Christmas Train

Our annual trip to Alvin, TX for the Christmas Train was another success! The boys were so excited to ride the train and see Santa!  This year, we took Bill's sister, Sara and her husband, Alex, as well as Bill's parents, Big Daddy (Bill, Sr.) and Gran Betty (Betsy).  We had some pizza first at the pizza parlor on the grounds.  (Sadly, I didn't get any pictures.  It was very hectic getting all of us there and then the place was extremely busy.)  Sara and I had to take Major outside of the pizza place so that he could walk around for a little bit before eating.  Here is a picture of him looking at Christmas lights.

After pizza, we got in line for the train.  Again, Major was extremely antsy, so here is daddy doing the "corncob" getting Major to laugh.

And trying to distract Major with things to look at...these tactics only work for a moment.  Major is not a fan of waiting.

Finally, ON THE TRAIN!  Starting from the front: Big Daddy and Eli, Bill and Major, Sara and Alex, and Gran Betty (Brady is sitting with her, but you can't see him in this first photo).

There's Brady with Gran Betty!

The conductor took a photo so I could be in one, too!

Bill, Eli, Brady, and Major outside the train

Me and my sweetie!  We don't get many pictures of the two of us anymore.

Eli, Major, and Brady waiting in line to see Santa

 When Santa asked them what they wanted for Christmas, both boys said, "Whatever you bring us will be great."  That's my good boys!

 Our family on the Christmas Train 2012: Bill (35), Major (17 months), Rachel (33), Brady (4 1/2) and Eli (7)

 Merry Christmas!

Eli's Birthday gift from Aunt Sara

Bill's sister, Sara, found a really cool birthday present for Eli...a dinosaur dig!  It is really cool.  Basically, it is a block of rock with several dinosaur bones hidden inside.  You have to take a chisel and brush and dig the bones out of the rock.  The boys have spent hours digging for bones!

Bill Coaches the Private School Football All-Star Game

I'm taking a break from this one, so for the in depth scoop, here's Bill...

This was a more challenging year coaching than the past 12, even more so than last year's 1-10 (one win, 10 losses) season. We were able to win four games, set school records and legitimately make the playoffs. Doing all this garnered respect from our coaching peers and the local media as our Houston Christian coaching staff was chosen to coach the South Team in the annual Lone Star Christian Sports Network (LSCSN) Private School All-Star Game. The game featured the best private school football players from not only the greater Houston area, but also San Antonio, Austin, Beaumont, and Tyler (Dallas area has their own game). Our squad had players from Beaumont Kelly, Westbury Christian, Concordia Lutheran, Second Baptist, Marble Falls Faith, as well as our own kids from Houston Christian and our new SPC friends from Kinkaid, St. Johns and Episcopal. (SPC is the Southwest Preparatory Conference and this was Houston Christian's first year in that conference.) The North team seemed loaded as they had 8 players from St. Pius, several from state-runner up Northland as well as St. Thomas. After our first day of practice I was not highly optimistic but we came together well as a team and dominated the game 35-21. It was a very fun and rewarding experience. 

The game was played at St. Thomas High School. I was nursing a bad head ache at the beginning of the game. Here I am with Coach Max Bowman behind me and Coach Ken Craig to my left. 

Coach Craig and I celebrate with players after another score by our own WR # 11 Stephen Consoli. 

I excitedly greet a cornerback from Concordia who helped caused an interception that resulted in a touchdown. 

This is basically the only way Rachel is able to enjoy the game. When released, Major will scale the tallest set of bleachers! 

 It doesn't take a long time of watching a football game before Brady and Eli are inspired to play their own. 

 Big Daddy and Gran Betty often take in the local games that I coach. 

 Our roster contained several defensive backs, none of which had played safety. So I had to pick a couple and convert them. Fortunately, I had some experience with these guys coaching against them during the season. Left is Matt Ellis from Kinkaid, who had several tackles and a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown, earning him Defensive MVP for the game. On the right is Jonathan Newar from St. Johns who also had several tackles including a big one on fourth and goal from the the 3-yard line. Had a great week with these guys and they picked up on things quickly. 

 These are the the six Houston Christian players selected for the game. Starting from the left: OT Josh Keith, C Jordan Watkins, WR/CB Stephen Consoli, me, DE/P Carl Mundt, WR Ernie Mercado and QB Alex Roys, who was Offensive MVP with 3 td passes. Watkins, Consoli, Mundt and Roys were part of the first freshman class I worked with at Houston Christian. 

Travis Hartman was also part of that first freshman class. When he was a sophomore I inserted him in as a defensive starter to challenge the seniors. He decided to transfer to St. Pius X for his senior year after Coach Johnston retired last year. We kept in touch during the season and had this special opportunity to share the same field for his last high school game. 

Brady's Christmas Program

Brady's pre-K Christmas program was on Friday, December 10th.  Since there were 2 year olds in the program also, it lasted exactly 12 minutes. :)  But they were so cute!  I love these shirts the 4 year old classes made.  Each child used his foot as the face of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, then the child's hands were the antlers, and a little red thumb print as the nose.  Brady has worn it non-stop since he brought it home.  In this first picture, the person in red behind Brady is Mrs. Drake, Brady's teacher.  It is the same teacher Eli had when he was in the 4 year old class.

Brady with his classmate, Kadence.

From left to right: Emerson, Kate Gowens, Kadence, and Brady.

 Waving "bye" to mom as he exits the stage...

My happy Brady...soooo excited for Christmas!

Eli's Christmas Program

Eli's Christmas Program was Thursday, December 9th.  It was for all students Kindergarten through middle school.  It was so cute and Eli did such a great job!

 Please disregard the blob in the left bottom corner.  A woman in the front was recording the program with her iPad and kept putting it right in my way!

My big first grade boy. :)

Brothers Playing Together

Moments like these make my heart sing.  I love how sweet they are with each other!

Getting the Christmas Tree

Due to our floor situation (the flooding and repairing of it), we weren't able to get our tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving as we normally do.  So Saturday, December 8th, we finally got our Christmas tree!  First, we tried a Christmas Tree lot by our house (as seen below), but they didn't have any good trees, so we went to Lowe's where we got our tree last year.  Also notice the shorts and short sleeves...it was 85 degrees when we went to get our tree.

Lowe's had some great trees!  We picked out one right away, then had the boys guard it while we kept looking.  They did the whole marching thing on their own.  I had to get a picture of it.

Here it is! Christmas Tree 2012 with all my boys...Bill, Major, Eli, and Brady

Then we went and got our traditional pizza after the tree.  At that point, it was time for Major to go to bed, so the rest of us decorated the tree while Major slept.  

Brady with his "Baby's first Christmas" ball.

Bill with the "Our First Christmas 2001" ornament

And Eli with his "Baby's first Christmas" ornament.  I've tried to get a picture of Major with his ornament, but so far, he has been completely uncooperative.  Perhaps I can get one another day.

Major with his Baby's First Christmas ornament taken the day after all the other photos.  Yes, this is the best one I could get. :)

At last, our beautiful Christmas tree!  Yay!