Merry Christmas... a little late!

I can't help but say I'm glad it's all over. After being in the kitchen literally for 3 days baking, mixing, and whatever else, I'm pooped. We're starting to take down the decorations, tree comes down in the morning I think, and Loyd is taking all of the wreaths and lights down outside tomorrow since it shouldn't be too cold. I know Kaitlyn is going to miss our tree being there though, but we can't keep it up forever. I told her Valentine's Day is next and we will have an excuse to make cookies again with lots of sprinkles for Daddy, only this time they will be heart shaped.
I think having a child makes Christmas even better, more magical. Just to see the look on her face when she sees the tree light up, or when she is watching Rudolph for the 5th time that week- she just loves and appreciates it all. That's something she could teach us all to do. To appreciate the little things.

busy week ahead!

What a busy time of year! We just recovered from Kaitlyn's birthday party, now we're on to Christmas, already. How did it come up on us so quickly? There's so much to do, how I will get everything done in time, I do not know, but I always manage somehow. I'll probably start baking Wednesday morning, with the exception of fudge, it will be made probably Tuesday night. I'm making peanut butter kiss cookies, cranberry bread, monkey munch, white chocolate covered pretzels, of course sugar cookies, and no telling what other sweets. I always end up making more than I should. This year I get to have Kaitlyn as my helper with sprinkles and decorating sugar cookies. Hopefully she won't just eat them all.
We still have lots of gifts to wrap, and hope to get that all finished soon. I don't know what Kaitlyn will think when she comes downstairs Christmas morning. AND, I can't wait for my Mom to see her again, since she hasn't seen her since summer right after we got back from Destin. She's so much bigger and doing much more.
Off to work on my grocery list for the week + Christmas Day!

Monday thoughts

What a busy weekend! The party on Saturday went well. I think Kaitlyn had the most fun running around playing with JC. She got way too many gifts from everyone, and can't seem to decide on any one favorite thing, she just goes back and forth playing with them all. She loves the young at art
thing and keeps saying draw circles, while she draws little crooked circles all over it.
Yesterday we went out to Opry Mills to walk around a little, eat at the Rainforest Cafe, and went over to the Opryland Hotel to look at the Christmas decorations. Her favorite thing was the fish at the restaurant, she kept waving, saying Dory, since they had lots of those and Nemos too! I think she had fun.
Now, on to Christmas. With less than two weeks to go, we have to get everything wrapped, while keeping it hidden, and get ready for company!

almost 2

So the big birthday is on Sunday, but we are having a small party on Saturday, then we will do something fun Sunday also. I can't believe my itty bitty baby girl has grown up into this little girl, who is already so smart. She can count to 10 and knows most of the basic colors already. I'm wishing that this year won't go by as fast as the first 2 have, though I know it will. I just have to remember to stop and enjoy it all, especially if she may be our only child.
more to come later............

dreams....

It's funny how your mind works. How some dreams stay with you, and some are forgotten. I had a dream last night, which served as a reminder that my little girl is not a baby anymore. A dream so real, it was as though last night was December 13, 2006. I was at the hospital, calling Loyd to tell him they were going to admit and induce my labor. Nothing was changed in my dream from how it happened, I remember everthing like it happened yesterday.
So bittersweet.

Thankful thoughts...

I meant to write about this last week, but have been so busy and got sidetracked (shocker) In all the rush to get the perfect this or that I think a lot of people forget about what truly matters. I like to stop and think about the things I am truly thankful for. I appreciate so many things and people in my life, but the one thing I am so lucky to have is my little family. My husband who appreciates all I do each day and loves me, my daughter who so easily tests my limits, yet still calls me a princess. They make me smile. Every single day. And I am so lucky to have them, I hope they know this.