2015 Christmas Cards

Christmas cards really snuck up on us this year, but we managed to pull together at least one fun family pic.

We really needed a photographer to get Annalee to give us that beautiful smile of hers.... but no worries friends, we included one on the back. Couldn't let that pretty smile go un-noticed. 

There are so many great options out there, but I decided to keep it simple this year and go with Vistaprint - heck, you can't beat 60% off. 

Linking up with Faith for the Christmas Card Carousel. Join us!

Our cards from 2014 - Baby News  |  2013  |  2012
2011 was our wedding... and I wasn't quite on the blogging train yet to post anything. Sorry friends!

A day to myself.

via Pish Posh Perfect.

So how did I spend my day off?  With a few of my favorite things.

Working at our local coffee shop.

Treating my feet to a Pedi.

Shopping for our Senior Star, aka our Angel Tree.

Shopping for me.

Shopping for family and friends.

Mailing a few packages.

Addressing Christmas Cards.

Sweating it out at Spin class.

....and of course working in between. But that's ok - I don't mind it when it's what I love.

My question is, how in the world do 8 hours go by so quickly when you are trapped inside your office walls? Crazy fast.

Sorry I took zero pics to document it. But, sometimes I think that's the beauty of a break - a day for you to soak up life. Every minute of it!

Don't forget about Faith's Christmas Card Carousel tomorrow, can't wait to see all your beautiful cards.

Happy Tuesday friends!

I'm feeling 32

Birthday cupcakes!

A little nod to my birthday twin, T-swift. Can we still be twins if she was born on my 6th birthday?

Yes, I'm feeling 32... and not just because I went to bed at 9:30 p.m. last night and slept until 6:30 a.m. Ok, maybe that's partially why I'm feeling 32. But, no shame. The little cub slept 11 hours last night and it was the best birthday present ever. That's why I'm feeling 32... and happy to be up writing this post on my day off. I had a wonderful birthday weekend, but I am also looking forward to a day for just me - time to blog, shop, get a pedi, wrap presents, and address Christmas cards. So looking forward to it!

But first, a quick re-cap of my awesome weekend with friends and my little family.

We started the weekend Friday with a low-key night in, cooking dinner, hanging out with little bit, and soaking up the holiday season.

Saturday started with my favorite breakfast - Pizza! Breakfast pizza that is. The hubs cooked a delicious breakfast {using my mom's recipe} and we enjoyed a lazy morning in. After breakfast we ventured out for a long run through town - soaking up the 75 degree weather this weekend. Amazing! Then decorated for our party and did a little local shopping downtown in the afternoon.

Saturday night was our annual Miracle Christmas party - that we decided to move off-site this year. Which was amazing for clean-up... and baby. Annalee did get to make an appearance at her first Miracle, and we snagged the perfect picture.

Our good friends M&M even came to town and joined us for a fun night celebrating the season.

The 13th started bright and early with fun-fetti coffee cake {Thanks Meg and Jo!} and lots of coffee. We exchanged Christmas gifts around the tree and it was so much fun watching Annalee open presents - she loved the paper. Go figure?

Meg and I got out for a nice run, followed by brunch at Niko's with the boys.

Kara planned a little get-together for the afternoon - complete with homemade fun-fetti cupcakes and mimosas. So sweet. And delicious!

The hubs cooked us a delicious birthday dinner to top off the evening - we ate more fun-fetti cupcakes {are you noticing a theme?} and went to bed at 9:30 p.m.

Birthday snuggles with my girl while talking to my momma.

__________________

Did I mention my beautiful birthday present from Annalee and the hubs??  A green emerald ring {Annalee's birthstone} surrounded by diamonds. 

Feeling like on very lucky and very loved lady today! 

An Ornament Exchange | Holiday Party Favors

We had the best time Sunday afternoon at the ornament exchange I hosted for my local girlfriends. We ate, drank, chatted and played "dirty santa" for ornaments. It was a fun way to kick off the holiday season and exchange gifts with all my girlfriends. 

Does anyone else know the pickle in the tree tradition? I had no idea, but it's super cute.

Love my ornament - hand made from LeighAnn.

I put together some small party favors for all the girls - Mulling Spices to make their homes smell like the holidays. They are easy to assemble and such a cute little party favor. You can find instructions and free printables from Kellie at Nest of Posies.

I also made a batch of White Christmas Sangria for us to enjoy... I guess it was a hit because we went through three batches. If you're planning to make for your next holiday gathering - make extra!

Cheers to the Holidays friends! We have a big week of parties ahead... can't wait to celebrate. 

Annalee Estelle | Six Months

Annalee,

This has been the best month yet! You are just a bundle of happiness and joy - smiling, laughing, and giggling at everyone and everything. I feel like every day you are more and more alert, changing and growing so much - noticing things around you and making eye contact with anyone you can to smile and flirt. You love your mimi and are exhausted when you come home every day from playing with all your friends. You love reading books and like to try and help turn the pages. You are trying to sit up on your own, but you haven't quite mastered rolling over. We traveled a lot this month visiting your Gramma, GranDe and Papa Sam, and your Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. You were great on the car trips and an excellent flyer {minus the last leg of our last flight home - we'll just pretend that hour didn't happen}. You were the sweetest little strawberry for Halloween and collected lots of smiles and sweets. We gave you your first taste of rice cereal on Thanksgiving and laughed in amazement at how excited you were to try it... and how quickly you spit it right back out.

Six Month Highlights:

• 16lbs, 3oz., 27.7 inches, 17 in head circumference, bright blue eyes and blond hair
• Wearing 6 month clothing and 6-9 month pajamas \\ Pampers size 2 diapers
• Nicknames: Anna Banana \\ Sweet Pea \\ Pumpkin \\ Little Bit 
• Tricks: Getting you paci back in your mouth \\ Rolling around in your crib \\ Talking... and now screaming in delight \\ Following us around the room \\ 
• Favorite toys: Doggie book \\ Stand and play station \\ Mr. Monkey on your car seat \\ Frog seat \\ Books \\ Wubbanub \\ taggy blanket
• Favorite books: Doggie Book \\ Pete the Cat's First Thanksgiving
• Food: Just Momma's milk... but you tried a taste of rice cereal on Thanksgiving and were less than impressed.
• Trips: We drove to NC to visit with your Gramma for a long weekend \\  You also took your third flight, but mom's first trip with you solo, to visit GranDe and Papa Sam on the Coast for a few days while Dad was traveling for work. \\ We also visited with the Hollomon's that trip and stayed a couple nights. 
• Holidays: Celebrated your first Halloween in Lexington dressed as a Strawberry!  We also spent Thanksgiving in Lexington, and you tried your first taste of food - only fitting. 
• You are still drooling, but not as much. However, we are certain some teeth are on the way! 
• You are still a great sleeper - sleeping 9-10 hours at night, waking every now and then for your wubanub at night.
• You are not much of a long napper, but you like to cat nap right before feeding time throughout the day.
• You are laughing so much and talking up a storm!
• You had a little cold in your eyes this month, but it didn't seem to phase you much - you were happy ol' self the whole time. 
• You started sitting in your Bumpo seat and seem to like it.

Six Month Favorites {Items We Couldn't Live Without}:

The Bob Stroller \\ Wubbanub \\ Paci clip \\ MommaRoo \\ Swaddle Blankets \\ Footie PJ's \\ Baby Bathtub \\ Sound Machine \\ monitor {for mommy} \\ Frog seat \\ Playmat \\ Humidifier to help with congestion \\ Bibs...lots of bibs \\ Stand and Play \\ Pineapple Boppy \\ Bumpo seat

Pictures from this month:

My first Halloween

Visiting Gramma

The Coast with Papa Sam

Cousin time

Elleard family time

Tummy time. Still just hanging out on my belly.

Frequent Flyer

In my new play stand from Godmomma

Tailgating with Daddy at the VMI Western Carolina game

Snoozin on turkey day.

Your first Thanksgiving

One // Two // Three // Four // Five

Tis' the Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and we are soaking up every minute! Especially with a little one in tow this year.

We started our Christmas celebrations on Friday with our local candlelight processional through town and the lighting of the Christmas tree in our town square. We also got a peak at Santa Claus!

We picked out our Christmas tree on Friday. Always one of my favorite traditions. It's a little snug in the den - I hear ya, Classic Annie!

Saturday we did a little local shopping for Shop Small Saturday and also tried to get a Christmas card picture. May need a round two this weekend...

We unloaded our eight tubs {yes, I did say eight!} of Christmas stuff and started decorating.

New to the lineup this year... our stockings!! They are Lands End and such great quality. I love needlepoint - and for the price {$29.50} you can't beat them.

I may have already picked up a box of these from Kroger... so, so yummy! {and really great with coffee too!} 

Cheers to the holidays, friends!

Our Thanksgiving 2015

The holidays for us typically mean piling in the car and heading south to Alabama or North Carolina, but this year we decided to just stay put - and while we missed our families - it was so wonderful. No stressful packing, no long hours spent in the car, no traffic, and lots of free time to just enjoy one another's company.

We started our long weekend with an evening out at TAPS - drinks and a quick meal at the bar - before heading home to prep the turkey and get him in the oven for the night. I love waking up to the smell of a turkey baking on Thanksgiving - the best morning of the year! After pulling the turkey out of the oven nice and early, J got dressed and headed downtown to help with our local Gobble Wobble 5K & Fun Run. We have been helping out since the race first started 4 years ago, and this year we had almost 500 runners - it's been so fun to see everyone get so exited!

I decided to stay at home this year with Miss Annalee, since the weather was a crisp 28 at 7 a.m. Not worth a sick baby.  But we had fun cooking and watching the Macy's parade - just having a lazy morning in our pj's.

Helping mommy cook.

I cooked us a small Thanksgiving lunch at home, more-so so we would have leftovers for turkey sandwiches, but we also enjoyed a nice family lunch before getting ready for our big thanksgiving later that evening.

Annalee had her first bite of rice cereal too! She was less than thrilled.

Our friends invited a few good friends over to join their own family thanksgiving and we enjoyed a wonderful friendsgiving that afternoon! Nick is an amazing cook - so we had lots of yummy dishes on the menu - totally different from our turkey, dressing, green been casserole, and cranberry sauce we had for lunch. It was nice to have one traditional and one totally different meal later that evening. Lots of good food to go around - isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about? Annalee had a blast with all the kiddos!

Very thankful this Thanksgiving and looking forward to a wonderful Holiday season ahead!