DECEMBER 26, 2009 - ECLIPSE WIDGET

Well as many of you know I am a big Twilight fan so now that New Moon is done, it is time to countdown to Eclipse hits the theater. Can't wait!! I hope they announce Breaking Dawn soon, what's up with that.

DECEMBER 25, 2009 - CHRISTMAS DAY

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. Unfortunately in Texas we don't wake up to snow on Christmas Day, oh well, the joys of living in Texas. We didn't get much sleep since we didn't get home from my parents until after 2 a.m., but the kids were up and ready of course. When there's presents to be open they are bright eyed and ready to get going. Rowan and Isabel liked everything they got and before you knew it all of the presents were opened and they were already playing with them. It is over and done with in such a flash.



Isabel came to me earlier in the week and told me that she wanted to make cookies and chocolate milk for Santa because on Max & Ruby they did that. So Chris had me make cookies that he likes to eat and so we put out Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies and chocolate milk out for Santa. I made a little note to the kids from Santa thanking them for the cookies and milk.


I am not quite sure what Isabel is doing in this pic but I am assuming that she is getting her little princess dolls and clothing (they are like polly pocket dolls but are the disney princesses) into a plastic baggie.


Rowan is all smiles over his lego racer play set.


Isabel is also excited about getting her Disney Princess Castle.

DECEMBER 24, 2009 - CHRISTMAS EVE WITH JESS' FAMILY

Well after spending the day at Chris' parents house we made our way to my parents house. Rowan and Isabel are of course excited about the possibility of more gifts. Luckily my parents usually give them non-toy items because really by this point they have enough toys. And as parents we are always trying to figure out where are we going to put the new ones. That's why I before the end of the year we make them get rid of some toys. Usually as a tradition in the Duran household we read from Luke 2 about the birth of our Savior, but this year with Rowan and Isabel older they don't quite understand what we are reading when we read Luke so someone gave us this book called "The First Christmas" and it is basically story of Jesus birth so that the kids can understand it. We read from that and then we proceeded with the opening of the presents. We had a really fun evening, we played a game and of course I got in one of my silly moods, which usually happens after midnight. All and all Christmas Eve was a fun evening.


Here is a picture of the book that we read from.


Me, Rowan, Isabel, and my sister, Analisa opening presents.


Rowan is already looking to open the next present. And I am not sure what my sister is looking at except maybe Cameron who is not in this picture. And more opening presents. Where is Cameron?


Rowan showing off his Ben 10 Alien Force DVD's. He loves that show.


Here is a picture of the twilight coasters my sister made me. I have to say this was one of my favorite gifts. I love it. As everyone knows I am a bit obsessed (as some people like to put it) about the Twilight series.


I love this picture of Isabel. Usually she doesn't always let you take her picture, so when she does we take it. In that way she is a lot like me because I hate taking pictures and every picture I usually take is not a flatering one. Well Merry Christmas!!!

DECEMBER 24, 2009 - CHRISTMAS EVE WITH CHRIS' FAMILY

Christmas Eve. Rowan and Isabel were excited about going to Blondie Grandma's house Christmas Eve. This year Chris' family decided to have a dinner because this could be our last Christmas here in San Antonio with everyone. It was nice to spend time with all of the family and the nieces and nephews, and great nephew. Of course for Rowan didn't want to eat because he was just too excited about opening presents. Some of the pictures Rowan took and they came out pretty good.

Rowan and Isabel all ready to start Christmas!!! On our way to grandma's house.



Rowan, Isabel and Chris put this ginger bread house together. It came out pretty good. The kids were so proud of it. I think we will make this a tradition every year.


Liz, Chris' Dad, Damon along with our nieces Briana, Hailey, Kelsey and our nephew Dylan

Auntie Deanna getting the kids ready for gift opening time.


Rowan and Isabel opening presents.

Our niece Megan and our great nephew Gage opening presents. Doesn't he look cute with that bow on his head.


Nolan opening his gift from us. We bought him a dragon. He is into dragons right now. And Kristin opening her presents. We bought her music composition books for Phantom of the Opera and one with classics. She has become a beautiful piano player. She is really really good. Both of my nieces, Kristin and Briana are very talented. Briana learned how to play the guitar in 6 short months and plays very well and writes her own songs. Very impressive. I wish I had a pic/video of her playing.


Niece Kelsey and newphew Darian opening presents.


This is a picture Rowan took of me.


Here's Chris, Deanna, Liz, and Damon. Unfortunately Julie is missing from this picture but we were all thinking about her.


Chris and Uncle Gabriel. Gabe stopped by Chris' mom's house to bring Rowan and Isabel presents.


Isabel and Rowan opening uncle Gabriel's presents. Rowan got GI Joe (he was so excited) and Isabel two swim suit Barbies.

What a great day everyone had. It is nice to spend the holidays with love ones.

DECEMBER 2009 - ROWAN'S CLASS CHRISTMAS PARTY

I love going to Rowan's class. He gets so excited when we go to do his school parties. He also gets really excited with Isabel there. He likes showing her off to his friends and introducing her to the class. I have never seen him so proud. It was almost like Isabel was a show-in-tell object. Isabel fit in like she has always been in that class. She is really looking forward to starting school next school year. I know that she will do really well, of course right she thinks she will have Rowan's teacher. Little does she know that it won't happen.
The kids are just growing up too fast.

DECEMBER 2009 - CHRIS' WORK CHRISTMAS PARTY

Well here are some pics of Chris' work Christmas party. The kids had a lot of fun sitting on Santa's lap and playing arounds with the kids.

December 19, 2009 - ENCHANTED ROCK

Well today we went to Enchanted Rock for the day with the kids. Chris and I haven't been to Enchanted Rock since we were married. So I hadn't gone up that Rock in 10 years. Of course going back there does bring back memories of when I was a single adult. We went up there a few times as a single adult group and I remember having such a blast, especially when we went through the caves. But this time we went as a family. Chris at first really wanted to go camping but I convinced him that this was not the time to go, so he settled on the day trip to Enchanted Rock. Rowan had a lot of fun. He climbed that rock like he was a mountain goat. He was all over the place. It was fun to watch him. Isabel she had fun but the klutz that she is fell down 4 times and landed on her hands. Poor thing. But she still had fun climbing and sliding down the rocks. Afterwards we went into the town of Fredericksburg and walked around. We stopped at a few shops and of course by this time the kids have had enough and were ready to go. But we all had a blast and it was nice to spend sometime as a family. So here are a few pictures of the trip.









This picture brings back memories of being in Germany at Christmas time. Chris and I both miss Germany. We both like to go back sometime in the near future, especially before the kids start going to high school.