Remember the Alamo Bowl

Last night, Baylor defeated Washington in the Valero Alamo Bowl.  Defensively, it was a frustrating game, but the Bears' high powered offense, led by RG3, was able to pull out a win.

Click here to view the ESPN highlights.  And check out our Alamo Bowl ornament, which we picked up just in time for the big game.

Christmas Delivery

When Little Ted woke up on Christmas morning, this is what he found:

 Train Table

With Thomas

And Percy

Of course, Little Ted was far too busy to open presents - he had trains to play with!  And mommy and daddy were just excited to watch him really enjoy the holiday for the first time.

Christmas Project

We've had a couple of small pillows sitting around our condo, and I've been wanting to do something with them for awhile now.  I got the idea that I could make no-sew pillow covers for them using the same pattern my Aunt Anita used for the blanket you see below.

Basically, the blanket is two pieces of fleece that are tied together to make a nice,cozy blanket.

I finally got around to purchasing the fleece I needed a couple of weeks ago (one with a Thomas pattern, the other with a Mater pattern) and made my "prototype."

I didn't think it was bad for a first try, but I didn't get Thomas' face centered on the pillow, and my cuts on the fringe were pretty jagged in places, so I tried again.

I am much happier with the second version.  Thomas' face is centered (mostly) on the front and back of the pillow, and my cuts are much better (it's amazing the kind of work you can do with a pair of freshly sharpened scissors and a large 90 degree angle).

Little Ted likes it, too.  This morning, he spotted the pillow in our room, decided it was for him, and ran away with it.  It has found a new home on his toddler bed.

Now I just need to take apart the first version, cut the fabric I need using the Mater fleece, and put together the second one.  I'll be sure to post the end result.

An Afternoon Outside

We've had a surprisingly cold and wet fall, considering how hot and dry our summer was.  But last weekend, things dried out, and the weather was just warm enough that Little Ted could get some playtime outside.

He had a blast kicking around the pile of leaves on our patio and helping mommy and daddy sweep them up.  And he looked pretty cute in his winter gear.

Please Vote for Cousin Luke!

My cousin has entered a drawing contest held by his local newspaper and would appreciate your vote for his beautiful work of art.

To vote, go to www.democrathearld.com.  You can access the voting page by locating the following picture: 

You will have to create an account to vote.

Look for Luke Powell's art in the 3rd/4th grade category.  Voting ends Tuesday at 11:59 pm PST, and you can vote once per day.

Thanks for your support!

It's a good day to be a Baylor Bear

An Evening Outing

Last week, we attended the Combined Choirs Christmas Concert on campus.  This was the first time the three of us have attempted to attend an evening event.  We felt confident that Little Ted would do well because he loves music - it's one of the few things that can hold his attention for an extended period of time.  We sat in the front of the auditorium; it was the only place where we could find seating near the aisle, and we wanted to be prepared in the event that we needed to make a quick escape.

Luckily, that wasn't necessary.  Little Ted did really well.  He enjoyed watching the musicians and listening to the music and didn't fuss one bit.  Everyone seated near us complimented us on his behavior - it seems that they were a bit concerned to have a toddler sitting near them and were pleasantly surprised by how well behaved he was.  We were happy to accept the compliment, and Little Ted, as always, enjoyed the attention.

Christmas at the Gonzablogger Home

Our house is all decked out for Christmas.  We have our tree set up.

And lights in our front windows.

And Santa even delivered a very large package for Little Ted.

Little Ted just so happened to be awake when this arrived.  On the package, there is a large picture of the contents of the box, which Ted saw and recognized (oops).  To avoid spoiling Santa's surprise, I wrapped the present in a hurry, and Ted stashed the box in our bedroom.  Luckily, the contents of the box have been forgotten, and we think Little Ted will be happily surprised by Santa's gift on Christmas morning.    

Speaking of Family . . .

. . . here are a few pictures of the things we're thankful for - 

Of course, this little guy tops our list.  Who can resist that cute smile, dimples, and long eyelashes?  He is simply precious, and we are lucky to be his parents.

We're also thankful for four generations of happy, healthy Teds.   

And, of course, we're thankful for the rest of our family.  Though we're separated by miles, you're always in our thoughts.

Thanksgiving 2011

This year, we spent a quiet Thanksgiving at home, just the three of us.  Our morning started out with Julia Child and coffee. 

I rolled and shaped croissants and stuck the turkey in the oven.

And by early afternoon, our feast was ready.

While we were sad that we couldn't spend the holiday with our extended family, we were happy to be together in our cozy little condo for the holiday.