Christmas Eve {2012}

Our little family celebrated Christmas at home on Christmas Eve morning.  We started the morning off as usual- Holden had his pancakes and fruit for breakfast first thing.  Then we ventured into the living room where we found that Santa had come!

Holden needed a little assistance with opening his presents but he did help open almost all of them and was surprisingly very interested in each one.  There were frequent exclamations of his favorite phrase, "Oh no!" upon opening a gift.  (So funny to me!)  He examined and carried around each new item after they were unwrapped.  Sometimes he would take a break to sit in his new chair.  It was a lot of fun!

For all you Doug-lovers, have no worries - he got a new bed, a new toy, and a bone.  He unwraps his own presents.  He seriously knows which presents are his and totally unwraps them in seconds by himself.  He had the squeaker in his toy obliterated in no time and his bone consumed before I even saw him with it!

Holden got Mommy a pair of earrings and a ring in his birthstone - sapphire.  He got Daddy doggy pajama pants and a Mickey shirt. ;)  Daddy got Mommy a TV table that she had been wanting forever.  (Had been using a coffee table for the past 5 years!) and Mommy got Daddy clothes.

We spent the rest of the day lounging around and playing until we left for Pappy, Gigi, & Aunt Sophia's house that evening.  We feasted on finger foods/desserts there, but the babe to bed fairly early, and watched "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" before going to bed in anticipation of Santa coming (again)!

Christmas Sunday {2012}

church

 lunch at Famous Dave's

 football and naps

 cookie baking (recipe coming later)

 and santa delivered gifts!

Merry Christmas! {Our 2012 Card}

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

*Wise Men Still Seek Him*

Christmas Ornament Blog Swap

I love participating in gift swaps, so when I saw that my bloggy-friend Megan was hosting one with Julie, I didn't hesitate to sign up!

I got paired with one of the hosts - Julie - and she sent me the cutest ornaments!  So bright, fun, and glittery and fit in with our tree perfectly!  Where did you find these, Julie?  I love them!  Thank you so much!

Be sure to check out Julie's blog (links above) to see what I sent her!

*** I also helped host a Christmas Blog Swap this year.  The show & tell link-up for it is posted here.

A few things...

First, I just want to say that I, like all of you, am just sick about what happened on Friday.  So many precious, innocent lives taken so senselessly.  My heart aches for their families.  I have no doubts whatsoever that every one of those children are now joyful and carefree and wrapped in their Heavenly father's arms.  They know none of this sadness, loss, void, hurt, or fear.  Praise God for that.  My heart is with their families who now have to continue on in this seemingly grim world without the lights of their worlds... without their very hearts.  My heart is also with the families of the teachers and adults who lost their lives as well.

--------------

If you joined our Christmas Blog Swap, the Show & Tell Link-Up has been posted!  Don't forget to link up.  You will be able to do so until Christmas.  I know that some of you are still waiting to receive your packages, etc. so this should give you enough time to link-up.  I love to look at what everyone gave and received!  So fun!

---------------

So, Christmas is only 8 days away!  I have not wrapped one present yet! :(  I really loathe wrapping.  I get so frustrated and impatient with it.  Shon and I need to have a wrapping party one of these nights.  Since he is off work this month, he can help!

Another thing we have yet to do is take Holden to visit Santa.  We need to get that accomplished this week.  We will probably go to Bass Pro or a mall.  He did actually get to sit on Santa's lap at our church Christmas program this past weekend.  We still want to take him elsewhere.... but as you can see... I'm sure he would rather we didn't....

Poor baby.

-----------------

And here are just a few random recent pics I wanted to share-

Holden and his friend, Lola. :)

Preaching like Pappy!

Doug Pillow

My handsome boys.

Christmas Blog Swap- Show & Tell Link-Up!

Hi everyone!

We are so glad that you linked up for our Christmas Blog Swap!  We hope that you had fun exchanging gifts and hopefully meeting a new blogger/finding a new blog in the process.  

Now is your chance to link-up and show us what you received from your partner!  Be sure to include a link back to your partner's blog in your post so your readers can check out their blog and see what you sent your partner. :)

This link-up will be open until Christmas.  We hope this will give you enough time to link-up in the event that you have not yet received your gift, etc.  If you have any questions/issues/concerns, please e-mail one of us.  

Thanks for playing along!  Link-up below via the linky tool and have fun checking out what everyone sent and received!  

Merry Christmas!!!

Allie from Living the Adventures
Mallorie from Happy Home
Cait from The Blessed Life
Natalie from Extraordinary Love
-and-
Me! 

Baby #2 - 23 Weeks

Pic taken @ 23 weeks, 5 days

Feeling well.  Just really (unusually) tired at the end of the day.

Cravings:  Nothing major.  Spicy foods always sound good.

Experiencing frequent heartburn, feeling warm/hot all of the time, very active baby boy.

Have *kind of* decided on what to do with the nursery... but haven't started on it.  

It's a Christmas present storage space at the moment.  

Need to work on it while Daddy is off this month.

We have a couple of strong name possibilities :) ...  but we aren't sharing for now.

As I was getting this post started, Holden lifted up my shirt and said, "Bay-bee!"  

That's the first time he has ever associated the word with my belly.  So cute!

Had a birth dream that baby was born healthy at 34 weeks and weighed 10 lbs. 4 oz.  Ha!

I realized yesterday that I'm almost six months pregnant.   

Whoa.

Annual Girls' Christmas Party

This year was the fourth year for the little Christmas party that three of my friends and I have together.  It consists of hanging out at one of our houses, talking, eating, and gift exchanging.  In more recent years, it has also included baby-wrestling. ;)  This was the second year that we did an ornament exchange instead of a gift exchange between us.  We also did a gift exchange between the babies.

Here's a look at past years -

2011

2010

2009

Andrea, Tia, Megan, and I were apartment mates in college.  We all four went to nursing school and at one time- all worked at the same children's hospital.  Megan is mommy to Lola, who will be turning two in February.  Andrea is mommy to Emery, who is 11 days younger than Holden.

This year the get-together was at Andrea's house.  It was a fun time this year as it is every year.  I hope we can still get together again sometime soon without the babes.  A nice dinner out perhaps!  It is a little easier to carry on a conversation without three toddlers.  ;)

And here is our failed attempt at getting a good picture of the babies together:

... And here's a fun comparison between last year and this year:

Better luck next year?!?!