Stiff Legs

Sunday, I had basketball practice with the AAU team I've joined over the summer. Normally, it isn't very hard. Well, I shouldn't say that. What I mean is that we don't typically do alot of running and conditioning during summer basketball, but last Sunday it was different. We did stretches across the court for what felt like forever! You'd think that all that stretching would loosen me up, but instead it made me stiff as a board and not many coaches have much patience with a stiff player. Stretching didn't just make me stiff before practice, but it also made my rear sore too. I can't sit down or stand up without my muscles aching. I tried stretching some more yesterday to help my muscles not be as sore, but I think it made them worse. We also did these defensive drills up and down the court too, but by then I couldn't feel my legs! ;) It actually wasn't that bad of a practice, but I've had better ones.

Gingerbread House Contest

This year our family decided to create a new Christmas tradition, gingerbread house competitions! We bought two gingerbread house kits and teamed up boys against girls to see who could win over the judges, mom and dad. Us girls were very particular about our gingerbread house. We wanted it to be perfect. The boys on the other hand were very creative and didn't care about if they got their house messy with icing. The boys won first place, but the girls won honorable mension for best kept lawn.

The boys' gingerbread house.

The boys' gingerbread house.

Baking Cookies In the Kitchen

Christmas Time!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and in our house it's a day of preparation and celebration. I love our Christmas traditions. Every year on Christmas Eve we bake Christmas cookies, decorate gingerbread houses, wrap presents, read the Christmas story, eat all sorts of delicious food, and before we go to bed every kid gets a gift of brand new pajamas to open! Christmas morning is very organized. Before we open presents we read the Christmas story again and sing Christmas carols. Wearing our new pajamas, we wait patiently while Mom hands out the presents. Then we wait some more for our turn to open a present. While we open presents we munch on some pumpkin bread and coffee until the breakfast casserole is ready and we finish opening presents. After presents we gather 'round the table to eat our breakfast. Then it's back to the front living room to dig into our stockings. The rest of the day is spent tinkering with our new "toys" and eating candy, cakes, pies, and cookies that we made in the weeks before. Christmas night we sometimes go to a movie or play games. Christmas in our house is always a wonderful time that everyone enjoys!

A Night of Christmas

Friday, our family went to the "Carol of Lights" show on the Texas Tech campus. It's an event that takes place every December where everyone gets together and sings Christmas carols and drinks hot chocolate waiting for the red and white Christmas lights to blink on and gleam in the brisk night air. After the carol of lights we went to an art show that one of our friend's, who goes to tech, put on. Even though I am terrible at every kind of art you can think of, it inspired me immensely. I love that warm and fuzzy feeling you get around the holiday season where everything feels perfect. No worries. That's what I feel every December and I look forward to it every year.

Merry Christmas!

Bakery

We walked to the bakery on our first morning in Brugge. There they bake everything fresh that morning. It smelled so delicious and looked so divine. In Brugge everyone grocery shops daily not weekly. They get their meat from the meat market and fresh bread from the bakery. I loved the quaintness of it all.

Brugge

St. Mary's Cathedral.



The park across the street from the town house we stayed in.

These are some of the pictures we took on our boat tour through one of the canals.