Happy New Year!

We wish everyone a safe and blessed 2009!

Thank you for reading our blog! Look for exciting adventures in the New Year...

2009...Here we come!

Here are some pics of Connell at the playground yesterday...20 months old!

Artist in Training

Connell was eager to try out his Crayola Sing and Scribble that Mommy & Daddy gave him for Christmas!

What fun!

It's a Merry Christmas! (part 2)

Who's this cutie?

Worn out!

Christmas this year was very different than those past. For one, we stayed home! Yea! It was wonderful! Hectic at times, but it was great to be in our home to celebrate Christmas. Two, Connell was so much more into everything this year. Last Christmas, he was just 8 months old and getting his first tooth. What a difference a year makes. He enjoyed all the visitors this year, opening gifts, helping others open their gifts, and mostly, we now have a little sugar addict on our hands! HE LOVES Christmas cookies! And he knows where Mommy hides the containers that contain those yummy treats. Oh well!
We did make the effort to tell him as much as a 20 month old can understand, that we are celebrating Jesus' birthday. We bought him the Fisher Price Little People Nativity Scene, and he loves it! He really likes to make the angel sing (Away in a Manger) and he knows which one is Baby Jesus! So sweet! We can't wait to enjoy this for years to come.
My Mom & Dad arrived Christmas Eve and left this morning. Between their visit this week, and Meme and Papa last weekend, let's just say Connell might possibly be a little spoiled and maybe disappointed when he realizes all the guests are gone. He's stuck with us. And a whole bunch of new toys. :)
We had a lovely, low-key Christmas. We went to church on Christmas Eve and other than that, were home most of the rest of the time. It was great! Watching Connell play and listening to him laugh was all the entertainment we needed. We also had lots of delicious food! Yum! Thank God for my awesome chef hubby! Christmas dinner...Beef tenderloin with homemade bernaise sauce, etc. It was incredible! He's the best!
Once again, I have made a slideshow of the highlights from Christmas. Enjoy!
We sincerely hope that all of you had a beautiful Christmas with your loved ones!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Christmas Celebration - Part 1

This weekend, the O'Learys (Meme, Papa, Uncle Patrick, his girlfriend Samantha, and Uncle Kelly) came to town to celebrate Christmas with us. Aunt Kristy and Taylor and Reagan also joined us and everything was just perfect! Delicious meal, fun family time watching the kids dance to Christmas music, and sharing gifts with eachother!
Rather than post a ton of pictures, I thought I'd create a slideshow...hope you enjoy! Make sure you adjust your volume so you can hear the music! Stay tuned for part 2 later this week.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A Little Christmas Fun!

This week, we took care of some last minute shopping/errands in order to get ready for our Christmas celebration this weekend with the O'Learys. They are coming to town on Saturday. I am sure that Connell will be very glad to be done SHOPPING, as will I!
On Thursday, Connell had a Christmas party at Mother's Day Out. Santa Claus came to visit with the kids, and his teachers told me that they managed to get a picture of Connell on his lap. Can't wait to see that! We tried that a week or so ago and it didn't go over so well. Connell was excited to see Santa, wave to him, say "Santa", but not so interested in sitting in his lap for a picture. The other big attraction...they ordered pizza for all the kids for lunch. I stopped by for a visit and here are some pictures...

Lookin' cute...ready to party! Connell & his sweet teachers

Special treat - Mommy doesn't give Connell Capri Suns :)

Connell enjoying his pizza!

Connell & Mommy's Winter Adventure

Connell and I got home Sunday night from a trip to Milwaukee to visit with my family. We had a wonderful time, but it's good to be home! Traveling with a toddler...enough said! Let me first explain why we chose to travel to Milwaukee during such a cold season...The ladies in my Mom's side of the family have a yearly tradition called "Secret Pals." They've been doing it for a LONG time. Each December they hold the big Christmas/Reveal party and then you draw the name of the secret pal you'll have for the next year. I have been participating for the last 5 or 6 years, and my Mom and I try to attend as many of the Christmas parties as possible. We went in '06 when I was 5 months pregnant with Connell. Let's just say, his presence was a little bigger at this party. To my knowledge, I think he is the only MALE that's ever been to a Secret Pal Party. It's great fun, and it's an opportunity to visit with family we see only a time or two a year. My grandmother is now in a nursing home, so I never pass up a chance to see her, and I know she loves to see Connell (and me!).
I was very nervous to fly by myself with Connell. He was hard enough to handle when either Tim or my Mom fly with me. But I decided to be brave. My Mom flew into Milwaukee Thursday afternoon and Connell and I flew up that evening. He did much better on the plane than I anticipated. That $10 I spent on the Elmo magnadoodle...best $10 ever spent!!!! Of course I made sure he never saw it, until we boarded the plane. Awesome!
All in all, it was a great weekend. We visited with family, opened a few 'early' presents, and tried to stay warm in the snow and cold. It was 8 degrees Friday morning!
Here are some pictures from our winter adventure...

Connell getting a little practice opening gifts

Ready to go party w/the ladies!

Connell & Great Aunt Marge

Helping Great Grandma open her gift

We also celebrated my Grandma's 85th Birthday!

Entertaining....

Bundled up and playing with Grandma

Feel a draft?!?!?!?

Little Cheesehead!

Self-portrait on the plane coming home

Big boy! We were lucky to have an empty seat next to us for the trip home:)

Midwest Airlines serves hot chocolate chip cookies and they are YUMMY - can't you tell!!!!

So glad to see Daddy!

Fun Monday!

This morning we had our MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) meeting. It's our only meeting this month and it was so fun! Lots of holiday cheer! It's a great group of women and I am so glad to be a part of it.

Afterwards, Connell and I hit the neighborhood playground for a little bit before naptime since it actually got up to 55 degrees today.

Uppercase Living

Uppercase Living is a company that sells expressions to press on your wall. They are a great, inexpensive way to decorate. We put one up over Connell's crib last year and I just ordered another for our kitchen. As far as applying it to the wall...it should be easy. Well, Tim and I had an argument hanging the one in Connell's room. He made me promise not to ever buy another one. When this one came, my friend Shannon offered to help, since she has hung several in her house. She's a PRO!!! hahaha - I won't tell the story, but let's just say, it was interesting. No arguing...her and Tim did a great job!

Baking...

Since we will be having our families to our home to celebrate Christmas this year, I thought I would bake some Christmas cookies (and freeze them - since this was the only day in the forseeable future I thought I might get this done). I had 2 great helpers. It still took all day, but after a few samples, I think they will be enjoyed by all our guests! Yum!

Kiss the cook!

Night Out!

Friday night we went out for a Christmas Dinner with our friends. It was wonderful! Good food, great friends, many laughs! If you have a Maggiano's in your area...GO! It's delicious!

Shannon, me & Kristy

Connell is always ready to party!

Me & Amie
Me & my handsome hubby!

Tim, Chad & Shannon

Decorating for Christmas

I absolutely LOVE to decorate our home for Christmas. I don't like to take it all down however, mainly because then the house looks so lonely and bare. And because it's alot of work. But that's what husbands are for, right?!?!?! Anyhoo, I like to have a little bit of Christmas everywhere! I get so excited to go through all of our ornaments and think about the story behind it or who gave it. I finally got the new tree I've been wanting for our living room. So with that, we decided to take our other tree and put it upstairs. It's Connell's tree and in the future, and I hope Connell (plus any other little O'Learys) covers it with precious art and ornaments! I can't wait for Connell to get a little older so we can explain to him the reason we celebrate the miracle of Christmas.

I took some pictures to share with those of you who live too far to visit during this holiday season.

Our beautiful Nativity scene, a wedding gift from my Grandma

Connell's tree

"I finally got my hands on one of those ornaments!"

Mommy was so excited to find plastic ones at trees n trends.
The cutest thing you'll find under our tree!

Giving Thanks!

We traveled to Memphis Thursday morning to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families and friends. It was a low key holiday, which was actually quite nice. We truly do have so many blessings to be thankful for. We were able to spend time with both families and as an added bonus, Tim and I went to the late movie Thanksgiving night to see "Four Christmases." Cute and funny! We haven't been to a movie in over a year... :)

Connell and his turkey on the way to Memphis

Connell playing with very old blocks Grandpa found in the attic (I remember my brother and I playing w/these...they must be antiques by now!)

Grandpa and Connell feeding the ducks

We exchanged our gifts with the Dees'/LaFever bunch since we won't be going to Memphis for Christmas this year. Aunt/Godmother Katie and Andy gave Connell a dinosaur! Super cool!

Me and my Dad

Connell giving Abby a smooch!
Me and Uncle Patrick's girlfriend Samantha

Connell sitting in Papa's office chair

Connell and Meme