:


 









Out for a walk with the fuzzy-child while Sierra sleeps:

Cousins Rosalie & Riley:


















Cousin Abby:

GrandDad & his great-grandchildren (Abby, Riley, & Sierra) and Frida:

Austin, GrandDad, & Travis:

Raised by Wolves

Finally emerging from the black hole of Christmas and New Years and I promise to load up on photos from the holidays very soon.
Mama's favorite new toy is the video camera. Here's a clip of life at our house- baby, dogs, lots of fun at the circus: