Warren Peace: A White Christmas in Iowa Park

This is a long post - it was a long trip! Much longer than we expected!!!

We originally planned to be at Grando and Necie's house for 2 nights. Look who immediately found her big present from them! She loves it!! (Notice the plate on the back! It says Princess!)

The first night we were there, we had beans and cornbread and some other goodies for dinner, then loaded up in the Expedition, all NINE of us, to go look at Christmas lights and get Starbucks drinks! Some of us had more fun than others...The kids really liked it! (Me too!)

Uncle Todd and Bobo (my new iphone is awesome, but no flash, sorry)

One of the coolest things we saw while we were out. We thought about getting pictures made on the bench underneath it the next night, but it was just too cold. It's blurry - a drive by photo!

We went to El Chico's for our early Christmas dinner - it was delicious and there was nothing to prepare or clean up, so it was a nice treat for everyone!

Uncle Todd and Grando

Mamie and Buck

Necie, Bobo, and Reese

Georgia and Collin

Mommy and Luke

Daddy and Caden (I love this pic - they look so much alike!)

A close up of Luke :)

After dinner we went back to Grando and Necie's for presents! Reese got the closest thing to a real dog she's going to have for a long time!! She LOVES dogs, but this one that doesn't have to be fed or cleaned up after is great! It moves, blinks, makes sounds when you pet it - she really likes it!

Caden and Luke got magnetic blocks to build with - they SO enjoyed playing with them - so did Uncle Todd - wait til you see! :)

Laughing at the dog

Thanking her Mamie for her new dog!

Necie, Reese, and Buck

Later we exchanged gifts with Grando, Necie, and Bobo and Uncle Todd! It was the night before Christmas Eve, but we were planning on heading out early the next morning to get to McKinney. (We were expecting one inch of snow accumulation.)

Light Sabers from Uncle Todd!

Mary Poppins from Uncle Todd! (The first girlie movie we've added to our Disney Collection! Yay!)

Light Up SKECHERS!! YAY!!!!

ROMO JERSEY!!! WOO HOO!!!

Clothes??

I LOVE THEM!!!! (as she drapes the pants around her neck, squealing!)

Play food to go with her new kitchen!! SO fun!!!

Sweet new baby from Bobo!

Told ya Uncle Todd had fun with the magnets - The Statue of Liberty

Overnight, there were several inches of accumulation and the roads became impossible to drive on. Poor Bobo had to go to work at 8 so Grando and Necie had to drive her into Wichita Falls and were going to pick her up at noon.

She called at 10 with the ok to come home, but they couldn't get out of the driveway! We were in our first official BLIZZARD. In TEXAS!! At 11:30, the bank closed early and someone she worked with that drives a big truck offered to bring her home.

Poor Grando/Daddy/Uncle Todd helped the neighbors out with a sweet kitchen that required about 176 screws to put it together, then they took it next door (not a short walk, especially in this snow!)

The daddy next door is a state trooper and was working and couldn't come home. He brought Tiff when he was able to get to.

She finally got home at 11:45 PM!!!

It was Christmas Eve Night - we were all so relieved to have her home!! It would not have been good at all to wake up on Christmas without her there!!

Six hours on the road to IP, then 6 more waiting for Harmony Rd to become accessible. There were 4 and 5 foot snow drifts. Obviously, we didn't go anywhere that day, or the next.

So, Christmas Day was unexpectedly in Iowa Park! Luckily, Santa managed to find the kids!

Reese got a new bed for her babies to sleep in, but she was much more interested in the chocolate in her stocking! She knew as soon as she saw the little foil Santa that there was chocolate inside. She has no self-control when it comes to chocolate. She comes by it honest.