rose*art: Getting ready for Christmas!

Saturday was pretty normal starting out. We had our friends the Berquist's over for some homemade pizza and Franz got out a bottle of his nice wine for lunch. It was nice outside and the boys had lots of fun.

Cyprian was working on his climbing trees skills, while clement was trying to smoke on a stem from a leaf.

Cyprian perched in the tree.

Clement working on his balancing skills. He has been standing by himself for awhile now.

Franz soaking up the sun.

Saturday night the start of the octave before Christmas we went tree shopping. Franz put up the outside lights first. Then we had to pick up Gabby in Arlington at the convention center. Then we headed to Dallas and stopped first at Lowes. Lowes had 30% off all their trees, and most of them were pretty dead, and even at that they were pricey. So we decided to check out Walmart which was close by.

As we were walking into Walmart we saw two policemen running after a guy. Franz said should I run after the guy, and I said yes, but he hesitated and said he didn't want the cops to think he was in trouble. It looked as if they guy might escape in the lot full of cars and people. If I had not been holding a baby I would have run after the guy. Which in retrospect may not have been such a good idea, since I have no idea if he was carrying a weapon. My impulse was to run, tackle, and stop the guy. I think the police may have gotten the guy, but we are not sure.
Tree prices at Walmart were even worse and the selection pathetic. So, we went back to Lowes, and I picked the tree that we got. Even with a 30% discount and being mostly dead it cost 28dollars including taxes. Yikes! I really miss going and cutting down a tree, but I didn't want to get a fine. Franz had suggested going in the park down the road and cutting down a tree. I discouraged the notion, though it was tempting considering tree prices.
As Franz was loading the tree, Cyprian and Gabby were running to the car, Cyprian tripped and smacked his forehead hard on the pavement. I was coming out of the garden area so I did not see what happened, but I could hear Cyprian crying. I held him and asked Gabby if I could use her cold mountain dew that she had just bought to put on his head. Cyprian calmed down enough for me to put him in his car seat. He had a big bruise on his forehead. I was going to take a picture but I forgot, it was a doozy of a shiner.
We got home and while I was getting the last few things out of the car, a cop pulled up in our drive. We had already closed the gate so he could not drive into our driveway. Franz went out to see what he wanted, apparently someone had complained that there was loud music. Franz told him we had just gotten home. What he didn't think to mention was that at the four way stop not far from our house when we were stopped this van was playing music so loud, the people had to be going deaf.

After getting the boys down for the night Franz and I put up the tree and decorations.

Franz putting the ornaments on the tree.

Sunday I made an Angel food cake from scratch for Gabrielle. Her birthday had been the Sunday before and she had not had a cake.

Lighting the cake and getting ready to sing.

Getting ready to blow out the candles.

We all want some cake!

That evening Franz and I got to go to the second Sherlock Holmes movie. I really liked the first movie and was hoping to see the second. Gabrielle kindly watched the boys for us. It is not often that Franz and I go out by ourselves, so it was definitely a treat:')

Monday and Tuesday Gabrielle and I went shopping with the boys. Gabrielle was successful on Monday and I finally was able to finish my Christmas shopping on Tuesday. I have the hardest time picking out stuff. Oh and how could I forget our tree fell over. We ended up having to cut off several of the lower branches so that it would sit steady in the tree stand. I watched it go timber, thankfully both boys were out of harms way. Our carpet got a washing with pine water....

Tuesday afternoon we went to Fort Worth and visited the Stockyards. The Stockyards is a touristy western stop, fun to visit with someone not from around here. They have longhorn cattle herded down the street twice a day for people to watch. Then we strolled by the museum and wandered by the cattle yards. There are some neat shops to browse.

Longhorn cattle walking down the street.

Gabrielle posing!

Clement trying to stay warm.

Cyprian riding the bull. Go Cyprian go!

Want a ride in a wagon?

Mommy and Clement laughing together.

Leaving the Stockyards.

We went back to Irving and went out to eat at Fred's Barbecue Pit. It was very good. We have actually not been out for barbecue the entire time we have lived here in Texas. I had been looking for an excuse for sometime to go out for it. When we had filled our belly's we headed to the downtown park where the Christmas light display was lit up. It was a good brisk walk that the boys enjoyed. Franz even taught Cyprian how to roll down a hill. It was funny to watch Cyprian try to walk after that:')

Wednesday I baked and cooked all morning and after lunch we headed into Dallas to the convention Center to show Gabrielle the longhorn cattle statue display. It was a gorgeous day. While were wandering around we heard a bunch of shouting and screaming in excitement. Apparently Chloe and someone Kardashian were doing a toy drive and a lot of fans were there to participate. Yeah, I don't even know if I got the names right, shows how much I know and really care, not. We walked around a bit then headed home and I made sugar cookies and Gabrielle frosted them. We later dropped Gabrielle off at the airport. It was really nice to have Franz's sister spend so much time with us. I hope she enjoyed her time here.