Let the Holiday festivities begin!!

It has begun....the weekend after Thanksgiving, I tend to just get nuts (as do many of us self-proclaimed "Christmas Freaks"). I struggled this year with the tree. I LOVE a real tree. I LOVE to even chop down my own if geographically possible buuuuut.....it is not to be here. And while I lovingly tend to my tree, every year the thing looks dead by Christmas. So. For the first time in years. We got a fake tree. Ugh. And to make matters worse, we had a pretty limited budget so our choices were, um, slim. It turned out pretty cute despite it's Charlie Brown beginnings and it will stay "fresh" all season. And the evergreen scented candles allllllllmost makes me forget...

Garret's "job": lights, star, FSU ornament....

 Maddie made a few ornaments all by herself!

It blows my mind how much this precious hand has grown!

Not too awful...no wading through several feet of snow, chopping down and celebrating with hot cocoa...but it'll do!

And, super excited about this (more so than Maddie, I think)....ELFIE'S BACK!

 These are his first few nights with us....many more to come! 

 And, last but not least...some exterior decorating as well! Good job, hubby!!

As done as it's gonna be!

I think the Fall Bucket List is as far to completion as I can muster or our geographical area allows. As expected, some were difficult just for the plain fact that we live in Florida...land of the perpetual Summer. There is no Fall. No multi-colored leaves, no apple orchards....but I made due and had fun doing it!

 I marked off baking pies but forgot to take pics of the pumpkin pie I made on Thanksgiving....from scratch no less.  My word will just have to do on this one. 

I did, however, come across these pretty silk leaves for super cheap and figured a photoshoot in leaves could, ney would happen! Maddie even smiled and looked into the camera...simultaneously (collective gasp inserted here).

I also did alot of this:

 Not exactly caramel apples but I went through a large container of the Marzetti's caramel dip pretty swiftly, so I'm counting it!

And finally, a "nature hike" at a little park by our house. I only had my phone so the pics aren't great but the girls had fun exploring...nevermind the dead raccoon and sleeping bum on a bench.

It has been fun but I am now ready for the CHRISTMAS festivities!!  Here's to hoping I can muster the energy before this baby arrives!!

Turkey Day!

 So much to be thankful for this year...not the least of which is the fact that we only had 2 meals and one house to travel to :). We began with lunch at our house....Greg offered to make the turkey so we quickly conceded and offered to do a few sides and desserts. Everyone brought something so it was fairly easy....these days "easy" is my new favorite word!

                                                                                       Maddie talking to Aunt Tamra!

 Seems like blue was the color of the day....

 Coloring place mats, dress up clothes and a parade=happy little girls!

Saying Grace at the kids' table...it was cute, they all took turns saying what they were thankful for!

Before we left for the 2nd leg of our tour (Momo's), I quickly made Maddie her annual hand print turkey shirt...and by "made" I mean, hot glue...no sewing for Mamma this year! She came out of her room like this. Pick my battles, right??

 The creepy appetizer en route to Mo's....it was so much cuter on Pinterest...

 Pretty great day with the people we love....not a thing to complain about! I mean, besides an aching back, multiple contractions, swollen feet....but, despite the physical ickyness, we are beyond blessed to be welcoming our baby boy in a few short weeks :) So close....

Making Progress!!

 

 Two more marks on the list...down! 2nd date to Music Walk Dowtown (thanks to YaYa for babysitting) and a somewhat cool night for smores (and what we Floridians call a "bonfire": a firepit). I also marked off hayride although Maddie did this at school so I have no photo but it did happen...I swear!

Facepaint Friday!!

So...we were bored. Daddy was working late and Mommy was tired :) Maddie found her facepaint kit (that I thought I had well-hidden...ppfft) and decided she wanted to be a kitty. Well, far be it for me to deny  the sweet thing such a small pleasure, and hey, it involved little physical activity on my part so.... I used my non-existant artistic ability to create my best Hello Kitty. She, in turn, decided to make me a, um, "princess". Yeah...she clearly has the same artistic "ability" I do...

Whoaaaaaa Nelly!

Baby Gavin has been indescribably active. I thought maybe if I try to capture him going crazy on video I could better show Garret and anyone who would listen how wild he is! He seems to get more active at night and almost always on my right side. I didn't think it would show up well, but there is some serious alien-stuff going on that's pretty obvious (and super cool :).
I don't remember feeling Maddie nearly this much, although I was constantly told how small she was....maybe because he's bigger I feel him more?? That or he is a total wild man. If this is true, Heaven help me. I will have two super active ones to keep me busy! No rest for the weary!!

Showered with love...

 

Today, our amazing friends, Trisha and Jason hosted a shower for us and Baby Gavin. It was  just perfect! Like our first shower, we wanted it to be intimate and casual. As expected, our friends all went above and beyond and made it so beautiful...down to the monster themed decorations to match the nursery!

 I am so in love with these adorable monsters and the colors.... 

While the boys enjoyed some cornhole, we girls decorated onesies....

I

Presents!!!!!

I can't deny I love presents...not from a materialistic standpoint but I swear I revert to a six year old with excitement when I get to just open stuff. I am equally nutso about buying and giving them!

 We were so spoiled and got almost everything we really needed! My wonderful friends all pitched in for the "big ticket" items and so many personal touches were added....from the amazing monster doll my friend Christy found at a craft fair to the FSU sock monkey Colleen found for Garret  Gavin. :)

 I am overwhelmed by the effort made by so many to make this special for us....it really made us feel so humbled and grateful that although not our first, Baby Gavin is still being celebrated with equal enthusiasm. Now we are ready! Bring on the little bundle!!