Guess who got a makeover???

Owen got Snugglebear from my grandmother, Nana, when he was less than a year old. It was a stuffed animal they give kids in the hospital and she ended up with one and passed it on to Owen. He has loved that thing since he was a baby and it was so worn that the fabric was disintegrating and it had been patched up and re-sewn more times than I can count. So since his mother is a whiz with a needle and thread, we made him a new cover. The old snugglebear is inside and Owen picked out the attractive cat fabric :)

The Morrison's annual Christmas Party

This weekend we attended the Morrison's Christmas party which is always a blast, though this year's may have been the best so far. Everyone had a great time, tons of friends we haven't seen in a while came, and the white elephant gifts have gotten out of control!!!! I promised Owen I would try to get something he would like so of course I had to choose the Buddha holding a glowing ball.....
And he sweet talked April out of this rudolph nose :)

Owen really likes Chocolate

Happy Friday!

It snowed!!

I got all excited when I saw some flurries outside and drug Owen out there. Too bad you couldn't really tell that it was snowing at all!! And since I am just that clever, we grabbed a dark plate and you could KIND OF see some little pieces of ice. I think Owen thought snowing would mean there would be piles of it out front and we could make a snow man :) I will say, I could never make it up north where it's cold like it's been today. Or maybe I could make it as long as I never had to go outside.

Actual proof!!! I'm sure anyone who is reading this living outside of Texas is feeling REALLY bad for us right now.

Fun weekend

This weekend we went back to the Pear to attend Reece's birthday party. The weather was gorgeous, it was great to see friends, and a Lego theme was right up Owen's alley!! Saturday night we took him to the ice skating rink they put up every year in the Woodlands and Owen was awesome! Last year I spent a back breaking half hour on the ice trying to balance and "skate" Owen between my legs. So this year I made Bryan do it so I could watch from the side and of course he used the walker and was great. We got to ride the trolley and eat dinner at Market Street and Owen LOVED all of the lights and the giant Christmas tree.

Peter helping the kids make their Lego airplanesOwen and Pips and their Lego Racers

The birthday boy blowing out his candles

Owen in the trolley in front of the giant Christmas tree
Bryan and Owen on the ice

Brian Boitano and I

Fiery Friend Pictures

Owen figured out a way to give all of his lego people a ride on his Webkinz! He insisted that I put all 3 pictures on here :)

Turkey Day part 2

We celebrated Thanksgiving today at Lita and Grandpa Mike's new house with Colleen and Wayne. The new house is awesome and at one point I was in the kitchen with Lita and couldn't figure out where everyone was. We're used to being all crammed into the kitchen/family room area that it was different to be so spread out. As Lita accurately stated, we used to be like a litter of puppies at the old house :) We took a trip to see the new house that Colleen and Wayne are building and can't wait to celebrate upcoming holidays there too. We're finally off the hook as the family with the most space!!!

Bryan had the idea to try to fish in the pond across the street from Lita's house and I was extremely doubtful that there were even fish in there. But of course Bryan had to catch one just to prove me wrong!!!

And Owen ate a traditional Thanksgiving meal of wheat thins, chips and mac and cheese. And then decided to share his leftovers with Sandy....

Gobble Gobble

We've had a great Turkey week here at the Hulshof house getting to spend time with family. The McAfee's came in on Sunday and Owen got to spend a ton of time with his cousins. Sadly, I got sick and didn't get to see Dave and Mel much but I'm VERY thankful that Owen was entertained while I was sick!!!


Today we got out the Christmas decorations and had to make a trip to Garden Ridge to get some lights. Owen picks out an ornament each year and this time went for something understated. Can you guess which one????
At the end of our street, they show movies every night of Thanksgiving week. Tonight we went to see Kung Fu Panda and it was fun until it started raining!!!

The big screen before the movie.

Merry EARLY Christmas from the Hulshofs!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The study is no more

Today, we finally got all of the office furniture out of the study. This room has never really functioned as anything since we've lived here. It was set up as the study but Bryan and I both use our laptops 99% of the time. Then it was going to be Bree's room but that was not to be. And its last incarnation was as a room to dump everything that we didn't have a place for. We bought a computer armoire when we thought we would have to store it in the gameroom so this weekend Bryan set it up but now it's the ONLY piece of furniture in the room. I'm not sure what we're going to do with the room....

And here's Owen playing the gigantic keyboard that Uncle Wayne gave him. He's "playing" it with his butt. Those who know him well I'm sure can guess what was next.

Owen's version of pick up sticks

We went to hang out at Mimi and Popi's to celebrate Owen's birthday with Leigh and Adam and he now has more Legos than any kid could need! Owen and Adam attempted to make a tower but I think it may have been a bit challenging with Owen on his back.
Say a prayer that Owen's cough doesn't turn into something worse because I have a 3 day conference this week that I REALLY want to go to.....and I would feel bad if he was sick :)

Num Nums is crazy

This is her favorite spot to hang out which is at least 12 feet from the floor below. I think it may be the only place she can stay out of reach of a certain 5 year old....

5th Birthday party

Owen's party was a blast even though WAY too many kids came! The Flemings came into town and Owen loved having some Emma and Quinn time and I enjoyed some Amy time :)

The birthday boy making a mask

Jake getting an apple

All lined up and ready to go hunt pumpkins

Pumpkin hunting
Pips found a pumkin or seven

Owen blowing out his trick candles. He thought he was WAY cool because of them :)

Sweet Caitlin

Cupcake decorating

Quinn having his way with a cupcake

Lauren, Jake, Olivia, Quinn and Zach

Lots of sugar and lots of fun

October stuff

Owen had a great time trick or treating. There were SO many kids out in our neighborhood this year! Owen wanted to pose in front of a fake grave......

Owen's class had a Halloween party and I got to go up to help out. Owen LOVES his teacher and has made some really nice new friends.

Jenn sent Owen the coolest Star Wars Lego set and an alien maker that he has been asking for since last Christmas. Jenn is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought Owen was going to pee his pants when he saw the UPS guy drive up to the house :)

The Hurricanes season is over and Owen had such a great experience this year. He had great kids on his team and an awesome coach.

Owen's birthday party was yesterday and it was MADNESS!!!! Here's a great pic my friend Michelle took of him. Many more pictures to follow as soon as I get them from Mimi.

Pumpkins

Owen and I had some friends over on Monday to decorate pumpkins and the kids had a great time. But as I was looking at the pictures, I noticed how crazy our fence looks. Ike took out a big portion of it and Teo the lawn guy told us he would re-do it while we were gone. The funny part is we paid for it and got the crappy side of the fence and it TOTALLY doesn't match the rest of it! Teo is such a sweet guy but I'm guessing I may need to intervene in he and Bryan's "conversations" that they have in spanish.

Best pic of the trip!

I'm still working on a post about the trip but for some reason it's taking forever!!!!!!!

California Vacation

We had a fabulous trip to California this past week. Owen was awesome and loved getting to go to Disney and Legoland. Highlights are below!

This was Owen's first plane ride if you don't count the many, many trips he took while I was pregnant. He loved riding on the plane and had to have the window seat so that he could look out the window. Bryan and Owen being very mature and pretending to throw up in the barf bag

Owen and I outside our hotel in LA.

Owen on Colonel Sanders lap at Universal Walk. There was the cast of a Telemundo movie there and it was madness!!!!!!!!!!! The only place I could get into to get food was a combo Pizza Hut/KFC. And so Owen waited with the Colonel while I stood in line for WAY too long.

On Monday Owen and I made the LONG drive to Legoland. Somehow I didn't realize that it would take so long but was stuck going because it was what Owen was looking forward to the most. We had rented a Jeep for the week and it was so incredibly loud that Owen and I had to scream to hear each other. So it was actually kind of nice to just ride without having to answer a million questions for once :)

Owen loved Legoland. The weather was really cool and there were zero lines so we actually went on just about every ride in a day. He spent all of the money that Mimi and Popi gave him for his birthday on Legos while we were there and played with them every night at the hotel.

Owen walking into Legoland with the Lego family.

Owen being eaten by a giant Lego shark.

Owen and the giant Lego pumpkin.

Owen and Darth Vader. (I'll spare you the pictures of Owen and every single character but he insisted on me getting a picture with each).

Owen and a Bionicle. He made me take this picture so that we could show his cousin Cameron :)

On Tuesday, Owen and I went to the Observatory at Griffith Park to go to the Pleanetarium. It was beautiful up there (despite the LA smog) and we got a view of the entire city. Owen liked the movie at the planetarium and of course had to get a pic with his favorite planet, Uranus :)

That night we went and hung out with Ashley and her family in Santa Monica and it was great to catch up with her and for Owen to get to play with some kids!!

Bryan finished up his conference on Weds around lunchtime and then we drove up the PCH to Malibu and hung out at the beach. It was chilly but absolutely beautiful!!! We saw dolphins swimming out in the water and Owen of course ended up soaking wet.

Owen in our Jeep that he projectile vomited in on the way to drop it back off. Long story........

Thursday and Friday were spent at Disneyland and Owen had a blast. The weather was perfect and the lines were super short which was perfect for a four year old. On Friday we ended up at the park until midnight and Owen got to see the fireworks show. It was a fantastic trip and I can't wait for our next vacation!!!

Owen and I in Tarzans treehouse.

Bryan and Owen on the teacups.

Owen and I in Mickey Mouse's house.