A Few Final Holiday Pictures

I couldn't resist showing off a few more pictures of our precious kiddos from this holiday season. It was a really great Christmas full of wonderful moments with each child and all of our family.

5th and Final Family Christmas!!!

On Christmas day our family gathers at Martha Sue's house for lunch and piles of presents to open. It is a very relaxing day that is a much needed break for the fast pace of the holidays. Everyone watched each other open presents, the boys ran races and played hide and go seek in the backyard. The weather was perfect for outdoor games. There was also much lounging infront of the TV with our feet up on the coffee table. This is always the perfect way to end the holiday craze and eat just enough for a good Christmas Day nap.

4th Family Christmas Extravaganza!

The Wood Family has been celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve for decades. We get together late in the afternoon and eat, eat, exchange gifts, eat, exchange more gifts and drink a little coffee before we wait for Santa to arrive. We packed the three kids up to head over to Mama's house at 3:30 on Christmas Eve for the fun to begin. There are 8 second cousins that get to play together which makes it a blast for Jacob, Jude and Grace. This year Mama and Grandaddy decided to get remote control cars for all the boys to play with on the back patio. It was such a good time and everyone got in on the fun. Grace was passed around all night from family member to family member in true princess form. Every child was given a new pair of pajamas at some point in the evening by their grandparents so, 8 children went home in new pajamas completely worn out and ready to listen for reindeer hooves on the roof. It was another fantastic family Christmas!

3rd Family Christmas!!!

It was time for our third family Christmas of the holiday season, and the kids were ready to go to Gram and Papa's new house for the first family Christmas there. Gram had decorated every room for Christmas so it certainly was a festive house! Tori and Brent (Jacob, Jude and Grace's older cousins) came into town and kept the boys going all evening long. We ate dinner and opened presents and capped the night off with the movie, "Transformers". The boys loved it. One of the best presents was a Spiderman mask that all the children ran around in, and even Gram put it on which made everyone laugh! Grace spent most of the night climbing the stairs like an old pro in her fancy dress which made it all the more adorable. It was another wonderful family Christmas for 2007.

Second Family Christmas

We had our second family Christmas this past weekend. Grandpa and MJ flew in from Wisconsin to celebrate with us and the kids. Ok, really they just came to see the kids. I've been told that they are much much cuter and more funny than Corey and I!!! It was a great visit full of family time and laughter and even old friends. The girls went shopping on Friday while Grandpa and Daddy took the boys to buy new shoes. Friday night we had a fun Hooks Family celebration, and Saturday Grandpa and MJ babysat the kids so Corey and I could go out. We capped the weekend off with lighting the Advent Candle at church on Sunday morning. It was picture perfect in every way. The kids received new chairs and we snapped pictures of them looking adorable in them.

Jacob's Christmas Choir Program

Jacob had his first Christmas choir program at church tonight. It was adorable! It was only 15 minutes, but that ended up being the perfect amount of time for three and four year olds to "wow" the audience with their sweet voices. Jacob knew all the words and did the choreography too...He is a great performer! He was excited that it was being video taped, and that we captured a hug from his good friend, Camron, on film. It is the unexpected moments that are always the best like when Jacob ran up and gave a BIG hug and kiss after his performance. That was, by far, the best part of the night for me.

First Christmas Celebration!

Grandad and Grandmoe came in town from Nashville this weekend. We had such a fantastic time with them. Lots of staying up late, and talking and laughing and talking about the kids...which I could do forever and a day. It was a great visit for everyone. This morning we opened Christmas presents and ate a big Christmas breakfast. The kids had gone to Target the day before and were able to show Grandad and Grandmoe exactly what they wanted. This tradition makes for truly happy present opening. It was a great morning and a great first family Christmas!

Santa on the Roof

Our wonderful friends, Jack and Jessica, had their annual "Santa on the Roof" party tonight. Such a treat for the kids. For those not familiar with a Santa on the Roof party, it consists of families singing (loudly) Christmas carols so that Santa can "find his way" to the host's house. Then Santa appears on the roof with bags full of presents for the kiddos present, and each present has the child's name on it (which is so exciting that Santa knows your name and knew you would be at this particular party). Jacob and Jude were super excited to go tonight. Each boy hurried up to have their bag dropped from the roof by Santa. Even Gracie Grace got a gift from Santa. It really is a magical night, and Santa stays around for the party and pictures and listens to children tell him all the things they want for Christmas. Jacob and Jude couldn not stop talking about it on the way home. Such a great way to kick off the Christmas season!

Jacob Hooks is a Star!

I'm writing this post in green to further honor our rising star, Jacob Hooks. Jacob had his first Christmas program at school today. His class (and all the other three year old classes too) sang three songs, "Bah Bah Baby Jesus", "Jesus' Birthday" and my personal favorite "The Shepherd Shuffle". Jacob smiled so big the whole time and waved at his mommy and daddy. He even did the choreography just perfect! It was such an adorable time, and Corey and I were beaming. Jacob was beaming too. His dimples were showing in rare form with all of his smiles.

Gracie Grace is 11 Months Old

Grace has transformed in the last 11 months into a walking, babbling barrel of laughs! Right now she has a big cut on her head and yesterday (on her official 11 month birthday) she had a Spiderman bandaid covering her walking injury. The boys thought that was great. I am realizing that soon I may have to invest in two types of bandaids...maybe a few with princesses on them or something. Or Gracie Grace may be completely content with a Spiderman bandaid simply because her brothers think it is so cool.

Jude Says Hello

Just wanted to let Jude say "Hello" to everyone who misses him. He is hanging in there being the middle brother...not old enough to play tball yet, not his birthday yet, not old enough for choir at church, not old enough to be in the programs at school...it is a long year till he turns three. He is hanging in there though, keeping us laughing with his usual humor followed by the comment, "Mommy, I am funny". He is. He is wonderful too.

Grace is Unhappy

Grace was not very happy the other day after one of her messier eating episodes. We decided to just bathe her in the sink after failing at wiping her off. She was not very happy with us as you can tell!

Jacob and His Spiderman Bike

Mommy and Daddy got Jacob a Spiderman bike for his 4th birthday. He had picked it out and had been patiently waiting for the day of his birthday party to arrive (which was the 17th). We have been going on bike rides ever since. We are loading the bike up to go to the park tomorrow for the last day of warm weather (it is supposed to be in the 80's again tomorrow). He loves the helmet and pads. Sorry if some of the pictures are blurry, but it was hard to get him to slow down. He looks so grown up!

Is There a Fall in Texas???

The weather warmed up again in Texas (hopefully for the last time) and I snapped some more shots of my kiddos outside looking great in the sunshine...I cannot believe it is the middle of November! Everyone here is doing great and being wonderful. Jacob is counting down the days until he turns 4, Jude is making many new friends at school and Grace is mastering the art of walking (or as I like to call it, "waddling"). Enjoy the pictures.

TBall Party

On Saturday the Express Tball team had their end of the season party at our house. Jacob and Jude were so excited getting ready for the big day. It was such a boy afternoon. Lots of running and calling things "stinky" (which is always followed with laughter) and eating. The coaches did a little ceremony to award the kids their medals and favor bags and their cupcakes...every little guy seemed truly appreciative. It was, as tball has been this whole season, adorable. I am beyond happy that we decided to create this team with our sweet friends and watch our boys have fun and just be boys every weekend. It is still ranking on my list as the top things we have done as a family...Go Express!

The Beautiful Princess Grace

Grace decided last night that she needed to spend sometime in a basket in her room. She seriously would not allow Corey to take her out of the basket. She would fuss anytime he tried to pick her up. She must have set in the basket for about 30 minutes and then she was finished. Luckily we snapped some pictures of her looking adorable. Also wanted to share how beautiful the princess looks after a polite and dainty meal.

TV Creates Zombie Boys

I thought I might share with all of you who think my children are the most high energy people ever that tv can stop everything in the Hooks House! Jacob and Jude are watching The Backyardigans when this picture was snapped. I'm sure they were just deep in some intellectual pursuit at this moment.

Happy Halloween

Corey and I have decided that this was the best Halloween we have ever had. It was unbelievable the amount of kids and parents out trick or treating in our new neighborhood...it was packed. There were kids in costumes running everywhere, leaving Jacob and Jude and Grace totally amazed. There were too many precious and funny moments to begin to tell them all. Jacob was Spiderman (he got tired of wearing his mask toward the end and started telling people he was "Peter Parker"), Jude was Batman and flew to every door with his arms raised making his cape flow behind him, and Grace was a Kitty Cat Princess who was adored by all who met her! We came back to our house and had cookies and hot cocoa (even though it was 81 degrees today), but traditions are traditions. We took pictures before we left the house tonight. Some of the ones are of the boys showing us their "action" poses which were shown to many unsuspecting passerby as well. Hope everyone had their own wonderful Halloween to boot!