Happy New Year from Texas!

James and I absolutely loved going to Texas to visit my family for a late Christmas and New Year's Eve Soiree! 

Sorry Gramps that your face is partially hidden! We love you! 

Here are the kiddos. Friends for life.

 James is super excited for Gramps' super fudge.

 Nana throws a soiree every year. It includes cheeseball & crackers, potato chips with sour cream & onion dip, nana's swedish cookies, gramps' chocolate chip cookies, fudge, cashews, shrimp, nana's mushrooms, and rolls with roast beef, turkey breast, and provolone cheese! Let the soiree begin!

 Piper was excited for her first New Year's Eve dance! I was able to curl her hair into an elegant side up-do. She looked gorgeous as always. 

 Love your dress Pi!

 My beautiful sister the model.

 We proceeded to open our Christmas gifts from the family. I'm laughing at something here, probably something Nana said because she and I are always laughing together. 

 Mom recorded some family history questions we asked Nana and Grandpa.

 Love our times spent at Nans & Gramps' house.

Pete looking comfy & handsome. 

Nana looking elegant. 

 Nana's cherry cheesecake.

Nana slicing the dessert. 

We of course toasted in the New Year together with Martinelli's sparkling cider.  

Happy New Year 2014! On New Years Day we went to go see Saving Mr. Banks. This is probably the most touching story about P.L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins. Emma Thompson is wonderful in it and so is Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. I LOVED this movie even though it made me so sad. My whole family really enjoyed it as well. It makes me appreciate Mary Poppins more. I have always loved that movie, especially since Nans & Gramps introduced it to me, but now I have a deeper appreciation for it. GO SEE THIS MOVIE!

After we wiped the tears away from the movie, we went out for our New Year's tradition: CHINESE FOOD. If any of you know me, you know that I don't enjoy Chinese food as much as most people, but James has been warming me up to it the past few years. I actually enjoyed this Chinese buffet. It is over by the Olive Garden across from the Stonebriar Mall. It's called Great Wall Super Buffet. I'd recommend it!

The boys on January 1, 2014

The girls on January 1, 2014

The Chapmans on January 1, 2014 

Paxton on January 1, 2014. What a sweetheart. We love this pup.

 Girls Day Out! On Thursday I took Piper out on a sisters date! We ate breakfast at the cutest, tastiest place called Fifth Street Patio Cafe in downtown Frisco. We LOVED it. Every menu item that was brought out looked absolutely delicious. 

Pi and I both ordered the Mr. Thomas breakfast because it was the healthiest option (gotta be healthy at the start of 2014)! It really was very tasty though! Scrambled egg whites, whole wheat toast, turkey sausage, avocado, tomato, and lettuce! 

Pi looking so cute with her breakfast! 

 Love her so much.

 Then we saw FROZEN!! This was Piper's first time seeing it and my second. Piper LOVED it and I LOVED it again! If you haven't seen it yet, GO NOW! The best song in the world that we haven't stopped singing is Elsa's song, Let it Go, sung by Idina Menzel. You can watch/listen to it here. It's so inspiring! And now I am obsessed with the concept of snowflakes and ice. 

And then that night after singing our lungs out we wanted to sing more by watching Enchanted. We love that movie. Especially all of Pip the chipmunk's cute funnyness. ♫ I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss! ♫ Also it makes me love James Marsden and Patrick Dempsey even more.

Every minute with the family is wonderful. We miss them already!

This is a picture of the salsa that I got James for Christmas from The Martinez family in McKinney. It is SO.GOOD. Buy some now.

Look forward to the next post when we get back from Utah!

Happy New Year!