Friday, December 31, 2010

New Year's Goals

I've never really written down my New Year's goals because it always seems that you make them at the beginning of the year because it sounds so great to do them in the coming year, and then you forget about them or do them or don't do them at all. Our lives are ever changing with the kiddos that I'm lucky if I can remember what happened 2 days ago :)

This year though I'm going to write down a few that I would like to work on this year:

1) Spend more QT time with this man:

Tim and I haven't had a whole lot of time to be just "us" since Ella was born and I miss that terribly!! I LOVE our girls, but you forget that as a baby, they require so much attention and nurturing and love when they are so little. Not that Avery doesn't need it as well, but it's so different as they become older.

We've talked about stealing the Lairsen's idea of "Wine Night Wednesday's" and doing that ourselves once I stop nursing. I think it's a great idea because they don't answer the phone and don't get on the computer and just enjoy being with one another. Plus, I have all my new Riedel's that I got for Christmas that are wine specific that I can't wait to get more use out of!!


2) Lose the tire I've accumulated around my waist - I know that I just had a baby 4 months ago but I'm ready to be back in ALL my old clothes. Plus, before I had her, I was in some of the best shape I'd ever been in and would love to get back there. So, I cancelled my gym membership...what?? How will she get back in shape now?? No worries, it's so hard for me to get to the gym right now because of Ella's naps and I would prefer to not have her in the gym kidcare right now being so young. So, I bought myself some new workout DVD's that I've already started. Turbo Jam - awesome if you like kickboxing!! Jillian Michaels 30-day shred - not tried it yet, but heard it was hard and works. And....drumroll please - P90X, this is for after I've gotten back into some better shape because I know it is going to kick my a**. Plus, Tim and I are going to do it together so it should be even more motivating. And, I just got Just Dance 2 for the Wii and it is so fun. Avery just loves it too!

3) Learn Spanish through the Rosetta Stone. Anybody ever try this or know someone whose done it?? I'd love to have some feedback about it. Tim and I are going to do this together as well, but 1st we have to get it :)

4) Spend more time with our family and friends and really enjoy the time we have with them. They all mean the world to us!

5) Besides being a Mom to my 2 sweethearts, figure out another purpose for me in this life that I am living. I LOVE being a Mom but I know there is something else out there for me to put my stamp on and I can't wait to figure it out. And, I am so grateful to have Tim give me the time to do this.

5 goals sound good right now...we'll see how they turn out.

Care to share your goals for the year?? I'd love to hear!

December 31, 2010

As the year comes to an end tonight and we start our new year of 2011, I have so many things to be thankful for from the past year and so many things to look forward to in the coming year.

Overall, I can say that 2010 has been a really wonderful year for Tim and I. With the addition of sweet baby Ella in September, our family has become complete! Motherhood is such an amazing thing and though it can be so trying and hard at times, the good times are the BEST and I want to try and have more of them next year.

I can't wait to continue to see Avery grow into her little personality that she has and I am really looking forward to her turning 4 because so far this has been the hardest year we've had with her. People talk about terrible "2's" but all the mommies I've talked to say it is not terrible "2's" but terrible "3's" and I fully, whole-heartedly agree with this. Don't get me wrong, she is so fun to be with, easily entertains herself, and loves an audience too! She has an infectious laugh and says the funniest things, you can't help but laugh or smile with her!

Ella will be 4 months old next Saturday and I am so looking forward to seeing her grow this year. She is such a sweet baby and I can't believe that Tim and I have been blessed with a 2nd amazing child. She is a great eater though I feel like our time for nursing is coming to an end because she wants more than what my body is giving her now. I'm coming to terms with it which is crazy for me because I didn't even think I would nurse her at all. But, she did so well in the beginning that it has been a wonderful experience for me unlike when I nursed Avery. I will cherish the time I had to give her what my body could provide her. We will see how it goes moving forward. She is definitely a snuggler too!! I will try and hold on to this trait as long as I can...there is nothing like snuggling with a baby! One of my most favorite times with her was when she was born and they gave Tim, Ella and I time alone for an hour before everyone met her at the hospital. Ella and I laid together skin-on-skin and it was such a sweet and wonderful moment for me. We did the same thing the other night after our super-fun holiday weekend and for 2 hours she slept and I got to watch her and feel her soft skin and see her sweet baby face and all the sleep faces they make. I'm sorry I'm being so sappy...but it was wonderful. I know that once she's a toddler I won't have these moments with a baby again so I'm enjoying them so much right now!

Next weekend, I will be watching Brian marry his beautiful (both inside and out) fiance Mollye and have a new sister in my life! I am so excited about them getting married!! When you are with Mollye and Brian you just know how much they Love each other and how much they are meant to be together. I can't wait to be a witness to them tying the knot and having her join our family!

Also, some time next year or the next I will be gaining another sister when Kristen and Kevin get married!! They just got engaged on her birthday, December 13 and we are so excited for them! It is also obvious from just being around them that they are meant to be in one another's life's together forever too!

You know what is funny to me...when you are a little kid you Love being around your parents and family. Then as a teenager, you are all consumed with your friends and your parents are so not Cool! Then as you move from your teen years into a young adult, it starts to balance out b/t the 2 (friends and parents). Now, we do so much with our family and Tim and I just Love being with them. I feel so lucky to have my parents and in-laws get along so well. I also feel so blessed that all the "kids" get along so well and we spend a lot of time with our brothers and sisters. We always have so much fun together!

My resolutions will be coming soon...Happy New Years!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Week 14

Eventually I will stop putting the blog into "weeks" but right now it helps keep me sorted and I'll take what I can in the organization dept right now :)

Thursday is our day off so normally we just play at home for awhile before we go do something. Avery really wanted to wear her x-mas dress or as she calls it "Ho! Ho!" dress so why not?? It doesn't have to be worn only 1 day a year...plus, she looked so cute in it!! She's such a peanut...the tights are from last fall even though she's grown taller. I'll take 2 seasons.



Nana and Ella with her cute reindeer onesie Nana made



Papa and Avery...I got a smile out of you Rich :)


Hanging out in our hats








Ella has some growing to do to catch up to Ms. Avery!






what do you think of this "russian hat", as tim calls it??


kind of a big bow, but i'm trying to get used to it!

Weeks 12 & 13

Here I am catching up again because we have been sooooo busy with all our fun Holiday activities. Time is flying by and I can't wait to keep celebrating in the next couple weeks...New Year's, a Beautiful Wedding!!!

avery laying with her baby "lucy" feeding her in her bassinet


girls night out with some of my high school girlies. yummy food, lots of wine and great company at Javiers! can't wait for next year :)


my 2 cuties!






such big eyes


playing with different settings







that's an awfully big bed for you 2 little girls!


avery took this picture of the 3 of us and it actually came out pretty cute so i wanted to share it with you all...impressive ms. avery


annual white elephant party at the joneses. the gifts get crazier and crazier each year. we haven't seen so many of our friends in so long :( it was so nice to catch up with everyone!


tim's gift he stole from melissa...sorry! nascar here he comes!


the boys


the girlies!



tim ran the white rock half with nathan the morning following the party. he is amazing! they ran it in just under 2 hours, 1:59:21. i am so impressed by you everyday tim. thank you for sharing your life with me!

tim gave avery his medal when he got home. she didn't take it off all day :)



x-mas brunch and play at lifetime with nana and the jurneys. we always have a great time with them!


avery being "brave" and hugging on the snowman!


can't believe that avery actually sat with santa...she had been telling me she wasn't going to sit with him for the past couple weeks and then when i was out pumping (love you ella) they all got their pic taken with him. and, ella and avery sat by themselves with him and got their pic taken separately!! she even told him what she wanted - a pillow pet, the unicorn. you'll have to wait for another post to see if he brought it to her. she was so excited!! bummer i missed it in person but yea for photos!


such a helper at the grocery store!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Stickerator

How do you coin a new word in the dictionary?? The reason I ask is because Avery is totally and utterly consumed with playing with her stickers and the other day she was putting them on something and I asked her what she was doing and she said she was "Stickerating!"!! She is a full-time stickerator! I think 'stickerator' would make a great addition to the dictionary :)

Here she is stickerating herself...


Thankfully she has yet to stickerate her sister, but Tim and I have been stickerated. You better watch out for her!!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Avery's Holiday School Program

Avery's last day of school before Holiday Break they had a little Holiday Program at the end of the day. This was our 1st one of many but we were so excited to go see her perform! She has been singing her songs around the house for the past few weeks and it is so cute!

Here she is in her Reindeer shirt compliments of Nana and all ready to go to school




Nana, Darmi and Poppy came to watch her perform. She was super excited to see all of us!


I took my little camera with me and it's running on fumes since it's getting so old so the pics I took didn't turn out too great :( Tim got some great video of it, but I haven't had a chance to go through it yet. They were all so adorable up there!


Avery finally spotted us and could not stop waving at us all with the biggest smile on her face. I just LOVE her!


In her classroom afterwards they had cookies and juice for everyone.


The 4 of us...Ella's snoozin' of course!


Avery and her boyfriends, Brody and Grayson. Her other boyfriend, David, didn't make it in the pic in time. But, above all, Brody is her Prince!! Such cuties :)










Mollye's Bachelorette Party Weekend

The boys are in Vegas for Brian's bachelor party and the girls played here for Mollye's bachelorette party. We had such a great night together!! I can't believe this girl is going to be part of my family! I'm pinching myself I'm so lucky to have her as my sister-in-law soon :)

We had a super-yummy dinner at Victor Tango's on Henderson. And, some super-yummy drinks too :)


Dancing our way through Dallas...1st stop, The Beauty Bar


the random dancer dude that was dancing with everyone there


mollye, me and eiffat


mollye and me


2nd stop...the slip inn! let me tell you, i used to love going to this bar to dance, but to put it politely, things have changed not just a little bit, but a lot there. we were in and out of there in about 3 minutes. oh well...what's next?


3rd and final stop...the park! this is one of my favorite bars around. we've been there several times and we always have a GREAT time!


but, probably one of the best highlights of the night was when we caught this cab on the way home: the karaoke cab! i've never been in one and it was a blast! you can rent it out for the night or hourly and the guy gave us his card, but i lost it. i think kristen kept it though.

isn't this such a fun pic of these 3


sing it kristen!


you go girls!


okay...totally random guy the cabbie picked up while taking us back to mollye's. he was such a good sport though and grabbed the mic and sang along with us.


sunday was mollye's bridal shower and we had a wonderful time. the food was great, she got great presents and it was just a really nice time.

not too much longer and we will all be family :)


the hostesses




after the shower, we went to relieve poppy from taking care of both girls all day. thanks poppy- you're the best!

sarah, mollye's bridesmaid, got this crown for her to wear the night before, but she decided to give it to me for avery. she loved it and wore it for the rest of the day!


3 generations