Deck the Hall with boughs of Holly

Please can I open my presents yet??? Is it time for Santa yet????

Our Christmas Tree

One of the Christmas ornaments Seth and I used on our very first Christmas together.

After we moved to Ohio we got two kitties that we still have today...Roxie (gray and white) and Frankie (brown, black and white)...We got Gator after we moved to Florida.

Matthew's first Christmas ornament

The Christmas pickle...It is a German tradition that a pickle...or in our case a glass ornament in the shape of a pickle is hidden on the Christmas tree. The child who finds the Christmas pickle first gets to open the first present. I love this tradition and Opa and Mimi got us one for our first Christmas with Matthew.

Our Advent calendar...Tia Kay Kay got Matthew an advent calendar last year when he was born. I have been waiting the whole year to get to use it!!! We found the perfect spot for it in the middle of our Christmas stockings.

I never really got a good picture of our house tonight...I wanted for you to see our blue palm trees. We have wreaths on the sconces on either side of our garage door.

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Playing at Mimi and Opa's!!!

So on Saturday afternoon when we got to Mimi and Opa's house...Matthew immediately went for the toys. He really seemed to remember them from the last time we were there just a couple of weeks ago. When Seth was in Boston for almost two weeks working on his DMA in music education I spent the weekend in Naples with Matthew to get a break from being all by myself. I will say that I did not like it at all!!! In any event Matthew seemed to feel right at home during our visit. He slept like a dream!!! Yesterday morning he slept until about 9:15 and today he slept until about 9:00. I feel like I am spoilt with such a great sleeper!!! Yesterday morning he didn't even cry...Seth just heard him tapping on his little crib and went in and he was playing with his feet.

He really enjoyed playing with this little boat. The yellow button on the top pushes down to make a toot toot sound and Matthew just thought that was hilarious.

The book is from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC and each letter is associated with a painting or other work of art that is found in the Met. He loves looking at all of the pictures!!!

The clock is a vintage Fisher Price toy that helps kids to tell time. He loved hearing "The Grandfather Clock" playing with the tick-tock underneath. The new version of the same toy is made of plastic (the original is made of wood) and doesn't have the tick-tock underneath the melody. One of his favorite was the little apple with a chime sounding inside.

He really loves getting to play with all of the vintage toys that Mimi has from when her girls were little. We also got to read through some old books that were so sweet. I wish they made toys and books like that nowadays!!!

We are getting ready for Christmas here. Tomorrow night I am going to post a blog with all of my decorations...including our stockings (yes, Tia Cay Cay we found a place to hang them).

Practice Run

Oh what fun it is to open presents at Mimi and Opa's!!!! Matthew is going to LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas...I can already tell. Tonight we got to have Christmas with Opa and Mimi and Matthew got some terrific toys!!! We are getting a few practice runs on opening presents. He seems to be getting the hang of it but I still don't think he fully understands what is happening.





Now...maybe he is ready for Christmas morning and his birthday party!!!

He was so proud of himself for opening his presents. I love this picture above...he really seems happy in this photo. I can't wait until he gets a little bit older and can truly understand the meaning of Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

I just realized...

I didn't post a blog about my birthday!!! On Thursday Dec. 17th...I turned.....ahem.....sorry something distracted me...where was I now....Oh..........yeah this past Thursday was my birthday. We went to (where else???) Outback Steakhouse and it was yummmmy. Now unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the evening so I don't have anything to show you from that night...but...yesterday afternoon I got some great pics of Matthew.

He was playing with the curtains pulling them back and forth in front of his face...it was sooooo cute.

Peek-A-Boo

Peek-A-Boo

Now, aren't I a cutie pie????

Christmas Love!!!

Today was Matthew's Christmas party at Ms. Cookie's house. They traded names to play secret Santa and Matthew got Christian's name. He is only 5 months but I found the cutest little toy for him. Those crawl ball things are the greatest in motivating a baby to crawl so that is what Matthew gave Christian for Christmas.

Below are some pictures from the party and of Matthew and Ms. Cookie.

Matthew visits Santa AGAIN!!!

Tonight we had Barnes & Noble night for our school. The reading coach who organized the evening events asked me to come and lead a song time for the children. I brought Matthew and Seth along with me and we also brought several instruments for the kids to play. One class actually worked up "Jingle Bells" with me on the little Melody Bells and we a few students play tambourines and hand drums as well. The kids seemed to really enjoy being able to showcase their talents. We also sang a Hanukkah song "I Have A Little Dredyl".

Santa Clause even came to our B&N night and Matthew got to have his picture taken...AGAIN!!! YEA!!!

I really do believe that Matthew is completely obsessed with Santa. He just seems to seem right at home in his lap.

This is Matthew and me in church on Sunday morning. The sanctuary looks so beautiful all decked out for Christmas. Of course we had to pick the spot with the fire extinguisher in the background....lol!!!

Why is Matthew happy in this picture??? Why we only have 3 more days until Christmas break!!!!!!!!! I hope to get to blog more often while we are on our break. For now, I must go and check on my Peanut Butter and Butterscotch fudge trying to set up in the fridge. I hope it sets up soon because I am about conked out!!!

Too cute for words!!!