rough morning, great year, see you in 2012!!

What a morning. Gwen often gives Trav a little bit of a hard time... she doesn't want to get her diaper changed or get dressed, but once they get past that, they have fun brushing teeth and then they head downstairs to eat some breakfast and relax until I'm done getting ready. I love listening to them read books together or do puzzles.

This morning was so much worse then normal. He finally gave up and I ended up changing her, dressing her, brushing her teeth, everything, once I was out of the shower. I don't know if it was because she's not feeling great due to the cold she's fighting off, but she was a clingy, weepy babe this morning. She went into her carseat easy enough, but when I went to say bye, she broke down and kept asking to be picked up. I tried telling her how much fun she would have at daycare today, and that I'd see her later, but it was no use. It broke my heart and I'll admit that I cried when they drove off. I hate starting days off like that.

I'm looking forward to lots of hugs tonight, and some sleeping in for all of us tomorrow. I am definitely looking forward to four days off, quiet time with my husband and by myself, and some good family time.

In light of that, I'll taking a four-day blogging hiatus to enjoy ringing in the new year with my family.



It was a rough morning, but overall it was a great year. Gwen has grown in leaps in bounds. We had great vacations. We had some trials (house fires and subsequent annoyances!), but I think we are ending this year better then we started it, and that's all we can ask for. I look forward to all that 2012 has to bring!!

Ps. A video to share because I don't want to be the only sap crying over it...

ESPN: The Finish Line 2 - Short Feature from Evolve Digital Cinema / IMG on Vimeo.

well we didn't get a white Christmas...

... but we certainly got a wonderful one!

Two days of extended family Christmas time, flanked by two days of just our little family and relaxation time! Perfect.

I made Trav some special snowflakes:

Boba Fett

C3PO

My fav... Yoda!

I also whipped up a few dozen cookies, thanks to the dough from Ro. Mostly ginger cookies:

But also some Peanut Butter Blossoms:

Saturday was Christmas Eve at Willy's. Its always fun to see Trav's cousins, and 2nd cousins. 

(And this year, the first 3rd cousin!)

We got home a bit late, got Gwen straight off to bed, then it was time to assemble some of her bigger gifts.
Some pictures from Christmas morning at our place:

Trav got me the immersion blending I've been longing for, so hopefully I'll be making some soup soon! He also got me the first 3 Twilight movies on DVD... I'm embarrassed, but I love it!! Another great gift, a new set of flannel sheets from Trav's brother, his wife, and son. They are lovely!

From my parent's place, the rest of Christmas day:

Dear G*d do I love this girl!!

From my parent's I got some iPhone workable gloves and a really nice Dutch oven. Yay! Lots of cooking to come!

It was an amazing weekend. I'm feeling full of love, thankfulness, and rejuvenated.
Honestly, it is one of the best Christmases in memory. Gwen was so great and "got it" so much more this year then last. It was pretty stress-free, and just lovely.

Sunday I spent some time going through Gwen's toys, sorting out the ones that she really doesn't play with anymore, the ones that are too young for her and packing them away. Its a little sad to see some of these really great toys going away, but she's gotten good use out of them and its fun to see her grow into new toys.

I didn't do it yet, but I think its also time for me to do a another sorting of my t-shirt drawer. I'm annoyed with the overstuffed state of it, but had previously be emotionally unable to part with many of them! I think I'm ready now, and my overburdened dresser will thank me, I'm sure! I think the new organic cotton tee I got from my mother-in-law for Christmas will help ease the sting too.  ;-)

Now its back to work, though Gwen couldn't resist a quick color this morning before it was time to leave:

Only two more days to get through... then another long weekend! I could get used to this.

How was your Christmas/holiday weekend? 

Although it's been said many times, many ways...

"Merry Christmas to you."

Wishing you and yours a Christmas full of wonder and good cheer; as well as family, friends, and food. 

xoxo, 

Meegs, Trav, Gwen, and Daisy

rambling thoughts

Counting down the minutes until I get to leave (45). I cannot wait for our four-day weekend. We have nothing planned for tomorrow or Monday, which is wonderful. I need destress time with my loves.

Waiting for a call back from the talented tattoo lady who did my back, about an appointment for the end of February. Money is already set aside and I'll probably be getting two smaller pieces that I've been thinking about. It makes me feel like I'm finding my way back to me.

Gwen got a baby doll as an early Christmas gift from her best friend Dominic.

We're calling her Lily and she's quite the hit.

I like that she received a baby doll, and that she will be receiving (from us, on Christmas) a wooden tool bench. I want my girl to always feel free to play with whatever she likes.

We're on a break from potty training for now. After going on the potty everyday for a bit, Gwen has now decided that she does NOT want to sit on the potty. That's fine, we'll keep offering and start again when she's ready.

Okay, back to work for me. Enjoy your weekends and holidays!

wordless wednesday {beautiful.whimsical}

c Cristian Mesa Torre

christmas cards...

I was lucky enough to find two deals for 15 free cards (each), and won 25 cards from another blogger, then got 40% off when I ordered another 20 cards. So, we ended up with four different card designs... and we only paid less then $20 for 75 cards!

So just in time for Hannakah, I wanted to share.

Card #1:

Card #2:

Card #3:

Card #4:

Here's our holiday greetings from our family to yours... May it be bright, happy, peaceful, loving, and fun.

I have over at least two dozen cookies on my counter at home right now... and at least a dozen and a half more still unbaked in the fridge. Please feel free to come over to eat some, since I definitely don't need to eat as many as I certainly will end up eating over the next week. The coconut thumbprint cookies are mine, but help yourself to gingerbread men, snickers cookies, or chocolate cookies with a peppermint drizzle. They are all amazing!!

Ro and I had a great time baking many dozen cookies (she kept as many as I took, plus we packed at least the same amount for Pat's parents), our second year doing so. The girls had fun decorating a few gingerbread men:

Gwen doesn't normally get a lot of treats... so that gingerbread man, and the m&ms that didn't make it onto the gingerbread man, they made for one silly child! The whole way home she was going, "Hi Mommy, Hi Daddy (we'd say Hi Gwenie)" followed by hysterical giggling. At one point we were heading down a block that was particularly decorated and asked her if she was looking out the window at the lights... she pauses, looks out the window, and from the back seat we hear, "Whoooooaaaaa."

::snort::   (Our kid was pretty much high off of sugar.)

Of course, I can't really blame her for the reaction considering what we saw:

 (these houses were side-by-side... it was overwhelming!)

It was a good weekend.

Less then a week until Christmas... I can't wait!

I received an early Christmas present from a friend of a new office chair... I still have to think about it a little, but it makes me sit up in a more "correct" position. I'm hoping it helps with my end of day fatigue and back aches.

I'm so glad its Friday. I'm in need of a weekend, really more then that, but at least following this weekend is a four-day work week, a four-day weekend, a three-day work week, and another four-day weekend. A girl could get used to that.

Daddy, in box!

The giggles this produced were epic.

I have to be off... but how about a little linky/video sharing?

I love every one of THESE PICTURES:

This Pink song makes me cry every time. I hope Gwen always knows how perfect she is to me.



I heart OK Go.



THIS VIDEO is cute.


Okay all, have a great weekend!

i am so full

Holiday party a success. The food was amazing. I baked cookies (these and these).

Since I'm in a bit of a food coma, I will present you with other people's words today. Please read these and enjoy:

- A Girl You Should Date (yes! just yes.)
- Who Left a Tree, then a Coffin in the Library?

cold hands, warm hearts

I mentioned before that I was taking part in the Cold Hands, Warm Hearts swap. It seemed like something easy and fun to celebrate the impending cold weather and the season of giving that goes with it. Everyone got paired with a swap partner to whom they sent a pair of gloves and something else. Well today is reveal day!!

Last Monday I came into the office to find a nice surprise awaiting me:

I love getting boxes!!

Inside were the nicest, softest gloves and scarf, and some hot chocolate:

They fold down... perfect for answering/playing on my phone:

Love the color too:

Thanks Katie!!!

I'll definitely be wearing these a lot this winter. In fact, I've been wearing them everyday this week since it got so cold! Perfect timing.


Ps. Go visit Katie's blog to see what I sent her.