Holiday Traditions - November Blogathon

Three days in a row!! I'm so proud of myself for actually keeping this up. #novemberblogathon

 This third day of the November Blogathon is all about Holiday Traditions. The one Thanksgiving tradition I can say for certain is arroz con gandules (rice and beans). If there isn't arroz con gandules than it isn't really Thanksgiving and Christmas morning hasn't really begun until I've listened to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers Christmas Album. Oh, yes, it's real, and it's as magical as you could ever imagine - You're Welcome. 

Dean is still young and last year he was 3-4 months old during the holiday season. That didn't leave much for us to do in the traditions department. My mother bought him a set of footie PJs that she's hoping to turn into a tradition.
Last year we took Dean to Santa at the Bass Pro Shop. They will give you a free photo with Santa and let you take pictures with your camera at no charge - You're Welcome, again.  My friend, Allie, and I took Dean to see the giant ginger bread house at the Grand Floridian Hotel down at Disney. I'd really like to keep that tradition going as well.

Once he gets older I'm looking forward to carrying on the tradition of retelling the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve with our hand-made nativity set.  We also have an Elf in the Shelf that's just waiting to make an appearance.

As he gets older I hope that he has magical memories of the holiday season and I hope that the traditions we created with him are passed down to his family... I know that's getting crazy and thinking WAY in the future but, I feel it.

What are some of your favorite family holiday traditions? Maybe there's something out there that we'd like to start this year....

Until tomorrow dearies!!

Welcome to Limbo...

    Recently, I've been feeling as if I'm in a strange place. A type of limbo, if you will, where I've got my toe in so many pools but I have yet to jump into just one. I'm part of this late-twenties-married-stay-at-home-mom-working-part-time-who-am-I-now? type of limbo. How can it possibly be that I was more self-confident at 19 than I am at 28?? I've known myself 10 years longer! Part of me wants to turn the music up! While the other part of me wants to turn the music down because the baby is sleeping. A limbo where my unmarried friends still invite me to bars on a random Tuesday night. (Yes, Taco Tuesdays, I still remember you and no I can't go). 

      I lost several "friends" - I use the word loosely- when I got pregnant and decided to get married (in that order). Then I joined a Mommy and Me group once Dean was born and I made a new set of mommy friends. Now that I've started working and I can't attend as many mommy meet ups as I used to, I feel as though I'm starting to pull away from those new friends. I admit, I don't try as hard to be a good friend. I don't reach out daily. I don't keep tabs of the goings-on in my friends' lives. I  use Facebook as a crutch... I worry that I can't give them as much attention that a good friend deserves. Also, I'm tired and usually up to my eyeballs in toys and chasing around a toddler.

     So, like many other Limbo drifters, I'm turning to a blog to help me re-find myself. To help me realize that I can have my toe in as many pools as I please and it doesn't make me any less of a person because I can't commit to just one thing. To help me get out of this rut... Let's start with a haircut....(rhyme not intend but appreciated)

I hope you'll join me on this journey out of Limbo. I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences about being a new parent, new spouse, new coworker, new friend....      

Week 19-20

March Madness is appropriate for the March we have coming up...

 

 

The annual Strawberry Festival was this week in Plant City, FL and if you can't tell by the strawberries we're holding the festival really delivered!

 

 

The Twins turned 3 this week! I'm really going to need them to stop growing up. I don't like it, they're too cute, and too smart. My mom, Keagan, and I brought them to Gatorland and while they were skeptical at first the minute we got through the gates they enjoyed themselves!

This belly is getting out of control!!!!!

The Bump.com says:

She's got working taste buds.

Now, she's gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid each day -- that's significantly more than before.

Week 13-14

We've had a couple of crazy weeks! My father was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer last week. It was one of the most unexpected things that has ever happened in my life. A part of me wants to curl up in a ball and cry but the other part of me knows that I've got to stay positive for my family and my new baby. He will start treatments in a few weeks and we will hopefully know more then.

In response to my father being so sick and not having too many answers about his cancer; Keagan and I decided that we wanted to get married quickly so that my dad could walk me down the aisle. 

Later on that week we got to see our baby! It's finally starting to look like a real baby instead of dinosaur. I was so happy to see it moving around and watch while it hiccuped on the monitor.

On Sunday, January 27th, Keagan and I tied the knot in front of our family lakeside in Mount Dora, FL. It wasn't anything we thought we'd ever wanted but we were surrounded by so much love and support that it made the wedding beyond special.

My youngest brother and sister bringing our dad a "Get Well" balloon

 

 

Our sweet little baby

 

Finally married!!

 

 

 

The Bump.com says:

 

He's probably sucking his thumb and wiggling his toes in there!

His kidneys are making urine, and his liver and spleen are doing their jobs, too.

And he's growing lanugo, a thin, peach-fuzz-like hair, all over his body -- it will help him keep warm!

 



Week 8

Last week was my final week of work before moving back to Florida. I was sad to say goodbye to everyone but was too happy to be seeing my mom and fiance at the end of the week. Of course the week my mom was flying in Syracuse had their first major snow storm.

Nice snow shelf building on my car

 

Royce was enjoying the flurries

 

 

The shoveled walkway up to my house

 

Snow angels with Mom

 

Enjoying our time in the snow

 

2 Month Mark!

My funnniest pregnancy moment so far: I've had terrible baby brain. My memory is good for nothing.

Foods I can't get enough of: Buttered noodles

Strangest food I've been craving: I haven't had cravings I've been so sick

Foods I can't stand: hotdogs

Smells that make me sick: The mix of food smells in the fridge

Highlight of my first trimester: Seeing my baby's heartbeat

Low points of my first trimester: Being so sick and nauseous

The Bump.com says:

You can't feel it yet, but she's moving those arms and legs like crazy!

Her fingers and toes are now only slightly webbed, and her tail (yes, she had one) is gone.

Fun fact: your baby's taste buds are now forming.

BBQ?...Yes, Please!

Summer Sundays seem to be synonymous with BBQs. Thank goodness my Uncle took note and decided to have everyone over to his house for a seafood BBQ bonanza. There were shrimp skewers, crab cakes, 2 GIANT grilled salmon fillets, scalloped potatoes, and pulled pork sandwiches.

I was too busy stuffing my face to take actual pictures of the food... So, I took these at the last minute remembering I need photos for today...

Trying to put my toes in the water... Yeah, I'm that lazy

Mom, enjoying the sun

G-Unit looking very serious...Maybe she's plotting her next move for Crazy Marbles

When I got home the pup and I cuddled... Don't tell The Bearded Wonder that Royce was on the bed!



Also! Did "What a Day" get a shout out via Instagram???? I'd like to think so but it was probably just a coincidence. One of my favorite bands, Parachute, posted this picture on their Instagram today... Let me know what you think...

What's your favorite BBQ food? Have you ever been in a food coma? Let me know!

Showers

*** WARNING: LOTS OF PICTURES***

My bridal shower was today!! It was a magical leopard print extravaganza. Every one brought a dish to share and brought the recipe so that I would have a TON of new ideas for my cooking repetoire. We also played a fantastic game of Pin the Beard on The Bearded Wonder, which was a major success...

Step-grandmother, Betty, and Stepmom, Dawn 

 Alexis

 My little sister, Jayda.

 My Mom

 Jessika

TO BEs: Sister-in-law, Chelsea, and Mother-in-law, Denise

Jessi

His sister won!!

Later that night my Maid of Honor and I decided to check an experience off of our bucketlist: Day Glo... For those of you who don't know what Day Glo is, allow me to explain. A bunch of people get together, wear white, and splash paint all over each other.

Once I got over the fact that I was covered in paint I actually enjoyed myself!!

Day Glo Warrior

Bucket List....Check!

Covered!!

After a very successful night of being coveredin paint we went home to take a much needed shower... It was quite the day for Showers...

Have you ever been to a Day Glo party? Have you ever crossed anything off of your bucket list? Tell me about it in the comments below

Trip to Mecca

Rain, rain, go away... Such a rainy, overcast day in the Sunshine State. After work, my mom and I went Target (aka Mecca) to fix my Bridal Registry. 18 additional items and 2 hours later we walked out with a sweet little stash.

So Gloomy!

Mecca

Found this DVD full of childhood memories for $5 

Shop 'til You Drop

More like "Shop 'til your Mom says, 'Only one dress'". My bridal shower is this weekend and my super helpful Maid of Honor (MOH), Allie, is hosting it. The theme is Leopard Print and Lace... SO EXCITED. Last night we went to H&M in our local mall and my mother bought me a leopard print maxie dress. She said it was part of my bridal shower gift... Thanks Woman!!

Mother's Day

I probably win the award for Worst Daughter because I didn't take one picture of my mother on Mother's Day! I did, however, take a picture of our family's favorite game, Crazy Marbles. My Great Grandfather made this board and the game over half-century ago. It shows up to every family occassion and sucks people in like moths to a flame.

The one player you have to watch out for is G-Unit. She is the most cut throat player of them all. I call her the Albanian. She'll send you home, take your spot, and get her marbles home without even batting an eye.

The Albanian at work ... I got my mother's hands in the picture...Does that count???

Hot Hubby Alert!!

We're going to go back in time a couple weeks. Our wedding photographer, Brian Sumner, has decided that he wants to get into the competitive world of magazine photography. To expand his portfolio he asked Keagan, aka: Hot Hubby, aka: The Bearded Wonder, if he would pose for him in a shoot. Below are the wonderful, fantastic, photos that Brian took.

He's had that Florida State Seminoles hat for close to 7 years. It's a tattered torn mess... It might disappear one day... Just sayin'

I'm so blessed because he really does know how to work on cars... Saves us MEGA cash in the fixing department.

I call this one "King of Junk"

I had to put this one in here because it's 2 of my favorite men! Royce and The Bearded Wonder (TBW)

 

In all seriousness, Brian Sumner is one of the best up and coming photographers. Whether it's a wedding, engagement, or messy-ass garage shoot his photos are flawless!!