Friday, December 11, 2009
Flashback Fridays
I realize it has been a month since I posted a Flashback Friday picture, but they are back. Here is a picture from our first Christmas together. We were engaged and only a month and half away from getting married. A lot has changed in the last five years.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
This Christmas
If anyone doesn't know, the 4th of July is my favorite holiday. Everything about that time of year makes me smile. The BBQ's, swimming, the warm summer nights, friends, family, and lets not forget the fireworks. It's magical! Christmas is my second favorite holiday and in all honesty, I would say it's a close tie with the 4th of July.
Christmas seems to fly by every year. We only get about a month to really celebrate it and it just doesn't seem long enough. As I put up our Christmas tree this year, I couldn't wait for the sun to set and the darkness to fill our house. I looked forward to the lights on our tree illuminating throughout the house. As that moment approached, I remember telling Adam that I wish we could keep our tree up all year long. Besides, the corner in our living room will look so bare when it comes down.
Adam & I will be celebrating our fifth Christmas together and this is a year of firsts for our family. After five years together as a couple, we put up our very first Christmas tree. Shocking, I know.
The first year we celebrated Christmas together, we were engaged. Our first Christmas as a married couple, I was sick most of the month with morning sickness and then a nasty cold, so I didn't feel up to decorating our apartment or putting up a Christmas tree. Besides, we would be with our families that day.
The following year, on Mason's first Christmas, we were packing to move two weeks later and the thought of adding one more thing to our to do list, before we moved across country, was not appealing to me. Last year, I spent 6 weeks over the Thanksgiving & Christmas holidays in Katy with our families. Since neither of us were home, we didn't put a tree up. However, we did purchase our first tree a few days after Christmas last year.
Like I said previously, this is a year of firsts in our house this Christmas season. Not only do we have our first tree, it will also be the first time we won't be home with our families. I tried to focus on the positive at Thanksgiving and told myself that we just saw everyone a few weeks before that for Laura's wedding. We stayed busy and had great friends to spend the holidays with, so that helped. I have a feeling it will be harder for us come Christmas Eve.
It's hard for me to imagine not being with our families this year, but it's a part of life sometimes, especially when you live so far away and I know they will be with us in our heart. Saying that doesn't make it any easier. This will be Taylor's first Christmas and she is at such a fun age right now and it saddens my heart that our families won't get to share in this memory with her. It's moments like these that I wished we lived closer, so that we could be near our families so they can see the kids grow up.
The biggest first this year will be the new addition to our family. My brother, Kris, will be home with my parents a week before Christmas. Almost everyone in our family has had a chance to meet him, and I long for that day. You see, I have wanted a little brother since I was very young. Even when I was in college, I used to tell my parents that they were never too old to have another child. My wish is finally coming true and I wish I could be there to share his first Christmas as a member of our family.
So as Christmas approaches, I'm trying so hard to make the most of it. Our tree is up, the stockings are hanging, and the smell of food fills the house. But the best part of Christmas has nothing to do with all the decorations and food, although they are nice. It's about a baby being born in a manger, and the beginning of the best gift of all, Jesus.
Christmas seems to fly by every year. We only get about a month to really celebrate it and it just doesn't seem long enough. As I put up our Christmas tree this year, I couldn't wait for the sun to set and the darkness to fill our house. I looked forward to the lights on our tree illuminating throughout the house. As that moment approached, I remember telling Adam that I wish we could keep our tree up all year long. Besides, the corner in our living room will look so bare when it comes down.
Adam & I will be celebrating our fifth Christmas together and this is a year of firsts for our family. After five years together as a couple, we put up our very first Christmas tree. Shocking, I know.
The first year we celebrated Christmas together, we were engaged. Our first Christmas as a married couple, I was sick most of the month with morning sickness and then a nasty cold, so I didn't feel up to decorating our apartment or putting up a Christmas tree. Besides, we would be with our families that day.
The following year, on Mason's first Christmas, we were packing to move two weeks later and the thought of adding one more thing to our to do list, before we moved across country, was not appealing to me. Last year, I spent 6 weeks over the Thanksgiving & Christmas holidays in Katy with our families. Since neither of us were home, we didn't put a tree up. However, we did purchase our first tree a few days after Christmas last year.
Like I said previously, this is a year of firsts in our house this Christmas season. Not only do we have our first tree, it will also be the first time we won't be home with our families. I tried to focus on the positive at Thanksgiving and told myself that we just saw everyone a few weeks before that for Laura's wedding. We stayed busy and had great friends to spend the holidays with, so that helped. I have a feeling it will be harder for us come Christmas Eve.
It's hard for me to imagine not being with our families this year, but it's a part of life sometimes, especially when you live so far away and I know they will be with us in our heart. Saying that doesn't make it any easier. This will be Taylor's first Christmas and she is at such a fun age right now and it saddens my heart that our families won't get to share in this memory with her. It's moments like these that I wished we lived closer, so that we could be near our families so they can see the kids grow up.
The biggest first this year will be the new addition to our family. My brother, Kris, will be home with my parents a week before Christmas. Almost everyone in our family has had a chance to meet him, and I long for that day. You see, I have wanted a little brother since I was very young. Even when I was in college, I used to tell my parents that they were never too old to have another child. My wish is finally coming true and I wish I could be there to share his first Christmas as a member of our family.
So as Christmas approaches, I'm trying so hard to make the most of it. Our tree is up, the stockings are hanging, and the smell of food fills the house. But the best part of Christmas has nothing to do with all the decorations and food, although they are nice. It's about a baby being born in a manger, and the beginning of the best gift of all, Jesus.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Adoption Update
I have had several people ask me for an update on the Adoption:
On November 10th, my parents met Kris for the first time. It went extremely well and Adam & I were even able to Skype with them and meet Kris via the Internet. Kris is just as excited as we are and can't wait to be a part of our family.
Tomorrow, Kris will be traveling to Katy for the very first time. My parents have a lot planned and I know it will be a busy and fun weekend for everyone involved. After finals in two weeks, Kris will be in their home for good, just in time for Christmas. It's going to be a very special Christmas this year.
On November 10th, my parents met Kris for the first time. It went extremely well and Adam & I were even able to Skype with them and meet Kris via the Internet. Kris is just as excited as we are and can't wait to be a part of our family.
Tomorrow, Kris will be traveling to Katy for the very first time. My parents have a lot planned and I know it will be a busy and fun weekend for everyone involved. After finals in two weeks, Kris will be in their home for good, just in time for Christmas. It's going to be a very special Christmas this year.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Late Thanksgiving Post
A little delayed, but as of lately, I would rather read blogs than actually sit down and write a post. We celebrated our first Thanksgiving here in Bakersfield. It was the first time for both Adam & I to be away from our families for the holidays. Leading up to the day, I was a little nervous I would focus on the fact we weren't at home with our families, but we both decided it's what you make of it.
I woke up nice and early Thanksgiving morning to start cooking. Our friends Ray & Marissa, invited to spend Thanksgiving with theirfamilies, and I would be making my mom's cornbread stuffing. I'm pretty picky when it comes to stuffing and wasn't even a fan of it until I was in college. I've tried several different types of stuffing and the only one I like is my mom's recipe. I thought I would make it so that I could have a little piece of home with me that day. Did I mention that I had never made it before and was VERY nervous.
After a couple of hours in the kitchen, I was done cooking. It only took a few phone calls to make sure I was doing it right. My mom is the kind of cook that collects a ton of recipes, but when she actually cooks, she adds her own special touch to it and ends up making her own recipes. I felt the pressure to do the same.
Once everyone sat down to eat, I received a lot of compliments and it was a hit. It tasted almost like my mom's, I think I could have added some more sage and a couple other spices. All in all, everything tasted delicious and we felt blessed to have such special friends in our lives to celebrate Thanksgiving with.
Mason & Taylor were so tired after spending the day with their friends, that they both were sound asleep and in bed by 5:15pm. I headed to bed early that night, since I had a lot of shopping to do on Black Friday. Adam isn't up for early morning shopping, so he kindly stayed home and watched the kids, while I left at 3:30am to check out the sales at the stores. It's been a tradition since I was a little girl.
First, I stopped at Toys R Us for a tool bench set. Mason is really into tools and their add said they would have a Home Depot Tool Bench Set on sale for under $20. The store opened at midnight, but I didn't want to be out alone that late, especially by myself. Not to mention, I was exhausted from the day. When I arrived, the parking lot was full and of course in the three hours they had been open, they had already sold out. I decided to leave and head onto my next stop, Target.
As many of you know, I heart Target! I would much rather shop at Target any day over Walmart. The stores opened at 5am and I was in line at 4:30am with my Starbucks. I was able to get everything I was looking for by 5:45am. I headed back home to nurse Taylor and then I went back out to check out other deals. At this point, I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just enjoyed shopping by myself. It doesn't happen very often.
The rest of our weekend was spent putting up our first Christmas Tree and watching football all weekend. It was the perfect end to a delightful holiday. We have so much to be thankful for this year and I can't wait to celebrate our first Christmas as a family of four in just a couple weeks.
(Sorry for no pictures)
I woke up nice and early Thanksgiving morning to start cooking. Our friends Ray & Marissa, invited to spend Thanksgiving with theirfamilies, and I would be making my mom's cornbread stuffing. I'm pretty picky when it comes to stuffing and wasn't even a fan of it until I was in college. I've tried several different types of stuffing and the only one I like is my mom's recipe. I thought I would make it so that I could have a little piece of home with me that day. Did I mention that I had never made it before and was VERY nervous.
After a couple of hours in the kitchen, I was done cooking. It only took a few phone calls to make sure I was doing it right. My mom is the kind of cook that collects a ton of recipes, but when she actually cooks, she adds her own special touch to it and ends up making her own recipes. I felt the pressure to do the same.
Once everyone sat down to eat, I received a lot of compliments and it was a hit. It tasted almost like my mom's, I think I could have added some more sage and a couple other spices. All in all, everything tasted delicious and we felt blessed to have such special friends in our lives to celebrate Thanksgiving with.
Mason & Taylor were so tired after spending the day with their friends, that they both were sound asleep and in bed by 5:15pm. I headed to bed early that night, since I had a lot of shopping to do on Black Friday. Adam isn't up for early morning shopping, so he kindly stayed home and watched the kids, while I left at 3:30am to check out the sales at the stores. It's been a tradition since I was a little girl.
First, I stopped at Toys R Us for a tool bench set. Mason is really into tools and their add said they would have a Home Depot Tool Bench Set on sale for under $20. The store opened at midnight, but I didn't want to be out alone that late, especially by myself. Not to mention, I was exhausted from the day. When I arrived, the parking lot was full and of course in the three hours they had been open, they had already sold out. I decided to leave and head onto my next stop, Target.
As many of you know, I heart Target! I would much rather shop at Target any day over Walmart. The stores opened at 5am and I was in line at 4:30am with my Starbucks. I was able to get everything I was looking for by 5:45am. I headed back home to nurse Taylor and then I went back out to check out other deals. At this point, I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just enjoyed shopping by myself. It doesn't happen very often.
The rest of our weekend was spent putting up our first Christmas Tree and watching football all weekend. It was the perfect end to a delightful holiday. We have so much to be thankful for this year and I can't wait to celebrate our first Christmas as a family of four in just a couple weeks.
(Sorry for no pictures)
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Laura & Matt's Wedding 11.14.09
It was a beautiful wedding weekend. Laura & Matt were surrounded by all of their closest family and friends and we were honored to be a part of their special weekend.
Ready for the rehearsal dinner
Adam & I before the rehearsal dinner
Larissa & I
The Kaye brother's and their wives
David & Adam
Taylor all dressed and ready for the wedding
Mason mostly dressed and waiting for the ceremony to begin
Laura putting her garters on
With the gorgeous bride
Adam & Laura
Matt waiting for the ceremony to begin
The Groom and Groomsmen
The Bride & Groomsmen
Watching Laura walk down the aisle
The Bridal Party
Kissing in the Limo
Emily
Larissa & Tab at the Reception
Father Daughter Dance
First Dance as husband & wife
Best Man Toast
Matron of Honor's Toast
Centerpieces
The siblings and their spouses
Adam & I with Kara & James. Adam & James have known each other since they were five.
With my honey at the reception
Wedding Cakes
Dancing
Leaving the Reception
Congratulations Laura & Matt
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)