11 Months...and 1st Christmas!

Christmas '09 is fin-a-ta and what little Christmas decor I had put up is now down. (Note to self - must be very Griswald-like next year to make up for lack of decor this year.)

Sophie-Bophie...11 Months

Sophie turned 11 months just 5 days before Christmas and boy....is she ever getting big. I think she's gained 5 pounds over the holiday break so far. We love this tiny morsel of heaven so much. She's taken 4 or 5 steps, still only has two teeth, likes to say "da-da" "mama" "baba" and "ho ho ho"! Her version of course.

Sissy....

Sissy on Big Bikey....

Sissy playing Mary in our 2nd Annual (at home) Christmas play...

Sophie enjoying her Santa gifts...

Joyful day. Precious moments.

As Good as It Gets!

It's almost Christmas Eve.... Let the celebration begin....
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(Lovin' this pic, Donna...thanks!)

Room With A View....

Our view of Cedar Creek Lake across the street....

Construction Already....

Whew. We're in. We've left the Shack, no tears there. We made the best decision ever and hired movers to move us (Yes! Worth it, definitely!) And three days of utter, plain chaos have finally settled down a bit.....enough for me to sit and blog, I guess.

I'm enjoying our new home, I really am. I forgot about how much I love to cook on gas stoves, and I love having a driveway again! (It's the small things...; ) I love looking at the lake during the day. I love being able to walk out my front door and go for a long walk with the girls.....I love having a little bit more room, but not too much. I do love small homes. I love the fact that we're already doing construction on this home, turning a once large sunroom into a den & 3rd bedroom. There's something appealing about taking an older home and making it shine again. But I don't love moving. In fact, if I have to chain myself to this house....I'm not moving again for a long, long, long, long time. Boog and the girls can go...I'll stay.

With all this moving hoopla, one could forget there's Christmas right around the corner. I did my first and final bit of shopping the other day......it amazed me to see the deer in the headlights look of all the shoppers, trying to grab the last gift or two. I can't tell you how many times I overheard, "But my kids don't really need anything..." while shopping. They're right. Mine don't either.

But I like the memories.

Have a VERY MERRYand BLESSED CHRISTMAS ALL!

Snuggly Christmas Movies

You either are a repeat movie watcher or you aren't. As I've said before, my sister and I are polar opposites on many things. This is no exception. When I told her a while back that Boog and I have certain movies we watch over and over again, she had a certain dead-pan, you do whatttt? look seep over her. As if the thought of sitting there, watching the same movie you've already watched a hundred times was.....ludicrous. I find it quite..... lovely. : )

Speaking of lovely, there are several lovely movies that are absolute must-re-see's during the Christmas season. I don't know why, but they are just about as cozy feeling as a cup of apple cider, or pumpkin bread bakin' in the oven, or.....those fruffy socks you only wear with your pj's.

Here's a few of my Christmas movie must-re-see's.

The Family Man. Cute kids...Christmas time....snow....family stuff. Love it!

Sleepless in Seattle. LOVE that kid, Jonah. Love the house on the Seattle water.

You've Got Mail. Guess I'm a fan of you know who and you know who. Love Meg's hair.

Christmas Vacation. This one tickles my funny bone so much! "The blessing??" anyone?

Nothin' Says Lovin'....

The Rejects...(photos, I mean)

......Like desperately trying to get your children to behave, pose, and maybe even smile a bit for the all-perfect Christmas pictures. Oh, and add in arguing with your spouse to boot over who takes better pictures. Now THAT's a Christmas to remember! : )

Out of 40 takes, I got one good one. Be waiting for that in your mailboxes. Merry Christmas!

A Really Good Day....

No funny title here, just a note on a really good day I had this weekend. It's fun to have all your cups filled in one day - your friend cup, your family cup, your hubby cup......that doesn't happen that often. Just ask Boog. When any one of those cups get low, I can get grouchy. I need friend time, I need family time (lots of it), and I need hubby/date time (at least every now and then!).

My friend cup: First Monday - Canton. We froze our patooties off, but we made the best of the four hour shopping experience. A couple of Christmas presents checked off our list....several more to go for me. Kim, I'll do Canton with you again anyday!

Trying to find a heater to stand by....

My hubby cup: Filled. Our last date was back around August, I think, so this was way overdue! We ate, saw "The Blind Side" (which I greatly recommend!), and got home at 2am. We realized our oldness as the movie was over, and both of our knees were aching from sitting there for two hours. Achy knees and all, I'm still glad to be doin' life with this man. He's good stuff.

On the Border....Better than I Remembered

All in all, it was a good day. A good weekend. I'm ready for more days like that already!

Booty, Booty, Booty....

I giggle when I say that word. I know....immature. I think it's funny though. So I couldn't help but grab this photo opportunity when it arose (my hubs is gonna kill me.....no, he is really gonna kill me).

The Tale of Two Booties...

How could a bundle of fat cells ever be more cute? Only in a mother's/wife's eyes.....sigh.

It's been a while since I've blogged. It's been so bad that even my husband mentioned, "So when ya gonna blog again?" (I think it's the only time he really gets to see what's inside of that head of mine!). I could say the proverbial "We've been soooo busy" But I ain't gonna lie - we're no busier than usual. In fact, most of my days are very routine.....get home from work, play with kids, cook dinner, bath, bed for them....read, then bed for me. Simple.

BUT. It has been a little stressed seeing how we're about to close and say adios to our shack in 17 days and close on our next hacienda in 20. Moving during Christmas is not appealing. But, looking forward to putting 2009 - the year of hairbrained, split-second decision making, moving 2 times, not knowing where we're gonna live, changing jobs, having a baby year - putting THAT behind me and onto 2010 seems sooooo appealing! I'm actually looking forward to New Year's for once!
(I do not like moving. I do not like moving. I do not like moving.
Note to self - repeat three times, wash, and rinse.)

One not so hairbrained item this year is my sweet Sophie turning 10 months a few days ago! 10 months....she only has two teeth, she sleeps 10-12 hours a night, and other than the fact that she hates her carseat and can't have her diaper changed without the use of all my limbs holding her down, she's a doll. Just a doll. We laugh at this poor baby constantly!

Love those eyes.... dirty face, but great eyes!

I hope your Christmas season is full of memory making days. I know mine will be......