Thanksgiving 2014

We were back to our “normal” routine this year.  We headed down to Aberdeen Wednesday night after work.  This year Krista, Michael, and Anne Klaire decided to come down to spend the night.  While fun, Dennis and Nona, have a 3 bedroom house.  Zoey and AK had to sleep on the blowup mattress in the living room.  I was a little unsure how this was going to play out with Zoey, but we talked it up big time prior to it.  We told her that her and AK were going to have a slumber party and sleep on a pallet, watch Mickey, etc.  I think that helped more than anything; since my child is very much a routine girl. 

Zoey and Anne Klaire having a ‘sleepover’.  She loved this; thankfully AK played along and entertained her.

Krista brought a gingerbread house for them to decorate.  I am glad Krista did this due to I tried one time (many years ago) to do one myself and HATED it.

Zoey decorating her gingerbread house.

The finished house!

Thanksgiving 2013

While I know Thanksgiving was six months ago, I do want to share what we did.  This year my parents decided to rent a beach house in Gulf Shores for the week.  My parents and my sister and her family went down the Saturday before Thanksgiving, while Brian, Zoey, and I went down late Monday night. 

This was our first long (ie over 3 hours) car ride with Zoey.  Yes, I know, she was almost 2 years old and we still hadn’t gone more than 3 hours in a car with her.  She was not the best car rider at that point.  We decided to see if leaving around her bedtime and driving through the night would make it a easier drive.  Zoey finally went to sleep around 10:30PM.  The drive couldn't have been worse, weather wise.  It POURED almost the whole way down.  I tried to stay awake as long as I could to help Brian stay awake, but I faded.  We finally arrived to the house around 1:30AM.  Another first happened.  We ended up putting Zoey in bed with us.  She freaked out when we put her in the bed in the room with the girls, then she wouldn’t go back to sleep in the pack-n-play.  Only saving grace of the night was the fact we had a king size bed.  She WOULD NOT lay still nor really go to sleep.  The next day was a LONG day.  Zoey had another first that week, she sleep in a bed (aka not a crib) all week.  All three girls shared a room and she loved it!  She thought she was a big girl!

Zoey right before she finally went to sleep in the car.

This was Zoey’s first trip to the beach.  While it was FREEZING, very out of the normal code, she LOVED the sand.  I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

Thanksgiving

I’m a bit behind on blogging.  Ever since Thanksgiving, I have been going 90 to nothing none stop!!  The holidays have always been a very busy time for us, but this year it’s more hectic.  On top of getting ready for Christmas, I am getting ready for Zoey’s First Birthday!!
Overall we had a great Thanksgiving! Instead of trying to capture it all on film, I lived it.  I did get a few sweet pictures of my baby girl!
 

More new firsts

Remember when I posted about these fabrics?  I finally was able to complete one of the two projects yesterday.  I had another new first for me, cutting out a project with a “real” pattern.  I can’t tell you how many times I have watched my Mom do this.  It was quite fun.

I couldn’t wait to share this with y’all that I just snapped a quick picture of the finished project running out the door.  I plan on “modeling” this for the full affect.  This was a SUPER easy project. I will admit, I was nervous about making something “real” without my Mom watching me.

Apron for DeAnne (Christmas gift)

I thoroughly enjoyed sewing this project.  It was great being able to start and finish this in just a few hours.  I had no idea how long it would take me make it.  I was please to see I could make these in just a couple of hours.  Krista is getting one as well for Christmas, in the other fabric.  I think I might make Mom one too after learning how quickly I can whip it up.  So much fun!

In my last post, I mentioned a new first for me, to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving as well as be in charge of the meal.  Well, guess what.  I learned Saturday afternoon, not only will I be cooking the meal, it will be at our house!  Yikes!  This is good and bad.  I’m glad I don’t have to travel with everything I was going to make and try to cook in someone else’s kitchen that I do not know my way around, but it’s going to be harder to leave for Hartselle when we want to that evening.  Wish me luck!  I’m already thinking about this 24/7!   

A new first.

This Thanksgiving will be a first for me…I’ll be in charge of the Thanksgiving meal on Brian’s side of the family. Due to Nona having surgery and the complications after surgery, I have offered to take charge.  On Brian’s side of the family, we get together on Thanksgiving day for lunch.  Normally its us, Dennis, Nona, Grandmother, Meri Jo, Ricky, and Lyne; sometimes Ed too.  This year I had a feeling Krista, Michael, and Anne Klaire would be there as well. It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just a mere 3 weeks away from tomorrow!  Of course I have already planned the menu and delegated (Krista and Meri Jo are helping out with cooking) who will be making what. 

I’m hoping that the turkey Brian gets (Sysco always gives the employees turkeys for Thanksgiving) will not be frozen with a saline solution so I can try out the turkey brine from Pioneer Woman. I’m excited about trying my hand a cooking a turkey, but nervous at the same time.  The dressing will be easy since I have helped Dad out each year making it.  I just hope Brian’s family likes my recipes! ;)  This year will be interesting to say the least!  I am thankful that I have had years of helping out Mom and watching my Grandmother cook.  I can’t wait to make her pecan pie! We always fought over the last piece.

The holiday season is getting underway and I couldn’t be more excited about it!  Just a few short weeks till I can decorate for Christmas!!

Just around the corner.

The holidays are just around the corner and I couldn't be more excited. I have started to clean my house top to bottom. In order for me to decorate I must have a clean house. I am hoping that I can start looking at what I have now and decide what to purchase new this year as for decorations. Every time I go into a store I see something that is cute and fun that I want to get. I need to find a good centerpiece this year since I will not be doing another gingerbread house. This weekend I'll be in Tupelo and am hoping to do some Christmas shopping between wedding events.

I need to put up something for Thanksgiving. I feel like I over look this holiday a little when it comes to decorating. I'm sure I will be able to find something this weekend. I just checked Hobby Lobby's website and they are having a good sale this weekend, so I will be hitting them up for decorations.

During the holidays I have a list of things I want to do/plan on doing. Some of them are traditions, some just how I want to spend my time off, and some things I have said I was going to do and never done it.

Here is my current growing list:

1. Ave Maria Grotto (I have never been and am determined to go this year)
2. Christmas Lights (Each year we drive around looking at lights. The past few years it has been on Christmas Eve after we go out to eat.)
3. Baking/Cooking (You cannot have a holiday season without tons of goodies.)
4. Read (Lately I haven't been reading as much since I have picked cross-stitching back up.)
5. Cross-stitch
6. Go through room (I need to really go through all my stuff at my parents house and see what I want to keep or get rid of.)
7. Be a bum for a day (This means that I do not get out of my pjs all day long.)
8. Watch the Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the cartoon version), White Christmas (the movie and the musical this year), and Charlie Brown Christmas

As it gets closer and I remember more the list will continue to grow. What are some of the things or traditions you do each year?