Christmas and after the cheer...

This Christmas came and went before I was ready or breathed long enough to know what was going on. I blinked and it was all over. Paxton had a great time and was a champ opening all his presents. His favorites were a stick horse that he loves to ride and a tricycle and a mag - na doodle and his mega bloks. We did Christmas with my dad's family on the 18th while some of that side of the family were in town. We went to the Christmas Eve candlelight service. Matt and P and I were asked to light the Christ candle in the advent wreath to open the service. It was a nice service. We went back to my parents house where my mom's whole family gathered for a snack supper and presents. Christmas morning we all met at my aunt's house for Christmas breakfast. And then back to my parent's Christmas night for a Christmas dinner with both sides of my family. It was nice to see everyone but I was completely exhausted after it was all over.

Yesterday Paxton and I were lazy all day. We played Peek-a-boo in for hours. We watched Beauty and the Beast and played with Santa gifts.

Today, we made some returns, took a couple of naps and had Christmas left overs at my parent's house. Paxton didn't have school today and I loved being home with him!!!!!Now... if only that was an everyday thing.....

Merry Christmas Ya'll... here comes the New Year!

Cute Christmas Giveaway... and this life update

A sweet girl named Megan who writes a blog I read, called "In This Wonderful Life...," is having a Christmas giveaway. For a chance to win cute Christmas goodies see her post here.  

I have been a BUSY BUSY bee these last few weeks. It's year end at work, Matt has a new work schedule that I just can't get used to, P had surgery last week, and of course ALL the holiday bustle. I had my mom whip up some cute Christmas costumes for three of my dancing ladies to wear at the HSD Christmas performance tonight. They did a great job! I just love those girls.

I have not started my Christmas shopping and only threw some Christmas cards together last night...oh I hope I make it through this season.... I haven't gotten to really relax or enjoy much of it yet.

Oh Christmas Tree!!!!

This weekend P and I decorated my parent's BIG Christmas tree in the family room. (They put up a tree in the library and the dining room too...and Mom wants a fourth tree... Daddy says no way) Anyway, Paxton and I had helped decorate my aunt's tree the Friday after Thanksgiving. It was his first crack at it and he did SOOOO well! He of course hung several ornaments on each branch in the same spot, but most toddlers do. He considered each move he made. I handed him each ornament and he would walk up to the tree and look at several branches as if he needed to find just the right place, take a few steps this way or that way, and finally hang the ornament (without help after the first try) and it would inevitably be on the same branch as the last time! I got a few pics. I digress.... Sat. 12/4 we went over to my parent's and Mom was instructing my dad how the lights should be going on (she has a broken foot = she NEVER let's anyone else handle the lights) and P jumped right in as if he had been instructed to arrange the lights himself. He pulled strand after strand out of the lights tub and pulled it straight across the living room floor and then started going round and round the tree like his Poppa. Then he would stop and bunch up the strand of lights and put the whole unlit strand in the tree. When that was to his liking he would set out for more. He did this so many times I had to put the lid on the tub so my dad could catch up. Next came the ornaments. I put a box on the floor for him and he sat down and picked his own ornaments to hang. He would stand up, walk to the tree and carefully hang each one by the hook... if he didn't like it he started over and if it was hanging funny he would just lay it across the branch.... he was too funny. He seemed like such a kid; a real grown up person instead of a one year old! Later my mom and I hung icicles. We had never done this before and I was not happy about it at first because the recycling people will not pick up trees that have been tinsled or flocked... so instead of the swamp this year the tree is headed to the landfill... :( But I must say the experience was great. My mom and I giggled so much as we covered the tree with fabulous silver threads of sparkle. I loved it.

Sunday P and I decorated our little tree at home. He put on about four ornaments then sat on the floor and organized the hooks and put the tags from my new decorations in a box.... oh to be a one year old. I think it came out cute. I usually do a  "family tree" with ornaments from my childhood and special gifts. My mom started giving my brother and me ornaments every year and then when I got married they came to live with me. My name and the year are written on each one. When Matt came into my life he immediately started getting ornaments of his own from her, and now P too. The second theme I love is the collection of "sugar plum" tree decor that I started collecting maybe 5 years ago. I haven't put it up yet but I love all the ornaments that I have so far. They are all purple, plum, silver, and sparkly. I intend to put all of my ballet ornaments with this tree too (most from my childhood are ballet). Last year I bought a couple of bright colored ones to add to the regular collection and thought they would be so cute as a whole theme by themselves. Well.... this year I found an entire collection at Michaels with this same theme and bought a few things. I also found (at a rather disappointing trip to TJMAXX friday) a super sparkly star tree topper that matched perfectly! I enjoy the collecting of ornaments from year to year and don't really like the instant-buy-it-all-at-once-look.... so this year my tree is a little bare.

Monday evening we took P for a drive down St. Charles to see the (very few this year) Christmas lights. He sort of looked at them but mostly watched the street car...

Pics to come....

Enjoy the season!

woo-hoo!!!!

TGIF!!!! I made it through the toughest week in a long time! Matt has been in California since Sun. morning and he comes home TONIGHT!!!! I am so excited.I have missed him sooo much. I can't wait to hear about his trip. P has missed"Da-ee" so much. He has been acting out, not eating well, not sleeping well, and seems listless and sad at times. He even got his first "behavior report" at school on Wed, for biting! I am so embarrassed. He is known for being such a well behaved and laid back kid.... oh well. Life happens whether we're ready or not. God bless the single parents in the world. I am exhausted!!!!!

Today is my baby brother's 26th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Michael!

Well...

in my last post I expressed my HATE for Matt's job. SOOO... he got a new one. Not becuase I insisted but because he too hated his job. He likes being a lawyer but did not like what he was doing. He has decided to go from attorney to APPLE something or other. He will keep his license but for now wants to work for the Apple Corp. = I will be a single mom for five days while he is in California. O.M.G. The soap opera begins....

Yesterday we celebrated a sweet girl's third birthday with friends from the studio. Paxton did not want to try out the Space Walk with the bigger kids but seemed to have a good time exploring Ms. Jennifer's house.

Paxton spent the night at Nana and Poppa's house so I could get Matt packed up. We left the house at five this morning. I dropped him off at the airport and cried myself back to my parent's house. I have never been away from Matt for more than 2 nights.... what will I do with myself!!!!

Today is an ICEE day...

     This is a post I wrote on Friday evening while Paxton was sleeping for a bit.  I never got the chance to actually post it. It is so long that I decided to post it any way without editing. So....here's how I felt Friday....even though it is Sunday...so keep that in mind while reading....

It has been a while since my last post. We have been so busy. But I need to vent first...

Today (Friday) on the way home from work I stopped for gas and decided I needed an Icee.Yep... my all time favorite. I can;t even remember the last time I went into a gas station much less bought MYSELF an Icee. Today it was absolutely necessary. I got a small coke Icee. Here's the reason: I. HATE. MATT'S. JOB.
Matt and I work full time and compete in the rat race called life 5 days a week. Our weekends are sacred. Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday are our only times to unwind, catch up with each other, and spend time with our baby. The weekends are so short and mine just got taken away by Matt's workaholic boss. He was told to be at work all weekend = one broken-hearted, angry me!

Tonight starts the Cochon de Lait (fair & pig roast) at St.Edward's. I went to this fair most years when I was little (it's my grandmother's church) and I wanted to start the tradition with my little one.We went last year for the first time as a family. Paxton was about 4 months old and it was cold but we had good food and listened to good music and made one of our first family outing memories.

This year I was so excited about it because it is a gorgeous day... perfect fair weather and Paxton is old enough to react to the sights and sounds (even if he isn't tall enough to ride any rides). just this morning as we passed the church on our way to daycare we looked at all the rides set up and I wanted to tell him that we were going to play there tonight ... but now we are not.....

My second plan for the weekend is a family wedding tomorrow (Saturday) evening downtown at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel to be followed by diner and dancing....wonder if I'll be without a date.... then on Sunday, I had my heart set on taking Paxton to the circus. There is a cute "real" circus set up in the Zephyr field parking lot. It looks so fun. I went to the circus a ton of times as a kid and LOVED it. I think I was 2 the first time I saw the Barnum & Bailey and Ringling Bros. circus. It was always at the Superdome (which apparently has been showing at the NO arena in recent years) This one at Zephyr's is actually outside... in a real circus tent...I have never been to one outside or in a tent... I don't recognize the name of this circus but it would be such a fin experience for the three of us. I hope it happens.

Problem: Matt has to work all weekend
Possible solutions: 1) I could be a single mom for the weekend and do everything as planned and fill Matt in later...
2) do none of it so that  we will all do it together as a "first" some other time...(I'm big on "first experiences")
3) beg someone else to go with -- another issue * my dad is working tonight and my mom has a game (besides her real life job and when she is not running the rest of the world, she moonlights as a high school dance team coach for which I do choreography sometimes... and so she attends the football games) * my brother is an Athletic Trainer for the high schools on the East Bank and is also attending said game. * the rest of the fam will be at the rehearsal for said Saturday wedding.

I am alone tonight and the Boog is napping. I guess we'll miss the fair.

Saturday is still a go... but will I be riding with my date the HUBBS or tagging along with my parents and grandmother?

Sunday is a maybe. My sweet mom said she would go to the circus with Paxton and me but I want Matt to be there so bad!

+ today was ... a... DAY .... at work.

..... hence the Icee.



In other news since my last post (short version)
* Matt started cooking yummy meals on the days I teach dance so I don't have to cook. Here is one from 9/16.

*Pax was sick with a forever long ear infection and had his first ER visit on 9/18.

*On September 21 my cousin had her first baby, a girl Elise Laura. Now Paxton will have someone to play with. My mom and I went to see her in the hospital the next day.
* I had lunch with my sweet high school friend Amanda. She works in the building across from mine and lives maybe a mile away, but with busy lives we don't see other often. We have tried for the last year or so to have lunch at least once a month to catch up. This time we went to Hickory Grill. YUM.
*Oct 1 was Matt's birthday. We made the celebration last all weekend long! On Friday,Paxton and I made decorations for Da-ee. I had Paxton paint pieces of paper red and cut out letters to spell "Happy Birthday" trying to capture as much of his art work as possible. I put the letters on a ribbon and hung the banner on the front door with colored lights for when Matt got home. Pax colored a handmade card for " Da-ee".

That night we went to Pascal Manalli's for a late-ish dinner. Paxton surprised us by eating most of Matt's calamari appetizer (uh where did my super picky eater go?) It was 8:30 when we put our name on the list to be seated - way past Paxton's bedtime- so I expected a grumpy poorly behaved 1 year old.... but he was so well behaved AND stayed awake. There was no food on him (mind you I never use bibs) or the floor - and everyone kept stopping at our table as they left to comment on how good he was the whole time. (I was pleased, then realized he probably doesn't know any different because of the life we lead - he has been raised eating in NOLA restaurants his whole little life at least 3-4 times a week - though I'm embarrassed to admit it.)

Saturday was a great day just the three of us and then my parents babysat that night. We went to my friend Becca's 1st solo gallery showing during Arts for Arts Sake at the Sibley Gallery on Magazine. My BFF (her sister) went too.

After the show my BFF and her hubby and Matt and I went out to eat. It was a good night out. Sunday Matt joined my church... yep... officially a member of the United Methodist Church- no longer Catholic... such a big deal for me especially since I never asked him to do this. He said he felt led to do it, loves going to church as a family, and the more he learns about Methodism the more he knows that this is what he has always thought anyway. So sweet. That evening we had a little family birthday party at my parent's house. I made him his favorite Black Forest cake. Happy Birthday my love!
*10/9 was my church's annual craft fair. It has been going on my entire life. I participate in the "Missions through Crafts" craft group. We do crafts that will go to mission work of some kind. (sent pillow pals to Mexico VBS kids, made crocheted baby hats for babies in the NICU, and so on) This year I made a wreath out of scrap fabric as a SAINTS decoration. It sold the first day of the fair. YEA! My BFF came to browse the fair with me. We grew up in this church together and was a "thing" of ours to attend and/or work the craft fair together every year since I think 5th grade or at least 6th grade. We looked around and talked.... here are the goodies Matt and I came home with.....

Here is a cutie my mom bought me... that I am not putting outside since everything I put out keeps getting stolen.

* Here is the wreath I mentioned in my last post....

* Here are some decorations I made last year.

* Here are some cute paper pumpkins I made on 10/9 that I learned about here.

* Here are some of the Halloween and Fall decorations I have up right now.

This past week Matt and I were both really sick... and we made it to the weekend. I hope we can get some R&R before Monday comes.

Stay tuned for to see how the weekend turned out...

weekend recap... sigh

My thoughts are jumbled today. My weekend was too short. Friday night I picked up the Boog from the ELC and walked across the parking lot of church to the Mission Fish Fry. Every couple of months the mission team at church does a fish fry fundraiser. My daddy was working the fish fry and the Hubbs met us there after work. We sat with one of the Boog's friends from "school". It was fun. The Boog ate fish but spit out the potatoes and cake. Saturday we ran some errands and ate a late breakfast at our favorite place called Fat Hen Grill. The Boog ate alsmost a WHOLE pan sized pancake. Matt had his favorite: chicken fried steak with potatoes and smothered spinach. I had the usual Irish Benedict. Yum. After that I went to Old Navy for new baby clothes where I had TWO chidren instead of one. The Hubbs and the Boog both got a gaint superball out oF the machine and bounced them all over the store. Then it was my turn to play. I went to Michaels and the Dollar Tree for craft supplies with the intention of making some fall decorations. Well... I am indeed an impatient perfectionist. I made a Fall wreath that I hung on our front door. Matt says it's beautiful. I think it is NOT... but it is still hanging. We ended up just being lazy all day Sunday and went over to my Maw-Maw's house with my parents and brother/sister-in-law and uncle for RedBeans. YUM! Paxton even ate the beans (no rice) and a biscuit with Steins cane syrup.... maybe he will have some cajun traits after all....

Today has been an awful day and it's not over. I got called to pick the Boog up from school ... AGAIN. He has fever. We will be going to the DR. again tomorrow. He is supposed to have shots on Thurs. Wonder if that will have to be rescheduled? I still have to teach a ballet class this evening and teach a piece of choreography to a dance team. It will be so late when my day finally comes to an end.

Sigh....

a few things...

Today is the BIG GAME! My dance classes that I teach on Thursdays were all cut in half today so we can all get home to see the SAINTS play. Yippeeee! That being said the Hubbs remembered to put our child in the cutest Saints outfit ever today, as the kids at his daycare wear Black&Gold on game day. I however witnessed this and still dressed myself in regular clothes. Hello?! What was I thinking? Everyone at work has on their Saints gear.... and I just got the new WHO DAT Volatile flip flops a few weeks ago for just such an occasion! Oh well. There are many more games to come.

                                                        See the little footballs on his socks!

Update on the Boog: The first 4 weeks of "school" with 1-3 illnesses/trips to the Dr. each week are over. Week 5=NO DR VISITS! Week 6: we've been once and the Dr. called today to check on him. We go again next week for 15 month shots. I hope he doesn't catch anything else in the mean time. His latest trick is pinching his nose and waiting for someone to say "HONK" for him. Then he reaches to pinch everyone else's nose too. He doesn't let go until you say "HONK"...

We've made it thus far in hurricane season without a storm near us and I'm counting down to FALL both for the holiday atmosphere and the end of H season! I have found some cute Autumn crafts that I want to try out. I just love the end of the year... September with school starting, October with the begining of Fall weather (well sometimes and in my dreams it gets cool in NOLA), November and Thanksgiving, and December with Christmas and New Year's Eve! and of course FOOTBALL!!!! I love me some SAINTS and RAZORBACKS!

One more day 'til some R&R!!!! Geaux Saints!

i'm walkin' to new orleans

OMG!!!! My baby just walked all the way across the room for the FIRST time EVER!!!!Look out world here comes Paxton! Video taken Friday, September 3, 2010.

THE BOOG'S 1st POST!!!!

ikhyyyy yyyyyycv  ., mn m/ GH,xZ>....aiAk

why blog?

I have tried to answer this question for myself recently. The first time I had ever heard of the word "blog" was a few years ago when my friend Becca told me she had a "blog". I had no idea what it was. I looked up the website and was staring at a page with her information and some posts. I didn't know how to navigate the page or what this thing called a blog was even for. I abandoned the subject all together. In 2008, my friends from high school and I were all TTC at the same time. My friend Amanda was second to get PG a few months before me. When I asked for updates on her pregnancy she referred me to her blog. There it was again. I followed her blog during her pregnancy.
I was bored at lunch one day and decided to google things. I tried "pink". There before me was a blog called hang on little tomato. I started reading this blog and decided to add it to my favorites. From this blog I found my most loved blog of all...Domestic Reflections. I love this blog. She has the greatest recipes and such cute kiddos. I love the things she posts about.... Another one that I happened upon and can't remember how is "until tomorrow val". I love this blog for the creativity. Valerie's DIY and decorating projects always interest me. I hope to soon try out some of her tricks!

From there, I read these blogs from time to time without much thought of blogging myself. Then I started talking to the Hubbs about what I had been reading...turns out he had started a blog years ago and I never even knew what a blog was. He has not gotten into the world of blogging even though he is a published, opinionated, and prolific writer...oh well. This summer, my BFF Kristin told me she had a blog too! I was behind the times as usual. Matt then referred me to a blog that a high school friend of his writes "In this wonderful life...". I love this one too and have been lucky enough to "meet" her through email.

So.... why blog? From my limited experence with this subject blogging can be for any purpose. Some people write for friends and family, some write to express opinion, some write to inform, some to advertise, and some to make money... like in "Julie and Julia"? As for me? I guess time will tell. I like having a place to write down my thoughts and share them with friends and family. Let's just say this will be my attempt at journaling life events and we shall see where it takes me!

Why do you or don't you blog?

catch up....

I have been running ragged lately. My baby has been so sick with a double ear infection/sore throat/fever, new position at work, and NO air conditioning!!! The Boog's fever broke and he was able to go to daycare today. The air will hopefully be fixed Monday and the work day is finally over. To my surprise, the Hubbs met me at work with an ICEE!!!!! Yea for a super sweet surprise. I get off at 4:30 and he gets off at 6:00. This was a great treat...there he was in the parking lot with a melting Icee. I didn't come down right away so he brought it up to me! We went and picked up the Boog together. AHHHH Friday has been salvaged after all.

Last Saturday P-dizz and I got our hair cut.... here is a picture of my beautiful baby GIRL before and the handsome boy he really is after. I can't decide still if I like it. I miss his uncut baby curls....

Paxton showing how long his hair is

Nana and Paxton... his first hair-do with gel

It will grow some right?????

Here's to a warm weekend!!!

Tuesday....

My day was not great but not terrible. I trained for my new position at work. Things were bumping along when the Hubbs called to say that out air conditioner was out and someone would be (hopefully)looking at it today. Then at 1:45 the daycare called to say the Boog had 101 fever under the arm which means 102. I was asked to pick him up right away. I couldn't leave so my mom AND dad went to get him. The director said that there was a little virus going around and a few teachers had strep throat...uh great. I got the baby an appointment for three pm and left to take him to the Dr. We have been battling the ickies for the last few weeks since he started daycare. Two weeks ago Thurs. he had fever and we stayed home treating it. It seemed to leave a cold behind but we went on to daycare. One week later, this past Thurs., he had the most horrible chest congestion. We finally went to the Dr. to see if there was an infection... nope just a cold. They told us to keep treating him as we had been and come in if he had fever again. Well today it happened and he now has a double ear infection and infected right tonsil. While at the Dr. his fever was 103. They gave him Motrin and a cup of water while we were there. We went home with an antibiotic and they will call if his strep test is positive. Now I need a babysitter for tomorrow! I am still at my parent's house dreading going home without air conditioning ... in AUGUST...in NOLA! I told the Hubbs to call when he gets home. If it's cool we'll go home...If not we'll stay here for the night....And on top of it all MY throat is getting scratchy...uh oh.

Here's to a better WEDNESDAY!!!!

life today...

So today was a busy busy day. It started out with me making a trip to HR to sign papers for my new position. Because of this little stop off I knew I would be a little late to work. I asked the Hubbs to take the Boog to school. He agreed. A few minutes after I got to work, I got a call from the daycare stating that my child had no shoes on...it is a state law that children wear shoes at daycare. Hubbs was already on the westbank, I could not leave work=stress. I called my mom to fix it. She stopped at the store and bought a pair of emergency shoes and socks and brought them over to the Boog. After she had called to say she was on her way to work, I realized I had also forgotten to send Hubbs with a check for the week....oops...thankfully the teacher said I could bring it in tomorrow.  Since there was no time for Hubbs to drop the car seat off to me, I called mom again to bring hers with her to work (we work in the same office) and I would borrow it to pick up the Boog...well she drove my dad's truck today and he assured her it was in there before she left home...after she got to work and we went down to make the trade...we realized it was in fact in mom's car with my dad at his work... grrr....after work I drove all the way to my daddy's work,got the seat, picked up the Boog, and finally made it home...an hour later only to have my kid throw about a million fits of frustration in the first ten minutes home...he got put in bed and thankfully fell asleep. He is always so tired after "school".

As for the day AT work....HA...crazy is the only word. My department went "live" with a new progam today. No one seemed to know what was going on and my own job is seriously slowed with this new "progressive" way of doing things...only time will tell. I fear I will be stressed for a while.

After such a crazy day I decided NOT to go to Zumba ... again...for the 8th time in a row...it seems something ALWAYS comes up!!!Oh well tomorrow is another day... always room for improvement with a brand new day.

As for the weekend, a few highlights include:
*the Booger and I both got haircuts; it was his first
*we visited with my grandparents
*the Boog tasted my MawMaw's homemade gumbo for the first time (she also had crawfish etoufee on the stove and hog'shead cheese...ew)
*the Hubbs and I shared some much needed us time

Looking forward to the Hubbs getting home and putting an end to today so I can have a better day tomorrow!

changes

Our life has been changing lately. One good change is that I was officially offered a job promotion yesterday. Yea! Wonder how life will be in a new role at work... The hubbs and I decided to celebrate. I was so tired after a long day at work....and it most certainly was a LONG day... that we almost didn't go out at all. We got home and while deciding what to do and recapping our days with each other, the Boog fell asleep and so did I. We finallly decided on a movie. I got a babysitter and we swung by, dropped the Boog off ,and high tailed it to the movies. We were really late....I decided I needed a hotdog because we hadn't eaten yet and then there were no decent seats left of course. We ended up on the FRONT row!!! I am farsighted. I was so close to the screen that everytime the camera moved too fast I got SOOO dizzy. Oh well. It was so packed that a group of several girls came in and asked me to move over a seat. Normally I wouldn't care at all...but I was already grumpy about the situation and don't ya know as I moved to the other side of the Hubbs I dropped my hotdog on the floor....figures after the day I had..Friday the 13th and all...We watched Eat,Pray,Love. I was anxious to see it. I must say when it was over I was left sort of unsettled and confused. the Hubbs and I talked about it as we left the parking lot. He liked it. I guess it wasn't what I expected it to be. Or...maybe I identify with the main character too much... I don't know. I think I would like to see it again before I decide it I Love or Hate this one. Overall thunbs up date inspite of the hotdog and seating.

Today The Boog is going to get his FIRST ever haircut. :( I know he needs one. Everywhere we go people comment on how pretty my baby GIRL is....and I say thank you and let it go or if they ask how old or something... I say HE is 1yr old. Oh well, what can I say, he's is kinda pretty.

lovin' this weekend!

so here's the thing...

I have always wanted to do a blog and have been a sometimes journal keeper. I finally got around to starting this blog and must say it is more confusing than I thought it would be to set up. I certainly need a tutorial! Here goes...