Well, hello again :)

Did ya miss me?? Or is anyone even still reading since I went on such a long blog hiatus?! I don't really have an excuse...time, I guess. I don't have any :) Ha! It's definitely not lack of content. I feel like our 1st eight weeks here in NC have been so busy that they have absolutely flown by. Do I say that a lot? Maybe I just feel like life is flying by at the moment. I look at my sweet daughter and wonder how she is almost 2 years old. I think about having another baby in 5 months and I'm just in shock! I try so hard to savor every moment, but sometimes I feel like they speed by so quickly that my moments seem like milliseconds. Do y'all feel that way, too? Any tips on how to slow it down?!

Let's see...where do I even begin?? Well, we decided that once we got settled in, one of the first things that we wanted to do was enroll E in Mother's Day Out. The thought was that it would give her a chance to interact with lots of other kids, and would give me a little chance to catch up on mommy things.

Here she is on her first day of "school":

She LOVES it! We chose a really well known program that is run through a local church. We love Ms. Karen, her teacher, and feel very blessed that there was a place for Elli there. I; however, haven't left E there for the full 4 hours yet!! I just can't seem to do it...weird, I know. I thought I would relish the "alone time", but truth be told...I just miss her!

Next up...Easter!! What a fun one we had this year! Had I not left the Easter eggs out all morning to be filled with ants by the time the kiddo's picked them up, it would have been a total success! Ha! Luckily, they weren't biting ants...and as soon as I realized the issue, we promptly ended the "hunt" :) I just gotta say...it's so typical of me!

My girl and I on the BEST holiday of the year. He is RISEN!!!

Elli in her Easter dress and bonnet...I just love little girls in Easter bonnets. Oh, and her daddy picked out the dress! Great job, if you ask me :)

And E hugging her friend Myla. Elli might be the hugging-est little girl I have ever seen. She LOVES a good hug! Just liker her Mama :)

Shortly after Easter, my little brother came out to visit us and we had a GREAT time just hanging out together. I think by the end of his trip he was a little overwhelmed at how tiring a toddler can be :)

Here we are at the Kinston Indians baseball game:

It was E's first one, and she was a big fan (especially of the hot dogs, ice cream & french fries!).

Over the week that Travis was here, Elli also got to go to her very first birthday party :) Happy birthday, Asher!! **She loved the bounce house until the boys wanted to play, too!**

We also went to UNC...a gorgeous campus, and a great day!

And finally, we celebrated Travis's 23rd birthday. I just love him...especially because he didn't mind that I put the candles in his birthday brownies before they had cooled. Ooops :)

So I guess that's it for March & April. I'll pick up in May...hopefully sometime soon :)

Christmas Cards

I'm a huge Christmas card fan. I mean, HUGE! I love getting them in the mail, and have been known to hoard them all on the counter until after dinner so that I can have a moment to really savor opening each one. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have just admitted that :) But I do love a good Christmas card. And Christmas letters are even better. Some people think they're cheesy, but I adore getting them...it's like I get to share a little piece of your year with you even though I'm far away. I keep thinking, "this is the year we'll finally write one", but I've yet to follow through. Next year. Well, maybe :)

I don't know about you guys, but I have a time-line for my Christmas cards. I try to have the pictures taken by late October so that I can plenty of time to choose just the right card, and have it delivered by mid November. It only takes me one night to address them b/c once I get started, I get so excited that I just can't make myself stop. (Does that sentence have "dork" written all over it?!) And then I mail them out on the 1st of December. Not the 2nd. The 1st. Why, you may ask? I have no idea...it's just what I do. Maybe I can blame my mom for that little piece of neurosis? Yeah, I think I'll blame her!

So this year, everything was going according to my completely ridiculous, way-too-thought-out plan, and I was happy. We had to move past some minor hiccups (like me changing the design a bazillion times) but I finally decided on a card from Tiny Prints (super cute stuff!) where I could fit a maximum number of pictures on it b/c I couldn't just choose 1 (or 3) of Elli. Now that I think of it, I may have a small decision making problem! Anyway, said cards arrived and I got started with the addresses. Ummm, note to self: make your Christmas card list BEFORE you start addressing the envelopes!! I got through about 1/2 of them and realized that 1) I hadn't ordered NEAR enough cards, and 2) there was also a shortage of envelopes. In the end, I had 6 cards left over w/ no envelopes to match, and about 20 people who I still wanted to send card to. Hmmmm. So, just FYI, if you usually get a Christmas card from me you very well may get a super cute (in my opinion, anyway!) card in a very large, non-matching, red envelope that I got from Office Depot today in hopes of still making my December 1st mail-out deadline :) OR, if you're lucky (and at the end of the alphabet), you may receive a cute little generic card from Hallmark! Tee Hee! Merry Christmas friends!!

Where do y'all get your Christmas cards from? Any funny stories that go along with yours this year? And please tell me that I'm not the only one out there with a crazy card routine :)

All I Want For Christmas...

Have y'all made your Christmas lists yet?? Now that I'm a mom, I've found that I don't buy near as much stuff for myself as I used to (unless you count shampoo & face soap!)...E is now the happy recipient of my shopping shenanigans :) But there are definitely things that I still want, and Christmas is the perfect time to dream big...and *dreams* they are unless we win the lottery between now and the 25th! Nevertheless, here are some of the things that I'll be passing along to Santa on my wish list:

How cute are these boots?? I'm currently all about them!

This tote is from Penny Bennett on Etsy. I LOVE it! Her bags are designed to hold your "bible, books, & journals". I can't think of anything more perfect :)

There's really no explanation necessary for this one...I just want it. REALLY bad!

Looking for a cute, modern, non-black coat. I'm liking this one at the moment.

This necklace from Stella and Dot has been calling my name for awhile now!

Piano + Excessive Moving = BAD IDEA

So...I think this 88 key keyboard is the perfect solution!

What's on your Christmas list?? I'd hate to think that I missed something :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

What a GREAT day!! I love Thanksgiving. I love what it stands for; "giving thanks" for our abundant blessings. I love the food, the family, the friends, the traditions, the weather (most of the time!), the food...oh wait, did I already say that?!!

My dad has been able to spend this holiday with us for the past two years, and I absolutely love having him around to share in our festivities! This year along with my dad, we had 3 friends join us for a late lunch. It was great to spend the day with them talking & cooking, laughing and eating. We had one minor hiccup (the oven mysteriously turned off and the turkey didn't get hot), but other than that everything went off without a hitch...and we stuffed ourselves silly!!

I'm so very thankful for my family, both my "real" one and the military one that we have been so fortunate to be a part of. I love that there is always someone around to celebrate holidays with, no matter how far away from "home" you may be. I'm thankful that we were able to provide that for our friends this year...and I'm sure we'll be on the receiving end sooner than we think! I'm thankful for our warm home and the food that we enjoyed today. I'm thankful for my sweet daughter, and my precious husband, who bring so much joy to my life. I'm thankful that we live in America, and for all of the men and women who serve to protect us daily. And I'm thankful to God, who sent His son Jesus Christ, so that we can all truly be free.

What are some of the things that y'all are most thankful for? And what are some of the dishes that make Thanksgiving special for your family?? I'd love to hear about your traditions, and share in your fun...if only vicariously :)

Happy Fall, Y'all!!

YAY for Fall Weather!!!

"Ruff, Ruff!!" I think I hear some puppies!!

I KNEW I heard some puppies barking!!

Trying to give them kisses...but Mommy spoiled my fun :)

Boo!

I just can't get over this picture from last year!! Miss E was so teeny :) I remember putting her into this little pumpkin outfit, and watching her just snuggle right down in it. She's a snuggler, in case you didn't know! And then, because we couldn't pass up another cute costume, we changed her into a little flower...equally as precious, if you ask me! Ha!

Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Halloween. I don't love the creepy ghosts & ghouls, or watching scary movies. I saw Paranormal Activity last year around this time and I STILL have trouble walking to Elli's room across the house in the middle of the night! Chris will never live it down for dragging me to see that one! Now, a cute pumpkin or a sweet flower...I'll take it! But I just can't get excited about vampires, witches or goblins. I know, I know...I'm a party pooper!

What about you guys? Any cute costume ideas for your little ones that aren't too scary? I love hearing about the fun homemade ones that all of you crafty mama's can whip up! One year, I was a Gumball Machine for Halloween...looking back, I think my mom was pretty clever for coming up with that one! In an attempt to save a little bit of money, E isn't even getting a costume this year. But before you start feeling too sorry for her, I will be making her a black and orange tutu to go with her super cute "Daddy's Little Pumpkin" shirt :) See, I'm not too mean! TeeHee!

What was your favorite costume as a kid? And what will your little one be dressing up as this year?! I wish there was a way for you to post pictures, b/c I'd sure love to see some cute little dressed up babies!!

Thank You

My father-in-law showed this video to me today, and I thought I'd share it with all of you as well. It captures the very raw and real emotions of those who patiently wait for their loved ones to return home from war.

Thank you, brave servicemen, for your commitment & sacrifice. Thank you for your dedication to this great country, and for your unwavering faith in our flag. Thank you for defending our freedoms, honoring our Constitution, and pledging your lives for America & all that she stands for.

I am proud to be a soldiers wife. I am proud that we are a military family. And I am so very, very proud that my husband serves this nation that we love so dearly. Exercise your freedoms...speak out for what you believe in!! Men & women fight every single day so that you are able to do so.

Happy Memorial Day from our family to yours! Now go out and hug a soldier :)

Pics & MckMama

I love lazy Saturdays!  I love sleeping late, making breakfast burritos with my hubs, and lounging on the couch until I just can't lounge anymore.  It is fantastic!  We rarely have Saturdays like this, but when we do, I treasure them. 

This afternoon, we finally made our way back to reality and cleaned our house for our visitors tomorrow.   Chris's dad & step-mom are coming out for a visit, and we're so looking forward to spending Thanksgiving w/ them in Germany.  We head out on Monday for a 5 day road-trip through what has proven to be, my most favorite country in Europe!  

I also finally got around to taking some pictures of my Christmas decorations!  My sweet mama has also sent me another whole box full of festive fun, so I'll definitely post some more when I receive that wonderful little package!  I've also posted some pics of my dad's visit...I was having a little problem w/ the pic uploading the other day (I feel your pain, Kate), so they are a little delayed!  

On another note, I've found a fantastic blog that I highly encourage you to browse when you get a moment.  MckMama is a mother of 4 sweet babies under the age of 3!  Yes, you read that right!  Her youngest, Stellan, was born just one month ago.  This precious little bundle, by the grace of God (and many, many prayers) is a living miracle.  He was diagnosed with all kinds of heart problems in the womb.  At 24 weeks, the Dr's told his family that all hope was lost, and that he would surely die.  They chose to give their son to the Lord, and let Him do what He alone can do.  Stellan was born in October a "well and whole full-term baby"!  Praise the Lord!! MckMama's site holds all kinds of goodies for her readers...little bits of wisdom from a very busy mom, wonderful words of faithful encouragement, cute pics of her Mck clan, and so much more.  Right now, she's having a "Small Fryday Contest" (you'll see what it's all about when you read her blogs) for those bloggers who link to her site.  Sure, it would be fun to win some cool stuff, but more than that, I hope that you too can find some joy in what she has to say.  Take my word for it, and check her out for yourself!

Blessings, 

Amy

Our festive coffee table :)

Stockings, Presents, and Snowmen...oh my!!

The Mathematical Bridge in Cambridge

Chris & Dad in London

My most favorite picture of my dad....Behind the colleges in Cambridge

He's Home!

Chris finally made it home a little over a week ago after some slight changes to the original itinerary :) Though the changes were a little stressful, I'm so glad that everyone made it back safe and had a GREAT time doing some really good work. I put an emphasis on their "GREAT time" due to the extremely dark tan that Chris was sporting when he came home!! After he mentioned the words beach, jet skiing, & the pool...I stopped listening! If you haven't heard, we're still wearing sweatshirts over here in jolly ole', and we lovingly refer to our pasty white skin tone as our English tan! Needless to say, a very tan blond guy looks a little out of place :) So anyway, they had fun, did some really great flying from what I hear, and got to see some of the most amazing places that the world has to offer. We're still waiting on the pictures, but I'm sure that they will be just wonderful!

As soon as Chris returned we started looking for a fun place to go for a long weekend. We headed out early Saturday morning, and after a somewhat shaky ferry ride (don't ask!), we were on mainland Europe making our way to Amsterdam. We were both so glad that we decided to drive because the scenery over there is just breathtaking. We drove into Belgium and took some funny roadside pictures. (See above) There's nothing like two Americans trying to balance the the camera on the top of the car, running down the side of the highway trying to pose before the timer ran out, trying not to think about the trucks whizzing by at alarmingly fast speeds! I'm sure we got a lot of laughs, and probably a few head-shakes too...but it made us laugh for at least 5 min after we got back into the car, and that's all that counts...right!?!
We made it to Amsterdam and just took our time wandering around the city. We had a great dinner at a place called Cafe' November complete with white chocolate mousse'...what more could you ask for?! We sampled some Holland beer, enjoyed the scenery, and even ventured to the Red Light District just to say that we did it :) I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that we'll never return to that particular area again....I think Chris's exact words were "What is the fastest way out of this place?!" It was actually quite funny! The next day, we went to Anne Frank's house and did some more exploring before getting on the road to go to Brugge, Belgium.

Brugge is probably my favorite city so far. It is quaint and quiet, and the people are just so kind. We stayed in a little hotel about a 5 min. walk for the City Center. We spent the days wandering around, shopping, eating, and taking pictures. At night we found some great restaurants and got to experience the town completely aglow in the lights of night. It looked like something straight out of a book, we just loved it! It was the perfect way to spend a 4-day weekend and we treasured every moment of it.
Yesterday was the 4th of July (one of my favorite holidays) and we had a church picnic in the afternoon. We played volleyball, grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, played dominoes, and met lots of fun new people. We then went to Feltwell for the fireworks...well, we WERE going to see the fireworks; however, my choice of shoes (flip-flops) combined with the immense amount of rain that we have had lately, just didn't mix. So...we left before the fireworks started, but I'm sure that they were magnificent! All in all, we had a fantastic weekend and we can't wait for our next adventure!