Dallas Cowboys Game!!!!!

Dawson got my dad 2 tickets to a Dallas Cowboys game for his 60th birthday.  They finally got to go to the game on the Sunday that we were in Frisco for our family Christmas. The Cowboys played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  It was a close game with several big plays and the Cowboys won it!  So it was an exciting game and Dawson and Gramps made some good memories there. 

GO COWBOYS!

Their seats were up really high, but they had a good view and lots of scores took place on that goal line.  Also, there is the big ginormous screen for closer views.  And Dawson enjoyed looking through the binoculars as well.

Gramps and Dawson.  :-)

Christmas with Family

I should have taken more pictures of family.  Instead, I just got a few of the boys opening presents:

Cousins ready to open their presets!

Yep, that shirt describes our Brady.  He is awesomeness!  :-)

Board games are always appreciated.

Dawson got this amazing chess set!

Playing a game with Randy.

A giant gingerbread house at the Gaylord Texan.

San Antonio

We took a mini vacation to San Antonio so I could run in the Rock & Roll Marathon and we could enjoy the Riverwalk sights at Christmas-time.

Handsome boys!

Selfie with Brady, trying to capture all of the beautiful lights along the Riverwalk in the background.  It was all so pretty!

At the lobby in our hotel - the Embassy Suites (which we all loved!!).

Hanging out in our spacious 2 room suite!

At the race expo.

Post-race.  Completed the marathon, but it was a disappointing performance.  :-(

Cookie Decorating with Friends

A Christmas tradition:

Court of Honor

Troop 98 Court of Honor:

For the Scout Law, each scout recited one of the points, explained what it meant, and then lit a candle.  Dawson did, "A Scout is Helpful."

Dawson reading about the Second Class Rank, as Seth and Will received their Second Class Badge.

Dawson receiving his Merit Badges.  He got Reptile and Amphibian Study, Dentistry, Chess, Salesmanship, Communication, Citizenship in the World, Camping, and Family Life merit badges.

The Scouts lining up to get their candle or lantern lit by a flame of the Peace Light, which has been burning for over a thousand years in a church in Bethlehem.

Troop 98 scouts and families with their Peace Lights.

Family picture at the Court of Honor.

Hanging Out in an Orange Tree

Music Class

Dawson took a music class at our co-op this fall.  I was frequently in another class with Brady so I missed much of the awesome music class, but I did catch the last class day when the kids played guitar and drums.  Dawson and Estelle were great together!

Tyler State Park

This was our 2nd trip to Tyler State Park.  It's one of our favorites!!  Great campsites, many miles of hiking trails, a pretty lake, and nice playground.

Our lovely, beautiful, spacious lakeside campsite.

Monkey bar man.

Dawson up on top of the playground.

There were lots of these neat benches along the lakeside trail.

And lots of tree climbing opportunities.

Brady spotted something in the underbrush.

An armadillo!

Me and mini-me.

My 3 guys.

Staying dry in the RV during a little thunderstorm.  The kitchen table makes for a great place to play.

Brady playing a little Rush Hour.

And then we had fun with several games of cards - Uno and Skip-Bo.

Out exploring in the woods.

Dawson and I out on a (chilly) 10 mile hike.

A pretty little waterfall built by the CCC.

Daingerfield State Park

This was our first trip to Daingerfield State Park.  It's a small state park, but a very pretty one - lots of trees, a pretty lake, and great hiking trails.

Dawson watching the ducks.

Brady being his cute, silly self.

Family hike.

Taking a break at the top of a hill on one of our hikes.

All the Garner guys.

. . . . again.  :-)

A nice lakeside viewing area along one of the hiking trails.

A rare picture of me and Randy (thanks to Dawson).



Popsicles taste better after a day exploring the state park.

Dawson is the BEST fire-builder!