{By lately, I mean within the last 2-ish weeks, so that counts as “lately”, right?}
Birthday dinner/much needed night out with my very best friend…
Apple Fritters…because obviously!
Post pre school Christmas program ice cream stops…
First train rides and family time and big smiles!
Spending time with far away aunties!
Remember how I said the Christmas season was magical? See what I mean?
Christmas was perfect in just about every way possible this year.
There was family time.
There was lots (and lots) of good food.
There was laughter.
And there was magic.
I don’t know what it was about this year, age I’m guessing, but something just clicked with Rylee and the Christmas Spirit was alive and well with that little one. It was contagious.
She got more and more excited with every ring we tore off of our Christmas Chain.
She soaked up all the time with her Aunties…loving every minute of it.
She was a rock star during Christmas Eve mass.
At my dad’s house on Christmas Eve she unwrapped a present that was nestled inside a box that one held wine glasses, complete with photos of wine glasses filled with wine on the box and she excitedly proclaimed “I GOT WINE!”.
She handed out “thank you’s” left and right. Made this mama’s heart proud.
We put her in PJ’s before the drive home on Christmas Eve thinking she’d zonk out on the drive. Instead of sawing logs, she decided to singe Jingle Bells over and over and over again, getting louder and louder and louder with each round. The entire way home. Andy and I couldn’t help but laugh.
On Christmas morning she was disappointed that Santa left half of a scone on his plate…as if the 1 1/2 he did eat wasn’t enough. {noted}
At my mom’s house while playing with the hand puppets Grammy had made her she busted out in a maniacal laughter when my sister, playing the pig & the sheep, said she couldn’t go to the park because she had to go to the slaughter house.
While opening gifts over at my in-laws house, she looked her grandma square in the eye and asked her to STOP taking so many pictures of her. {I about died!}
Throughout the Christmas, and the following days, anytime someone asked her what Santa brought her she proudly said “A bike!” Then went on to tell how it was wrapped in a red sheet. Every single time.
There was so much smiling. So much laughing.
Like I said…magical.
The one part I failed at was taking pictures. I took two. The entire weekend.
And you know what? That was ok by me.
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas like we did.
Well friends, it’s that time of year, isn’t it?
The stockings have been hung by the…uhhh…half-wall by the wood stove with care.
My sisters are in town which means the family time has commenced. At work, our tradeshow booth crates leave on Dec 28.
I’ve sent Andy out to finish the Christmas shopping today. Tonight is sister-baking night. Tomorrow we’re meeting up for drinks and bonding. Christmas Eve will start out with a brunch at my uncle’s new house, followed by gifts, food and church with my dad. Christmas we’ll be hopping between my dad’s, my mom’s and my inlaw’s.
Things are busy around these parts…very busy.
And so, with that, I am taking a little blogging Christmas break. I’ll be back around these parts in a few days.
From my family to yours, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
We ordered our cards from Shutterfly this year. No way am I that creative…I just borrowed a screen shot form them.
Y’all? {Like I’m all of a sudden southern, or something}
I am floored…
Quick Back Story: I’m a member of the Clever Girls Network. And periodically, the send out information for opportunities to earn some cash for writing a blog post. You may have noticed that I’ve done a couple. It helps keep my site up and running. So, back in November they sent out an email with a big excting announcement that they were partnering with Toyota on a new campaign and they were looking for a few bloggers to join a new network that Toyota was debuting called TWIN {Toyota Women’s Influencer Network}. I thought, “that’s pretty cool” and on a whim, I applied for it.
Long story short…
Over a month went by and I heard nothing. Then on Sunday I got an email…
They picked me as one of their bloggers to be a member of TWIN.
Me? My little ole’ blog? My jaw hit the ground.
Maybe it was the fact that I told them that we own 7 vehicles. Or that Andy has not one, but TWO Toyota FJ40 Landcruisers. Or the fact that, to this day, I told Andy I only married him for his 1989 Corolla.
Whatever their reasoning for choosing to partner with me, I’m jacked! I’m so excited to be a part of this new campaign that Toyota is rolling out. Part of the “welcome pack” was a brand new Kindle Fire so that we can stay connected while on the go. All I could think of was “Are they for real!?” And let me tell you…it’s so for real. I literally filled out the paperwork on Monday telling them where to ship it and when I returned from my lunchbreak on Tuesday? It was at my desk waiting for me!
There’s obviously other parts of the contract, like that little TWIN badge over there on my side bar and a blog post here and there over the next few months, but…wow…
What can I say…I’m excited. And really, really looking forward to growing a relationship with Toyota!
Disclosure: I was selected for participation in the TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. I did not receive any compensation for writing this post, or payment in exchange for participating. The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of the Toyota.
So, you remember a couple of weeks ago how I wrote this post about how awesome of a mom I am and how Rylee & I did this really great Christmas craft and that it was ok with me if you were jealous?
You don’t remember? Here’s a quick refresher:
Yea, well…that Christmas craft has come back to bite me in the butt.
Big time.
Every single time Rylee excitedly asks to tear one more link of the chain off I cringe.
Every link being torn off means we are one day closer to Christmas.
And with each day closer to Christmas I’m reminded about how I still have gifts to buy. And gifts to wrap. And lists to make. And things to bake. And…and…and…And so many other things on my seemingly endless to-do list.
Overwhelmed much?
The anxiety…it’s getting up there.
Stupid freaking paper chain.