Lakehouse: Halloween in Austin

We came to Austin for a beloved Montalvo holiday: Halloween!

Halloween photo! Rene is Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean), Honey is a 1900s rich lady (inspired by Downton Abby), Tippy is Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Prejudice with Zombies), Bailey is a Valor Pokemon Trainer, Stephen is Marty McFly (Back to the Future), Ginger is a Mystic Pokemon Trainer, Henry is a Ninja Turtle, Melanie and Adam are Air Force pilots (Top Gun style), Tamvie is pink Batman, Sophia is Mal (Disney Descendants), Finley is Anna (Frozen), and Lukas is Foxy (Friday Night at Freddy's) 

Because we visited during the school year, we got to witness our nieces' and nephews' after school activities.

 

Lukas (8) and Sophia (11) are practicing hard at karate. 

Adam calls this "riot gear"

 

Finley (5) loves her soccer team

and Bailey (14) continues playing tuba. Now in high school, he gets to be part of the school marching band.

Bailey is the one in the center. 

We were able to travel to San Antonio for his regional competition.

Their choreography is amazing- walking, skipping, bending, leaning, twirling!

They placed in the top three of their region, and will get to continue to state competition levels!

Other fun for the week- getting good deals at a city-wide yard sale.

Melanie gave us a tour of their favorite fancy used furniture store.

 

We all picked favorite items.

 

Ginger worked hard on a craft project this trip: making Pokemon Go trainer costumes for herself and for Bailey.

  

Best friend Tamvie from across the street came along trick-or-treating! Ginger and Bailey pretend to throw pokeballs.

 

At home, there are two new dogs in the family. The Dehlers got a new puppy, a Spinoni Italiano named Goose. Then the Montalvos adopted Goose's grandmother, and got a special deal since the breeders are done with sharing her genes. Honey named her Coco. 

 

The family decorated pumpkins together.

Ginger drew a Jurassic Park dinosaur for Lukas to color

Halloween party with many fancy treats: (okay, we spent some time on Pinterest)

A wonderful time with family

Lakehouse: Montalvo Christmas Cedar Park, TX

We spent Christmas vacation in Austin, getting to share treasured moments like Stephen's folks getting our Christmas letter in the mail. Which Rene had placed in the mailbox five minutes earlier :)

Only one day of chilly weather gave Ginger a chance to enjoy a new scarf from Honey, otherwise the weather was wonderful and warm.

The newly built Wendl house was finished this year, so the boys showed off the new space. Lukas demonstrates the work-out room-

-and Bailey shares his classic video game systems collection.

 Henry has mastered toddling, and can join in games with big sister Finley.

Sophia's life is forever happy since the family got a new puppy, Hazel.

Holidays means time for lots of treats, especially Stephen's favorite, peanut-butter and ritz crackers dipped in white chocolate. 

Everyone helped making cut-out cookies with sprinkles. (This photo demonstrates how the kids responded when Ginger said, "Smile!")

Honey and Tippy made chocolate chip cookies too. 

Ginger had fun crafting with the girls, creating a coffee shop for Barbie dolls. Sophia helped with cutting and glueing scrapbook paper.

Finley practiced cutting too, but she was best at painting chairs.

Ginger got the design plans from "My Froggy Stuff" The girls picked at the colors and patterns.

The girls even did a good job "aging" the chairs with a small amount of black paint.

Coffee shop completed!

Markus' brother Robert visited from Germany. It was fun to have everyone together for Christmas.