Love, Alicia

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Our Zellner Christmas Welcome

Wednesday morning, we made our way to our Zellner home. Our Alabama family had made it in late the night before and greeted us first thing. Our Zellner Christmas welcome was filled with a lot of laughs and lots of love.

{Aubrey is enjoying her daddy's baby rocking chair}

{Sweet girl cousins, Aubrey (14 months) & Olivia (7 years old)}

{Uncle Ryan making animal sounds with Auby}

{Story time with cousin Kendall}

{Uncle Ray & niece Olivia}

{Cousin Jacob}

{Special time with Papa Z}

{Olivia & Auby in their new hang out}

After a muffin breakfast, Ray pulled out the toy helicopters and the craziness began. I sure love watching our "three kiddos" together.

My Santa's little helper! Aubrey absolutely enjoyed all of the Christmas festivities at our Zellner home. From Christmas décor, a dancing pup, a baby-sized rocker, and her new little hat, she had a fun time with family. So yes, I'm that mom. The mom who takes way too many pictures of her daughter. Could you blame me? Auby looks absolutely adorable in her Santa hat.

Lights, camera, and lot of action. Santa's little helper was surely busy this Christmas. She loved the tree and all it had to offer including the glass ornaments. We only dropped a few but none broke. There was also no sight of the Christmas pickle. It will be fun to search when she gets older.

Our Zellner Christmas welcome was a great start! Much more photo and family fun to come!

Baking Up Something Sweet: Our Waldrup Christmas

Our Waldrup Christmas began with baking up a few sweet treats with Oma.

From rolling out handmade dough, to using Oma's special cookie cutters, and placing the sprinkles on the cookies, we sure made some sweet moments this Christmas with our Waldrup family. Making Christmas cookies is one of my favorite holiday past times with my mama.

It was surely special to celebrate our tradition with Auby this year.

{Bubba & Aubrey}

{Opa & Aubrey}

After a few baby snuggles and a Waldrup family photo, it was time for our gift exchange to begin.

{Oma helping Auby with her stocking, Family unwrapping gifts, Chris our scratch off winner, scratch off tradition}

In our family, we pass out stockings first and then distribute gifts afterward. As always, Santa was good to us. Each year our stockings are filled with fun necessities, treats, and always a lottery scratch off. For the past two years, my brother, Chris, has won! Enjoy photos of our Waldrup Family Christmas.

{Family of 3}

{Mommy/daughter love}

{unwrapping gifts}

{Santa's little helper}

{Auby's new drawing board- Thanks Oma & Opa}

{Playing with our new toys}

{The gents}

My mom's gift was truly a special one this year. For our anniversary, Ray set up a date to recreate my Oma and Opa's (my mom's parents) wedding picture. He laid out an outfit that would mimic the outfits worn. He even ordered a corsage for me to wear. This picture has such special meaning in my family and made for a perfect gift.

Before our final moments before our Waldrup family Christmas came to a close, my mom brought down my great grandfather's hand made rocking horse.

{Auby's great great grandfather's rocking horse}

We truly had such a special Christmas with our Waldrup family. From dinners around the table, baby play, family traditions, special visits, cookie creations, & lots of laugh and love, we are truly blessed. Merry Christmas and many cheers to baking up something sweet!

Our Waldrup Wonderland: Day 1-3

This Christmas we had decided to enjoy our holiday break with both families. With an opportunity to see our extended Alabama family, my aunt and uncle, and great aunt, we would spend the first part of our week with our Waldrup family and the second half with our Zellner family. It worked out perfectly so we could enjoy some special moments with both. On Saturday after our little family Christmas at home, we would make our way to Sugar Land to visit my parents and brother for our mini vaca to our Waldrup Wonderland. With bags packed, the car filled, and a five hour drive ahead of us, we were set and ready to go. I couldn't wait to see my family, even though we had visited a few weeks before. I absolutely love the relationship Auby has with my parents. I love hearing her little voice say Oma (sometimes sounds like uh-ma) and Opa (oh-paaa).

During our first few days, we enjoyed lots of play, story time, and cuddles with the family. Auby also learned how to say the name of my parent's dog, Aggie. It makes this maroon and white, Aggie mama's heart so very happy. Enjoy some family photo moments with my Waldrup family.

{Play time with Oma}

{Story time with Oma, Baby giggles with Opa, and snuggles with Bubba}

Sunday night, we met my brother, aunt, and uncle at Larry's for some delicious Mexican food and a small Christmas visit and gift exchange. Before we left, we had to take a few family photos.

{My family of 3}

{Daddy/daughter love}

{just the girls}

{Aunt & Uncle with Auby}

{Gift exchange fun}

{Sisters}

{Two boys and a babe}

A truly special moment this Christmas season was traveling to see my great aunt. She has always held a very special place in my heart as my grandmother (Oma) passed when I was 4. I absolutely loved our visit in the Hill Country to see her and am so thankful for these moments that she has been able to spend with her great great niece.

{Aubrey's Great Great Aunt Alice}

On our way up to see my great aunt, we stopped by one of my college favorites. We absolutely love Fazoli's. The food is delicious and the bread sticks are the absolute best. While we ate, we enjoyed watching Auby color on the children's coloring page. She's growing up so quickly.

I surely loved this sweet time with family. What a great start to our Waldrup Wonderland.