Thursday, December 31, 2009

New Years Eve... Highlights from 2009

It's new years eve... The end of 2009 and the start of 2010 it's hard to believe. Here are some hightlights from the year 2009

1. Loving life with my little princess!! Finally, Mommy to a girl (:
2. Planting our Japanese Maple tree in memory of Brayden, and having it grow and bloom beautifully!
3. My new nephew Avery Dillon joining the family!
4. DISNEY!!!! Our first true family vaction!
5. More family moving closer... Auntie Em, Uncle Gregg, and Paulie (:
6. Spending 3 weeks with a bestie and making a fun trip up north.
7. Finding an incredible person (and family) to care for our children, who have become great friends!
8. Getting a job (and contract!) with the school district
9. Nathaniel starting Kindergarten!
10. Thanksgiving with the Zieg's/Sniffens
11. My princess turning a year old!! (and having 2 wonderful parties!)
12. Christmas with my parents, all 5 of my siblings and our families!! Lots of laughs, and memories made!

I could ceratinly go on and on. This year was a tough one, but we made it through. New memories were made, and we were blessed with many things. My hopes are that things are only better for 2010 for all!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Monday, December 28, 2009

NOT ME! Monday


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog at http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ to read what she (MckMama did not participate this week but did put up MckLinky so we can check out others) everyone else have not been doing this week. "I created Not Me! Monday for the purpose of confessing our shortcomings and imperfections to each other since, after all, we are all only human!" (MckMama's words) Every Monday, you can find more "Not Me! Monday" at her site.


It's been awhile (too long!) since I took part in a Not Me! Monday so today I decided to take the time to post one! It has been a busy, crazy, fun few weeks and I'm sure I could go on and on about all the silly, embarressing, and stupid not so intelligent things we have not been up to.

Confession is good for the soul...So here it goes...

I did not allow my daughter to have so much cake, icing, and mini colorful fruit flavored marshmellows at her first birthday party that she threw it all up the next morning! I watch what my children eat and care about their health and well being more than that! Nope, Not Me!



For Christmas, I did not buy myself presents then hand them to my husband to wrap up and place under the tree for me. That would be selfish and greedy..and I am not those things. Nope, Not me!

Also, I certainly did not wear a maternity top for Christmas eve service since I don't have anything that fits was unable to find a different top to wear. I am not pregnant and would never want people to think so due to the clothing I'm wearing. Nope, Not me!

When so excited about my daughters independant steps she began taking this week, I did not repeatedly pick her up (to her frustration) to continue the (attemps at) walking... just so I could catch it on video and get a photo of the exciting moments! I wouldn't want to cause my precious little one to be frustrated, and would always have patience to wait until she is ready to try her new tricks. I am not that worried about pictures and video's... Nope, Not me!





**This is the best video I got... since of course, lil miss didn't want to "perform" once I got the camera out!! She was doing much better though! Promise (: **

While cleaning my closet, I did not find a bag of gifts purchased months ago for my son that I forgot about and excitedly wrap them all up for this years' christmas gifts. I don't forget important things like that and I surely wouldn't keep my closet so messy that I wouldn't even notice the bag sitting there! Nope, Not me!

Lastly, I did not spend several hours yesterday blogging.. trying to catch up with things I have intended to get posted but have procrastinated about. I am more on top of things than that and would never procrastinate about things. Nope, Not me!

Sigh! Wow, I really could go on and on this week! So Blessed and thankful that I am so loved despite all my imperfections. How about you? What have you not been up to?

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Birthday Party # 2

Once we got back Home to SC we had another local celebration for lil Miss. You only have one first birthday after all... so why not party it up! Cause you know, she'll remember it all so well! (o: This time we partied at home, with friends and family who could make it to celebrate.



More Pizza...

More Fun and Friends...

Lots More Lovin' ...


Play time with Nana

Grandpop and 2 of his joys (:
Auntie Lauren and Ellie

More Presents...


Baby Lovin'

Elliana tore up these presents like a pro!
She had no doubts what to do!
Even took a moment to check out the cards (:


and of course, there was More cake! ...





Yum!!

Double Fisting it!



Even shared some with Daddy...


...All over his face!! Hee-Hee!


Mommy, Daddy, and a messy birthday girl!!

Straight to the bath.... new change of clothes and more playing and visiting...
It was a great day and we had so much fun. Miss Ellie has a blast too ...



...she was so tired and wore out she didn't even make it through the bottle or to bed!
Poor pooped lil princess!

Over the River, and through the Woods....

..."To Grandfathers' House we go... the Horse (Van) knows the way, to carry the sleigh, through white and drifted snow (lots and lots of Rain), O! "
This, and other joyful sounds like the tune of "Are we there yet?!" we heard quite a bit as we made the hike up north for Thanksgiving. We went up to see family and friends for the Holiday and boy did we drive through some rain! It made for a looong trip. But it was well worth it, we had a great time.
One of the many highlights was getting all the cousins together! They are all growing up so fast and I hate that we don't get to spend more time with them.

Elliana (1), Isabelle (2), Nathaniel (5), and Alyson (7)

Our visit was filled with tons of playing and fun,

such as "Potato Sack" Rides with Papa!
...and of course tickle/wrestling time!

The Kitchen seemed to be the hangout for the men...

Pete (Papa), Uncle Bryan, Uncle Brendon, Jake

Cousin Love... Alyson and Elliana

The kids love going into Gramma's "Kid" drawer for coloring books, crayons, paper,
stickers, and more...


Aunt Jessica and Ellie

Papa and Ellie snoozing... so sweet!


Ellie was so excited to see her Gramma & Papa and went right to them from the moment we arrived. In the midst of her "stranger/seperation anxiety" the past few weeks this was a sweet suprise and relief! Gramma & Papa enjoyed every moment and were thrilled to pieces.

We miss everyone already and hate that we live so far away!! So thankful for a wonderful fun and relaxing visit!
...and still praying they see the light and move south soon!!! (o:

A marshmellow in the microwave...

What happens when you put a marshmellow in the microwave? It blows up! True, try it for yourself... just watch carefully if you don't want to clean up a mess! lol

A box of graham crackers, a bag of marshmellows, and a package of Hershey bars.
The perfect recipe for ooey gooey goodness, known as S'mores.
While we were in Md for Thanksgiving, Gramma and Papa announced to us that
we were having S'mores for dessert.

Yet, instead of heading outside to start a fire...

The ingredients were stacked up... and placed in the microwave! That's right. We made bootleg homemade S'mores.


So, after taking turns standing by, watching the marshmellows grow larger and larger at the microwave window, then promptly hitting stop before they burst....

We each could partake of the ooey, gooey, stringy....


(Isabelle wasn't too sure about this S'more stuff at the beginning! lol)



(Yet, after giving into a bit... she was hooked!)

...Goodness... of a marshmellow in the microwave.


Birthday Party # 1

The first of 2 parties for the lil miss was in Maryland while we were visiting for the Thanksgiving Holiday. We met at a place in Crofton called Eddies Place for some Ledo's Pizza and fellowship. The have a seperate room we could close off and we had a great time seeing people we don't visit with enough. It was also a neat way to get everyone together since we were not there long enough to have seen them all individually. And we enjoyed every minute of it!

Yummy Ledo's Pizza!!

Fun, Food, Friends! The best kind of party (:

Yes, Even the birthday girl loved her some Pizza!

Kenzie, Nathaniel, and Alyson Playing, Swinging, dancing, laughing...
They had a blast together!


The Boys...

Lifetime friends...

Cute family picture with the birthday girl!

After the pizza we stripped her down....
Bring on the cake! (:

It all started with just a little finger licking...

Then she was all in!!!

Ellie tore up that cake like a pro! LoL!!

Can you see the sugar rush excitement on her face?

Yay for cake!! This is Yummy Stuff!

For such a lil Princess, ... she sure knows how to make a mess!
(The real fun was trying to clean all that up in a tiny public bathroom sink! lol)

And then of course there were presents!



This is one cute, very loved, and very happy little girl!