Our Christmas Cards!

Christmas cards are all signed, sealed, and delivered! Phew... This year I was really late to the game.  I generally like to get our cards out by the first week of December.  Since we booked our photo session mid November and it took our photographer 3 weeks to get us our pics, needless to say, but the stars were not aligned in our favor.  I like to send pictures of the kids since we live so far away and many of our family and friends don't get to see them grow up.  Its also a time honored favorite of the grandparents.  I always send them a few extra shots of the kids in their Christmas packages.  Well, here is our Christmas Card!  This year we did 2 designs and 1 picture.  I can't believe its about a week away!  I can't wait!!!!

It's All About Tradition!!!

Every year while growing up my parents took us to the mall so we could go see Santa. We would get dressed in our Christmas dresses and wait in line to tell Santa what we wanted for Christmas.  The mall that we went to was indoor, (there aren't many indoor malls in San Diego) so it was pretty awesome we didn't have the wait in the cold.

Now that I have my own family it is no different.  We don't have a mall here but we take our kids to see Santa.  The only thing that did change was Morgan refused to take our kids to see Santa within their first year.  He is in the medical field, more specifically infectious disease.  Since both of our kids were too young to get their flu shots around Christmas time, he didn't want to take that chance.  I think he has seen what the flu can do to someone, especially a young child so he doesn't want to take the risk.   There are so many kids that go through that line, also with all the people , there is just a lot of germs that could be spread.  (I know we probably sound crazy) Totally understandable, so we just took their pics by our tree.  After Amelia's first year, we have taken her ever since.  Since Nolan is now 1 and able to get his flu shot (both of our kids received their flu shots this year) this will be his first year.

This is the first year that we had both our kids in the picture.  The local USO had a Santa set up that you pay $10 per kid and you get the pictures, some of the fee would go towards the USO.  This was the first year Amelia didn't cry.  It was just so precious, the look in her eye when she saw Santa.  She really believed it was him.  Her innocence was just so adorable.  Nolan on the other hand, was screaming bloody murder.  I got to give all the Santas out their a hand, because having probably every other kid cry must be crazy!! Here's to all the Santas out there!!!

First Day of School

First Day of School!

First day of school, first day of school!!!  A mother’s favorite holiday, after mother’s day and her Birthday.  Lol  I know I’m a lil late.  We were on vacation in the states for September and the first week of October so we started late this year.  Better late than never. Right?!  This year we tried out a new school.  Since we moved, I wanted a school closer and offered longer hours.

Last night I was on Pinterest {my vice when I can’t sleep} and I looked up pins for first day of school. Holy mother, there are a ton of traditions people have for the first day of school.  As I was reading all the pins I instantly felt like a terrible mom. L   The first day of school was in a matter of hours and I didn’t have anything prepared but a picture idea.   But I pinned lots of ideas and I will definitely be prepared for next year. {Think positive}

This morning I got her outfit ready and made pancakes for breakfast.  I took pictures of her leaving .  Played her favorite song on the way to school.  And as soon as we got to her class Amelia starts balling her eyes out.  Of course Nolan was going nuts at the same time pulling things off the shelves of the classroom.  It was hectic!  I had this all planned in my head she was going to be smiley and take pictures at her desk and with her teacher and it was going to magical.  Not so much.  I actually had to rush out because I didn’t want her crying more.  I’ve learned that when I leave her places the more I prolong the goodbye the worse she acts.  So I got not pics of her in her classroom or at the school.  Maybe next year...

Some of the first day of school traditions I liked:

1) Special breakfast: Have a super special breakfast and incorporate apples to the menu

2) Picture:  {I did this one} Take a picture of your child leaving for school holding up a sign with the date.  Next year I will ask her what she wants to be when she grows up and put it on the sign.

3) Lunch Note:  Amelia can’t read yet, but I want to add a special note to her lunch box.

4) Questionnaire:  Have a set of questions to ask your child every year.  Make a cute book out of it and give it to them their senior year of high school.

Happy Valentine's Day {Late}

Awe Love day!  In our house it’s a regular day but with a lil extra sugar on it. Haha.  Prior to having kids Morgan and I would just go out to dinner.  We weren’t really big on giving each other extravagant gifts.  I would always get a card, flowers, and a gift.  I have a love hate relationship with flowers.  They aren’t really on the top of my list of gifts, but they are nice to get and I do buy them occasionally to have around the house.  I do love cards though!  Morgan always has the sweetest and most thoughtful things to say.  I keep all my cards.  This year we spent Valentine’s day as a family.  Amelia and I woke up to gifts from Morgan!  He surprised us, I thought we were going to wait until he got home from work to exchange gifts.  It was really nice to wake up to that surprise and Mills was so excited.   It's so sweet that Morgan gets Mills lil gifts.  When I was growing up my dad would get my sister and I flowers for Valentine's day, every year.  It was really the sweetest thing.  Every girl should get something on this day of love from the man in her life.   Later that night {much much much later, Morgan got home at almost 8 pm, I fed the kids earlier and they were ready for bed by the time he got home} we had a steak dinner, complete with potatoes {We’ve cut out our carbs so the potatoes were a treat}, chocolate and wine.   It was a nice day filled with love. 

Mills' V-Day Outfit

Mills's bag on the Left and My bag and wine on the right

My gift

My treats