Ornament Show & Tell

So after decorating our Christmas tree last weekend, I was thinking it would be fun to post some of my favorite ornaments! Then I thought of you guys and how I'd love to see what's hanging on your trees also! Feel free to grab the image above for your own ornament posts. Be sure to let me know if you do so that I can read up! 

Derek and I have always collected ornaments to the places we've traveled. Either I have an ornament on the tree, or it was broken by the dogs, from each of the places on the right-hand side of the blog. I love this tradition and will continue it until I'm too old to travel. Hopefully by retirement, we have a full tree of ornaments just from our trips! Here are a few of my favs....

Clockwise Order: London, Cayman Islands, Sanibel, Vail, Paris, Costa Rica, Disney World

And then there are my favorite sentimental ornaments. Our engraved wedding heart, Drew's first Christmas picture and then the silver spoon engraved with "Baby's 1st Christmas 2011".

And what tree would be complete without a couple ornaments with our favorite team on them?

Now it's your turn!

....Johannah over at The Sirois Family  and my dear
friends Desiree at The Macke Monologues and Laura at Laura's Latest In Life already posted theirs!

The Christmas Tree - A Family Tradition

Traditions are my icing on the cake this time of year. They make the month of December just that much better and my heart does a happy dance just thinking of them. From destroying the kitchen baking loaves and loaves of banana bread, to sipping egg nog while watching Love Actually, the traditions surrounding the Holidays couldn't be loved anymore by muah.

One tradition for our family was the selection and decoration of a real Christmas tree every year. I can remember bundling up each December and traipsing through crunchy fields finding the perfect pine. We would sip on hot chocolate once the hayride dropped us off and warm our frozen fingertips around the fires. Dad would help tie the tree to the top of the van and we would head home, knowing there was boxes of ornaments that needed displayed. Once home, Christmas records were spun and warm sweatshirts and pants were sported. The tradition of decorating the tree was always a good time, but it was after completion that included my favorite moments. My brother and I would lie on the floor as my parents went about their business and look up at the lights shining on the ceiling. I'm not sure if we would chat or just lie there quietly and watch, but either way, it's a memory I'll never leave behind.  Knowing that Christmas was right around the corner probably added to the splendor, but in that simple moment I always felt so fulfilled  Sure I was just a child, but the magical lights shining so brightly and my brother sharing in the moment with me made it always something I looked forward to all year.

Derek and I have never had a real tree before. Whether it was time constraints, small apartments, laziness or you name it, several fake trees adorned our living rooms throughout the years. With Drew coming upon the age of 2 and plenty of tree farms around Cleveland, it was time. Time to start re-creating my childhood tradition with Drew. Time to suck it up and face the 30 degrees just to find the perfect tree. And with my parents, the tree experts, in town, there wasn't a better time. A friend referred us to a local tree farm and the hunt was on.

We found our fir, saw some goats, grabbed hot chocolate and scurried back into the car as fast as we could. It was cold... and we were frozen. But we found the tree. Not too skinny and not too fat. Just perfect. Once home with our tree, Dad and Derek set it up, but we agreed to hold off decorating until the next morning. Because, quite frankly, we had board games that needed played and drinks that needed consumed. Priorities people!

After breakfast that next day, we put on some tunes and grabbed the cameras to capture Drew helping with the decorations. Last year he was just a bump on a log, barely crawling around while Derek and I decorated. This year he was a helping fool, grabbing as many ornaments as he could and carefully placing each one (with a bit of help). The tree looked spectacular, just needing a topper we have yet to find, and I loved that my parents were there to help.

Once the tree was decorated, Drew and my mother both took a nap while Derek, my dad and I decorated the outside of the house. Nothing too extravagant, just some garland, bows and lights here and there. I enjoyed having my father there to help.... somewhat of an old tradition come alive again.

Now that I have a few Holiday traditions under my belt, I'm so very giddy for more to come. I think we're taking Drew to see Santa this weekend and I'm sure I'll be doing some baking while belting to my favorite Mariah Carey songs. Cheers to the Holidays and things that make us feel warm and fuzzy inside!

What are your favorite Holiday traditions?

Crock Pot Baked Apples

So I saw this somewhere online and cannot recall at ALL where I originally spotted it! Nonetheless, I wanted to pass along this easy recipe for you to try during this Holiday season!

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 Gala or Macintosh apples, cored

1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider

2 tablespoons orange liquor (optional)

Instructions

1.      In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, walnuts, margarine or butter, and cinnamon.

2.      Fill the apples with the filling and place them in the crock-pot. Pour in the apple juice or cider and the liquor, if using.

3.      Set the crock-pot on high heat and preset it for 2.5 hours. Cover and check after 2 hours to see if the apples are soft and begin to collapse. Stop cooking if they are showing signs of splitting.

Enjoy!

One Fresh Turkey

I know people have varying opinions about the Thanksgiving turkey. For some, it's an art form that takes days to create. For others, it's just some meat bought at a local store that you heat up 30 min prior to eating. I'm closer to the latter, but someday hope to be able to cook a wonderful turkey. This year, hosting the whole family at my house, it was just too much stress. I must say though, the Honey Baked Ham pre-cooked turkey we had was absolutely moist and delicious. It will be very hard to come close to that myself someday.

To me, it's as much about family time as it is the turkey. With our wonderful weather, we were able to get outside and enjoy some yard games before the meal commenced. And as much as I hate to admit it, I was somehow schooled by both my husband and mother in ladder golf. I'll go with 'luck' being on their side for those games.

I cooked/prepared the majority of the meal this year with my mom helping with a couple items and Summer making a corn dish as well. I honestly thought I would have been so much more stressed than I was, but it wasn't that bad! I tried to make what I could the day before and then just baked the rest while Drew was napping.

Once our tummies were full, the football games were turned on and Gramma chased Drew.

Dad had many visitors while trimming the last of the turkey; this includes two with four legs and one with two legs. Unfortunately, the two with four legs didn't get near as many bites as the cuter, two-legged one.

After enjoying pumpkin pie, Drew was given a bath and put to bed. Just like how the turkey is important for some, special drinks are a tradition during the holidays for me. We made my pumpkin martini's again for all to enjoy. And for the last tradition, a card game was brought out. You see, my brother and I are extremely competitive... about everything. Card games have been a major part of family traditions growing up and we love to continue them when we're all together.

New iPhone panorama picture app shot!

I won't tell you who won the card game (because I might or might not still be pouting), but I won with the pre-cooked turkey... that's for sure.

Holiday Hangover

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and with it went my brother and his girlfriend. They flew back home today and I don't think I could hate saying goodbye to my brother any more than I do. It's a torture-ish feeling that I experience a few times a year and I dread the day we part each trip. But with keeping things in perspective, I'm choosing to focus on the fun we had while they were here and be thankful for the fact that my parents are in town for a few more days.

From drinking way more than I should have, to staying out way later than I should have to probably eating more than my weight, it was a wonderful 4 days with them here. My parents babysitting allowed us to go out a couple times and indulge in everything from cheap shots to $18 drinks. (My new obsession is imported cherries from Italy!) The game Kansasopoly was played until we were sick of it and Drew soaked up the extra attention each day. 

While I missed extended family, having my parents and brother together for Thanksgiving was just special. And aside from a small political debate, the day and the meal went off without a hitch! Cue happy dance music.

Oh and did you see those adult onesies in the collage above? Summer (Mike's girlfriend) brought us a pair to wear Thanksgiving night. We looked terribly stupid, but it made for quite a few good laughs. Plus....what's better than comfy clothes when you're stuffed full of turkey anyway?

I will sure miss my family being all together again for a while!

More pictures from Thanksgiving to come tomorrow!

Happy Thanksgiving!

So last year I spent a lot of time on this post and as I read it now, everything still stands. There's just so much to be thankful for this time of year, but for me right now the focus is on family. With having my parents as well as my brother and his girlfriend in town, we have a full house and I love it!

We're eating a lot of wonderful food, enjoying warm fires accompanied by hot drinks, playing board games and enjoying each other's company this week.

Short post today, I have some final cooking to do for our big feast.

First, I must wish my mother a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Without her, I would have a lot less to be thankful for and think it's appropriate that her birthday falls on Thanksgiving every once and a while. Love you and so glad you're in town for this Holiday!!

I'll also leave you with a couple shots of the place cards that I made this year. I found the pumpkins and gourds at a local craft store and added the names with construction paper. Easy, clean and cute.

Crocker Park Holiday Lighting

So last year we took Drew to see the Crocker Park Tree Lighting and festivities and decided to go again this year. We were having some decent weather for Ohio in late November and I wanted to hear some Christmas music Drew to experience the tradition again. Plus, it's a magical way to start Thanksgiving week!

He loved seeing Santa on stage and dancing while Derek and I sang with the band. He only wanted to be up on daddy's shoulders for the best view, but got a little worried throughout the fireworks. Derek and I talked him down from tears about 7 times during the show telling him how fun and pretty fireworks are. By the end he was perfectly fine and even asked for "mo fire-worts"! I felt a bit proud of myself for not just coddling him during the show, rather teach him why he didn't need to be scared.

I'll leave you with some dark pictures (since I hate flash) of the little man all bundled up watching the show!

Hope you have a great start to your Thanksgiving week!! My brother and his girlfriend fly in today and then my parents fly in tomorrow. I think I'm going to take a couple days off blogging to enjoy their company! Hoe you have a great week!!

Celebrate

Did you know that it's National Peanut Butter Lovers Month? Neither did I... until yesterday. And so to celebrate, I enjoyed a huge scoop of it's yummy, gooeyness straight out of the jar. 

This week we also celebrated:

- An awesome annual job review with my company. 

- My father for being a veteran of the Vietnam war.

- Derek's sister, Whitney, getting accepted into The University of Kansas School of Medicine.

- A few more days of sunshine and decent weather. 

- A sweet craigslist find of a nice, wood train/lego table for Drew.

- The end of a crazy week at work for both of us.

- Drew. And everything about him. His goofy side, his serious side, his giggle, his smile and his loving ways. We celebrate it all. 

Day Date - Water Park

I love my little turkey.

But I also love my husband. And I love being with him without the turkey once in a while.

We don't get a lot of date night opportunities living so far from family. I'm kinda nervous about babysitters so the majority of our date nights happen when my parents are in town, Derek's parents are in town, or we are in KC. The only other time is when we have a day off and Drew's daycare is open. And guess what? Derek had Monday off and I took it off to enjoy a day date with him and without the turkey. If you're thinking "wow, they put their kid in daycare even though they had the day off?!", sorry to disappoint. We did. And then we had fun. LOTS of fun.

One of the country's largest indoor water parks is about an hour west of here and we had been dying to go. With a multitude of slides, a lazy river, three hot tubs that could fit a couple elephants each, a swim-up bar and so much more, I was pumped. It was a rainy day in the 40's and we were ready to enjoy 75 degree weather inside the complex and let loose. Like we were 8 again. And we sure did.

The giant toilet bowl tube ride was probably my favorite, but have you ever heard of a water slide ride that you actually go up? Like on a roller coaster? Well they have it. Propelled upwards by a belt under the tube, this ride can get up to 20 mph and was crazy fun. Oh, and eating greasy food and enjoying 'adult' drinks was fun too.

I definitely think dates are the key to a happy marriage. We are all with our children so much (especially you SAHM's!), that we need some time to enjoy each other. Enjoy eating food and not having a toddler pick out all your good stuff. Enjoy driving without entertaining backseat passengers. And enjoy holding hands and flirting with your man!

I know a lot of us feel exhausted amidst the hustle and bustle of changing diapers, cutting up food, giving baths and entertaining that relationships can, unfortunately, fall to the bottom of the priority list. I think one reason that Derek and my relationship hasn't fallen is because we do take the time to date again. I know I don't have it all figured out, but what I do know is that I LOVE dates with the hubs!

The Price of Pets

On Sunday these two hookers got their annual shots. Can I just tell you how I love spending so much money on them at this time of year? Between shots and holiday boarding, they need to start pulling more weight around here. Maybe I could invent doggie slippers that had dust cloths on the bottom. Or maybe they'll get picked up by a talent agency for some dog modeling. A fur-mom can dream, right?

Do you ever talk about the threshold, if any, of spending you'd allow with your fur-babies? 5 years ago I would have said we'd pay almost anything for a surgery if needed... potentially speaking in terms of thousands. Now, I cringed when my mom told me they just had a $1,200 bill for their dog, Roxie, and her bum hip. I don't know what our 'limit' is anymore, but sadly, I'm pretty sure that it's not as high as it used to be.

I realize that makes me sound like a horrible fur-ball momma, it's just that I'd rather put that money towards Drew's college fund. I do love these two bed warmers, really. They are part of the family and I guess we'd just have to cross that bridge when we got there. Knock on wood we never have to have those difficult conversations though!

22 Months

I don't do monthly updates on here, but I figure it had been a while so why not. Plus, it's a good way for me to remember the little things about Drew at this moment in his life. 2 months away from being a 2 year old. Wow.

Anyone find a way to stop time yet? I'll invest a significant amount if so. Just sayin.

The Sheet Swing

I grew up doing this. All. The. Time.

Derek had never heard of it.

Drew is obsessed now.

May I introduce to you the "Sheet Swing"?

So simple, yet SO much fun. You can just hear his deep, genuine laugh.

For a toddler, this is pretty much a theme park ride to the max. My mom and dad weren't allowed to put clean sheets on our beds until my brother and I took turns in the swing when we were young.

I'd suggest getting a sheet out now, folding it in half (or more) and get to swinging!

Dancing King

(Photo credit: mattk2 photography)

Trick or Treating

I know. It's already November 5th and you're completely over Halloween. Well, due to the storm damage and power outages, Cleveland's trick or treating was pushed back until Sunday. So while most of America has already begun to pull out their Thanksgiving decor, we finally just got to the best part about Halloween.

Lucky for you, this post has some pretty cute pictures.

So, we didn't know how long Drew was going to last this year seeing as how it was 40 degrees and lightly sprinkling, but he did great. We ended up just going around our street a bit saying hi to all of the neighbors, but I think we made it to a total of 10-12 houses and he walked almost 90% of the time. Towards the end, he was really good at saying 'trick or treat' and understanding he could grab a piece of candy. He was fairly good about saying 'thank you', but mostly just loved being fawned over by the passerby's. I think I saw about 3 different teenage girls snap pictures of him so I wouldn't be surprised if there is a shot floating around the social media interwebs somewhere.

Oh.. and he loved his tail. It was hard to grab, but everytime he found it, this was the face we got.....

Yet another show-off of the magical tail. And I love when he sees himself in the oven. And yes, I'm overly excited in the video. What can I say? I was SO excited to take my little calf around!



Although he only got a few bites of candy he enjoyed checking out his stash and looking at each wrapper.

We actually participated in a candy buy-back through our dentist this year and might make that a tradition. The dentist gives out a little bit of money for the kids and then sends all of the candy to the troops overseas. Drew loved putting the two dollar bills into his piggybank and I love knowing he won't be on a sugar high for the next 3 weeks. That, and the fact that the candy is not staring me in the face everyday just begging to be eaten.

(I promise that's the last of the Halloween posts for this year!)

Sweet Boy

Is it a mother thing? To absolutely adore any little thing your child does? I can't STAND when my dogs smack their lips when their dry mouth sets in, but I could listen to this little guy smack his yogurt all day long. Watching him eat sometimes makes my day and I could watch him carefully scrape each last bit of cheese for hours. Tiny little tasks take so much thought and effort in a toddlers world, and to me, it's simply adorable. 

On top of smacking and snacking, I am purely in love with this face in general. From the way he holds his mouth during a cheesy smile to the silly expressions that come out of nowhere, it is perfect to me. I realize over time it will become less 'baby-ish' and more like a 'boy', so for now my mental camera is filling up with shots. I have really studied his face this week, and I mean really. Laying on the floor while he plays with his trains, I have studied the tiny hairs that line his cheeks but are almost too fine for visibility. After a bit of snuggling while reading, I have come to realize that his eyebrows have the faintest hint of red in them. Might have been the light, but so do his daddy's. Reddish or not, they are perfect. And so is everything about his face. It's perfect. 

At least to me.

Nature

Few things are more important in life than the outdoors to my parents. From early on in life, I remember spending tons of time outside. Sure video and computer games weren't around much and that helped on this front, but it was my parents' love of fresh air that drove our family to spending so much time outside. I have memories from early on of being at a park with my mother writing notes to my dad. I remember so much time at campgrounds chasing my brother on our bikes or trying to find a four-leaf clover in the field. Raking leaves in the fall and planting veggies or flowers in the spring were annual traditions that I held dearly. I have a fondness for mother nature and I think it's because a big chunk of my childhood was spent within her beautiful arms.

I have enjoyed watching my parents pass on this love to my son. I long for him to enjoy the outdoors more than the TV or computer and hope he appreciates all of the colors of nature someday. During our stay in Kansas City, my parents took Drew on a 'nature walk'. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the colors were absolutely vivid. With winter around the corner, my parents knew this was probably one of the last few days they could go outside without jackets. Dad scrounged up an old cigar box to collect the souvenirs from the adventure and off they went.

Drew was quite interested in the colors and textures of everything they collected and watching him listen as my mother explained everything was too precious. He proudly waved a few of his leaves in the air as they strolled and watched as the squirrels and bunnies scattered around. It was peaceful. Drew didn't make much noise, just listened instead.

Towards the end of the walk, dandelions were spotted in an unkempt yard. Standard protocol after collection involves blowing their florets off and this is exactly what mom taught Drew to do. Although he's not a strong blower yet, he couldn't wait to attempt each time mom snagged him another from the ground.

Although simple, and spontaneous, I know Drew enjoyed this walk with my parents. Hurricane Sandy quickly destroyed so much of fall's beauty so now we have to look towards spring. Sure, winter and playing in the snow will be fun, but it's personally not my favorite season.

Starting today, I will be looking forward to spring.