Happy 2013!

Happy New Year!

Wow we have had a great start to 2013! And a good riddens bye  to 2012 :)

So proud of our Clemson Tigers for pulling off a win at the Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve night. It's so fun how a kicker can go from,-what's his name? To- the make it or break it player. Luckily, he made it!

And after we went to bed early with a Clemson Tiger win under our belts, we woke up for a celebration breakfast.

And kissed Porter good-bye as he endured the Polar Bear run and dip in the river to ring in the New Year with other New Braunfels folks. I really love this town. And Porter's cannon-ball.



I know the Los Robinsons is a feast or famine blog. I don't know how that came to be. Maybe as the children started multiplying. Who knows. But here's a recap of our holidays.

Can you believe pregnant ol' me was up for driving across the states for our Thanksgiving Holiday? I think it was a combination of really wanting to see our South Carolina family, college friends, and the realization that me+porter+3 kids = not many road trips. So away we went!

Thanksgiving Day: 

Grandaddy keeping his granddaughters in line

So nice of Aunt Emily and Uncle Jack to recruit some wheels for the grand kids.

Greg and Janean. Love this picture. 

Jackie trying to get Ella and Riley ready for the camera

Aunt Emily's Spread: 

Porter and Tyler and grandmothers.

'Hey Rhett, go sneak a piece of turkey for me..'

Rhett and Ella and the kiddo table



Aunt Patty and Uncle Billly and the Cooner Family

Aunt Carol, Aunt Carole's funny face,  and Jennifer Cox

Busted: In the desert line

It's Uncle Vinnie!

Tadaaa! We got the whole family for a group shot!

Clemson tailgaiting with Aunt Emily, Aunt Carole, Aunt Carole's funny face,Porter's cousin Jennifer ("Yum-Yum"), and friends. 

And for some reason we can drive our children to Dallas, and it's a hail-mary-aren't-they-just-terrrible-in-the-car. But to South Carolina- so pleasant I even got to read my Country Living magazine- twice. So worth the trip!

Cousin Love

Poor Riley!

Tyler, Jackie, & Riley

Guess what we are waiting on here?

The trash truck, geez!

Family Dinner

The Robinson boys

The Robinsons

And if that weren't enough- after we got home- 4 days later we thought it would be a great time to cash in our frequent flyer miles and... take the kids to New York? Whhhhhyy not? 

The real story is, we had plans to visit my brother Tommy and sister in law Monica, and best friend Jan, this summer. But with the craziness of moving- we decided to make the trip during the Holiday season- because who doesn't want to see NYC in all it's Christmas glory?

It was so wonderful it really deserves its own post. But, I 'm on a roll here. 

Macy's on 34th st. and Rockefeller Center

Victory!

 You have NO idea what it took to stand in line to get INTO the Lego store and out with a prize.

 Let's just say: Mother-of-the-year.

Bakery run in Tommy and Moncia's  neighborhood

Radio City Music Hall! Waiting to see the Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular!

And it was, SPECTACULAR!

Exploring Central Park:

Some of the best shopping-  SOHO!

Ice Skating at Bryant Park- via help from Tommy and Porter. Nina Lane and I watched from the sidelines.

Meeting up with my bff Jan- at the American Museum of Natural History

Lunch break at her apartment- mid renovation :)

Tommy and Monica's neighborhood- East Village.

And lo,  it was time to hunker down and enjoy the season at home.

In front of Rhett's classroom before his Christmas program:

I really did milk this sweater all season, eh? 

Rhett's school production. Can you spot him? Hint-cute blonde donkey-top row. 

Wasailfest downtown. Our annual pilgrimage is always met with the puppet show and pointing out our favorite toys at the hardware store.

 From the tree lighting to Waisalfest, I think our favorite town celebration by far was the quaint caroling at the gazebo downtown. We met some of our best friends the Digby's down there.

  Porter and I always try to make it to Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis' Christmas Concert in Gruene. I love the mix of Christmas songs they play and their own hits with their family slide show at the end.

Our friends Kellie and Travis Finch joined us for the 2nd time. And so did two cups of ice-cream- thanks to the boys sneaking it in for us preggos!

 Visiting Santa downtown- Nina Lane was NOT having it. This was the best shot we could do. 
Porter made a quick pre-picture visit with Santa thanking him for replying to Rhett's letter- just in case he forgot. 

Even on Christmas Eve morning when we woke Nina Lane out of bed and tried to get her to walk into the living room, she asked "Is Santa Cwaus stiwl heere?" 

 I love the Church tree on Christmas Eve- but a quick picture  was lost on my children.

 Rhett trying out his Christmas Eve gift. They are allowed to open just 1 before the big day- Rhett went for the gold.

 Making cookies for Santa: 

Quite possibly my favorite Christmas picture. After Porter read Twas the Night Before Christmas- the kids bee-lined it for bed!

Doctor's orders forbid me form anymore traveling. Period. Which meant a quiet Christmas celebration with our little family in our little home. But it was so sweet.  Entertaining Santa as he set up for the children, our candlelight Christmas Eve service at church, eating tamales, the novelty of new toys and feeling the love of relatives far away. It really was a sweet time.We did have a couple visitors, like Uncle Bill- ol' Faithful. And Uncle Coleman en route from the New Mexico family gathering that we missed.

Uncle Bill brought the prized present: an icecream maker-

 What a whirlwind! 

2012 was chalk full of blessings (and challenges)- which I am sure will be covered in another feast-full blog post. But for now, I think we are glad to finally welcome a new year!