Merry Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas!

 

From our family

to yours

 



Christmas Decorations

It is so hard preparing for the holidays without my hubby here.

Christmas is his favorite time of year and my heart hurts this year that he is so far away.

When he was deployed to Iraq, his R&R was over Christmas and New Years so he only missed Thanksgiving at home.

 

I normally decorate the house the night before Thanksgiving per tradition,

but after a trip to L&D and constant contractions,

I thought I should get things decorated as soon as possible.

I wasn't going to risk going into labor and then trying to decorate the house

with a newborn and a toddler.

So the décor went up the weekend before Thanksgiving.

 

I tried to take a video of babygirl helping me decorate the Christmas tree but that was short lived and I ended up doing it alone because she freaked out over the way the tree felt.

But I took pictures of everything so hubby can imagine what things are looking like at home.

 

Someone got into the holiday spirit for the occasion.

Pink tree in babygirl's room.

She did help decorate this one.

And I catch her all the time taking the ornaments off and pretending to decorate all over again.

Babygirl's special ornament this year.

Baby-Sister couldn't be left out!

She needed her own purple tree to match her room. 

A few new ornaments I picked up to represent this year.

I looked everywhere for a yellow ribbon but couldn't find one. 

Right before Babygirl was born we picked up this ornament at a craft festival. 

Baby-Sister couldn't go without either!
I was over the moon when I found the same stand at the festival.

Our finished tree.

Not sure why I didn't get a picture of it all lit up.

I am sure there will be plenty before Christmas is here.

I skipped my normal tree ribbon this year and bought

yellow ribbon.

I wanted to do an all-Americana theme but decided not to spend the money on new décor.

My yellow ribbon is enough for me. 

He may not be here, but his stocking still hangs.

Thanksgiving 2012

 

Thanksgiving was alright this year.

I spent most of the day having contractions and pretty much hoping I would go into labor.

I didn't many pictures this year.

Just a few on my phone.

 

We started the morning off by talking to hubby online.

I realized I had to be at my sisters in half an hour and I hadn't even started making the food I was supposed to bring. I ended up on the webcam with hubby while I threw the food together fast and shoved it in the oven. Luckily I made it to her house only about 10 minutes late. ha.

 

It was so crazy to see there be a kids table this year.

Our babies are getting too big too fast!

 

I hate having two Thanksgiving dinners in one day.

I am a fatty on this day and I like to enjoy those big meals!

When you have to go to more than one house then you don't get the full effect of all the great food. ;)

 

Silly girl playing with her cousins.

Captain America wears a tutu now. 

38 weeks 3 days

My princess wanted kisses.

 

My favorite photo of the day.

She had to eat her dinner like a diva.

Night Before Thanksgiving 2012

Last year on the night before Thanksgiving we went to the Santa lighting downtown and I took pictures as normal. When I went to upload everything my memory card was erased. I was so heartbroken! I made sure to take pictures using multiple cameras this year :)

 

To be honest, I was really upset at kicking off the holiday season without my hubby here.

Even if he does hate this night ;)

He will tell you that he doesn't hate it.

He just hates the Indiana weather.

And standing around.

 

This year we were so blessed!

The weather was 45 degrees at 7pm

I don't ever remember it being this warm when we've gone in the past.

I repeated over and over again how blessed we were and how perfect of a night it was.

I know if hubby was home this year he may have actually enjoyed himself ;)

 

Cousins waiting on the countdown to start

 

Countdown over! Santa is lit!

It took about 30 seconds for her to stop just staring at the Santa.

Then she started yelling and clapping and pointing.

She was such a fun age this year.  

 

My girl loves Santa this year and gets really excited over anything to do with reindeer.

My momma has been my rock through this deployment.

My amazing parents 

All the cousins with Papa and Momo

except for baby Paisley

 

 

 

38 weeks and 2 days pregnant

 

And of course my yearly tradition picture.

Since hubby wasn't home, babygirl had to take his place.

She's the next best thing.

Care Package -Baking Style

So a higher up in hubby's office has requested no-bake cookies from me.

I thought it was funny and rather random that I was the chosen one to make them.

I am pretty sure I haven't baked anything from scratch in about a year or so.

 

 

 

I figured since I was going to bake, I might as well make a day of it.

I invited a friend over and we got to baking.

 

No-Bake Cookies

Peanut Butter Fudge

Rice Krispie Treats

 

I figured all of these will be able to last the 5-7 days it takes to get delivered to Afghanistan.

 

I included a box specifically for the person requesting the cookies.

I wrote: 'For the OLD MAN.

Baked with love while I was in labor.'

 

All of the goodies packed up to go. I put them all in Ziploc containers but also wrapped in plastic wrap and some foil. There is still a part of me that was paranoid they would all be gross by the time hubby received it. I cut up the rice krispies and wrapped them individually and stacked them in between all of the containers to decrease any shifting or movement while being delivered.

I also threw this shirt in the top of the box for hubby.

While at Wal-Mart, babygirl saw this shirt and starting hollering about Santa Claus.

So since my hubby is a t-shirt guy, I figured it would make him laugh.

Especially knowing that babygirl was excited over it.

It's the $5 randomness that I love to send him. :)

Care Package-Halloween Style

Hubby's Halloween carepackage was filled with candy, décor, and treats for him to share with his battles.

 

Crazy babygirl while we were shopping for daddy's things.

Daddy had amazing timing on this day.

I was having a rough day.

Just dealing with a mixture of deployment/pregnancy hormones.

I felt unloved, not missed, forgotten.

Which I know is silly, but it's a part of deployment.

It happens to us all. 

But when I checked the mailbox, my AMAZING hubby had sent both babygirl and I a card.

The timing was incredible.

He always knows how to deliver an extra dose of love exactly when I need it.

Shopping with this monster is a real treat! 

 

We sent hubby a Halloween costume.

A hotdog! :)

Anything for those guys to be able to relax a second and have a laugh. 

This care package was one of my favorites to decorate.

Just because it was all so cute.

It's been too long ago now that I can't even remember what all I sent him in this fun box.

I know there were some snacks like Honey Buns and candy.

I included treat bags filled with candy and Army men for him to pass out.

Glow sticks. 

Hubby had actually sent me a pretty large list of things he needed/wanted now that he was finally getting settled out of the tents and into his actual room.

I know I sent him new tennis shoes and bedding (Dora sheets and blanket)

Halloween 2012

Last Halloween I had an epic mom fail and took one picture the whole night.

I was determined NOT to forget to snap photos this time!

Especially since babygirl's daddy is away.

After going back and forth as to where we would trick or treat,

and who we would go with.. 

We settled on my sister, Brietta and her 2 kiddos.

Her husband was working and she didn't want to go alone.

My brother was going wherever I was gonna go.

I know my neighborhood is never really a good place to go because there isn't a lot of kids around here. You hardly ever see trick or treaters and there aren't ever a lot of lights on at homes. 

I love my girl :)

My girl was looking WAY to big to be saying 

Trick or Treat 

and ringing doorbells on her own. 

Slow down, kiddo!!

This silly spider ring was her favorite thing she got. 

Which cracks me up because if she sees a spider at home

she panics until I come and kill it for her.

Zoe fell about 5 minutes after we first started.

The rest of the night was ruined for her.

She spent it in the wagon.