All I want for Christmas...

It's that time of year again! Time for my RIDICULOUS Christmas list. I wasn't planning on doing one this year, until Jarom asked me to do it... so I named off a few things I wanted and he said he said he can't go shopping until he has my list in hand...so okay honey! Here ya go!

1. Kara Tumblers from Pier One... I bought a bunch of these last year from Target, broke a few, and they've been discontinued... I was so saddened over my "loss" because they match my plates PERFECTLY! Then when flipping through a Pier 1 catalog last month I almost jumped with joy when I saw these! My beloved glasses are back, just at a different store (and much more than I paid for them... oh well).

I need 2 to complete my set again, but need backups too because they do break easily!

2. Gray yoga type pants... mine got stained and were my favorite "wear around the house" pants.

3. A ladle... weird I know, but my everyday one broke last night and I haven't been able to find my "fancy" one either.

4. SHOES... I need a pair of black heels, brown heels, black flats, and maybe a metallic ballet flat? Size 7!

I have these Rocketdog flats in pink and LOVE them!And these Rocketdog heels are super cute too!

5. Skirts for church, needs to be knee length! This downeast basic outfitters skirt looks super comfy!

6. Some more wondertees, a few white and one black. Size small. Another downeastbasic favorite!

7. A new house... yeah... not loving our new one so much... :( We don't use the upstairs at all at this house since the bedrooms are downstairs. I still wish we had been able to buy this one... this is the style I LOVE.

8. An extra set of slip covers for the Pottery Barn Basic couch and chairs. I found this knock off white set on ebay and think it will work PERFECTLY.

9. But if I get new slipcovers then I also new a new coffee table and end tables... because mine are an off white right now... So something in a dark wood.

10. a 12" pan for my induction cooktop. Thought I could get by with an 8" and 10" and that is NOT the case. It's really hard to cook 2 lbs of ground beef in only a 10" skillet! Darn induction cooktop made me have to buy all new pots and pans and I miss my old set!

11. A new cell phone... Jarom says this is a necessity and that I should just go buy another one since mine has had it, but I can't decide!

12. Some new jeans... post baby body is so not kind to me... squeezing into pre-maternity jeans is so not fun when you can't breathe right!

13. casual "running errands" type outfit... like lounge type pants and cute hoodie sort of thing. I think Target had some cute things!

14. A double jogging stroller... this baby weight has GOT to go! But I don't want a brand new stroller unless I get SERIOUS about running, so craigslist please!

15. While I'm at it maybe a work out video too... I heard zumba is fun??? I HATE exercising.

Well there ya have it! So I only need about $301,500 to get it all! Where are my super rich relatives hiding? Everyone deserves a loaded family member right??? Haha!

Lulu the Elf

This year Addie was a good girl so she gets to have one of Santa's elves come to live with us. I had told Addie if she'd be good it would happen, and Addie specifically asked for a girl elf... so Santa had to make a few modifications... haha! The Elf appeared the day after Thanksgiving and will stay with us until Christmas Eve when she'll fly back to the North Pole. Every night she flies back to the North Pole and reports to Santa if Addie was good or bad for the day, then she comes back to our house and finds a new place to stay for the day. Addie named her Lulu. You can't touch Lulu or she'll loose her magic. Lulu can't talk to you either or she'll get in trouble with Santa, but Lulu can write notes and you can talk to Lulu.

Lulu is quite the mischevious elf and has made some messes!

Here's a video of Addie when she woke up to Lulu the first morning.

Here's what she's done so far:

This is the first day she showed up in our bedroom with the book explaining how it all works.

Here is a video of Addie waking up to see Lulu the first day!

Lulu liked her new name and so she spelled it out in cheerios. Throughout the day when Addie wasn't looking, Lulu ate all the cheerios and by the time we went to bed, Lulu had finished them all! Notice how careful Addie is not to touch Lulu! She tells everyone that comes over that they aren't allowed to touch her!

We found Lulu reading some of Addie's favorite books that we had read for bedtime the night before.Then Lulu was playing with Addie, Livy, and Mommy's jewelry in the bathroom because she saw Addie doing it the night before!This was Addie's birthday! Lulu brought Addie a present and hung it from the chandelier. It was a small pink Christmas tree for Addie's room. Addie had asked me for one a few days before. Smart Lulu! December 1st, Lulu brought Addie an Advent calender to help her count down until Christmas!This was the day of Addie's birthday party (which Addie called her 2nd birthday). Lulu wrote on Addie's bedroom mirror! Addie loved that Lulu drew a heart!Lulu made a swing on the fan in Addie's room.Lulu got some candied popcorn, water, and was watching Christmas movies on the laptop in Addie's bedLulu tried to help with the dishes but made WAY too many bubbles! Addie thought it was funny that Lulu was trying to wash her cup's lid and straw.Lulu was trying to brush her teeth in Addie's bathroom with Addie's toothbrush, but made a mess in the sink!Lulu forgot to flush after she went potty! Because we all know, elves pee green! Lulu was sledding down the stairs with a few of Addie's Christmas toys! Lulu made a boat and lake and was paddling around. Later that day while Addie was in the other room, Lulu drained the lake and "docked" her boat on the counter so I could prepare and clean up dinner.

Addie wanted to write Lulu and Santa a letter and send them to the North pole. So to expedite things, we attached the letters to some of Addie's remaining birthday balloons and sent them off!

Watching them fly away to the North pole!

That night Lulu brought back a letter from Santa for Addie telling her to be good so he can come see her Christmas Eve!

Lulu made Addie some Christmas chocolates shaped like an angel and Santa and left them hanging on Addie's stocking!

We can't wait to see what Lulu does tonight and every other night until Christmas for Addie! Addie is so excited to look for Lulu each day!

6 years & Thanksgiving

On November 19th, Jarom and I celebrated 6 years of marriage! Jarom once said that if Garth Brooks ever came out of retirement, he'd LOVE to go see one of his concerts. So when I saw that Garth was doing a charity concert for the Nashville flood victims I got super excited and ordered us some tickets! So next weekend (Dec. 17) we'll head up to Nashville for an overnight stay at the Opryland Hotel (all decked out for Christmas) and the Garth Brooks concert! Jarom's gift to me was the overnight stay and flowers (I had to tell him in advance that we'd be going out of town for the evening so he could schedule his day off for that day). I knew I couldn't leave Livy for that long since I nurse her, so we'll be toting along both kids, and I've ordered them both pink ear protection muffs so the music won't be too loud for them.

On our anniversary we couldn't find a sitter, so we just took the kids and went out to Bridgestreet for the tree lighting ceremony but got there late, so we ate dinner at Smokehouse (the original plan was Conners but they had a 2 hour wait), walked around, and got cookies from Great American Cookie Company and stopped at Sonic on the way home for spiced hot chocolate. Addie also met Santa at Smokehouse (he was walking around all the restaurants after the tree ceremony). She was super excited!

The next week was Thanksgiving! One of my favorite times of the year! We had lunch at Mom's.

Thanksgiving 2010 Menu:

• Turkey-prepared by Jarom in our Electrolux oven. I love the "perfect turkey" option... it truly does cook the turkey to perfection!
• rolls-I totally chinced out on this one and bought frozen Sis Schubert rolls, but they are so good!
• cranberry sauce-Mom
• sweet potato casserole-Mimmie
• green beans-Mimmie sure can make some amazing beans!
• strawberry pretzel salad- Mom makes a divine one!
• dressing-Mom
• mashed potatoes-Mom
• deviled eggs-me
• creamed corn-Bob
• broccoli and cheese-Mom
• cheeseball and crackers-Mom-Oh my heck good!!
• pumpkin pie-Mimmie
• Pecan pie- Aunt Pam-MMM! So good!
• Chocolate pie-Mimmie-of course it was amazing!
• candy bar brownies-Mom
• soda-Mawmaw (she was so proud to have remembered to buy a caffeine free soda for my little family!)

Dinner was SO GOOD! After dinner poor Katie (who was sick with walking pneumonia we found out after) went upstairs to rest, Scott and Jarom napped, Bob watched football, Mom, Aunt Pam, Mimmie, and Addie played puzzles, Mawmaw relaxed, and Dad and I shopped online for titanium cookware for his backpacking trips.

We followed up with dessert at Alisha's. I made a cream cheese pie but our husbands decided they wanted ice cream and took a trip to the store so we had ice cream too.

I gave Livy a teeny tiny taste of mashed potatoes and ice cream... she seemed to like both! Addie didn't eat a ton of dinner, but certainly finished all of her dessert! The girl loves some chocolate! It was a great day and we enjoyed leftovers the next day! YUM!

Livy napping after a big lunch, haha

Two Months

I caught a dream smile on camera!

At 2 months old:

• Livy weighs 11 lbs 3 ounces putting her in the 60th percentile in weight.
• Livy is 23 inches long and is in the 75th percentile in height (Addie was also this height at 2 months)
• Livy's head is 15" which I think was the 28th percentile.
• Livy sleeps between 6 and 9 hours straight a night! Once she has even slept 10.5 hours!
• Had to be put on Zantac for her acid reflux. Zantac has made her a happier baby!
• Sticks her tongue out all the time and will copy you if you do it.



• still was jaundiced. After blood work it was determined to be "breast milk jaundice" since her bili levels were at 6.8 instead of a liver problem (thank heavens!!!) and has since worked its way out finally. We just thought she was really olive complected!
• She has Jarom's skin... olive complected (even after the jaundice went away), very oily, and not very sensitive! She can wear any brand of diapers and doesn't need aquaphor with every change! Such a difference from Addie who could only use Huggies and had to have a coat of aquaphor each diaper change!
• Coos and "talks" to you all the time. Her noises include "ah" "ooh" "hehhh".

Addie telling Livy a secret

Sissy is so funny!


• Hates to put weight on her legs and will crumble if you try
• Grabs everything, and especially loves to pull my hair.
• Lets you know LOUDLY when she isn't happy
• spits up a LOT... but isn't mad about it anymore since we got her on medicine. I have gotten used to being barfed on and have given up on changing clothes every time as I was going through 5 or more shirts a day... how gross is that?


• LOVES to be talked to, and will reward you with the biggest grins

Again Livy smiling big for sissy

• laughed at me for the first time on Sunday December 5th. I was tickling her under her arms.
• likes to blow out her diaper, especially in the Target dressing room... It has happened twice there this month and each time has required a full outfit change... Thank heavens for plastic baggies I keep in my diaper bag to transport the nasty clothes and to dispose of the gross diaper and for antibac wipes I carry!
• Isn't a very good napper unless we are out and about. Then the child will sleep 5 hours or so.

Here she passed out after fighting a nap.

• had her first diluted apple juice bottle due to no poos for 5 days! She also took a sip out of my glass of apple juice and managed to swallow it instead of it running out of her mouth! The juice didn't work though so we had to resort to more drastic measure (suppository... ick!) to help her out...
• is still Addie's main entertainment... Addie loves to love on her
• loves to be bounced in her bouncy chair or held
• I have to hold her most of the day to keep her from screaming her head off
• loves showers still and has started trying to lap up the water.
• is drooling and chewing on her hands all the time... I think her teeth are on the move.
• is spoiled rotten!
• Livy's eyelashes have grown quite a bit from since she was born and they curl slightly at the end, so pretty!
• Still loves to nurse and has almost outgrown her 0-3 month clothes! She outgrew her small/medium swaddle sacks and whenever she'd kick her feet would burst out of the bottom, so I had to make a trip to Babies R Us for some large ones because she sleeps great when she's wrapped up!Oh and here is another picture that I took and it reminded me of a picture of Addie...Here's Addie... but Addie is 3 or 4 weeks younger than Livy in this picture.

Four Questions!

Kaitlan tagged me in this questionnaire so here are my answers!

FOUR TV SHOWS I LIKE TO WATCH: (as embarrassed as I am to admit these)

1. Grey's Anatomy

2. Private Practice
3. Desperate Housewives

4. Modern Family

(though Kaitlan I do have all seasons of Gilmore Girls on DVD!)

FOUR PHRASES I SAY A LOT:

1. You have 5 seconds to get your little butt over here!
2. I love you angel!
3. Hi Baby! (It always gets a huge grin out of Livy!)
4. JUST do it Addie!!! (She and I are butting heads a lot lately!)

FOUR PLACES I WOULD LOVE TO VISIT:

1. US Virgin Islands
2. Bulgaria (but the Black Sea area)
3. Italy
4. anywhere tropical/beachy/paradise type place!


FOUR THINGS I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT:


1. THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS: There is nothing more wonderful than the gospel of Jesus Christ and his restored church. I know it is true with my whole heart and soul. To learn more go here. (perfectly said Kaitlan!)
2. My family-love them more than they'll ever know!

3. My friends-they bring me so much joy!
4. Reading- though I haven't had time to since Livy arrived... so I'll say blogging too, since that is my journal now and I feel guilty if I'm behind! :)

FOUR THINGS I DID YESTERDAY:

1. Got my teeth cleaned at the dentist (I've got a healthy smile!)
2. Went caroling at a nursing/rehab home
3. Went to visit my 90 year old grandmother at her rehab place. She broke her hip last week, but she's doing pretty good!
4. Made two trips to Family Dollar in under 20 minutes(our neighborhood "everything" store) to get heaters for the laundry room and garage and an extension cord, because I can never remember everything in one trip! Luckily the store is less than 2 minutes away!

FOUR THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO:

1. Christmas! I've had my shopping done since Thanksgiving, now to wrap!
2. Garth Brooks concert next week in Nashville (though I never liked country music until I married Jarom)! It's my anniversary gift to Jarom (he's always wanted to see him and he's doing a special charity concert for the flood victims)
3. Livy not puking on me anymore, though it will make me sad when she's big. But I seriously get barfed on at least 3 times a day.
4. Tonight at mom's! Jarom's in Nasvhille for a Titans game with the elders quorum so we are having homemade cheeseburgers then making buckeyes for our goodies to pass out this year!

FOUR THINGS I LOVE ABOUT WINTER:

1. EGGNOG
2. the smell of a live tree
3. Christmas music
4. The spirit and meaning of the season

FOUR PEOPLE I TAG:

1. Victoria Bruce
2. Vanessa Havens
3. Alisha Mayfield
4. Momma (yep, you're gonna have to come out of your hiding corner and blog!!! ;) )

Veterans Day

The start of the parade On Veteran's day Addie, Livy, and I met up with Mom and Mimmie at the HSV Veteran's Day Parade. It turned out to be a beautiful day and we really enjoyed the parade. Livy was caught being patriotic by a Huntsville Times photographer and she made it into the newspaper the next day!

Addie with her great grandmother, Mimmie (Mom's mom)
Mom and Livy
Old firetruck with Mayor Tommy Battle riding on it. He is the one in the white shirt.

Our good friend Ron Bruce is on the front row, the 4th from the left. He is one of our favorite veterans!

Addie loved waving her flag!I am so grateful to live in this wonderful nation and am grateful for the brave service men and women who protect this nation so selflessly!