Christmas

The Christmas season is always so much fun with the kids. We have already started several traditions that we all so love!

Every year we decorate Gingerbread houses with our friends The Gunther's. I can't imagine Christmas without having this activity!

Eating the candy while decorating is by far the best!


We found these so cute cupcakes on Christmas Eve. The kids loved them! I kinda wanted to just keep them they were sooo cute!
The kids make Reindeer food at school every year to put in the grass on Christmas Eve. They have so much fun spreading it out. The reindeer at the McDonald house are so HAPPY!


This year we started making hot chocolate. My kids think anything with whipped cream and marshmallows is the BEST!!!

Yummy!!

No one can have Christmas without decorating gingerbread cookies for Santa!

Santa has come and gone! Look at all the fun stuff he left!

Everyone ready to see what Santa brought.
Peyton's first Bb gun. Totally Daddy's idea and it will stay at the Ranch!

Hayley got a vanity this year. She loves brushing her hair and putting on her make-up.

Tyler loves cars. He got race cars, trucks, and different tracks to put them on. So fun!

Grandma and Grandpa came in town for Christmas which make it all the better! The kids all got cowboy boots. They were so excited and it made for a great Texas Christmas!

Pink boots. Hayley was ecstatic!

Hayley and her new baby Isabelle with their matching Pjs. Love it!!!

Our attempt at a family picture at the McDonald Christmas!! I think everyone but Tyler is at least looking at the camera :)

This may be one of Peyton's all time favorite presents. Thank you Aunt Kelsey!!!
The McDonald group all exchanged names and did eachother's stockings from a list. It was so much fun to shop for but even more fun to watch everyone open their stockings.

Hayley and Aunt Lacy playing while we are searching and searching for Tyler's passy. I sent Mark out to buy another one only to find all the stores are definetly closed. Finally we found it!!!

Cruise

Mark and I went on a cruise right after Thanksgiving with some of our best friends. We left out of Galveston and went to Cozumel, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman. We had so much fun!! It was really great to get to spend some quality time together. We are very thankful for our parents who watched the kids while we were gone.
Mariner of the Seas!

Our first boat drink! We were so excited to get started on our vacation!!

It was so much fun getting all dressed up considering I am usually in jeans every day.
Our first stop! Cozumel, Mexico!

We met a couple on the cruise that told us the best thing to do was rent a car and drive around the island and go eat at one of the local restaurants. So, we took their advice. It was really neat to be on our own and stop wherever we wanted. I do have to say that riding in this jeep with no top and no seat belt was slightly scary!!
We stopped at some little store and hung out in the hammocks.
We found this really cool bar called "Coconuts". It had an awesome view and even better Margaritas!

The view, you can't really tell but the ocean was so clear!
Margaritas!!

We then drove on to a more touristy beach! The guys went snorkeling while the girls layed out and enjoyed the sun!

We asked around for a really good local restaurant. They sent us here and it was sooo yummy!
If you are ever in Cozumel you need to go try it!

On our way back to the ship we had to stop at Senor Frogs. It is always so crazy but fun!Grand Cayman! We found a resort that let us hang out on their beach for awhile. It was really pretty. The weather wasn't as warm this day but we still enjoyed hanging out on the beach.

We caught a cab and went down the 7 mile beach. This bar was supposed to have a ton of water stuff to play on but the weather was a little cold and the water was rough so they didn't have anything out.
That didn't stop the guys from swimming. The water was freezing!

We had to take a tender to Grand Cayman because of the weather. We met the driver and he let us come see the front of the boat. He also showed us this ship which a movie is being made on by the same director as Pirates of the Caribbean.

Jamaica!!!
Ziplining was awesome!!! I loved it and can't wait to go again somewhere else.

There were these beautiful peacocks walking around where we went ziplining.

It was crazy how close they would get to you.

After ziplining we got to eat some Jamaican Jerk chicken. It was the best thing ever! I have been craving it since. Then we went on to climb the Duns River Falls. I don't have any pictures of this because we were in the waterfall and soaking wet. I was completely frozen but it was a lot of fun!
The cruise has so many activities to do onboard. We went ice skating, roller skating, and rock climbing.

Dinner was really yummy each night. We had the best waiter of all times.

Nemo did amazing magic tricks each night and was hilarious. We missed him when we got home!
This was our table. The people we sat with were so much fun and great company. We hope to see them again!