My Latest Project...

Ryan and I decided we would make a calendar to send to his grandmother in California with pics of the family since she doesn't get to see the boys as often as she would like. I went on Kodak Gallery and half-way put one together, and then....I was introduced to scrapblog, and I received an email about their calendars....what...I can make one on scrapblog...so the late nights began....This is what I have been doing instead of preparing for the 14 people coming over to our house tonight! Here are a few I have finished...

These are all pictures of the boys at the family lake house on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas...The kids absolutely LOVE it there!

Love this family and all its craziness...

The only other girls in the family...Shelby so thinks she's princess! Lucky...she's just "lucky" to still be part of the family after chewing: a corner of our brand new family room rug, buffet table in the entry, 2 legs of dining room chair, several steps on the staircase...need I continue...=)

Austin's final year on the Raiders...Thank the Lord...Have you ever heard any stories about little league football in Texas...They're all true! Crazy! It was fun at times, and after 5 years with the same crew, Austin has made some life-long friends.

Halloween is hands-down one of my MOST favorite holidays of the year, and this year was no exception! I especially loved Ryan's costume...Love the tattoo...Rednecks wouldn't get the old name taken off...they'd simply cross it out and write the new one on top! Notice the cobwebs on the fireplace...they were once full of black bats that the boys made, but one by one, they kept disappearing....We finally figured out that Lucky was biting them off and eating them!

These pics are from our summer vacation to Point Clear with my entire family...17 of us! It was so much fun, and I am pretty sure we're going back again this year!


Now that I am almost finished...Ryan....I promise I will, as you have said, step away from the computer and take the first step in beating any addiction...state I have a problem...and I love it! After all, what fun is life if you can't chronicle your memories! =)

Lots to do...

So we're having some good friends over with their little ones for New Year's Eve, and have I done ANYTHING to prepare for it yet?! No....I have been so consumed with Christmas and all the hoopla that comes with it, that I hadn't even realized New Year's Eve was sneeking up so quickly....and now it's tomorrow! Lots to do today...

Hangin' With My Boys...

Austin received approximately $500 for Christmas and desperately wanted me to take him to the mall to spend some of his loot! I remember when I was young and had a large sum of money, it felt like it was burning a whole in my pocket, so I took him, along with Preston and Carter to the mall for shopping and my personal favorite...food consumption!

One of the reasons I decided to post this was the fact that my boys have transformed into well-behaved little youngsters....due in part to what my family refers to as having gone through "Soladay Bootcamp", and I am actually able to take them out in public by myself without my anxiety level jumping through the roof. I was so proud of them for sitting through an entire meal at Chili's without getting up, staying right with me as we walked from store to store and the major accomplishment...Carter not repeatedly saying his legs were tired and requesting to be carried. It was greatness!

Austin has now spent all but $40 of his money, and I think he made some great decisions as far as what he chose to spend his money on!

Austin's wanted a pink shirt...so we found him one!

The shoes he picked out...Didn't we have the same style when we were kids!?

So handsome...

Final Christmas Post.....

Okay...I promise this will be the final Christmas-related posting from the Solawatts...I simply couldn't resist including a few of the really cool gifts given/received this year! By the way, Casey, I should have NEVER gone to scrapblog!





1. The "Howdy" Pillow
Ryan and I gave this to Carol to take with her to New York, so she and Ed will never forget where they belong!

2. Eye Clops Night Vision Goggles
My parents gave a pair of these to almost all the boy grandkids, and they are super cool! You can see in absolute darkness up to 50 feet!

3. Guitar
Ryan's parents gave him an acoustic guitar, and I cannot wait until I can listen to him play...

4. Find It Game
The boys received this completely addicting game called Find It! It comes in several different themes, but Carol chose the sports edition for the boys...imagine that! It is filled with thousands of little plastic beads, and hidden within are about 50 different items linked to some type of sport. For example, there's a basketball, a football, a hockey stick etc. There is also a penny hidden somewhere inside, but we have been unable to find it as of yet!

5. Consider it Golf

With Ryan and his parents being avid golfers, the boys couldn't help but pick up the sport. Just look in our garage....We have 4 little golf club sets! Each summer one of the boys is given the opportunity...thanks to Pop and Grandma...to participate in the kid's golf camp at Gentle Creek Golf Club, where Ed and Carol are members. This summer will be Trysten's turn! So...back to the gift...Consider it Golf is a children's book that teaches children golf etiquette such as repairing divots, covering your tracks in a bunker, staying clear of a player's line of putt. So cute!

*On a special note...I was extremely touched this year when MeMa Dee Dee (Ryan's Grandmother) passed down her beautiful fur jacket, she has cherished for so many years, to me. I love that her initials are embroidered on the inside...

Christmas at Mimi and Grandaddy's

It seems like Christmas at my parent's house gets bigger every year. There are 8 grandchildren now...6 of which are boys, so needless to say...it's crazy..and so much fun...notice a pattern? Here are a few of the highlights...

My parent's tree always looks amazing...

In addition to all of the grandkids, my parents still put up stockings for my sister, brother and I. Do you think the have enough stocking holders on their mantle!?

"The Kid's Table"...Every family has one! Austin finally graduated to the adult table this year!

My sweet sister and Addyson...I could eat that little baby up!

My brother, Ben and Austin

Jennifer...Ben's wife...and me. Ryan gave me the shirt I have on...It says, "Boy Moms Rock!". Love it!

I can't tell the difference between the wrapped and unwrapped presents!

Our little artist...

Nerf Gun Tag...I can only imagine what this game will look like!

Christmas 2008...You came and went in a flash...

Christmas Morning

Here are a few pictures from Christmas morning. So much fun...

Santa brought Preston and Trysten matching scooters and even remembered to label each of them with their initials so as to prevent future discrepancies!

Trysten had a ninja costume on his list, and Ryan I were determined to find one...He wore it the entire morning!

Preston loves to play Monopoly, so this was a huge hit!

This was the first year since Austin was born that he didn't ask for ANY toys. His wish list consisted of clothes, an ipod and a new basketball...He's turning into a teenager right in front of us...

Santa brought Carter the coolest Star Wars playhut...you can see it in the background. He and Trysten eventually moved all of their presents in there and played until we left for Mimi and Grandaddy's!

The first of many toys Ryan either put together or put batteries in.

Saving the best for last...The boys gave me the most beautiful amethyst (my birthstone) and diamond ring...so sweet...

Quick Glimpse Into Our Life...

I know I said the boys were excited on Christmas Eve, but without viewing the following, I don't think one can quite appreciate the exact level of animated anticipation so uniquely professed as we made a quick stop at CVS on the drive over to Pop and Grandma's. Here's a quick glimpse into our life...I love having such a big and boisterous family!

Christmas Eve...

This Christmas Eve was by far the most meaningful and special one yet. There were so many moments that I looked at Ryan and our boys and truly felt like we have become a family. =)
The culminating moment for me was when we ate dinner, we ALL sat at the formal dining table, candles lit, Christmas music in the background, fine china on the place mats, napkins in the boys' laps, and the kids talked about how this was the best Christmas ever. I was so proud of them, and realized how far we have all come over the past 2 years...


The drive over...They don't looked excited or anything do they?!

Ed & Carol's beautiful Family Room...

Austin's favorite spot at Pop and Grandma's!

Ed and Carol gave Austin a book all about the NFL...Austin and Preston were naming as many as the quarterbacks on the cover as they could!

Ryan's father, Ed...What an amazing role model my husband grew up with...


One of the highlights of Christmas with Pop and Grandma is the scavenger hunt...just ask Preston! Each year they buy the kids a group gift and put the first clue, as to it's secret location, in the tree. One-by-one, the kids find the clues and take turns reading them until they get to the final one, and then the gift is revealed! So creative...and the boys absolutely love it!

The Clues...

Here's the first one hidden in the tree...

Since Austin is the oldest, he always starts the hunt by reading the first clue!

Austin and Preston helping Trysten read his..being so sweet and patient...

They found it! Last year Pop and Grandma gave them a Wii, and this year...Dance, Dance Revolution! So much fun!



After opening presents, we all went to "Christmas in the Barn" which is an annual event in Prosper, organized by a local church. They had fire pits set up for the kids to make smores, a live nativity scene...with camels...so cool...cookie decorating and hot chocolate with all the chocolate sprinkles and whip cream you could stomach....Austin took that literally and had about 6 inches of whip cream!

Did I mention we took our two dogs to play with Annie...Ed and Carol's dog....Ya....They weren't very happy when left them to go to the "Christmas in a Barn"...


Pop helping Preston roast a marshmallow to make a smore!

Carter and Preston making cookies...Let's see how much sugar they can ingest BEFORE dinner!!!

The fam!

Back home for dinner...Love this family...What an amazing night...

So Sick...But So Ready!

I cannot believe today is Christmas Eve! The boys can barely contain themselves...neither can the adults! Although I feel like I was run over by a truck and have absolutely NO voice what-so-ever left today, due to some type of upper respiratory mess, I am so excited! This is the first year since Ryan and I were married that we have ALL the boys together for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, so we have left no stone unturned to make sure it's extra special. At 2:00 today, we're headed over to Ryan's parent's house with a ham, a bounce house and presents! Although Ed and Carol (Pop and Grandma) are joining my whole family at my parent's tomorrow, we decided to have the kids open the gifts they have for them at their house so as to not have to haul everything out to Mimi and Grandaddy's in the morning. Cannot wait!

Christmas Cookies...

Since we have big plans with Ryan's parents tomorrow night, this was the final opportunity to make our Christmas cookies...regardless of me running a fever! Last weekend at World Market, I found this cute little kit with everything to make the cookies except for butter and eggs, so for me, it was perfect! By the way, if you have never gone into a World Market, you really should. Ryan and I love to go there before parties and such because they have awesome gourmet crackers, great pastas and sauces, an extensive wine collection, as well as spices from all over the world. Really cool place. So....back to making cookies...the kids had a blast and ate several while decorating and after dinner!



The kit from World Market

I love that Trysten is wearing his Spiderman costume while making cookies!

Can you tell the boys had fun with the flour!

Trysten post Spidey digs wanting so badly to lick the spoon! Look at his lips!

Austin's cookies were very creative. He named one, "Sloppy Joe"....don't ask me why!

Carter finally gave into temptation!

They turned out great!

2008...A Year in Review! Click play!

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