Oh, What a Whirlwind!

It always seems to me that the holidays go by way too fast! You spend all this time getting ready for it and it just seems like a second! This year was so fun with Lo. She still didn't know what was going on but when she went to bed the tree looked like this:

And when she woke up the tree looked like this:She was cute and the first thing she saw was her baby doll stroller and we played with that for 20 minutes before we even started to open presents. She got a little tired after a while and I helped open some presents. We skyped John's parents and they were able to see her open her Mickey Mouse Choo Choo. She was too cute! (We saved it for last since we knew that it would be all she wanted.) All she said was Choo Choo and moved her hand up and down like she was the engineer! It was too cute. She had fun and we got the best present ~ Lorelei's face!

7 Things You Didn't Know about Me

So I've been tagged by Rhonda and Shannon to do this, so here are 7 things you might not know about me!
1. My husband, John, and I dated for 2 years in high school, broke up for almost 7 years and have now been back together for 9 years and married for 5 of those 9 years.
2. I grew up in NY state (not the city) near Syracuse and we had tons of snow each winter to play in and I miss it at Christmastime.
3. I went to school to become a psychologist and now work in a pharmacy BUT I love it and wouldn't change a thing.
4. I'm addicted to coffee!
5. I am NOT a great housekeeper.
6. I used to be on the swim team in high school and I miss swimming ALOT!
7. Christmas is my favorite time of year and I love the shopping, wrapping, baking and stress that comes with it! I love being with family!

Ok, now I am supposed to tag people so here goes:
The Mullen Momos
The Porfirio Family
The Fandreis
Seventh Smith
The Roberts in Cola Town


So we've been getting ready for Christmas around here and I am finally done so that I can enjoy the week ahead.
I've wrapped, baked 4 different kinds of cookies and finished projects. Lorelei really doesn't know about Santa and the whole story of whats going on but she is still crazy wild and it just must be this time of year!
I will post pics of Christmas Eve and Christmas in a few days (of course)! We are looking forward to our first Christmas Eve night putting toys together and being Santa! (With many more to come!)
Christmas Eve we are going to my mom's house where my sister, Jan, and brother-in-law, Mark, and his parents are going to be. We are going to attempt to put together a gingerbread house and train! It should be fun.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Card

This is how our Christmas card picture turned out! She is such a mess! This weekend was pretty rough on us. Saturday night we were up all night with Lo, she woke up with her night terrors again. I hate it when it happens because you cannot comfort her at all. She just screams and cries and nothing will make her happy. I hope she forgets all about whatever is making her scared too! Most nights, though, she does really well.
We had a new stove delivered on Sunday and the left front burner doesn't work so tomorrow we will have another new stove delivered! I can't wait because sandwiches and microwave dinners are not so good anymore!

I have 3 projects left to do before Christmas and I hope that I can get them done by this weekend. We have my work Christmas Party on Saturday and a friends Christmas Party on Sunday! I also need to get going on my cookies! Plenty of things still to do before Christmas! I can't wait to see Lo's face light up Christmas morning!

Trying to get the Perfect Shot

This is how taking the Christmas Picture went, we finally got one good shot, BUT you will have to wait to see it ! :O)

New Fashion Statement

I think her pants may be a little too big, what about you?

'Tude

Enough said!

Thanksgiving Traditions

John and I have decided to start our own holiday traditions this year since Lorelei is old enough to start enjoying them, so I made our own family Thanksgiving dinner the weekend before Thanksgiving so that we could just be together as a family to celebrate and give our thanks!
Pumpkin Cookies, they are THE best!
Banana bread.
My apple pie that the crust didn't bake on the bottom, it was ok for my first attempt and yes, I did follow the directions :O)!
Our feast!
For Thanksgiving, John, Lorelei and I went to my Mom's house. It was a small party this year, just us, Mom, my Uncle Walt and his friend Kenton. I've know Kenton all my life and he makes THE best bread! Hopefully he will give me the recipe soon! Lorelei even kept her hairbow in her hair until dinner. I was very impressed!
Trying to eat Memaw's decorations!
Now, we are trying to throw them because they are "balls"!
Staring out the door to check on the dogs. My mom adopted a lab mix and she's an old lady, so her name is 'Old Girl'. She can't hear and moves slow but when we went for our annual after meal walk, she was the most excited I have ever seen her. Mom was also watching her friends dog, Molly. She is also a rescue and I am not sure what she is but think she is a mix. Lorelei had tremendous fun with the dogs!
My mom also has a fun Thanksgiving tradition that she has been doing ever since I can remember. She gives everyone that has come for dinner a little gift right before dinner. I don't know how it got started but I think it is to thank everyone for coming together. I love that tradition along with watching the parade to see Santa! I can't wait to have Thanksgiving at my house to continue that tradition! I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We are starting to decorate for Christmas. While Lo napped today we cleaned and put up the Christmas tree. When she woke up to the lights on the tree, her expression was priceless! She was so excited. If I don't get anything else for Christmas, that would be good enough for me! Oh the joy on children's faces at this time of year!