take that and rewind it back.

I feel kind of weird starting this up again so out of the blue.  Since I didn't blog for an entire year, I guess I feel like I need to get one major update out of the way...

Now that I'm looking back at all these pictures, I could seriously kick myself for not keeping a better record of this year.  So, in an effort to backtrack and remember it for all the greatness that it was, here we go -- our year in a pictorial collage nutshell.

Winter

 My beautiful mama and I on Christmas morning 2009, celebrating the arrival of another precious baby boy in the Tichenor family, my first and second half-marathons, both in the incomparable AUSTIN, TX, celebrating a very welcomed Happy New Year, the 1st annual Hotzel German Day, the two sweetest bffe's you ever did see, and the arrival of Stella the Boston Terrier.

Spring

 Scarlett's first trip to the Houston Rodeo, to ride a pony, and to get her face painted, Easter, a DeGroot family road trip to New Orleans and Georgia for my Uncle Marc's wedding, my dad, the official Grill Master, and a shower for Meredith and baby Slade.

Summer

My baby girl had the cutest 3rd birthday donut party that you ever did see, all her friends came over that morning in their jammies, ate donuts and played.  Scarlett started ballet and tap, I saw Jimmy Buffet in concert for the first time, and Scarlett had her first memorable experience with watching fireworks in downtown Houston.

 I didn't realize until I started putting these all together how busy our summer was. Full of play dates and birthday parties with sweet friends and family -- the time fuh-lew by. Scarlett switched to big girl ballet, Devin's brother Blake got married in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, we showered Roxanne and baby Cameron, and Scarlett had her very first preschool orientation! 

Fall

Oh fall. Fall indeed brought changes.  Scarlett started two days a week at a private Christian preschool. I could not be more thankful to be able to send her there.  She has made precious new friends and is learning about letters and numbers and Jesus.  Melts my mommy heart.  October brought "birthday season" as we like to call it in our little playgroup...count 'em SIX kiddos turned one year older that month. Scarlett went to her first, real, no-boys-allowed, tea party, and her future husband very best friend Carson T turned the big 3.  The newest addition to the Hotzel family, Jake Wyatt, was born at the end of October as well, and we could not have been more thrilled to add another reason to celebrate in this most popular month to be born!

 Scarlett was Dorothy for Halloween. We went to her school's trunk-or-treat, trick-or-treated with friends, and she even had her first big neighborhood excursion. As is Hotzel tradition, Devin, Blake, Morgan and I went to Wurstfest in New Braunfels for Devin's 26th birthday.  Scarlett's class had a precious Thanksgiving party, and as for actual Thanksgiving Day, Scarlett had a 103 fever and an attitude to match, so there are no pictures of that. 

*******

WHEW! 

So now we're all caught up, correct? I think so. Even though this year deserves so much more of an explanation, I think I can sum it up in about 3 words...so.very.awesome. :)

Thank all of you for your sweet comments "welcoming us back" to bloggy-land.  It makes me so happy to know you're as excited as I am!

Scarlett is in for lots of surprises the next few days...a night of hot chocolate and looking at Christmas lights tonight, going to see Tangled in the morning, and taking pictures with Santa on Sunday afternoon! 

Have a terrific weekend loves!