Monday, December 29, 2008

tagged: favorite ornament(s)

so about 3 weeks ago, michelle wrote this post. we were just putting our tree up at the time and i was trying to take photos when my camera bit the dust.

i ended up using chris's camera but he's in charge of downloading and uploading the images on that camera. so they sat. and sat. and then we feasted and then they sat some more until i really started to complain about it in the past few days. i have at least 3 different posts that i'm preparing to write but they are all heavily dependant on photos. so they were on hold until i got my damn photos. so finally, he did took care of them for me and here we are.

as per the assignment on the spice rack, i wanted to share my a few of my favorites (sorry i can't just share one, i have too many favorites to share only one). and i'm also sorry that these aren't more timely, i really wanted to get this one up before the 25th....

there are MORE actually than the few i'll talk about here, but these are at the top. i'll go in order of their age.

the "pregnant clown" one of my mom's good friends bought this for her when she was pregnant with me. over 32 years ago. (i just had my birthday and i'm just getting used to the fact that i'm THIRTY-TWO jeesh.... anyways). this clown has a big belly, and yarn hair and is really pretty silly looking but the meaning behind it is special and that makes it a favorite.

next up, ribbon angel. she's handmade, with a wooden ball head and a clothes pin as her body, her dress is ribbons and her wings are felt with gold string details and her halo is gold metalic pipe cleaner. her head is droopy. someone gave this ornament to my mom a long time ago, and she gave it to me to put on my little tree that i used to put up in my bedroom as a child. i've had it on my tree since i was a little girl and i've always loved it. it just makes me think of christmas and its modest, simple meaning. she's fragile, so i keep her out of reach from the kids.



third, frosted glass ball, decorated by a dear college friend, leo. leo is one of our best friends. chris was in his wedding last year, we just adore his wife, anne and their little girl, charolotte. leo made this ornament for chris and i while we were all in college. we put a tree up in our house, i lived with chris and two other guys and the five of us all would hang out a LOT. so while home for christmas with his family and his sisters he decorated this ornament for us. it was a craft project that his sisters were doing. he doesn't usually take up these sorts of passtimes on his own :) the ornament has two christmas trees, a snowman and the words: To: Chris, Cara, Blazic, Chi and Pauly (our golden retreiver's name) From: Leo '98' all drawn with metalic paint. i will always put this ornament on my tree, it brings back such fun memories of good times and friends that i just don't want to forget about. the five of us all keep in touch and see each other often.


last but not least, the christmas flip flops. purchased in maui in october 2003 on our honeymoon. fabulous trip, fabulous food, fabulous weather, fabulous sights, a loving companion, a wedding full of love and people who surrounded us with their love as we started such an awesome journey together. these remind me of the good times we've had and the even greater times to come. in the past 5 years together of our "married lives together" we've both changed and grown into such different people but we are always a couple and have gone through these changes together. i wouldn't be the person i am today without chris and i'm pretty sure he would say the same about me. we have two beautiful boys together and i wake up each day excited about playing with them and watching chris play with them. seeing us all grow and learn together is one of the most amazing things to ever witness.

i hope you all had a wonderful christmas with your families and wish you good will in 2009.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

a little less bah humbug than last time and some MILESTONES

ok, so some time has passed since my last post. i think we are both a little more into the holiday spirit now and we're able to deal with some of the stress that comes along with this time of the year. i'm done shopping. i do have to pick up a book that i ordered from a small local book store. but that's easy. i still have to wrap it all and bake. OOH, and finish knitting. i'm close. really close. and the pattern is way easy so it's going very smoothly, i just need some extra time to really bang it out.

i finished decorating the house today, the tree is up, and the lights are hung outside. it looks quite festive :) and the kids are really enjoying it. max especially.

on the home front.... let's see, max is learning to sing some christmas tunes! (talk about cute!) andy is also learning some sounds and they are sorta words too. right now he knows three "words" bottle, mama and dada. he still mixes up mama and dada but he's got "ba" down pat! AND!!!! he's walking and it's amazing! he's been cruising for quite some time now and in the past couple of weeks he's been taking one or two steps between chris and i during our "walking practice sessions". but this weekend he really took off! he's now taking a few steps between household objects and even from things into the middle of the room. he gets so excited about it too! it's adorable! he tries to follow max but can't keep up. and he definetly knows that crawling is his most efficient way to get from point A to point B. but he's becoming more and more brave by the minute and that is so much fun to watch. today was his big day and i know that by the end of the week he'll be in full walk mode :) the thought of this makes my cry!

OK, eyes are dry and i can see the computer screen again :)

i'm really looking forward to the next two weeks, i've got a bunch of playdates planned and i can't wait to spend time with my family and watch my kids enjoy the splendor of the holidays. i also have plans with some old friends and i'll get to meet my friend valerie's little girl who is 2 days older than andy. they'll be coming into town the 26th and will be having lunch at our house that day. then friends from ohio will be coming to spend the night on new year's eve. again, i'll be entertaining! i can't wait! i AM on the lookout for some recipe suggestions. anyone have any suggestions? i'm looking for things that are on the simple side. and i'll also take suggestions for sides and apps too ;)