"I painted stripes on the family cat, broke two teeth only yesterday...

...I'm the angel in the Christmas play." Angel in the Christmas Play by Gayla Peevey.

Apparently our little baby face doesn't think so much of my Christmas list for him, so he wrote a letter to Santa to correct it. :)

Dear Santa
I'm sure you are aware that my mother has sent out "my" list of presents and while the intentions are good, I really am not interested in footy-sleepers or a lightweight travel stroller. I am 14 months old now, and I've been VERY good,  barring a few incidents when I was teething; but no one could hold that against me, right? There are the usual things I'd prefer - wrapping paper and boxes, naturally - but I have a few other things I would really like for Christmas this year which are listed below. Thank you so much, Santa, and Merry Christmas!

1. I would like quality time with THIS cat. She doesn't like me. I can have the other anytime I want, so naturally I am much more interested in this one. 

2. I would love a few of these refillable wall-mounted entertainment devices. For some reason, although there seem to be an endless supply of the white papery things, I am forever thwarted in my attempts to utilize this fascinating device. 

3. Time under here. It's obviously a doorway into Narnia, or my parents wouldn't be so desperate to keep me from it.

4. Open access to this drawer. Obviously it's full of candy.

5. This computer cord, to chew and play with to my heart's content.

6. A selection of these. Not sure what they are, but they are the perfect size to stick my little fingers in that hole. 

7. This Interactive Entertainment System (which is also self-cleaning!). All those little pieces and parts and things to take out and throw on the floor and sort! And yet my parents are forever hoarding the pleasures of this device for themselves. Rude.

8. These. They magically contain people sometimes, I've distinctly heard my dad talking in one and I often hear from a variety of Grandmas, Grandpas, and Aunts. I would like to have my own personal human miniaturization convenience device, but I would also like access to everyone else's whenever I happen to notice one.

9. A crate of these. Do you have any idea how fun it is to take all the separate tissues out and tear them up? Hours of wholesome family fun.

10. Access to this. Again, so many individual pieces, all so shiny, and with convenient cabinet doors that I can already open and close myself. And yet for some reason mom shrieks every time I come near it. 

11. These. Dad's "work" rattle. Not sure why it's so special to him, but you'd think he could share. 

12. Three words: Cords and buttons. Look at all the lovely buttons and delightful cords to push and pull! I know for a fact that some of them cause MOVIES to play on that big screen, and they make fun little beeping noises, too. Also, there's a cool little drawer that goes in and out. What's not to love?

13. This. It's not like anyone else wants it! I just want to go through it and maybe create some original art with whatever is in there. But my parents are forever stifling my creativity in this area. I don't know why. Half the stuff in there came from me anyway.

Thank you so much, Santa, and Merry Christmas!
Love,
James

So there you have it. :P

"From Atlantic to Pacific...

...Gee, the traffic is terrific." There's No Place Like Home For The Holidays by Perry Como

Hello lovelies!

Baby-boo and his Great-Grampa

Apologies for the extended absence! We have had a full and delightful autumn season with birthdays, anniversaries, family visits, morning sickness, job interviews (everything went well; still waiting to hear a decision!), the holidays beginning, and my sweet offspring getting two new teeth this week and on the verge of walking! He is getting to be such a big little boy, and such a clever child, if I do say so myself. I fear that he will outsmart me before too long.

I have a whole slew of posts I can't WAIT to share with you, among them my DIY advent calendar ESPECIALLY for Mamas with little ones! Naturally it's not completely done yet (um, I got the first two finished so I have two more days to complete the set, right?) and it will only take one more trip to the dollar store plus my sweet husband doing a tiny little spray paint project for me.

On a more personal note, regarding jobs, my husband has had two interviews back in my homeland, and both of them went well, and pending final tests/background checks/supervisor approval we have been told that we might move as soon as Christmas, and definitely (if accepted) by mid-January. Naturally this is thrilling news since we've been apply for jobs and pounding the pavement for over a year, now! Back on the east coast, he also has one definite job lead, with similar holdups pending, and they would be ready for us in April! There's a lot of uncertainties about all of these options, so any prayers you could spare for wisdom and the right job to work out in God's good time would be such a blessing! We would love to move as soon as possible, because the longer we wait, the bigger I get with our new baby...and the harder it will be for me to do anything with the move! (Oh yeah, I did mention that we're expecting again, right? Yup. Due in May. Woohoo!)

With all this indecision and possibilities in then next few weeks or months, it begs the question, to decorate, or not to decorate?

Those of you who know me, know that my year is divided into the usual four seasons: Christmas, post-Christmas, un-Christmas, and pre-Christmas. ;) The possibility of living a year of my life where I don't decorate never even entered my mind! At least we have to go get some mistletoe...and put up one of the little trees...and maybe a garland or two...candles...centerpieces...

And speaking of finding out NEWS, on Friday we will have an ultrasound and find out if this baby is a boy or a girl! Too exciting!!!

I hope your holidays are less in limbo than mine, and you get to slow waaaaaaay down and enjoy the season! But even if you feel as hectic about all the details as I do at present, don't miss all the joy coming your way as we celebrate the birth of the King!

"We're on parade! We're on parade!...

...We are marching, marching through your living room!" The Uninvited Parade by Sandra Boynton.

Hello, lovelies! During this last absence, I've been traveling with family, seeing my brand-new niece, and planning a birthday party for our very own little man! If you are on Facebook you no doubt saw the pictures, but I'm thought I'd post them here as well. Baby-face turned one amidst friends, food, and heaps of lovely presents in our autumn woodland themed party!. :)

Outside decorations and firepit.

Streamers! 

See that lucky little boy's pile of presents on the left?

Smores for the fire pit! Also, bug spray.

My amazing mother-in-law did all the cooking, creating every last crazy idea I had!

Party bags!

Party bags had hats, noisemakers, glowstick bracelets, candy, and party poppers.

Dirt pudding! Grandpa gathered all the pinecones and acorns for table decor from our woods! 

I made of list of all the autumny and woodland foods I could think of...and my amazing mother-in-law made all of them, right down to the miniature apple pies!

Hand-dipped caramel apples! (I had to search EVERYWHERE for little apples!)

I was so mad at myself when I saw this in ALL the pictures?!? Also, I forgot to uncover the cupcakes forever! :/

Special cake for baby to smash! Grandmama made loooooovely homemade buttercream frosting.

Birthday boy and Grandpa ("Pop-pop")

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And the party begins!

Gift-opening chaos of happiness!

Me and the kidlet. Amazingly, he LOVED his party hat.

Mummy, Baby, Daddy! 

Ready to blow out his first candle!

First taste of cake!

Sharing with Gem's little girl!

He liked feeding it to her more than eating it himself!

He even got a little birthday kiss from her later!

So, all in all, I think it was a success! The kiddos got put down around 8 (waaaaay past bedtime!) and we grownups enjoyed the firepit and smores. (Babies enjoyed it too, earlier on. My son threw one of his new presents, a light-up ball, into the fire where it promptly exploded. He thought it was pretty cool, so I hope there won't be any psychological damage from that one...)

Love!

"The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing...

...but I will weather the storm!" I''ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm by Irving Berlin.

Hello, lovelies! Did everyone have a blessed Christmas? Ours was so lovely. The only way it could have been improved is if we could have been with extended family. This was our first year celebrating by ourselves, which worked out well since James and I came down with a sore throat. (I presume his throat is sore. Mine is and he is definitely snuffly and congested. And fussy.)

But back to the blessings! We had a huge pile of gifts from our amazing family, and my husband got to be home the entire day! James and the kitties seemed to enjoy the present unwrapping and a jolly time was had by all. :) I'll post some of our pictures soon.

All our love, and tune in later this week for my New Year's resolutions. Don't forget to start thinking about yours! Mwah!

Update: Christmas pictures!

Christmas cheer.

Izzy enjoying the holiday.

Baby James Loved opening his stocking and finding all these goodies!

Irony requesting her present.

We has a sad - naptime interrupted presents.

Love!

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..

...soon the bells will start." It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas performed by Bing Crosby.

Hello, lovelies!

So, I can't believe our sweet baby is SEVEN WEEKS OLD! He's certainly a little character - and lately he's been helping me put together Christmas presents!

Love to everyone, and I hope you're having a great Christmas season!

Mwah!

Happy Independence Day!

Happy 4th, ya'll!

Photos from the Fireworks and Air Show at Thunder over Louisville 2012.

"Brought to you courtesy...

...of the red, white, and blue." The Angry American Song (Courtesy Red White and Blue) by Toby Keith.

Happy Memorial Day!

Izzy celebrating by destroying something. :)

Love!

Happy Easter!

Christ is risen, friends! Oh happy day!

Irony guarding her Easter eggs.

Happy April Fool's Day!

Found at Laughingbug.com