The Connell Chronicles: Wrappin' it up!

Uhhhhhhh, where in the heck did Christmas go?? So I wait, and wait, ANNNND wait for the Christmas season all year and I am pretty sure that this one zoomed by quicker than any thus far! We had a HEALTHY Christmas day this year! Hallelujah, compared to last year!! We did, however, get hit with a horrible case of CROUP with the little guy and then Gigi had her case of feeling like doo doo too. I am pretty sure I thought that croup was from the days of Laura Ingalls and Little House on the Prairie. It was crazy how quickly it developed! He had felt a little warm the day before this broke out, but this day he seemed warm still but also seemed to have a little "somethin" in his throat that an adult would just normally clear our throats if it was us, but of course he doesn't know how to do that just yet. Well, my mom called me around 11 and said, You have got to hear him! So she puts Bub on the phone and he is so hoarse that I can barely hear him! So I decided we would get him in to the doctor because it was weird to me. So I meet mom and Bub at the doctor and when I walk in the exam room he is crying and can't breathe because he is upset that they are checking his oxygen levels on his finger. It was HORRIFYING!! Poor sweet baby sounded like he was trying to heave breaths through a spaghetti noodle!! Personally (knock on wood) it was the scariest thing thus far that I have been through with him. Just awful!! His doctor gave him a steroid dosage that we had to pick up that they disperse at the ER if we had to go there and it helped VERY quickly. The coughing, however, hung it's nasty self around for quite a while! Glad we decided to go to the doctor though, Dr. Travis said he could hear him from far away.. It was just so heartbreaking! And have you ever tried to keep a 2 year old sleeping upright? Yeah, not happening haha! And sleeping on me so he would be upright? Yeah not happening :) little wiggle worm. I did sleep with him the first night and by the next morning he sounded so much better. His little chest wasn't caving in as he tried to catch a breath which was AWFUL to see! Just imagining how scary it must have been for him too not understanding why in the heck he couldn't catch his breath!! Poor sweet baby! But now we are alllllll good!

So on to the fun stuff... We had a Christmas that shocked me that it went by so fast! Seriously, it really feels like it didn't happen yet, that is how fast it was! We hosted Brad's dads Christmas again and had everyone over on Christmas Eve. We had a great time visiting with some of his relatives that we don't get too see as much and of course it is always good to see his brother and his wife and kids. We became pretty close when we lived in SA because they were there too and we had fun together! We made it through a Christmas Eve gathering without Clyde getting let out so I guess that is a good thing although lately I wish one of them would have taken him home with them :). Christmas Eve evening we went to his sister's for his mom's side and the fun kept on going. Christmas Day we went to my brother's to have family with my side which started with a brunch and then ended with a Christmas Dinner. Delicious!!

Brady really didn't seem to notice that it was a different day and that he had gifts runnin' out of his ears. Hopefully next year will be "the year" that he understands the whole Christmas deal :). I did bring out the creepy elf :)

Am I the only one that finds those creepy eyes, CREEPY!! Kinda like those dolls that open and close their eyes as you lay them down and pick them up. After a couple of scary movies, I don't want a part of that business ;)! But I will have to keep the fears aside and let the Creepy Chippy Elf be a part of our fun because I really do love the tradition and the fun that you can have with all of my heart! I suppose he will gain his "name" next year :) from Brady. If I would have locked in one this year that Brady said he would probably would have ended up with NO, or OH MY GOD, or BAAAAASSSEEETTT :).

As you can imagine I have tonnnnnns of pictures so I am going to keep this post going with some narrating to pics :).

We did start our Christmas fun in the Connell household with some heartwarming movie watching of ELF ON A SHELF, So cute!! I have watched it oh one million times.. one of those good ol' warm and fuzzy givers :).

EEEEvery year I say that I want to hit one town on the "Hill Country Trail of Lights" a weekend and yeah, good luck with getting that accomplished. This year we did make a little bit of progress and atleast made it to one town haha!! We went to Marble Falls and got to enjoy some really pretty lights! Small, but perfect!!

Next year I want to go to Johnson City for their light parade to kick off the Santa Season!! It was the same weekend that we went to this! We'll see if we make it to any other light displays next year :). We have some really cute towns within an hour of us in different directions that participate in the trail of lights. Here's to hopin' eh?

Here's our Santa picture this year :). He happened to be at the trail of lights in Marble Falls so we said, well why not! When nervous, stick hands in mouth, which is an improvement to the nose they are usually stuck in as his "nervous twitch" :).

Daddy had another succesful year as well with making the casa look wonderful on the outside!!

Sayin' hi to our buddies that we only see a few weeks of the year :).

"Helping" :)

This Bell was one of the "favorites" to "help" with almost daily. Helping consist of removing from the tree, ringing to ensure functionality, and getting annoyed with it not staying on the tree when "setting" it on the limb :). The boy has my patience :), or should I say lack thereof.

My other handsome helper really liking the task he was given of threading the smallest strand of string that I have ever seen into a snowflake to hang on the tree ;).

Can you tell JUST how small the strand of string is in this picture haha!

Helping momma get the tree decorated.

Bucket o' ornaments

That poor cabeza takes a bonking these days :(

This makes my heart happy!

Brady's precious teachers gave him this for Christmas!

And Brady's precious self gave us this for Christmas! The whole "TO MOMMY & DADDY" on the bag made my heart overfloweth. It's our first "gift" from him :)

So this stocking with his picture made my heart melt and took me back to the good ol' days of my childhood and Christmas at home. Although the pictures were not that of a flattering kind :), my mom had ornaments such as these that we made out of construction paper, glue, and lots of glitter just like this. It meant more to me than I think anyone knows, it's one of those "times" that takes you back to such a happy place and makes you even happier to be there again.

This sweet lady was another addition to the Connell tree this year :). Again, I can't explain how much it means to me having these "projects" that MY CHILD has made on my tree. It's so surreal and one of THE MOST special things.

Remember this sweet 2010 ornament... next to it now sits yet another warmer of the heart for momma :).

Whew wee, these guys were a HIT!! We went through candy canes like nobody's business this year! Brady fell in love with them, and momma found that they make DELICIOUS stirrers for my coffee!! MMMMMM!

This little fuzzy bundle of love is our new addition to the tree for this year for Brady! I am going to try to find an ornament every year that "represents" your majesty!

What a blessed year, I am so thankful for all that we have been able to bless others with and been blessed with ourselves this year. It was quite amazing to have so much fun and feel the warm and fuzzies that never quit this season!

Momma was stalkin' :)

An angel for an angel :)

Playin' with my new lens that my parents got me for Christmas!!

Helpin' momma cook!

Uh, I might need to work with him on the intention of the sprinkles to end up on the cookies, not a pile on the sheet :).

Oh that girl, haha..

Carson, luuuuhhhuuuuuvvvsss Elmo, when Brady opened this that little guy was shoving people to the side to get to this box haha! It was hilarious!

Dad/ Bub's stockings!

Wuv those white donut wips!

His new Elmo backpack from Auntie Jen and Uncle Curtis!

Lots o' goodies!

My boo and I :)

My brother and niece :)

Whatever you do honey, do not put the juice down.

My grammy and grandad :)

LLLLLLLLOVE MY NEW LENS!

Finally! We have always wanted a cousin bath picture :).

A tricycle from Jen and Steve that they gave us that I had in the attic that I forgot about!

His new scooter from the cousins!

Momma got her 2 new pairs of slippers!

SPOILED JR. got a bouncy house!! I will have to upload the pics of his new swing set that Pappy and Gigi got him too!

This year we were invited to go on the Polar Express and he had such a great time! They serve cookies and of course all the hot chocolate you can consume! They read the book to you and the kiddos get a visit from Santa and Mrs. Clause!! We were fortunate that the people that invited us actually buy out the entire train car and then you get the tickets from them so those kiddos could just roam and be as loud as they wanted since our group all knew each other!

Gettin' his "ticket" :)