Snow!

It snowed last night, so we enjoyed a playful morning in our backyard!  For more pictures, go to our family website!  

Gratitude and Christmas Lights

As we tuck AJ in for bed and he curls up with Douglas, eyes already closed, he looks like an angel...my mind floods with how blessed I am.  I am grateful for a beautiful healthy son, the blessing of another child, a loving husband, my health,  an amazing family, my close friendships, a cozy home, and a fabulous job.  

Here are a couple pictures as AJ helped daddy put up the Christmas lights this afternoon.  

Capture This Moment

I never want to forget how perfect my mornings are with Addison...at this age...in this moment...his checks all rosey and his feet crossed in his footie PJ's.  There is something so harmonious about being at home in your pajamas...watching Thomas on the couch as mom makes breakfast.    

An In-House Date, A Hat, & A Onesie

Last night I added some bling to a onesie and a hat for Abby and surprised Andy with an in-house date.  You know the kind of date that doesn't require getting a sitter, but spices up some alone time.  We simply enjoyed some cheese, chocolate, and sparkling cider as we visited and watched TV after AJ went to bed.  It was fun, inexpensive, and something different.  Sometimes it is just the little things that can make all the difference in an evening.  

Beyond Imagination

Everyday I thank God for being blessed with Abby and Addison.  Children are such innocent reflections of everything wonderful in this world, and now I have an elegant gift to show off a mother's pride.  Check out Beyond Imagination on Etsy for more charming gifts.  

Abby's Nursery

The essence of everything vintage and country cottage combine for a whimsical feminine nursery right in my own house!  

Inspired By Douglas

Douglas is AJ's right hand man...er bear,always under arm in any adventure.  So when Papa Mike passed down a coat rack that was Andy's as a child, I knew exactly what we needed to do to make it perfect for AJ's room.  With Douglas as my inspiration and a little bit of paint, we have an updated coat rack!  

Meet Belle

Belle is a two year old, three and a half pound miniature apple head chihuahua that dresses better than me.  Her extensive wardrobe ranges from her doggles, as seen here, to rain coats, snow boots, pajamas, and so many sweaters she now has a drawer in my sister's dresser.  You may think...what a spoiled little dog...but she is truly royalty as she is a descendent of 6 champion show dogs.  I first met Belle on my recent trip to see my family when her apple head suddenly poked out my my sister's purse...or so I thought it was my sister's purse...it was actually one of her many carrying cases that coordinates with her outfits.  What a hoot this little dog can be!  If I weren't having a baby girl, I could have just gotten a little dog to dress up.  Kallie quickly escapes her pink sweater and Latte is too spastic to capture and attempt to dress.  

A Shabby Chic Sneak Peek

I just couldn't wait to share!  Here are a couple projects I started for Abby's nursery today.  Andy is going to paint her room the pale blue used on her name sign this weekend!  I can't wait to start accessorizing!  I plan to hang both the sign and the magnetic bulletin board by ribbon on antiques knobs!  Hopefully by this time next week I can post pictures of a completed nursery!  

2 Batches of Rice Krispy Treats & An Afternoon of Onesies!

I have found a new pregnancy addiction...rice krispy treats...so easy and so tasty!  5 minutes and you have a pan full of marshmallowy, crunchy goodness in front of you!  I have managed to make two pans in the last two days to take to a various occasions...and happily returned home with leftovers each time!  I can honestly say the only carving I have had with this pregnancy is SUGAR...chocolate milk...peppermint chocolate chip shakes from Chick-Fil-A(a must if you haven't tried it yet)...snack cakes...carmel apples...Krispy Kreme doughnuts...really anything that contains sugar.  I realize that this is not really a carving and I am merely using being pregnant as an excuse for my sweet tooth that has remained relatively dormant until now.  But who is really brave(stupid) enough to stand in a hormonal pregnant woman's way of what she so strongly desires?  

After returning from a fun surprise birthday lunch for a friend, AJ fell asleep two hours before his normal nap time...and stayed asleep after I carried him upstairs!  It was truly amazing to be gifted with free time two hours early!  So what did I do?  I looked around my house that severely needed to be rescued from the dirty dishes, laundry, toys, junk mail that was overtaking the kitchen table...and decided to craft instead!  I throughly enjoyed myself and look at the results!  

An Airplane Ride, A Mini-Van, An Early Thanksgiving Feast, & Vampires

Andy, AJ, Douglas, Abby and I made it safely to Missouri and back! We are exhausted! Just entertaining a 2 year old on an airplane is a high energy, exhausting feat. You can never let your guard down in order to avoid any degree of a melt down. We had our carry-on bag stocked with stickers...coloring books...trains...plastic bugs...cars...books...finger puppets...snacks...and the emergency fruit snacks, mini marshmallows, and portable DVD player should there be early on-set signs of a toddler mood swing toward a melt down. Two successful, tearfree plane rides...whew! AJ was just a little independent traveler with Thomas in tow throughout the airport. Although we really pumped up the airplane ride, I think AJ was more excited to ride the bus to the car rental place than anything else. He said, "I ride a bus! A BUS!" Really...the bus was the highlight of his trip?

After flying into KCI, we picked up our rental car, Andy excited to have our free up-grade coupon in hand...HA!...it turned out to be a baby blue mini-van...not exactly what Andy was envisioning and headed out to have lunch with Aunt Jess! From lunch, we drove 3 and 1/2 hours south to see Grandpa Jim and all our aunts, uncles, and cousins. The mini-van was practical, comfortable, and came with a DVD player...need I say more?! So they aren't exactly cute and I can't really see myself driving one, but we were surprisingly in love!

8 dozen cookies, 5 pies, many chocolate covered pretzels, a ham, two turkeys, chicken noodles, and a field of sides later...we enjoyed an early Thanksgiving feast with my family...I quit counting after 35 people, so I'm not sure how many people we ended up with in the end...they were everywhere! And only one lamp nearly met his fateful end as it came crashing to the floor after being attacked by a toddler. I would say, it was a successful feast! And the best part is that I get to eat another Thanksgiving feast next week!

I've decided my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal is not the turkey...or the desserts...it is all about the side dishes...and the rolls...but mostly the side dishes. Two of my favorite sides I look forward to every year are:

Tami's Crock Pot Corn

Ingredients:

1 family size bag of frozen corn

2 packages of cream cheese

1/2 cup of sugar

1 stick of butter

Directions:

Boil everything on stove top, heat on low in crock pot.

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! and so simple

and

Pineapple Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 stick butter (melted)

1 cup sugar

5-7 slices of bread, cubed

4 eggs

1 (20oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

Directions:

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Add pineapple and fold in bread cubes. Cook 1 hour at 35o.

F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S. and also so easy!

and in terms of my off track to-do list...I finished all 498 pages of Twilight and am 350 pages into the second book of the series, New Moon. Although I never imagined myself as a fantasy, vampire romance fan...I am pleasantly enjoying this series and eagerly looking forward to seeing the movie this Thursday at midnight!

Cooking With A Toddler

1.  Requires a special hat.

2.  Makes twice the mess.

3.  Takes twice as long.

4.  Is priceless!  

Mr. Independent & Another Holiday Favorite

AJ has now taken it upon himself to just go ahead and get whatever it is he needs or desires from the kitchen...why risk being told no when he can get it himself?  At least he always puts the chair back when he is finished.  

Today on our morning list of things to accomplish, we had some successes, some things we need to keep working on, and some bonuses we didn't initially plan on.  We walked out of the book store with 4 books instead of the needed one book for a book exchange we are participating in.  I'm sure AJ really couldn't live without the two Thomas the Train books and an airplane book for his up-coming airplane ride.  We went to the bank and Archivers to prints a couple pictures for our trip.  We were unsuccessful in our attempt to find Abby the perfect pink tinsel Christmas tree...we'll have to keeping working on that one.  We did score some amazing peppermint nougats at Hobby Lobby that we busted out in the parking lot.  These little treasures are yet another sweet treat I look forward to every year.  I love the holidays!  

Daddy's Work, A Growing Belly, A Long Distance Sis, & Signs of the Season

At week 27, I am starting to require help getting from the sitting position to standing up, rolling over in bed is starting to become a chore that requires serious thought before launching into maneuvering over, and I pee incessantly...ahhh...only 12 more weeks to go.  

AJ joyfully yelled, "airplane" as we pulled into the airport to have a quick breakfast with a sis I hadn't seen in over a year.  She had a brief layover at DIA, so we hopped in the car for some quick hugs and pictures!  From there, we spent a couple hours at daddy's work entertaining ourselves with highlighters, bubble wrap, boxes and packing peanuts.  Forget going to Toys R Us for Christmas this year, I'm doing AJ's shopping at daddy's work!  And finally, to kick off my holiday cheer, I put together a couple free make and takes at Archivers with friends!  I cannot wait to get started feathering my nest for Christmas this year!  Here are a few of my favorite signs Christmas is on its way: 

1.  When King Soopers starts stocking their shelves with Christmas Tree Little Debbie cakes!...I just love the crunch of the green sugar crystals!  

2.  When Starbucks starts using their holiday cups!  The first sight of these red decorated cups makes my heart leap for joy!  There is just something so festive about drinking a hot drink out of a red cup adorned in snowflakes and reindeer!  

3.  Hearing Christmas music on the radio...still eagerly anticipating this one

and in other news:  I am off track and have an action packed three weeks planned!  

I plan to:

1.  Read twilight by Stephanie Meyer by the 21st so I can see the movie

2.  Visit family in Missouri for some early Thanksgiving feasting

3.  Help my daycare provider out a few afternoons

4.  Officially start...and completely finish Abby's nursery

5.  Celebrate Thanksgiving with Andy's family

6.  Start a staff development class

7.  Decorate for Christmas (I think we will only decorate 3 trees instead of my initial thought of 4 this year...our traditional rustic/country themed real one, AJ's tree, and Abby's tree...we may not do our childhood ornaments one that usually goes in the den)

8.  Transform the den into our guest bedroom as Abby will be taking over our old one

9.  Move the den and little dude's playroom down to the basement

10.  Finish our Christmas shopping

11.  Start potty training

...and I think that is it....whew!  

Fun Word Splash

I discovered a fun website that creates a fun word splash with the words you choose.  I have one as my wallpaper on the mac daddy now.  Enjoy!  www.wordle.net

Lots of Candy and Wild Animals

After we moms chatted, munched on jack-o-lantern shaped pizza and carmel apple chips and downed a 2 liter bottle of Dr. Pepper we indulged ourselves in taking approximately 30 pictures of AJ and Ashley in their Halloween attire.  It was a great Halloween day!  Here are Tigger and Tink all dressed up ready to hit the candy circuit.  

AJ caught on quickly...tigger suit = lots of candy, so he eagerly suited up, grabbed his bag, and headed for the door shouting ick or EAT Friday night! 

Saturday we had our first trip to the zoo!  Highlights of AJ's day: pulling the wagon, watching the monkeys and his first carousel ride!  Mom and dad were exhausted!     

Check out www.thehastingsfamily.net for more pictures!