SATB Tour- Part 5

After our trip to the family cabin, we stopped thru Abilene. We had rented a camper from Dyess, AFB (flash back to pre-Japan!) and had to return it. Our friends Tomio and Amie Brown still are stationed there, and just had a baby boy 3 weeks ago, TJ (Tomio Jr). So of course after returning the camper, we had to make a quick stop to say hi and meet their little cutie! He is so sweet and cute, and made Mallory like a big girl. It's crazy how you get used to holding your own baby, and when you hold another LITTLE one, you forget how squishy and tiny they are at the beginning!

He's cute even when he sleeps
The little guy smiling
The new mommy's with their precious bundles!

After Abilene, on the night of Jan 2nd., we made it to Dallas/Ft. Worth. Brett had to fly back to Japan the next day so we spent the night at our friend Debbie's house. It was the night of the Texas Tech Bowl Game, so we watched that with some friends. Mallory was the hit of the party though, of course.
Debbie, Melissa and Mal
Brett, Debbie and Mal

Brett flew back to Japan the morning of Jan 3rd. Mallory and I stayed behind in the states, to spend a little bit more time with friends and family. We were going to miss him but looked forward to seeing a few more people. Mallory and I had borrowed Brandon's truck, so I drove that back to Austin, and then my mom and Barbara met up 1/2 way between Austin and Houston, to take me back to Houston to spend some time with Nana.
On our first night home, Mom and Mallory had girl time. After I took this picture, we all snuggled up under that blanket and watched the girl-iest show ever, "The Bachelor". Gotta start Mal off right :)
Look- I found my feet!
Sweet, sweet smiley girl
Dontcha just LOVE this face!?!?

My friend from high school (who is actually married to another KHS grad) still lives in Houston, and her son Patrick was born just 10 days before Mallory. She came over one afternoon and we got to catch up, and have our kids meet. Mallory's first boyfriend!
Patrick and Mallory
They are just about the same size, although I think Patrick weighs a bit more.
The 4 of us
Wow- weird! What am I doing over here Mom, and why do you have another baby in your arms?
Looking all cute and casual in a sweater and jeans
Mal and Mommy

SATB Tour- Part 4- Brownwood, TX for NYE

It's a good thing I don't make my living by blog writing...we'd be broke b/c I'm so behind. I', still writing about 2009! I have high hopes I'll get caught up soon... :)

I'll continue on about our trip to the states....after our trip to Austin, most of Brett's family went up to the family cabin, located just outside Brownwood, TX. They have some land up there where the guys deer hunt; the girls play cards, cook and play with the babies; and everyone jsut drinks beer, hangs out and has a great time. This year we all went up there for New Year's. Since there are now so many kiddos in the family, several of us stayed in the cabin (thank goodness it has been expanded) and we also had 2 campers. We all had beds and had a great time!

Barbara's parents live in Blanket, just around the corner from the cabin. We stopped by the say hello and let them meet Mallory.
Mallory says "she looks like a nice Grandma!"
Bo and Cheyanne spend some time hanging out at the lake.
Mal and Daddy went fishing
Bo and Cheyanne had fun playing on the banks
Mommy and Mal hung out in the 4 wheeler while the boys went fishing.
Mallory and Porter having a deep conversation about life as babies.
Mal enjoys the jumparoo
The baby girls swinging by the fire. I think they had the 2 best seats out there!
Barbara and Rachel having some girl talk
The Daddy's watch over their little girls
Swinging by the fire
Daddy and Mallory enjoy the fire
The baby girls- Mallory 4 mo and Bella 3 mo
The baby girls and baby Porter too (6 mo). Doesn't it look like they are conspiring against him? I can almost hear the girls whispering "why isn't he wearing pink"?
The Krause boys- Garner, Porter and Kadon- such sweet brothers!
Tera and Bella
Baby Row!
Auntie Rachel, Mal and Mommy and Shad's Rachel all enjoying the fire
Our little family- can you tell it was just a BIT cold outside on New Year's Eve?
Adrian, Jason and Shad contemplate life.
Rachel and Brandon
Mallory didn't quite make it to midnight, but she was snuggled safe in Daddy's hands.
Josh and Shad jam on the guitars
Brett, Brandon and Adrian
Here comes the champagne! it's midnight! Welcome 2010!!!

A good time was had by all and it was hard to say good-bye to everyone on Jan 1st, but we all had (and have) high hopes the 2010 is going to be a great year!

SATB Tour- Part 3- Austin, TX

Our next stop on our "Tour of America" was Austin. We packed up from Uncle Craig's house, drove 2 hours to the Atlanta airport and flew from Atlanta to Houston, then Houston to Austin. Barbara picked us up, and our first Texas request was a stop at Taco Cabana for tortillas and queso. We made it to her house, unloaded and enjoyed the cheap mexican food goodness.

We then spent the next few days celebrating Christmas with Brett's various (and many) family members. As the pictures show, we had a great time.

Mallory the morningof her first Christmas.Mallory meeting couin Bella, who is about 1 month younger. They had on the same little pants, although it wasn't planned.
This getting spoiled thing is fun!
Have you ever seen a cuter little booty?
Our family of 3 at the big Cochran family Christmas party.
The entire clan. Told you there were a lot of them! I'm still impressed that we could manage to get this many people, and kids and babies, in a picture and have all of us looking forward and smiling!

Hanging out under the tree.
All the grandkids -Kadon, Porter, Dylan, Samantha, Logan, Mallory, Bo, Bella, Garner and Cheyanne.
Mama B with all her grandkids- seeing as how a few of us live out of Texas now, it was pretty special to ALL be in town at the same time!
Mallory with her new Cabbage Patch doll.
Christmas wore her out (but doesn't she look like a sleeping angel in her little Christmas dress?)
Aunt Rachel with Mal
"The Shad's" play with Mal
Shad rocks out on his guitar later in the night. Notice how just a few of the kids are still up for this late night event, and notice that one of them is our Mallory. She is a party girl!
Cheyanne had a fun time playing with her baby cousinLooking just adorable under the Christmas tree.

We had a great time in Austin with Brett's side of the family, but luckily, we didn't have to end it yet. On Dec 29th, the 3 of us drove up to Abilene to get a camper to take down to the cabin in Brownwood, where most of the family spent New Year's. The cabin, although it has been added on to recently, still isn't quite big enough for all of us, so we had 2 campers as well. Stay tuned...pics from New Year 2009-2010 at the cabin are up next...