Yes, we're still here...

Goodness gracious...we've been busy! Actually, we've been fairly busy, and I got behind on the blog, and every time I thought about getting 'caught up' it made my head spin...so I've been putting it off for a while. Now, I have one monster long blog with a million pictures...so get prepared to get caught up with our lives :)

Since I last wrote, lots has happened. I decorated my tree (I know...I posted about that already) but we've been enjoying it as it slowly dies. (Note to self...Home Depot trees die quickly. Be prepared to clean up MANY needles every day if you so choose to go that route again next year) I haven't had a lot of time to work with the camera I'm borrowing (and honestly, most of the following were taken with my point and shoot camera for convenience sake) but I did take an evening to take some pictures of our tree. I think the one of red ornament is funny, where you can see me and my camera :)

On the 10th Krista & Leilani came over to bake. Krista was throwing a surprise 40th birthday party for Eliott, so she came over to decorate her cake. (THAT'S another story entirely...she wanted to make it Star Wars, and got the top of the cake looking GREAT, but we couldn't figure out how to get the sides to look right...so she scraped everything off and started over. I think she was pretty frustrated. The cake ended up looking super cute. She covered it in chocolate candy. It was a great idea). Leilani came and hung out too...she was (and kinda still is...) in the waiting game for little Isaac to arrive.

On the 10th we also took a quick trip to the doctor's office (HA! A trip to the dr. office is NEVER quick) Eli had this VERY strange...thing? on his hand. His hand had swollen up, and had some weird discoloration. The 'point of origin' was also pretty weird...it had little blisters, and the skin was...leathery is the only way I can describe it...The doctor said it was just a bug bite, and to keep an eye on it. SO, that would be the third time I've had the doctor look at something and tell me it's 'just a bug bite'...hmmmm...overly cautious mommy?...

Friday the 11th we went to Katie's ballet recital. She was SO cute!

Even though she cried. I know Krista wanted to crawl under her chair, but I thought it was so cute. Little Katie got stage fright!

She did dance...and then ran to Krista...

She did get up the nerve to do her 'solo'. She did so good!

Saturday the 12th (Happy Birthday Randee!) was Eliott's birthday party. I ended up grabbing Krista's camera and using that to take pictures, so she would have some...so this is really the only picture I got with my camera...Eli playing :) The party was GREAT. We had so much fun hanging out-even though Eli SCREAMED when he went to bed...he eventually fell asleep, but BOY was he mad to be going to bed!

Sunday we finally got a chance to go for our bike ride. I think these pictures are from a different day this week, but you get the idea of how cute Eli is in his little helmet :)

I don't think he quite knows what to think when he's getting strapped in!

My boys!

Super cute!

Eli has been loving his bike rides with Daddy. Edgar has been taking him on a bike ride or a stroller ride every night this week when he gets home. Eli LOVES it, and so do I :) I get 30 minutes of quiet in the house before dinner. It's GREAT.

Monday I spent the day decorating cookies for Olivia's birthday party. They turned out SO cute! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures...yet. I'll take some at the party and show you them later :)

I did take a picture of my new 'cookie' station :) Mom got this table from one of her customers, and it fits perfectly in our kitchen! It was great for decorating cookies!

On Monday Eli and I also walked down to a park about a mile from our house.

I played with my camera (point and shoot...)...and my baby :)

Enjoy some pictures...

Wednesday I decorated some Christmas cookies (again...no pictures yet. I'll have a 'cookie' post soon...) and Thursday Jennifer & I went shopping after my class to Target. I also went to the mall later that afternoon and bought a much needed pair of jeans-at 50% off!

Somewhere in the last couple of weeks Eli also took 2 very good steps. He was going back and forth between Edgar and I, and he did it! He hasn't done it since, though...

That brings me to TODAY. If you think about it, pray for Eric & Leilani today. She's being induced as I write (I hope...she's had some delays...) We can't wait to meet Isaac!!!!!

What we've been up to...

I will apologize right off the bat-there are not pictures in this post. It's really unfortunate, too, because there have been some really cute moments in the last couple of days, but I never seemed to have my camera, so they will only be pictures in my head :)

This week has been busy. I'm pretty sure everyone is saying that at this time of year, but I feel the busyness a lot more this year. Perhaps it's the new house. Perhaps is having a child. Perhaps it's the little extra 'things' I'm trying to do. Who knows, but up until today, I felt STRESSED OUT! Every time I thought about the fact that I hadn't even started Christmas shopping, I felt a sharp pang of anxiety. Every time I thought about the Advent activities we had planned and were unable to do, I felt guilty. Every time I hit snooze on my alarm after staying up way too late the night before trying to get stuff done, I felt lazy. Then last night happened. I don't know what it was about a little family bike ride that made everything okay, but it worked. You see, we had planned on going for a bike ride and trying out Eli's birthday present from my parents on Sunday. However, by the time we got home and got the seat together, it was time for Eli's nap. And by the time he woke up, it was dark. So we put it off for a day. Then Monday didn't work for us either...so when Edgar got home Tuesday night and said "Let's go!" we went-even though it was getting dark. And Eli LOVED it! We had so much fun riding around our neighborhood. It wasn't a long ride (it was dark...) but taking the time to stop all the 'stuff' that we were trying to do and just spend time as a family was so very much what I needed.

After we got home I did 75% of my Christmas shopping online, which was a huge relief. I think I just needed to get started. I'm on a roll now :) Tonight we went on a walk-again after dark, but that was the plan. We wanted to take Eli around to see the lights. We had so much fun walking around and talking. Eli was so cute-he was trying to sit up nice and tall in his stroller so he could see. He loved looking at the lights.

The house is coming along. We've got the office nearly finished-I'm not posting pictures until it's DONE. However, we probably won't completely finish it until after Christmas. Just too much to do :) I'm sitting in my beautifully painted office right now. I'm learning how to take care of a bigger home. It's not a LOT more housework, but it is more. I'm trying to stay on top of things.

I'm sure there are more busy, stressful days coming in the next 2 weeks, but if the day ends with getting to spend time with my husband and kid, it's been a good day :)

Preparing

If you read Jennifer's post on Advent, this may seem a bit redundant, but oh well :) One thing I love about our Church is how they PREPARE for Christmas and Easter. They are very intentional in focusing the congregation on what it is we really are celebrating. Our pastors speak often about slowing down, and meditating on what Christ did for us in coming to this world. Our pastor, Lou, spoke beautifully about it this past Sunday, and really gave a great 'overview' of what Advent is all about. (If you are interested, go to our church's website: http://tampacovenantchurch.org/ , click on the Sermon link, Launch Sermon Player and click on the sermon from 11/29/2009. The whole sermon is great, but the first 10 minutes he really talks a bit about the history of Advent.)

In all the hustle of Christmas, and moving, and having a one-year old, and fixing up a house, and traveling to Michigan, and...Edgar and I wanted to make sure we took time as a family to focus on what it is we anticipate. Ryan and Jennifer have done an Advent calendar for a couple of years, and she was SO NICE to make one for our family. Eli is still pretty young to appreciate what it is we're doing, but I'm thrilled that he gets to start early in this tradition.

This is our calendar. Every day we take off one of the tins and there is something inside that we do. Now...I'm not nearly as creative as Jennifer is, so my ideas for things to do aren't always 'Christmas-y', but it's my first year :) I'm workin' on it :)

Eli noticed it right away while eating his breakfast.

Where's Eli?

Peek-a-boo!

Oh...sorry. I got sidetracked...

Eli lookin' at the tin

What's inside?

'Hey! Where's the candy?'

'Paper?! I can't eat paper!...Well, I'm not SUPPOSE to eat paper...'

'What does it say?'

Yesterday Eli got to spend some fun time reading books with his daddy. (Edgar DOES read books with Eli without having it in a calendar :) It's just that the past few weeks have been...well...crazy, so it was a good excuse to sit down and hang out with his daddy while mommy did the dishes :) )

Every morning when I get up I look up and see that calendar, and it's a reminder of what is coming...and Who came. I LOVE it! It's such a great daily reminder. I just pray that I stop 'eating' and start 'savoring'. (You'll have to listen to the sermon to understand :) )

'Prepare a Place for the coming One!'

How Lovely Are Your Branches

Eli is enjoying the newest decoration in our house. I think it's funny that he doesn't grab the tree...he just touches it with one finger.

I have a feeling that letting him explore the tree will give him the desire to play with the tree more and more...Oh well. As it is right now, when he's in his walker and is getting close to the tree, he looks at me and says 'No, no, no, no'. Pretty funny. Hard to be stern with such a cutie...Besides, a tree falling on you can't hurt THAT much, right?! Just kidding...

Learning

I thought it might be fun to try and teach Eli how to eat with a spoon. I have no idea when they are ready to start doing this. Pretty sure he's not ready yet...

Big shoes...

to fill :)

Picking out a tree

This past Sunday we went out to pick out our Christmas tree. I'm not sure why having a real tree is so important to me. For some reason, every year that's what I want. I don't know if it's the amazing smell that hits me as I walk through the door, or the fact that it's not 'perfect'...because it's REAL. I hate pulling a tree out of a box. It feels so...un-Christmas to me :) I was appalled when my mother bought a FAKE tree. We had ALWAYS gotten real trees! I've gotten over it, though-especially since her tree is always amazingly beautiful (and she always seems to have a candle burning that smells like Christmas). I know that at some point we will join the masses (and the Maass'....HA! That's for you, Christine) and buy a pre-lit, store-in-the-box tree, but until that day comes, I will thoroughly enjoy picking out my tree, and smelling that wonderful scent. I don't even mind sweeping up the needles...every day until the tree comes down...and for a few weeks after that.

ALL THAT SAID, this was our trip to find our tree. We stopped at one place, and while the trees were GORGEOUS, they were also quite expensive. SO, we opted to try out a Home Depot tree...I'll let you know if it was worth it to buy a tree at half the price of the expensive ones :) Eli enjoyed looking-and feeling-the trees. This picture makes me laugh, because Edgar had rolled up Eli's sleeves. Edgar ALWAYS rolls up his sleeves, and it struck me as funny that he did the same for his son :)

Our tree!

Edgar loading it up

I KNEW we saved that obnoxiously ugly curtain for something.

This picture is for Jennifer...and her sister Tracy. When we were leaving Home Depot we noticed this newly married couple :)

We had fun picking out the tree. Edgar did most of the work-which is pretty typical. He's off the hook when it comes to decorating, though :)