Texas Snow 2011

I promise that is not a gang sign. Oaxie is trying

to spray her pretend spider webs!!!!

Taking a break to warm our clothes up, just to

go out again, and again and again!

Finally done for the day and ready to relax by

the fire.

Love this face!!!

I think Ruby loved the snow more than Oaxie

This was her first time to see snow. AND, no

that is not a deer frozen in the snow it is Jon's

practice target!

Yep...the snow finally arrived in Texas this week and burrrrrr it has been cold! School was called off Tuesday and Jon stayed home too. The snow was fun to play in but only for short periods of time. The wind was blowing so hard that it made it almost unbearable to stay out long! We cooked chili in the crock pot all day. Super yummy for dinner.

Today we woke up to no hot water! Jon went to the shop and brought home some super duty diesel heaters to warm up the attic so it would thaw out the frozen pipes. Worked perfect and the hot water is back on. I am just waiting for our electricity to start going out! It is happening all over the metroplex so I am sure it will make its way out to ten buck two where we are sooner or later! Stay warm everyone!:)

Happy New Year

The Annual Binford Family Christmas Pic

Bin trying out his new soccer goal. Check out

those skills!!:)

Oaxie and Rapunzel

BIG FOOT

Me and my baby girl

Don't even ask!!!

Out at the farm with Nana & Granddaddy

Doc was thinking Oaxie's bow looked very

appetizing

Granddaddy teaching Oaxie how to use a whip.

Look out!!!

Oaxie and Old Red. Nana's favorite Mama

Cow.

Granddaddy with his Bin and Oaxie

On New Years day we celebrated Christmas with the Binford Clan! It was well worth the wait. Bin and Oaxie were so excited to see that Santa had left just a few more presents at Nana and Granddaddy's house for them! Bin finally got Big Foot which he had been waiting for and Oaxie was surprised she had a rather large Rapunzel under the tree! However, we decided that we should have given her to the guys for Christmas. For some reason they all enjoyed brushing her long hair! :)

The new year started off with Bin's visit to the Neurologist. We have been concerned because he has been falling a little more than usual. We were hoping his new braces would correct that but so far they have not. The doctor says he does not believe it is tethered cord which we were the most worried about. He says it could be related to a shunt malfunction so Bin will be having a MRI to rule that out too, hopefully! Bin has his Spina Bifida clinic at Scottish Rite tomorrow so we can get some questions answered there also. We have not really wanted to bring up the 'wheel chair' conversation but we are getting to the point that it is an upcoming reality. Bin gets very tired after walking long distances and has been asking to be carried when we are in the store or walking around the pasture. He complains that his legs are tired. He will not need it all the time but for long distances he will. Keep us in your prayers as this is yet another learning and coping process that Spina Bifida brings into our lives.

Wells Christmas

They are all mesmerized by Star Wars on TaTa
and Mikes new big screen TV!! Sadie, the sweet
puppy w/ all the kiddos was just hit by a car the day
before. Fractured pelvis and broken tail but she
loves to be around the kids so the pain did not keep
her from them!:)


Leanne, aka TaTa (Jon's mom), and I pose for
the camera since there are not very many pictures
of us. We are the ones usually taking them!


Jon and our sweet nephew, Elliott.

Bin and his Batman Cave

Oaxie and her ZhuZhu pets...don't even get me

started on these things!!

Santa came to see us!

This is our Christmas finally finished around 2 AM!

Jon working on all of Oaxie's ZhuZhu stuff

And the mess begins!!

Bin has been asking for the Nerf blasters for

ever. I am still not for sure if this was a good idea!

This was one of the only things Oaxie asked for...

the dog on a leash.

Bin was totally excited over Criss Cross Crash.

This was what he asked for from Santa!

Jon in his Scooby attire

Wow, it has been a fast and crazy few weeks getting ready for Christmas and we still have one more next weekend! Christmas Eve we went to Jon's parents. Santa even stopped by for a few seconds, which was pretty nice of him considering he had lots of presents to deliver still! The kids were totally excited about Santa and of course our video camera was accidentally switched to pause for the entire thing. I'm not naming names of who could have done that though!!! My camera battery died right after he started passing out gifts so I was only able to get a few pics of the excitement!

Afterwards, we had to get home and get kids to bed so we could finish putting all of their gifts together for Christmas morning! We finally got to bed after 2. At 3 Bin came into our room screaming that Santa had left Criss Cross Crash. He was totally beside himself and out of control. Finally, we got him settled down and he went back to sleep. Then about an hour later, he woke up and got sick all over the bed!! He did not feel good the rest of the day. He didn't even open most of his presents until I finally made him before I had to go into work. Yep, I had to leave all the excitement and go to work for the afternoon shift. Thanks to my sweet friend, Mary, she worked the morning so I could be with Jon and kids for a little while.

When I got home from work that night the house was in complete shambles. We were all so exhausted that we left it that way until the next morning. None of us got up until after 10 the day after Christmas. It was sooooo nice.

Christmas Fun

Very proud of our new tree!


Christmas Crafts


Patiently waiting on the puppet show


Snazzy Hula Hooper

Before leaving for the party. This pic is

so sweet to me!

My cutie patooties!

This weekend was fun filled. We picked out our first ever live Christmas tree and also went to the annual Spina Bifida Christmas Party. I am not sure the real Christmas tree was a good idea. I did not realize they shed so badly. I am sweeping up needles every day. I am hoping there is a tree left by the time Christmas gets here! A friend at work said I need to add soda to it along with water. Does that sound right to you? I guess I am going to give it a try and see if it makes a difference. We put it up and did not decorate it for a few days to give it time for the limbs to fall. At least that's the reason I gave the kids anyway! Secretly, I was hoping that the tree would decorate itself! Why is that not a fun thing for me? By Monday the kids could not take it anymore so we decorated it when Jon came home that night. I will put those pictures up later.

The Spina Bifida Association Christmas Party was at the Flight Museum in Dallas. What a neat place to have it! The kids were amazed by all the planes and exhibits there. We will have to take Granddaddy back there someday. Bin and Oaxie enjoyed seeing all their friends that they had such a good time with at camp. I think this is also the first time they have ever had there picture taken with Santa. While standing in line Bin told the kids, " That's just a man wearing a Santa suit and not the real deal!" One of the boys asked if Santa was giving gifts and Bin said,"No he is just taking your list today." Where did this child come from? I told him to please just go along with the fun and not to ruin any of the other children's Santa experience. Jon and I are still laughing about that. We have not ever made a big deal about Santa. I don't know why really. So, I am not sure if Bin and Oaxie really think he is real.

Nana gave us The Elf on the Shelf so we read that to them a while back. They named there Elf Percy. Unfortunately, they have not been to concerned about where Jon and I take the time to move him every few days!!! If you haven't read the book it is really fun. An Elf comes with the book that your family names. He is supposed to be Santa's little helper to watch and see if the kids are being naughty or nice. When the kids go to sleep he flies off to the North Pole to give Santa an update. They were so over that after a day or two! Still a cute read though. :)

New Braces

Showing the new braces off!

Patiently waiting!

My little Goose!

Bin's lovely little footsies

Here are Bin's new camouflage braces. He was in need of some new ones very badly! His little toes were growing over the edge of the old ones. He has been falling a lot lately and we are hoping it is because he just needed a new set. I took pictures of his little legs too. They are so small and skinny. He kept trying to wiggle his toes while we were waiting. Unfortunately he cant but he put in a good effort. Oaxie finally grabbed his toes and wiggled them for him.:) While we were there we even enjoyed taking a tour of the brace making facility at Scottish Rite Hospital! It was sooooo amazing. We saw how they are made and even got to check out a new prosthetic leg that was just completed. Bin said, "Look Mommy, they make Super Hero Legs here!" How true that is!