Please friends, don't be fooled

I know that I totally have seasonal ADD.  Just last night I was prattling on about cards and photos and I am serously dying to get our Christmas decorating going (10 more days... just 10 more days).  At the same time I'm sitting here sipping tropical Juicy Juice (don't tell Kayla) spiked with just a hint of rum.  Despite the fact that I seem to long for summer while looking on to the days and weeks ahead, don't think that the significance of tomorrow is lost on me.  It most certainly isn't. 

I have so very much in my life to be thankful for; it seems trite to try to sum it all up in a blog post but I am going to try anyway. 

I am thankful for my home.  I am thankful for all the love that is contained within these walls and the joy of those who live here.  I am thankful that I come home every day to arms that are ready to hug and a little angel who exclaims "mommy, mommy, mommy!  Mine, mine, mine!" when I come through the door.  I am thankful that we are healthy and fed and truly we want for very little.  I am thankful that we both have steady jobs and have had very little turmoil during these tough times when so many have had to go without.

I am thankful for my family; the family I was born into, the family I gained when my dad and step mom married and the family I married into.  Together, they form a support system I don't know what we'd do without.  They are happy to babysit when we need a break.  They keep me fed and sane when I am on my own with a toddler for the first time.  They are here every weekend to play, to go to the park or walk for ice cream.    I have parents and sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents and nephews who I adore and I am thankful that Kayla will grow up in such a large, loving family. 

I am so thankful for these two.  Without them I'd be wandering, lost and lonely.  They really do complete me, and I am ever so grateful that I have them.

So tomorrow while I am eating turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes to my heart's content, I am going to be thinking of these things, and more.  I hope all of you have something to be thankful for too.  Happy Thanksgiving all.  

Looking forward to the little things about the season...

This time of year is so much fun for me. There’s so much anticipation and joy for all the things to come; decorating, baking, meals together with family… I really adore it all. I always have, and now that Kayla is a part of it all everything seems new again. Knowing that she probably doesn’t remember last Christmas means that this year it will be a new experience all over again. She’s so much more aware and interactive than she was last year at not quite 6 months old.


One of the silly things I always look forward to is sending and receiving Christmas cards. I love getting cards from friends and family in the mail and putting them on the front door. It’s one of the few times that I actually look at the inside of our front door. Even more than that I love going on a search for the perfect card to send out, and now taking the perfect photo for our cards.

Last year we went the route of a traditional card with a wallet-sized photo inside. They were nice, but somehow I can’t imagine finding the time to address and sign cards and write Kayla’s name and age on the back of each photo again this year. This time around I am definitely going with a photo card from Shutterfly. Now my hardest decision becomes which one?

I love the simplicity of this one:

Just as I love the whimsy of these two:

Be sure to check out all the holiday card, invitation and new year’s card collections too and tell me what your favorite is!

Been caught slacking...

Almost a month since I last wrote... where to start...

Well, after Halloween we had a few busy weeks.  The first week of November was relatively normal but ended with Shaun and I at Lincoln Financial Field to see the Eagles take on the Colts.  What a great game it was!  It was a little bit more fun for me than Shaun, but we both enjoyed some good cheesesteaks and yummy beers while we were there.  I did my best not to brag too much that we came away with the win that night.  ;-) 

The next day Shaun left for Oklahoma City for the week.  I wasn't sure I could keep it all together here, but truthfully the week went really fast.  I have my parents and in-laws to thank for helping so much to keep me fed and sane... but really I almost enjoyed it.  Being home with Kayla that Thursday (Veteran's Day) and Friday was a nice treat. 

Trying to figure out whose toys are in the basket...

Last week was a little crazy for me since I was on the road for work on Wednesday - Friday.  I had to drive to King of Prussia and back for training on the software that I am our administrator of.  I hate training (so boring!) but I try not to undervalue time NOT spent at my desk.  I am dreading finding out what my inbox looks like right now, but that's a bridge I will cross tomorrow morning. 

This weekend we got to take my mom to lunch for her birthday, which was great.  Today I cleaned the house... not so great, but I feel like I actually accomplished something.  Every day life is really all that's happening here, and I'm 100% OK with that. 

The holiday season is just about ready to kick off and I am so excited.  I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving with our families.  Then it's just 1 week until we start our Christmas preparations.  The weekend after that is our 4th anniversary and hopefully when we'll get our Christmas shopping done.  We're pretty focused on just getting stuff for Kayla this year; the Wii was our gift to one another.  I know me and I will still get something small for Shaun to open on Christmas morning, even if it's just stocking stuffers.  But I'm getting ahead of myself... turkey first.  You must respect the Turkey.