Life over the past few weeks...

     I guess I knew that writing a blog was going to be tremendously difficult. 2 kids, a full time job, house work. It doesn't leave much time for anything else does it? So my 25 days of Christmas was an epic fail. Maybe next year I'll be better at this and try again.

     Life has been a complete whirlwind of things the past few weeks! I haven't had a spare second for much of anything which is why I haven't written. It makes me really sad to say it because I absolutely am loving blogging so I want to post at least once a week if not more! Maybe I'll make it one of my New Year's resolutions. ;)
     I have settled into the new job. So far I like it a lot and I'm definitely starting to get to know and bond with my new co-workers and staff but I DEFINITELY miss my old co-workers and staff more than I ever would have imagined. Just thinking about it makes me tear up. But I know I can visit them (like yesterday when I had to go pick up some large cups because we ran out and they had some to spare) and hopefully even hang out with some of them soon. :)

 

 

This is what they wrote on the chalkboard at my old work on day 3 after I left. When I went there last night it was still there and they have kept up with it day by day. I love it. You have no idea how loved (and sad and happy) this makes me feel.

 

My days have been filled with A LOT of this. Coffee has been my life line. And I'm in love with my new mug. :) It says "I love you a latte" Hahahaha!

 

 

The Christmas season came and went far too quickly! But I certainly did enjoy every second of it. We made cookies and these cakes that we frosted. Gabe really enjoyed it and I definitely enjoyed watching him work.

 

 

This lady has been stuck with me a lot lately. We've done a lot of fun things and a lot of errands and craziness. I helped her move into an apartment much closer to me (YAY!!!) and we did some Christmas shopping together. We drove around the state of NH and MA one day moving a few boxes, getting keys to the new place and talking so much that I missed my exit and almost made my mom late for work. (Yikes!) She even came to the work company Christmas party with my as my guest because James couldn't make it. We had a great time! Just being together always makes everything more fun!

 

 

Gabe's Angry Birds ornament!

Sophia's first Christmas ornament! 

 My Christmas ornaments! "Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is a Patriots victory!"
Tigger as Santa that Jenn bought me! And my snow baby that I fell in love with!

On Christmas Eve we went to James' brothers house where his brother dressed up as Santa and took pictures and gave presents to the kids. Gabe called him out on being Uncle Don immediately. Luckily, all the little ones are too little to notice. The second picture is Gabe with his beautiful cousin Charolette. And the last picture is Sophia and Uncle Don in their typical serious conversation. :)

 

Later that night Gabe and Sophia put their stockings under the tree together and Gabe brought out the milk and cookies for Santa. He was concentrating so hard because he was so afraid to drop them! It was adorable!

 

Santa had a hard time fitting everything in the living room and near the tree. We are all far too spoiled.

 

On Christmas morning both kids were very surprised and happy with their new gifts brought by Santa. It was such a wonderful Christmas with so much joy and happiness!

 

We did have to bring one of our cats to the emergency vet on Christmas but he is home now and is doing much better! Our Christmas is complete because Boots is all better and home with his family.

 

And right now... well I am happily blogging, drinking coffee and doing a great job at avoiding chores, while Sophia naps and Gabe plays outside with the neighbors!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your days were as wonderful and family filled as mine were!

 

(PS- Thanks for kicking me in the butt Amanda. I really have been missing blogging!)

 

 

 

Change is the big bad monster under the bed...

    I've said it before and I'm going to say it again.... Change is one of my least favorite things! Change is awesome and new and exciting... for like 5 minutes and then I start to FREAK OUT! I get all anxious and nauseated and dizzy. Ok, I am exaggerating a little bit. In all seriousness though, if I had to pick one thing that I was most afraid was hiding under the bed, it would be change. Change comes in every shape and size. It comes at you from every direction. Just because you know it's what your life needs does not mean that it's easy. Stepping out of your comfort zone, the comfort zone that you took so much time to create, takes a lot of courage; No matter what the change may be!
   I am here to say that I am stepping out of my comfort zone. That position I applied for... I got it! I think it really made a positive impact on my status within the company too, which is totally an added bonus! I am excited! I know a couple of people that work there. Mostly, I only know my new boss, but he's a good friend and a great guy! I'm really excited to be working for him again. I will be meeting a lot of new people, which is really scary for me. I'm not a shy person but I'm also not really the kind of person who gives off a very good first impression. I'm not exactly bubbly and giddy when I'm not in my comfort zone. However I am going to do my best to walk in and just be myself right off the bat, perhaps with a little (::cough cough:: A LOT) less sarcasm, for now anyway. I am going to try to look at it from the other perspective of change. It's not stepping out of my comfort zone, it's stepping into a new beginning. It's a new chapter and I can be the new and improved me. Honestly, I've been busting my butt lately to mend fences and keep a positive out look on life. I went through a not so good phase a few years ago and things went down hill faster than you could even imagine. I have, very thankfully, come out of that and really grown as a person since then.

   I want to keep growing! I want to keep reaching! I want to keep doing new, exciting and positive things in my life! Change is scary but also very necessary. Without change, you have no hope. Seriously, can you imagine being dreamless? Hopeless? Stuck? Without change that's exactly what you are. You're in a vicious, endless, cycle of monotony. I want to continue to strive for better! I want to be the best person I can possibly be! I want to change!

(Thank for posting this on my wall Tara!)

     Isn't that what we all want? We want to make sure that we are doing everything in our power to be our best? This change has only just begun and I know it was the right decision because it reminded me that there is more out there. There is a world of endless possibilities to try and achieve! That nervous, anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach? That is the feeling of living. That is the feeling of trying. That is the feeling of being my best self. So if that feeling needs to be there so that I can be assured that I am living my life to the fullest potential... I'll take it. I want to show myself and my kids that this is how life should be. You have to work hard to earn the things that you want in life. I think that's something we forget from time to time, especially if you've been complacent in your job for a long time, like I have. I needed this as a reminder that this is how I want to live my life, motivated and striving for success! Having things handed to me is not the way I want it. It doesn't feel nearly as good that way.

    So big bad scary change monster under the bed, I am not afraid of you getting me in the middle of the night! I will fight you off with my flashlight! I am ready. I am determined. I can do this! 





Night time adventures!

   Last night I needed a break. The kids running around wild was starting to get to me. So I decided that after I put the kids to bed I would head out for a short Target mental health break. My friend Liz decided to join me, probably for the same reason (and she has 4 kids! How does she do it?!?!). I mean, going to walk around Target, pretty much aimlessly is so calming! It was only an hour but it really was just the break I needed to rejuvenate myself.
   The best part is, this trip totally ties into my Christmas theme! Some of the things I bought were some super cute Christmas things!

   The Christmas countdown chalk board was in the $1.00 bins (which are my favorite!) I have been wanting to get a countdown board for a while so this worked out perfectly. I also bought a set of these little star ornaments for my tree. This midnight glittery blue is my favorite! All of my Christmas bulbs are from Target because my cats love to attack them! Plus, they're super cute! But I have never seen this color before and since I have a ton of big bulbs I decided these little stars in these colors were perfect! And seriously... the diaper... I cannot get over the elf and Santa diapers. They are too cute! Both Liz and I bought a package of them. We had the exact same reaction to them! We just stopped in our tracks, said awwww and grabbed a package in our babies size! It was too funny! It was such a mom moment!
   I am still loving the Christmas spirit! It's really warming my heart and making it so much easier to deal with the winter than is finally upon us. (yuck!)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

    So I guess I need to be a little bit more realistic with my own expectations about my Christmas posts. I will try and do one every other day from now on since that is what it looks like I will have the time for! Life has been a whirl wind of Christmas lately! We have so many Christmas decorations all over my house right now it's crazy! I've never had so many before! My mom is Christmas crazy so that is why we have so many but it feels really nice to walk into the house to a Christmas wonderland! I'm certainly enjoying every second and so are the kids! Gabe is at the perfect age to be super excited about Christmas and Sophia is just loving all the new things around her! She is really into the Christmas lights that are glowing everywhere... I guess she's just like her mama. ;)

 

 

I'm loving using all the Christmas dishes and towels and staring at the lights when I have the time!

The Mickey snow globes came from my brother's work for free. He didn't even know what they were but they said Disney on the box and took them for me.

I can't wait to go out and look at Christmas lights somewhere! I'm so excited!

 

I may have some super awesome information coming your way soon! Some big life changes are happening soon and even though I'm scared to death I'm looking forward to a new chapter! Stay tuned! :)

Trimming the Tree

    I guess I already failed at posting one Christmas thing everyday for the 25 days of Christmas. I am hoping to post two things today but it may not happen. Yesterday we decorated both the trees while listening to Christmas music! Gabe had a really good time and it was really awesome to have family time. This year we have a lot of extra ornaments because my mom is living with us and has all of hers going back to when I was a baby. I, also, still need to get Sophia her first Christmas ornaments! But here are some of my current favorite ornaments and some quick pictures from while we were decorating!

25 days of Christmas

    Merry 25 days of Christmas! I am so excited that the Christmas season is finally here! I am going to try and post something everyday until Christmas that is Christmas related! Our Christmas traditions have officially started. Advent calendars, Elf on a Shelf for Gabe (our Elfs name is Picture, Pic for short), we have 2 trees this year a big tree and a small tree, I've been listening to Christmas music non-stop on Pandora (Nsync Christmas station is my jam! Haha). I can't stop drinking Peppermint Mocha's from Starbucks! I am going to be so sad when the season is over!  

I hope everyone is enjoying the start of their Christmas season as much as I am!