Hannah's Big Girl Room

Hannah's BIG Christmas present this year was her new room! We have been talking up her "big girl bed" for awhile now...and I am happy and proud to say she has done amazing! She also loves to play in her room, which is right off a hallway near our kitchen, so not too far away! Her play kitchen and most of her baby doll play items have new homes there as well - much to Hannah's delight. I will admit, she looks sooooo grown up in her bed, two and a half years have flown by! Thanks to my mom & dad for helping make her room so beautiful!

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray thee Lord my soul to keep.
May angels watch me through the night,
And wake me with the morning light.

Sweet dreams angel - Mommy & Daddy love you so much!

Happy Christmas!

Have a holly jolly Christmas,
It's the best time of the year!
I don't know if there'll be snow,
But have a cup of cheer...
Have a holly jolly Christmas,
And in case you didn't hear,
Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas - this year!
-Burl Ives

Presents, princess dresses, and toys oh my! Hannah loved opening her gifts this Christmas and we loved watching! Christmas morning we opened gifts in our pj's at home before heading over to my sis's house to open more presents and have brunch. Hannah received some more fabulous gifts - including her Leap Frog 2, or as she calls it, her "IPad"!

On Sunday before Christmas Eve, we started off our 3 days of presents when we went to Grandma & Granddad Pillsbury's house to open gifts...Hannah got a cute wooden train, books/dvds, and puzzles to name a few! Thanks to everyone for all of our presents and gifts - Merry Christmas!

On Christmas afternoon, Mike & I hosted the big "Family Christmas" meal at our house - and it was delicious! We made it casual yet scrumptious - Mike smoked a pork butt, we had cowboy baked beans, and a macaroni and cheese bar too! Not too mention a huge spread of desserts of course. Everyone enjoyed themselves - we included in-laws, out-laws, friends, and family too!

What a blessed Christmas we celebrated this year, looking forward to next year with our family of four!!! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

And the angel said unto them,
'Fear not, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people; Unto you is born this day a Savior which is Christ the Lord.'
Luke 2:11

What a blessed Christmas we had this year...we spent time with family and friends, and celebrated our growing family! On Christmas Eve, we attended the Children's Mass at church, and Hannah loved watching the children perform! We then headed to my sis's house for tamales (brought fresh from Texas by my parents who flew in that afternoon) and chicken tortilla soup! Hannah opened her Christmas pj's and we headed home to leave out Santa's treats...

Our Baby Boy

And the child grew and became strong in spirit.
Luke 1:80

Radio City Christmas Spectacular!

Jingle bells,
Jingle bells,
Jingle all the way...to Nashville!
Oh what fun it is to drive
To see the Rockettes at the Grand Ole Opry! Yeah!

So Hannah received the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular 75th Anniversary DVD last Christmas from my parents - and we have been watching it ever since! When Mike read in the paper about the show in Nashville - we decided it had to be a part of Hannah's Christmas this year! She LOVED the show - eyes glued to the stage the entire time - clapping and so happy the whole time! What a fun trip and great family memory - what a day!

I see a trip to NYC to Radio City Music Hall in our future...

But for now, a quick day trip to Nashville works fine!

Blessed Thanksgiving

Bless us oh Lord,
For these thy gifts,
Which we are about to receive,
From thy bounty,
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Hannah learned to say our family blessing in perfect timing with the Thanksgiving holiday! So proud and thankful for her...

This year, for the first time in a long time - Mike & I did NOT host our families for Thanksgiving. While we always enjoy hosting both families, extended families, and friends, and with this year being my birthday too - I will admit, I did miss my parents and sister...but it was nice to have the holiday "off" especially since I haven't been feeling well during this pregnancy. After my delicious birthday breakfast, we headed to watch some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and eat an early afternoon Thanksgiving at my in-laws - and then came home to enjoy naps!

We have so much to be thankful for this year - so much so that Mike, Hannah and I prepared and cooked our own mini Thanksgiving feast - savoring our family of three and giving thanks for the blessing of our baby on the way.

Give thanks to the Lord,
For He is good;
His love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34

Happy Thanksgiving Birthday!

Every so often...my birthday falls on Thanksgiving, which is actually when I was born back in Thanksgiving of '79. Not a bad holiday to share a birthday with! Mike did a great job of making Belgian waffles & bacon - and who wouldn't love to wake up to such a yummy breakfast (not prepared by me)& a happy daughter waiting to sing Happy Birthday to her mama?! My standard homemade birthday cheesecake was replaced by mini cheesecakes that were just as good if not more delicious - plus their tiny size made them soooo easy to keep eating! Happy happy birthday to me!