It's cold & I'm seeing polar bears!

How cute is this cookie? (actually, it's much cuter if I took time to make sure my photos were in focus & had good lighting!)



He's been well overpriced at Starbucks for the holidays but went on clearance for less than 50 cents so I had to try him. I know store cookies are usually a bit disappointing so I couldn't bring myself to buy it at full price. Really, I just thought it was cute but didn't want to spend all of that money for a cute cookie.

And, it did taste a bit disappointing.

Blog Friends!

Today I had the privilege of meeting someone in person that I previously only knew online. Amy has been reading my blog for years (although she doesn't have one of her own) & we've e-mailed & we're now facebook friends.

Amy doesn't live to far from me & today she made the very kind offer to come over to my place, pick up me & the girls & take us to Target with she & her two sweet girls!

We had such a fun time! I was able to pick up some groceries, we got coffees, & the girls got cookies & poured over the toys.

Her oldest just loves babies & kept handing Kate toys to play with, it was so sweet!



We also couldn't believe it when we saw Rainbow Brite!



Amy & me



Thanks again Amy, it was great to finally meet you!

To ring in the new year, I broke in my new maternity jeans. I've been wearing my regular jeans as they fit fine, but over the last week I'd started to notice that they weren't the most comfortable when sitting. During Sherlock Holmes, I flat out had to unbutton & unzip my jeans - good thing I had a coat!

If you're on facebook then you may've seen my New Year's Resolution - to gain at least 20 pounds by June! My other resolution will be to lose those 20 pounds by December. :)

After the holiday goodies I've been eating I finally started to gain some weight. This pregnancy has been different in so many ways, including not gaining any weight for the first 15 weeks. I also was well enough that I didn't lose much weight in the beginning like I usually do either.

Anyway, we seem to have made my mom sick when she visited us around Christmas. I feel so bad, she has such a weak immune system that when she gets sick it's so much worse than it is for most other people. We were supposed to be at my parents' house for New Year's Eve but my mom was too sick. We spent the evening with Eddie & Sarah & then quietly at home after they left for their family party. We were going to go with them but then remembered that perfume would probably be very strong & I wouldn't be able to stay anyway.

We did have a delicious dinner before they left though, 4 lbs of Bistec de Palomilla & black beans & yellow rice. It was so delicious! My favorite part of the steaks are all of the onions and lemon juice piled on top. I'd planned to make them the week before but never had time but Eddie thought it was a good idea & cooked up the steaks for us. The girls got ahold of a lemon & took turns sucking on it & making sour faces!







After they left for the family party we took Addison outside to do some snap 'n pops. When Ray told her we were going outside to do snaps Addison got SO excited - because she thought Ray said "snacks." She still enjoyed herself, though.



Susannah also received dress-up clothes from her aunt while she was here which meant the girls were able to be even more decked out princesses. If you can't tell, they were really more interested in dancing around than being still for a picture.



On Friday Sarah & I did a little shopping and after dinner we had the guys take care of the kids so that she & I could go to the movies again. By the time we got there (after a Target stop to load up on coffee & slushies) it was just a few minutes before the movie was to start & there were only 19 seats left in the theater. So, it was either sit separately or in one of the first two rows. Do you have any idea what Avatar in 3D is like from the second row?!? I felt like it was practically in 3D already without the glasses.

The movie was good, very well done, very different, but having seen it once I don't have a desire to see it again. It just didn't have enough interest for that, it was a bit on the slow side, and definitely heavy on the special effects.

Saturday our guests departed & it was back to the daily grind. Ray worked in the afternoon & I finished the ironing & cleaned our bathroom.

Hope everyone else had a Happy New Year!

Highlights from 2009

January

Ray & I rang in the new year with a very low-key evening at home



Sisterly Love



Kate tried a bottle for the first time &, of course, Addison had to help!



I got together with some of my old girlfriends & our growing multitude of children - out of our small group three of us are pregnant right now!



I got my hair cut again! I loved it!!!



I made the girls and I coordinating "chick" shirts



My grandmother met Kate for the first time!






February

Chuck in 3D with Renee & Paige- woohoo!!! (such nerds)



Target Time!



I did a little makeover in my craft room & I still love it!



Caroline came down for her annual "the-northern-winter-is-driving-me-crazy-&-I-must-go-to-Florida" trip!



Addison and daddy flying a kite



March

Cuddles with daddy



I started craving drinking chocolate & made some at home - that's an easy way to pack on pounds!



Yay for friends! Ruth, Ernie & Karine came down for a visit & Addison & Karine had a blast playing with each other! Here they are cleaning off from the beach.



I gave Addison her first hair cut!



My sweet girls



I did my own taste test for the new Starbucks Via brew - I liked the instant!



Ruthie turned three with a magnificent polka-dot party!



A few days after Ruthie's party we went to build-a-bear & Ray was one of the kids!




April

Ray & I both started job training for our new job




We went to Orlando & I just love this picture of my mom & Kate!



Our nice neighbors who's dog was killed by the not-so-nice neighbors distributed this flyer around our street:



Easter! (With the girls in the matching Easter dresses I made for them)



We saw some of our great-aunts whom we hadn't seen in eyars! Can you tell she & Megan are related?



I made some toddler bibs for a commissioned order



May

I caved to the trend and painted my toe nails a shocking orange!



My dad was in town & made a quick visit



Mother's Day!



On May 18 Ray & I celebrated our 7-year wedding anniversary



June

We made a trip to the farmer's market in Ybor



Kate tried solid foods for the first time



I turned 26 & was given this card that Ray & Addison made. And, "Kate just cried."



We also got to spend about half of a week at camp helping out!!! Yay!



July

Ray's old friend Geremiah came to town for a visit - we hadn't seen him in over 5 years!



Baby play date!



We went to the free summer movies!



VBS was also a lot of fun



I love my girls



August

I saw Lindsay for the first time in years!



Beach trip! We went to Ft Desoto with some of Ray's family



Addison started "checking her e-mail"



All of the goodies I purchased on my trip to Ikea



New dress, new shoes. Love!



September

Addison got sick and miserable



I made some updates to the girls room



Kate found out she loves rice krispies



Ray turned 34!



October

My parents came over for a visit early in the month



We went on our big two-week vacation through the northeast, visiting friends along the way!







On our first day of our vacation we got quite the surprise!



The girls were a butterfly & a ballerina for halloween




November

I started preparations for the girls butterfly birthday party



We went on a family night out to dinner at Olive Garden & to the Christmas tree lighting at the mall



We hosted Ray's family for Thanksgiving



December

We heard the heartbeat of the baby for the first time!



We celebrated the girls third and first birthdays with a small party





Kate loves the cat, too!



And, who can forget our car cathing on fire & going up in flames?



Addison was to be in the chapel Christmas play for the first time this year but got sick instead.



Our friends came for an end-of-the-year visit!

Princessesses

Our friends are here! Eddie & Sarah arrived with their kids on Monday & are staying with us for the week. We're quite busy with work & they have many many people to visit but when we do see each other the girls have so much fun playing & dressing up as "princessesses" as susannah says.



Because I worked until midnight on Monday they guys went out to see Avatar in 3D. They went to the cinebistro, although with the infrequency that we go to the movies Ray had no idea that the new theater was set-up as a bistro, as well. For $2 extra on your ticket you can be seated in a special blocked off section (as in blocked off by a high wall with hidden stairs) in big leather seats & given a menu to order food & drinks. They also have unlimited popcorn for $5. Ray enjoys going to the movies but doesn't see much of a point in going & spending so much money on them when you can rent for $1, but he came home totally stoked that night!

The next night Ray worked until midnight so Sarah & I went to go see Sherlock Holmes. I love Robert Downey Jr. & really wanted to see the movie. It was different than I expected, but I didn't go in with high expectations so it was much better than I thought it'd be!

See the crazed look in my eyes? That's me trying to stay awake for a 9:10 showing of a movie! (I also found out that even at only 4-months pregnant I can't sit through an entire two-hour movie without getting up to go to the bathroom - I'm sure it had nothing to do with the espresso I'd just had to keep me awake!)



We're very much enjoying their visit & I'm officially done with work for the rest of the week now!

We ♥ Ikea

Saturday I had the day-after-Christmas shopping itch. While I was working I was day dreaming about Ikea. For Christmas Ray got me a mortar & pestle that from Ikea that I was wanting & he said when he went the store was almost empty & that it was so fun! That got me wanting to again & Ray must've read my mind because when I got off of work he mentioned going to Ikea without me even bringing it up!

Another bonus is that for a week kids under 12 eat free! It was great getting to feed the kids right when we got there so that they weren't hungry while we shopped.





Somehow Ray had never noticed the areas set up in the furniture section where they allot a certain amount of square feet & set up an entire home in that amount of space. He was enthralled! Addison had fun running along Kate & singing to everyone in the store.



While I was greatly eyeing getting a new set of dishes and glasses but Ray talked me out of it (for now). I'm going to see how many other clothing items & such I need & then I might go back for the dishes. Ours are only about 8 years old but they're ceramic (what was I thinking?!?) so they're chipping, some have broken & I'm just not a big fan of the pattern anymore. I'd like to get some plain white dishes so that they'll be versatile with different table settings.

Wrapping paper wars!



While I didn't purchase any kitchen items I did get some really pretty wrapping paper on major clearance for just $1 a roll - yay!

Busy Busy Christmas!

Even though Kate was still under the weather on Christmas day Ray's family thought that I should go to the festivities with her anyway. I was prepared in my mind to have to stay home for Christmas so it was a nice treat to be able to join in everything. The morning started with the opening of a monstrous gift pile at Ray's grandmothers. If I thought there were a lot of gifts there when Ray & I first got married I had no idea what it could be - there are now 4 little kids with LOTS of presents to open!

After his grandmothers we hurried to our house & opened our gifts to each other. While it's so tempting for me to buy a bunch of stuff for the kids I don't, knowing that they will be receiving many things from the grandparents. So, Addison got a puzzle from the dollar store (which she loved) & Kate got a re-gift. Hey, she was happy & doesn't know the difference anyway.



One of the gifts I gave to Ray was the recent Little Women movie. I love this movie & found it for $5 a few years ago. Ray hadn't seen it before I bought it & when he did he LOVED it. He then put it in a DVD player he was trying to get to work (it didn't), he forgot the DVD was in there & sold the dvd player at a garage sale earlier this year. So, he truly was happy to receive it as a gift.



After our house we quickly headed off to Grandpa & Grandma Pizza's for Christmas dinner. I love Christmas dinner at their house, it's Cuban style with delicious black beans, yellow rice & pork.

The girls received a lovely princess tent which Addison immediately fell in love with & ate her dinner in. They both also received the little horses - tte kind on a stick so that you can "ride" on it. Kate was so cute when we opened hers & kept giving it kisses!



Addison & her Aunt Sarah playing in the tent.



Me and my sister-in-law, Sarah.



Addison wanted to go visit the donkeys but it was much colder up in the country than it was at our house so she wasn't dressed warm enough. So, Sarah gave Addison one of her sweatshirts & a pair of socks to wear. She looked hilarious, she reminded me of ET!



Addison had been kept up until after 1am on Christmas Eve with the festivities with Ray's family & then we had to wake her up to go open gifts. She was so tired that she ended up falling asleep on Grandpa's family room floor before 6pm & barely woke up when we took her home. She didn't wake up until the next morning after 8am!!!

To see more photos from Christmas you can GO HERE

Luke 2:9-12
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Merry Christmas!

I thought we were over the worst of it, my parents came Wednesday afternoon, we hadn't had fevers since Monday & then last night Kate crashed. Her fever went up again, she got all mucusy & developed an awful cough. I "slept" in the guest bed with her, which really means a lot of tossing & turning all night. The poor girl was so congested.

We consulted with Darlene all day today & kept an eye on Kate to see if we'd need to take her to the doctor. Thank the Lord by 6:00 this evening she had improved greatly. She's sleeping now, we'll have to see how tonight goes.



I feel so bad for my parents, I really hope they don't end up getting sick from her. Also, because Kate is sick, I've stayed home with her this evening so that Ray & Addison can go enjoy the festivities at his grandmothers' house. While slightly disappointing not to do something special this evening I'm definitely making the most of it. For one, I'm eating yummy food that's so so bad for me:



I'm also just getting to veg out watching tv in the quiet & resting. I know it's not exciting but it's so needed right now. It's only 8:30 but I'm sorely tempted to go to bed soon just because I can.

My mom, Addison & I did go out to Target for a little bit so that we could get a few things & so that Addison could get oatmeal from Starbucks, a special Maemae treat.



I also had to go to Starbucks because it was Paiges' last day! I'm so sad to see her go but she got a new job about two hours south of here so she's finalizing her move this week. We'll still get to hang out once in awhile but it won't be the same as being able to run up to the store just to visit for a bit!



In other news, I'm 15 weeks pregnant tomorrow! It seems each pregnancy goes by quicker than the last one, I still forget that I'm pregnant sometimes, even though I am definitely starting to feel the stretching, poking, & tiny little movements from the baby. Last week we also got our ultra sound date, January 22, just 4 weeks away!!!

Sick

We've all been sick. Ray & were awoken in the wee hours of Thursday morning to the sound of Addison throwing up on the sofa. Ever since she turned three she's started getting out of her bed without waiting for us to get her (or, "without permission" as she would say) & ever since the car-on-fire incident she seems to be finding comfort in going out to the sofa - I would've thought it was our bed, but at least going out to the sofa doesn't wake us up.

It's been a run-of-the-mill illness, nothing too bad. Her fever never got very high either, only in the 102s. By Saturday morning the fever was gone & she went out with daddy. By the time she got home the fever was back. Sunday morning the fever was gone again but for good measure I kept both girls home just in case Addison was still sick. I was right as her fever came back, meaning she didn't get to make her Christmas play debut after all.



Around 9:00 that night Kate also woke up with a fever. Around 10:00, as we were getting reading for bed, Addison wandered in & proceeded to projectile vomit ALL OVER the bathroom. All over. Both rugs got washed this week, sooner than they normally needed.



By Monday morning, we were all under the weather. It definitely seemed to be worse for the kids, whatever this is, as my fever was gone by Tuesday (so was Addison's finally, yay!) & Ray never got a fever. The man has an amazing immune system, he rarely ever gets very sick. And, when he does get a simple cold it hardly affects him. Kate's fever has been lower & I'm really hoping it's completely gone by this morning because my parents are supposed to come today!

Today is my mom's 29th :) birthday & my dad is supposed to be getting off of work early so that they can come over here & spend Christmas Eve day with us. We've both really been looking forward to it so I'll be totally bummed if they can't come because we're still sick. We're still sniffly of course, but I don't think we're contagious anymore.

With my parents coming today, it frees us up to spend Christmas Eve/day with Ray's family. It's our year to go to his mom's side for Christmas Eve & Christmas morning & then we go up to his dad's for Christmas day. I'm SO thankful that my parents are coming here, it makes the day so much less stressful not having to add a trip to Orlando into the mix, especially now that we have two kids & we both have to work the day after Christmas!

Addison is desperate to see my parents, too. Yesterday she asked if she could watch for them at the window & then kept asking if Maemae was coming. When I told her Maemae would be here tomorrow Addison got upset & started saying, "she's coming here!" (as in NOW) & "she wants to come here!" "Is Maemae almost here?" It was so cute. Then, last night we looked at a bunch of photos of my parents on facebook & when Addison sees my laptop open she asks to see my moms' blog.

While on facebook last night we came across this picture of my mom, which Megan took.



I said, "oh, she's fabulous, isn't she?" And, very seriously, Addison answered, "yes, she is fabulous." :)

Happy birthday, fabulous!