Ana & Charley's Big Announcement

One thing I LOVE when we go to Sanger or Aubrey or Lewisville for events and trips is when we can all get together, even if just for a fast meal! To keep us from going all the way to Sanger to get kids and then get on the road again, the rest of the Erwins met us at Ana & Charley's house for brunch and to celebrate the February birthdays: me, Vic, and Melbo (88!). It was nice to sleep in and have our kids arrive dressed and packed! ah! So nice!

 Everyone watched Ana's dance from the night before!

And we got to eat birthday cake and sing!

We got to visit and eat and then Ana and Charley brought out these cool scratch off tickets for the kids to scratch and see if they won something...check out the video here:

https://youtu.be/HmEf0l9Eeqc

 

 Hooray! They are pregnant and having their first little bambino due on September 26th, 2018! Ana always said she would get pregnant when we were pregnant with our 4th baby - she was right!

 Everyone is pointing at Ana's tummy! There's a little baby in there! Oh we were so excited! Although, in the video, you could tell it took Melbo a little while...that was so funny!

It was a great way to finish celebrating the weekend before everyone went their separate ways (Dad headed to work!). So so thankful for so many blessings! A weekend I won't ever forget!

Dancing with the Stars Night

This was a big weekend! So, we found out in November or so that Ana was going to be in a Dancing With the Stars event to raise money for the Colleyville Rotary Club. It's an event they do every year and it raises a lot of money. They ask local celebrities, like Ana of course, to dance and to raise money for it. They partner every contestant with a professional ballroom dancer and then they perform at this fancy event! Originally, we were not sure Vic and I would make it, but then GG and Mom offered to buy our tickets as my 35th birthday present AND keep the kids the night of the event so we got to go! Oh my goodness - it was so fun! It was fun to dress up and go out to a fancy event; Vic even commented that he could totally get used to this lifestyle! So, we headed out Saturday morning, the 24th of February, dropped the kids in Sanger and stayed with Ana and Charley that night. It was great to also have a kid-free sleep night - we didn't have to put kids to bed! Thanks Mom, Dad & GG! You will see most of the details in my photos and video, but Ana BLEW everyone away with her dancing. I know it was tough, and she is naturally a great dancer having danced her entire life - although she had never done ballroom. She looked beautiful; we got to be with Charley too and then.....SHE WON! She won the entire dancing part of the event! And she should have - she was so amazing! So, here are the photos; we have the best time with Ana and Charley even when we do nothing, but this was a really special night to remember and I loved being able to celebrate my birthday this way! I won't forget when she told me that her mom (who is the sweetest lady) said "do Vic and Sarah WANT to celebrate their birthdays this way?" and Ana told something like "Yes! They love to be with us!" haha! It's so true!

 Brothers.

 Her dress was amazing!

 Introductions!

 She was so nervous, but thankfully she went first out of the gate and then she was done!

 All dressed up for a night!

Here's a video recap: https://youtu.be/kaGL5tZuUY4

 She got a real mirror ball trophy and everything! She honestly could compete on the real ABC show!

 Charley probably never knew (or he probably did!) how exciting every day would be with Ana when he married her! Good choice, Charley, good choice.

 So so proud of her!

We're touching the mirror ball trophy!! It was a birthday night to remember!

Christmas In Sanger

We headed to Sanger on the 28th of December for a long weekend to celebrate Christmas with the family!We spent most of our time playing games, visiting, opening gifts and hanging at Grandma and Pop's to play. Melbo and Pa had been sick and not moving well, so this was the first year, ever, that we did not go to their house to do Christmas. So, we had it at Grandma and Pop's and then a few of us went over to their house after to visit and let them open their gifts. Vic and Charley also installed their new TV! It was a fast, but great Christmas!

So, every time we are at Grandma and Pop's house, Grace rides this big plastic pony. She's almost too big for it, but she loves it. Well, my mom pulled out Charley's old stuffed pony and Everly played and played and played on it. By the end of the trip, she wanted on the plastic one too but this one entertained her so much!

Grace even got a solo trip to the feed store with Pop one morning.

 Everly took a long nap while eveyrone opened gifts, so she got to have a solo show! She loved these Minnie Mouse shoes! Mickey and friends were her Christmas highlights this year!

 Melbo, age 87 and Pa, age 91! They've seen a lot of Christmases together!

We left on New Year's Eve to head home in our pajamas. It was COOOLD that day! It was a great Christmas in Sanger!

Breakfast with Santa, Christmas Ballet, and Weekend with GG & Grandma

This year, at Sonshine School PTO, I helped with Breakfast with Santa. I think things like this make me realize that I should keep saying "no" to volunteering. It was fine, but our crew was small and there was lots of work and sometimes I really just want to attend events and not help run them. I'm getting better at this though! It was a super successful event for our school though and we made over $4,000! But, I'm glad I'm not on PTO next year. I need a break! However, with Mom & GG also in town, we all attended Breakfast with Santa at Sonshine School. We did crafts, ate breakfast, shopped, and saw Santa for pictures. And, we got it all done before we re-grouped and headed to Grace's dance performance at George Bush Library!

 Dani & Grace - best buddies!

 This little one loved playing in reindeer food!

 My big kid!

Grace's preschool ballet and tap class did a Christmas performance at George Bush Library again this year. I was so proud of her again for being so brave. She was hesitant for me to leave her backstage, but her sweet friend, Brynn, made it better! She danced beautifully and had a great time. Also, since it was SO packed and crazy last year to watch because of all of the people, Vic decided to keep Everly and Grace home and just watch the video. So, only Grace, Grandma, GG and I went and it was a special day for our Gracie Bug! Also, I am always impressed at Grace - she is just a fast learner with dance and wants to do a good job so she learns the moves (as good as any 4 year old) and does a good job. I'll post the video here too: https://youtu.be/7cER60YfMxw

Brynn & Grace; Brynn will also be in Kindergarten with Grace this year at Pebble Creek!

 
The staff took this photo and posted it on FB; I think Grace is just so beautiful!

 Grace got a balloon made - a heart, of course!

 She was just the cutest, tiniest little ballerina and I loved it!

 Santa was also at the George Bush Library, so she talked to him again that day! And she wasn't even scared to do it without Atticus!

 My beautiful little girl!

 On the way home, we celebrated and brought sno-cones home for everyone!

 And then we spent the rest of hte afternoon outside; Grandma threw the football with Atticus and Everly went sliding down the slide!

On Sunday, we took Grandma and GG to our church at FBC Bryan. I don't like missing services during the holiday season so I was glad we got to go! Then, we did a little shopping at the craft fair in town and then GG and Grandma headed home!