Christmas 2011 {Part 1}

I need to do a quick recap of Christmas thus far so I dont have a LOOOONG post after the holiday!

::Lets back wayyyy up til after Thanksgiving when we put up our tree. Even though Im absolutely embarrassed to admit... this is our FIRST tree EVER!! Let me make excuses  explain...  Year 1,as a family, was a blur... c'mon we had a 13 day old baby and were NOT concerned about decorating. Year 2 we were still in our apartment and just didn't have the room. Year 3 we were just lazy :) but FINALLY year 4 we made it happen! ha! :) Its still not perfect because I never bought anything for the top of the tree or even a tree skirt. I just couldn't find one that I liked!! Im too picky!! We also dont have stockings because the ones I want might cost a small fortune :) ha. Maybe next year!! :) The tree looks great and so does the mantle and thats good enough for our first year at it.

{We hadn't vacuumed yet... so dont mind the disgusting floor}

Notice those little feetsies behind the tree??!! Silly boy :)

We had so much fun decorating the tree!! I got teary putting on our ornaments from the past few years!! Such a sap I am...

I had found this pic one Pinterest and had to recreate it for our mantle!

Here's my version....

It was my first time working with deco mesh (which I LOVE) but it was a pain in the rear!! I pretty much gave up on the mantle after messing with it for hours. Thats when I decided I wasn't going to even attempt putting it on the tree like I had planned. I need the amazing Linda Schuessler to come give me some help with it next year :) Gotta love having florists in the family!

{dont mind the awful tree thing on the end of the mantle...}

And I ended up clipping the Christmas cards we received to the mesh... I like how it turned out!

Here is what I plan on doing after the holidays with all the cards we received... plus adding the ones I kept from last year. SO cute!

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::Speaking of Christmas cards... here is ours from this year!! I actually got them out BY Christmas... actually with a few days to spare. Go me!

{front}

{back}

I honestly wasn't going to do them this year. Things just got hectic and I just kept putting it off. Then one day there was a Living Social deal that was 40 Christmas cards for $28 from My Publisher.com . I thought that seemed like a pretty good deal so I purchased it! I had a wonderful experience using this site!! I didn't love love love the card choices (Im pretty partial to Shutterfly!) but for that price I picked one and said the heck with it. The cards printed beautifully and on nice thick card stock. I also got to choose a color for the inside of the envelopes, for free, which I thought was cute AND they printed our return address on the back of the envelope, also for free. I was very pleased and would reccomend this site to everyone!

:: Aiden got to bring treats to his class twice in one week for his birthday then his class Christmas party.

 I of course found some recipes via Pinterest!! Here is what he brought!

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Okay, I thinks thats enough for now... its late late on Christmas eve's eve and Im exhausted!! We are headed to Hanover bright and early tomorrow morning to begin all the holiday festivities! Can't wait!!

Merry Christmas!!

Things Im Lovin! {Peppermint Edition}

Im seriously addicted to ALL things Peppermint!! Its getting ridiculous...
This is one of the MAIN reasons I look forward to this time of year. Sad, but true :)

Here are some of my faves :)

1. Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

an oldie but a goodie... always :)

And Im ECSTATIC that they now have a "skinny version" {this is actually a good AND bad thing.ha!} They skinny isn't as good but 100 calories is SO much better than 340 (yikes)

2. Maxwell House International Latte-Peppermint Mocha

I've confessed my love for Coffemate Peppermint Mocha numerous times (seriously how did people not know it was sold year round now... old news!!) but I've found something equally as good!

All I have to say is, amazeballs!! This with a tiny splash of the Coffeemate P M... heaven.

{Thank you to my sis Amy for introducing me... and heads up, the only place Ive been able to find it is Target}

3. Dunkin Donuts Mocha Mint

This stuff was just okay... pretty expensive and not THAT great. Seriously, I just cant resist anything that says mocha and mint... or it could have been that cute packaging  :)

Okay, now that I've covered all things coffee... {wow, another addiction in its self! ha!}

4. Softsoap Wintermint Party

Who doesn't want to smell like peppermint??!! Its really not that strong of a smell... I LOVE it. Ill have to stock up before the holiday season is over! :)

5.  Blizzard of the Month!

Mike went and got this the night we decorated the tree... omg YUMMMM!!

It takes everything I have not to go to Dairy queen every.single.night.

6. Jack Frost

Love, love, love this Yankee Candle!! Unfortunately I haven't had one in years :( Scentsy has taken over my house! This candle is a yummy, subtle, peppermint aroma... so if you can get your hands on one GET IT... and pick one up for me too :)

6. Peppermint Hot Cocoa

And now, I pass my addiction on to my child :) ha!

mr. aiden

{Can we just pretend I HAVEN'T been on a 3 month blogging hiatus....okay, thanks.}

Aiden Michael you are {almost} THREE yrs old!!! I can't even believe it... I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday but the past 3 yrs have happened in a flash and Im praying time will slow down!

I've been looking through baby pics of Aiden and last weekend I read his baby book and went through all his 1st birthday stuff while rearranging his closet. Wahhhhh!! I would do anything for one more day with him as an infant!!! {mind you I said DAY not NIGHT because lord knows that child did not sleep...ever.... man, I do not miss that. ha}

I can't even put into words how honored I am to be Aiden's mom. He has been the best thing in my life and has taught me SO much. When I look at him I cannot believe he is mine forever and Mike and I created him together... its so miraculous and I think we did a pretty good job :) {hence the reason Aiden NEEDS a brother or sister! ha!}

Aiden has become my little buddy!  He has gotten to the age that I really ENJOY taking him places and to run my errands. He usually behaves pretty well and keeps me laughing the whole time! He is mr. social and likes to tell EVERYONE hello!  He is too sweet and just wants to be friends with everyone... just like his mama! :) When I get the chance to go to the store alone {gasp! that never happens!!} I actually miss him and wish he was there to talk too!

He is also very polite and I rarely have to remind him to use his please and thank you's. I especially love when I sneeze and even if Im upstairs and he is down... Ill hear him yell "bless you!!!" ... cracks me up every time!

He does have his moments though...Let's just say...

MORNINGS ARE STRESSFUL.

*He does NOT help or listen to me at all... I have to force him to get dressed and brush his teeth and he has to be told 3 trillion times before he does it.

*He only wants to watch tv, which I hate, and as soon as I ask him to come get dressed he decided he wants to play with his toys. grrrrr.
*Besides waffles and sugary cereals he is impossible to feed in the morning. On rare occasion I can get him to eat toast and yogurt but usually its waffles and fruit. I just dont have time in the mornings to fight with him but Im ALWAYS looking for new ideas for breakfast. I actually have a granola bar/healthy cookie recipe Im going to try soon! I just wish he'd eat eggs... there are so many things i could do with eggs and they are quick AND good for him! *sigh*
*This morning I caught him playing with a remote control car that he had gotten for his birthday. Well the car was defective when we got it out of the box so it was in its bag to be exchanged at Toys R Us. Aiden found the bag and proceeded to get the Car out. He told me he knew the remote was broke but it was okay because he was just going to play with the car. Sorry buddy, not an option. So after numerous times of telling him to put it away he finally walks downstairs to do so. I decided to quietly watch to make sure he does it and found him STILL playing with the car! When I caught him he looks at me and says "Just go get ready mommy."
ughhh... little stinker!!!

So after all the hustle and bustle of getting us both ready and out the door for school/work... I miss him the SECOND I drop him off and count down the minutes til Im back to pick him up.

If only he felt the same way... ha! Im kidding, he loves his mommy, but he also LOVES school and hates leaving there!! {breaks my heart} I always figured he'd drop everything and run towards me with open arms and smiles as soon as I walked in the door, but that does NOT happen!! He usually ignores me or hides from me. No joke. I guess its a good thing that he likes school so much and I try not to take it too personal. :)

{2010 vs. 2011 school pic}

He is doing really well in school. I think he's had 1 bad report since moving to the 3yr old room, which he's been in for months.  Either that or the teacher is too nice to tell me if he's being naughty.... but I dont think that is the case. He thrives around kids his age, he always listens better and definitely eats better!! Even though he doesn't eat too well for us I KNOW he eats good at school... every day there is a x2 by lunch and snack :) chunky monkey!!

I have to share this pic of his "tracing worksheet".... they've been working on this and the last time they sent one home to do over the weekend, he could NOT even begin to know what he was doing. I thought it was a little advanced so I didn't harp on the fact that he couldn't do it. One month later and he ROCKS the tracing sheet! Ms. Hannah said he did it ALL by himself and even she was completely blown away when he showed her. Go Aiden!!

He just amazes us everyday. I can't even begin to go into detail about all the things he is saying... he doesn't quit talking ever!! Ill have to start writing stuff down.

Like I said earlier, he is not the best eater. The past two nights I've gotten him to eat chicken, peas & carrots and mashed potatoes. This is HUGE. He loves ALL fruit but hates veggies :( I've tried everything over and over and over and he just is not a fan. Same with potatoes, its a struggle to get him to eat his 2 bites. {he can NOT be my child}  I can usually get him to eat any meat we are eating {with ketchup, vomit} and any sort of noodle/pasta dish. Its a constant struggle that STRESSES me out.  Of course he loves all "treats."

He is still our early riser!! He goes to bed between 8-9pm and is up at 6am every.single.day. {sometimes earlier, ha!} He is still taking a 2 1/2 hr nap each day as well. Im so glad he still naps. I will take the early mornings if I can have 2 quiet hrs in the afternoon. I know Mike really wishes he would sleep in, especially on the weekends,  but again he is like me and we can function with little sleep and are definitely morning people!

I'm convinced he will be in pull ups {only at night} til he's 18. Potty training went beyond quick for us and was SO easy but the whole night time thing isn't going as well. We tried doing underwear at night for a few weeks but I got SO sick of changing bed sheets in the middle of the night and doing laundry that I said screw it, we'll try again later. Not sure why its so hard.  He would go 2-3 nights with no accidents then have accidents the next few nights. It was weird and really inconsistent. He has milk or water with dinner and a small drink of water before bed and his pull up is FULL when he wakes up! ugh! I dont think the sensation to pee (sorry!) wakes him up! Not sure what to do... oy.
Some people have mentioned setting an alarm and waking them up to go during the night...might be worth a shot. Joy, its like having a newborn again!! ;)

He hasn't had his 3 yr check up yet so I have no measurements. Im guessing he is still skinny and tall with a big head just like he's been since day 1. ha.
Aiden does have the sweetest/kindest soul. He will hug and kiss me ALL day long and tells me hundreds of times "I love you mommy." It never gets old. He loves all babies and animals too and is always like "awww mommy, that doggie is weady cute!" and vice versa with babies. He loves to snuggle and if im on the couch or chair he has to be RIGHT beside me.

With that said...

he is also ALL BOY. Lately he is really into fighting/wrestling. If you will get down on the ground with him, he will attack you for hours and it gets him SO riled up. I can't wait to get him involved in sports to take care of some of this energy! His amazing aunties, Amy & Sarah, got him signed up for gymnastics for his birthday! Yayy!! We start that in January and can not wait!

Aiden is still very independent and wants to do everything himself. Shutting car doors, opening doors, dressing himself, turning off and on lights, turning off and on the tv. He is also likes to be the "line-leader" so he always wants to be FIRST in whatever we're doing.

His favorite toys include all cars,tractors,trucks, trains... puzzles and his new leapster explorer. He loves to play basketball, pretend he's a pirate with his sword and LOVES hide and seek.

Okay this is getting REALLY long so Ill wrap it up now :) Stay tuned for a recap of his 3rd birthday and the holidays!

Aiden, you are truly the greatest gift from god... I dont know how I deserve you, but I thank the lord every.single.day. Your kisses, laugh, smile, hilarious personality, kind heart and sweet face MAKE my world complete. Your daddy and I love you SO much bubba!!

Vacay!

 I am writing this post at 2pm  from the comfort of my house... and for once its not because Aiden is sick! ha! I am off work this WHOLE entire week! WooHoo!!

The bank I work at requires us to take off 5 days consecutively each year. Well this is my 5 days and it couldn't have come at a better time! As much as I complain about my job, at the end of the day it is a JOB with pretty good pay, benefits, minimal stress, friendly people and I really need to be grateful for that. But lately I've just been burnt out and pretty grumpy at work... which is NOT me at all!

Originally my vacation was suppose to be next week and Mike had taken off as well. We had plans to head to Omaha and take Aiden to the zoo there!! But there's this thing called LIFE and sometimes it just gets in the way :(  No it really is fine... but because I needed this coming weekend off, for my brother-in-laws 30th birthday in Manhattan, and the weekend of the 15th off, for a wedding, I had to move my vacay up a week and work next weekend. Its actually worked out just fine and although we're sad we wont be able to take Aiden to the Omaha zoo... we plan to take him to the KC zoo instead, since we've never even been to it either.

We're actually headed to Manhattan Thursday night and will be there the whole weekend. Mike's parents are coming to get Aiden and keep him Friday & Saturday night. They are in DESPERATE need of 1 on 1 time with Aiden. This move has been much harder than we had ever imagined. Aiden is missing them like crazy too so I know they will have a great time! Im super excited for the weekend because we're doing a huge tailgate to celebrate my brother in law Derek's 30th Birthday!!  For the first time ever  Sarah, Derek, Tony, Tara, Amy , Josh, Mike and I get to spend time together without ANY kiddos!! This NEVER happens and Im just so excited ... plus K-State football and tailgating...OMG!!! :)

 { We all LOVE the babes more than anything and will miss them terribly though!! They will be in GOOD hands!!}

So that's what we'll be up to at the end of this week and until then Im just taking care of some cleaning and organizing at home, helping Sarah prepare for the party, putting the gym membership that i've had for months  to use and just relaxing!! Its pretty splendid!!!

And here's a real quick catch up of what we've been up to lately...

:: A couple weekends ago we attended my friend Addie's wedding!

Such a great time seeing these girls... its been TOOOO long!! Addie was a gorgeous bride. Her mom MADE her dress {amazing.} and the greatest part was the on the back she stitched a little heart and their initials and the date of their wedding... it was ADORABLE. 

{you can kind of see it on the right shoulder strap. Subtle yet SO cute!}

{amazing group of ladies from high school, it was SO good seeing them!}

Addie and Tyler met in grade school but went their separate ways for many many MANY years. Addie's move to Florida reunited them and the rest is history. Its the sweetest story ever and they are truly a wonderful couple who will have a lifetime of happiness, no doubt!!

It was a fun night!

::This past weekend was BUSY as usual. Friday night I attended a housewarming/stock the bar party for my good friends Mandy and Brady who are getting married in February and who just bought their first home! Sadly Mike couldn't attend with me because we didn't have a sitter and because he had worked RiDiCuLouS hrs last week and was ready to just be at home and spend time with Aiden.

I had a good time though!! :)

{Okay so I had to pat my own back on this gift... I just thought it turned out SO cute! I bought a bottle of wine and wrapped in in a cute dish towel. Then on the outside I included a wine opener and the "saw looking thing" is to cut lemons/limes as well as a bottle opener! Cute right??!! I thought so... :)}

:: On Saturday we headed to the Durler's house for a K-State vs. Miama watch party!

We got to meet some new friends as well as catch up with Mark & Lindsey and the rest of the Bryan family... they are all SO fun and sweet. Us girls hung around the AMAZING food the whole time chit chatting and making sure the little ones were getting along. I honestly didn't start watching the game til things got a little intense at the end. We all had faith our Cats would pull it off and they did! GREAT game!!!

Im so happy Lindsey put this together and we could attend... we hope to do another one soon. We're SO bummed that we wont be able to attend their murder/mystery party... that is def going to be a fun time as well!!

Aiden loved having Madie and Gracie push him. These girls are SO grown up now :( They helped out a ton on Saturday by playing with the 3 little boys.

::Sundays::

The past two Sundays we've spent over at my moms. Just watching the Chiefs and having Sunday Family dinner. Its been fun relaxing with the fam but I might gain 2O lbs from all the snackies we make :) Totally worth it though... ha!

:: Babysat little Jackson!

Last Thursday we got the privilege of watching Mr. Jackson Stein while his mommy and daddy attended a wedding rehearsal and dinner. His mom Steph is a good friend of mine who I met used to spend every waking second with  playing softball. Her parents are like my 2nd parents and we just love the whole family!!  Ironically she met her now husband at Amy &  Josh's wedding... Justin was a groomsmen and they met that night and totally hit it off! Fast forward a few yrs and they are now married and have a little man!! Sadly though, they live in Denver. BOO! We are trying so hard {and its actually working!!} to get them to move here! I bet HOPE they do within the next couple years! yay!! 

Jackson is a perfect angel!! He NEVER cries and just smiles all the time! Made my job very easy :) {plus the help from my sister and mom who  had to come over too!} I did have him alone for a couple hrs and definitely got a taste of what 2 kids would be like... lets just say Im not ready for that! ha! Aiden had fun with him and is so gentle and sweet to babies. It was quite obvious though that he is not used to sharing the attention with anyone... he didn't understand why I couldn't cater to his every want/need during that time. All was well though and we had a fun evening with the little guy around!

{Aiden was like "Score! The baby toys are ALL mine now!!"} 

{He would just look over at my mom and LAUGH! It was cute :) }

Okay I think that covers it for now.... I purposely left Aiden out of this post because I'm working on a catch up/ update post all about him. Hopefully tomorrow! 

Seriously I can not WAIT for this weekend!! Bring on the Cats and the GOOD times!! 

The goal is to get a picture of ALL of us this weekend... didn't realize we don't have a SINGLE one! ha!

HAPPY 30th DEREK!!!