Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Addison's 2014 Christmas Wish List


Lets be honest, 4 year olds, they want EVERYTHING that they see.  Every commercial, every toy, everything.


This year we really didn't know what to get her because, again, let's be honest here, she has EVERYTHING she could want and then some.  Two parents who buy them everything because we can.  The kids want for nothing.


But when we told her she had to come up with something to tell Santa when she saw him, these are a few of the things she mentioned along with a few other things she's told me she wants.

Ninja Turtle "STUFF"

Anna & Elsa Dolls

Puppy Surprise, The purple one.  Anyone remember these from what the 90's??


Saturday, December 29, 2012

Happy Holidays

I'm in the mists of being off work for 13 days...I have to go back on Wednesday and I am hard core dreading it.  BLAH.  I've reached full lazy mode though in the past few days and quite honestly it was much needed.

Christmas was awesome this year, Addison is the perfect age for the excitement of presents.  She may not be old enough to understand the rest of Christmas but boy oh boy does the girl love presents!  She was adorable ripping things open, getting excited hoping that the next present was pajamas too.  Of course as soon as one was open she was ready to rip into the next one.  We, Santa, got her a Doll house which has been a huge hit, as well as the new kitchen from grandma, her new sparkly LED shoes from grandma, her stick horse, her magnetic dress up doll who she calls barbie, anything she got that had Dora on it and her dollies.  The girl is spoiled rotten!  We had lots of Christmases to celebrate with our families and she actually did great for skipping naps, refusing to sleep in the car on the drive to ohio for more than 30 minutes even after waking up SUPER early on Christmas day..you really never would have known by how well she did all day.












and while we were in Ohio for Christmas we got hit with a big snow storm so we took some time to throw together some random snow attire (Browns hat..eek!) and made a make shift snow man in the not so packing snow.  Addison lasted about 15 minutes before a total cold hands break down.  To be fair those gloves were not meant for real snow!  





Now we are de-Christmasing the house sniff, sniff... I love the holiday decor.  Time for some pink/red/hearts I suppose!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Another I'm still here post!

On a day when many bloggers are choosing to take a day of silence I make a post.

 Life has been Ca-Razy.  Capital on the Craze.  I seriously thought I was loosing my mind for a few weeks in there.   Let's see September, October, November I had a photo session or three nearly every single day that I wasn't at my "real" job.  Like I mentioned before, great for all things photography and I am so happy to be busy with it but let me tell you it was wearing me out.  But oh how I love to be behind my lens, the editing feels like work but the actual sessions never do.  I've learned a lot in the year that I've been doing this and I can see the areas that I really enjoy vs. the areas that I'm just not that excited about.  That doesn't mean I'm going to stop doing anything just yet but its good to know where I feel my own strengths lie.

We're in month 4 of my husbands new job, I've pretty much gotten used to single parenting when he's out of town.  I'm still stressed as all hell when Wednesday hits but nothing I seem to do changes it.  I guess day 3 of 10 hour shifts, hourish commutes to and from work, and little sleep is bound to do that to a person.  Addison has improved a ton with her tantrums/crankiness at night.  I'm not sure if she's gotten back into a better nap schedule at the sitters or if she was just acting out as a result of the husband being gone.  Lately Tony's been home a little more often than he had been the first few months so that's definitely helped my sanity also.  Seems to be work two weeks be home for a week has been the norm for the past monthish.  Still waiting dreaming for the day that I get to be the stay at home mom with a photography business ...hint, hint, hint husband.  For real though some days most days I wish I could just say screw it stay at home and forget that I ever went to school to have a career.  Other days though, I'm still very proud of what I do and love my job.  Not saying I couldn't give it all up in a heartbeat but I'd even take part time at this point!!  Oy!

Been having some sitter issues which is mostly a result of stupidity on her part but it's very frustrating to me and just adds to my stress.  I don't even have time to think about finding a new sitter let alone a clue where I can find one who is available for 13 hour days.   So frustrating.  If she could just stop being so lazy, and use her brain a little more we'd be fine.  I work the same shift EVERY DAY, so calling me in the middle of surgery on the work line to ask me what time I get out of work that day because you don't want to miss a birthday dinner that you just learned about the day of = not a good idea.  This is what I deal with among other things.

Addison, oh how I love that kid.  She's really been quite the awesome child lately (and in the wake of Friday's events even if she hadn't been you wouldn't hear me complain about it)  She still has her two year old temper tantrums when she can't get what she wants when she wants, or can't do something that she thinks she should be able to but they aren't as bad as they were for a few weeks there (or perhaps I've gotten used to them).  I'm kicking myself really hard right now because last night was an off night and I know that once I type the words it's over for me but in general she's done pretty amazing at bed time routine lately. Last night she decided she'd like to be awake at 3, and again at 4.  Her vocabulary is ridiculous   She says the most off the wall things in the correct context that I have to wonder where she heard it.  She told my mom after taking her toy barn in the bathtub while my step sister was watching her "isn't that so cool gamma?"   really?!  She has quite the imagination lately when playing with her toys if you listen to her she thinks up all kinds of silly things.  I could sit and listen to her play for hours.  She's full of hugs and giggles, I love you's and kisses.   So much personality in a little body.  Seriously you can't help but love the little show off.

I'm overly excited for Christmas this year.  I LOVE Christmas time.  I'm not one for the religion part of it all but the spending time with family, baking, crafting, shopping for gifts, holiday music, gift wrapping, Santa  and lights and yes presents (that I get to give)  I LOVE it.  I cannot wait for Addison to open presents this year.  We've been doing a winter/Christmas book a day for the 25 days of Christmas  she is so excited every night to rip that book open even though she knows exactly what will be inside the paper.  I can't wait to see her open something that she actually wants/will think is cool.  She's been helping me do all kinds of Christmas crafty things like salt dough ornaments making some food in jars gifts, Momma loves it.  Santa told me he's bringing her the most awesome doll house and I do believe she's going to flip over it.  My step sister dug her old on out at my moms house and the kid played with it for 2 days straight, so I was sold on the idea then.  She's also getting enrolled into a mom & tot gymnastics class where I get to chase her around a gym while she learns how to use the equipment on Saturday mornings.  We stopped in there this past weekend and had a meltdown because she wanted to go "play with the kids" while we observed the class to make sure we wanted to do it.  That leotard is already wrapped and embroidered with her name on it, I was sold before she got hysterical over not being able to join in the fun!  I finished up all my shopping this past weekend with a little solo stop at the outlet mall in Howell (Santa even bought me something for my stocking he just doesn't know it yet)  so now I can avoid the stores like a plague until after the holidays.  (minus the trip I will need for making passing dishes...forgot about that one.  damn.)

Well I thought I'd check in, make a better attempt to keep the world updated on life.  Hopefully in shorter more coherent posts with pictures cause, come on now, this is boring.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Christmas Survey

I saw a few other bloggers doing this so I had to join in on the fun!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. Egg nog is just yuck.


2Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa really hasn't gotten his start in this house yet, but when I was a kid Santa never wrapped anything, I'm pretty sure it will stay that way.


3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White looks pretty but I like colors!


4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope.


5. When do you put your decorations up? The day after thanksgiving I bust out the boxes, but the tree usually comes later as we get real.  This year we got  a potted one that we can plant!


6. What is your favorite holiday dish? yams, or stuffing!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? My most memorable things about the holidays were always just spending time with my cousins goofing off at my family Christmas party.  


8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember for sure I know I was elementary aged probably around 8 or so when kids at school started talking about it.


9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?  Yep, we actually do our big family party every year on Christmas eve 



10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? We have bright colored led lights, and a crazy collection of ornaments from back when I was a kid, one for every year.  They don't all make it onto the tree every year but its a mismatched collection anyway.  We have yearly engraved silver or pewter ornaments that we have gotten since we started dating or now we started getting the clay ones personalized also.  


11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I could care less if its there or not unless I have to drive in the crap!  

12. Can you ice skate? I love to though I am way out of  practice, I did bust them out last year for the trip around the pond a few times.  


13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I don't know of anything that is the best thing I ever got kind of gift, I'm horrible at remembering those things!


14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Family and traditions. 


15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Christmas candies, peppermints, peanut brittle, buckeyes, yum, yum, yum.


16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I love just spending time with my family, I'm excited to see Addison get into the whole gift thing this year, last year she was just a little to small.  I like to surprise people with their gifts that they didn't expect to get!


17. What tops your tree? A star.


18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Give.


19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? I like them, but I don't like to have them very often. 


20. Favorite Christmas show? Movie? The cartoon grinch, or Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.


21. Saddest Christmas Song?  That damn christmas shoes song.


22. What is your favorite Christmas song? I love "at Christmas" the hanson version...it's a lingering addiction from my teen years :)




and of course John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War is Over)





Saturday, November 26, 2011

Thankful days 25 & 26

I missed yesterdays post, oh noes!!  Yesterday I was thankful for internet shopping.  While I am usually one of the crazies out there black Friday morning with the rest of the troops, this year I discovered the same deals that I would have went to the store for, online.  Thank you Interwebs for letting me stay home and enjoy my day!

Today I am thankful for holiday decorating, nothing puts me in the holiday mood more than lugging down 6 totes of Christmas decorations and turning my house into Christmas land!  I love the change of decor, and all the red, green, white & silver.  I can't put out as much as I normally do this year because someones little fingers keep trying to steal all my stuff.  But she's enjoying all the new things to point out too.  I can't wait to get our tree!

Friday, December 31, 2010

Christmas Recap & Photo Overload

We did the stocking thing at our house Tuesday night before Christmas because we knew how chaotic our holidays get and how little time we have for ourselves.

modeling her mommymade babylegs

Baby's First Camera!

Tired Mommy & Happy Addison


Celebrating with family started Thursday night after I got out of work at Mom & Larry's house with my brother, Joey (bro's Girlfriend), Step brother Sam & Step Sister Cassie.

Got the shirt on & for Christmas at Grandma's house

youngest goes first

Remote control piggy!

tasting Grandma's new hat

Nick & Joey

Christmas Chaos



Baby Feet for Grandma Sharon

Friday was spent packing and preparing ourselves for a road trip bright and early Christmas morning to Cleveland to spend Christmas with Tony's families.  Friday night we went to my extended family Christmas party like I have done every Christmas Eve since I was alive (its the one and only Christmas Tradition that I have had in my life that hasn't changed since parents divorced & now remarried.  I married, and married into another divorced family!)   We enjoyed  some time sitting around talking then a quick dinner before we went into the chaos that is opening gifts with a large family.  Addison of course got to be the first to open, being the youngest and all. (aside from the one Becca announced that she was growing in her belly).

My Grandma & Grandpa (Grandpa loves the camera, can you tell?)

Grandpa hands out the first gift to the youngest.

a See & Say from Great-Uncle Dan

Gift time gets crazy around here

Hanging out with Great Grandma & Great Aunt Sandy

mine?!

Christmas morning we (I) got up and finished getting things ready to go and we left the house Ohio bound by a little after 7am.  We've drove the turnpike so many times I feel as if I could do it in my sleep, just wish it didn't take so damn long!  We got to Cheryl's house around 10:30, not bad for having to stop to nurse a baby on the way! :)  We spent a few hours at Cheryl's Addison got to meet a lot of new relatives in the short time we were there..

Great Aunt Cheryl

Spending some quality Grandma Pam time

Got to meet her Great Grandma Catalina

And Great Grandpa too!

Great Uncle Jesse

Mario helped keep the wee one content.

Derek got in some Addison time

the two Great-Grandchildren Jackson & Addison make friends

Around 4:30 we headed to Tony's Dad's house for a few mins before we joined the Yanovich family Christmas Party at his Aunt Cindi and Uncle Mike's house.  Grandpa got her a few Ohio State things and $100 for her savings account.
OSU gear & money?!??!

Off to Cindi & Mike's where there was the meeting of all kinds of family that were yet to have "seen the baby"

Meeting the Yanovich Clan

Great Grandma Yanovich sure has a pretty broach!

hanging out with Grandpa Paul

Aunt Cindi trying to gobble up all the cuteness


Addison did wonderful with the entire weekend of Christmas, I really expected it to be a disaster her out of her normal.  I was stressing big time about all the travel and the new people and the not being at home.  But she was great, she LOVED every one and only had 2 freak out moments for the whole holiday.  Both of which involved being handed off to someone she didn't know all to soon after waking up.  After all the celebrating we headed home sometime after 1 on Sunday got back to Michigan around 5 then it was unload the truck time and get ready to go back to the work week..needless to say life has been crazy this month and I am sooo sooo ready for it to go back to normal!  I love the holidays but man are they nuts!

I get to start the New Year's off by having to work all weekend, which means I have to be awake at 4 tomorrow morning so no big plans tonight.  Just me and baby girl tonight and shes passed out right now!  What a great year its been for all of us!  Here's to hoping things keep getting better in 2011!  Off to snuggle with the wee one!