Happy Birthday Alexis

It's official, she turned 7! I can't believe it. It seems like yesterday that we were coming home from the hospital and now she's turning 7, wow! We had a busy day on Sunday celebrating Alexis' birthday. I think she enjoyed herself and was excited with even more gifts to add to the Christmas day collection.

Her new bracelet

Box of art supplies

Cake time

A little help with the candles

Christmas 2010

Our Christmas was wonderful as always. We started the day by opening gifts at home, then off to Nana and Pop's and then later to Grandma and Granddad's. Santa was good to the kids and then of course the grandparents and aunts and uncles came through with even more! I'm trying to work on a per person limit for next year so we'll see! The best part was just hearing and seeing the kids reactions to everything, it's priceless. As I've said before, that's what makes my Christmas now-the joy on my kids faces!! Here are a few pictures from yesterday. Today we're celebrating Alexis' 7th birthday so more pictures to follow!

Santa has arrived


stockings


Alexis' reaction


Matt

The Aftermath...

Anxious

Here we are, 4 days until Christmas and I can hardly stand it. Something very funny happened when I became a mother. My Christmas excitement has taken to a whole new level. I think I may be just as excited for Christmas morning as they are. I love the joy and excitement in their faces and the complete innocence that they have as they feel the magic of Santa. I remember it as a child and I love seeing it through my children. I'm so glad that with being sick this year, I was able to still be in the spirit, something I was worried about as I laid in bed for 5 days! All the cookies are baked (I made more this year than any other year) and we are ready for the big guy to come sliding down the chimney! I'll post some Christmas morning pictures to share with you all. Until then...

Merry Christmas!!

Feeling Better

Wow, what a difference a week will make. I'm feeling much better thanks to some antibiotics and am looking forward to the weekend. Today after school will start the cookie baking marathon of the weekend. I've got a pile of recipes I'd like to make so we'll see how far I get. The kids have their church Christmas program on Sunday so they have a little practice for it tomorrow. Then on Sunday they're going on a train ride in Bellefonte with my parents and sisters. Should be a fun weekend overall. It blows my mind to think at this time next week it will be Christmas Eve! Where does the time go?? Enjoy your weekend.

The Verdict...

It's now day 5 and I am still sick. Betsy took me to my doctors office this morning who ordered a chest x ray and blood work and it came back that I have pneumonia! I've never had it before but I am anxious for Mike to get home with my new antibiotic to try and kick this for good!

Sick

Here I sit in the same spot as the last 3 days, my bed, and wonder what has attacked my body?! I haven't been this sick in any time frame that I can remember. Today I feel like I may be starting to turn a corner and I'm anxiously awaiting a phone call from my doctor's office saying that they'll phone me in a prescription. (I think I have a sinus infection now) I missed Matthew's school Christmas program which just broke my heart, especially since he was Wise Man #1 with a little speaking part! Mike taped it for me so I'm hoping to watch it later on today. Mike has been Mr Mom and my nurse these last 3 days...I'm so lucky! He's been great. He even had to take over a play date for me as the little boys father was having surgery-in case your asking yourself why we just didn't cancel=) He took the boys to McDonald's so they were pretty happy, much happier than they would've been with the mac and cheese I had planned to make them!

On a good note, Jane was released from 18 long days in the hospital. We're praying she continues to recover well and takes it slow. Glad you're home Grandma!!

That's about it on our front. Hopefully this is the last day I have to sit in this bed but then it's on to disinfecting everything so nobody else gets this nasty bug!

Hopefully you all are healthy and enjoying this most wonderful season!
xoxoxo

Happenings

I love this time of year. I love everything about it...the sights, the sounds, the smells, the joy. Last night Matt's preschool had an Advent Family Fun Night where we could have pizza and the kids could make crafts and play games. It makes me sad to think that it was our last one as he'll be in kindergarten next year. We enjoyed ourselves there and then a few of the Moms sent the kids home with Daddy and we went out for a bit. I really do have a great group of friends and I am so blessed. This morning I took the kids (while Mike is out hunting) to an event called the Elve's Gift Shop. It was our first year but I can see this becoming a yearly event for us. You can give the kids as much money as you want and all items are between $1-$4. Then you give them a list of people to buy for and the 'elves' (girl scouts) take the around to do their shopping while the adults enjoy some silent auctions, cookies and a few other 'grown up' vendors. They loved going shopping all by themselves and telling me what they got everyone. I am anxious to see what they got for Mike and I. We're going to finish the last minute decorating and watch a holiday cartoon.

We had a sad event this week as one of our cats, Java, went to Heaven. He got sick about 5 weeks ago and went downhill very fast. Alexis was most affected by it and many tears were shed but she's adjusting well to it.

We are still waiting for Grandma Jane to get home from the hospital. She's improving and doing better so it's looking like it will be sometime within the next couple of days. Betsy is up for the next week and has been taking good care of her in the hospital as well as helping with things at home. We sure do appreciate her being here!

Enjoy your weekend.

A Milestone Day

Alexis lost her first tooth tonight. She has been playing with that thing for the last 3 or 4 weeks but she was determined to get it out over her Thanksgiving break! I can hardly believe it. She seems so grown up now...*sigh. She is thrilled and anxious to see what the tooth fairy brings her!!

Thanksgiving

This years Thanksgiving was out of the norm for us...we only had to eat one meal! While it was nice to only stuff ourselves once, the circumstances could have been different. We usually go to my parents in Bellefonte for lunch and then come up to Chuck and Jane's for dinner. Unfortunately while we were away last weekend in D.C. for the PSU/Indiana game Jane came down with severe stomach pains on Saturday morning that landed her in the hospital and then having emergency surgery Saturday evening. Chuck was able to come down and eat with us which made us all happy. (We are still waiting for Jane to be released from the hospital and are hopeful it will be in the next few days). We are so blessed to have such wonderful parents, friends and family members. I hope you all know how special you are to us and we are so thankful. We are getting very excited for the Christmas holiday and all that goes along with it.

We hope you all were able to reflect on all the blessings in your life. Much love xoxoxo

Dentist

This is a picture from the dentist yesterday. I love that Alexis feels so comfortable and relaxed when she's there!! Too funny!

1st Grade Picture

I've been waiting for the school pictures to arrive in the backpack for weeks now. They came today and I think (of course) that it turned out so cute. I can't believe how big she's getting. I love to compare the year to year pictures as I put the new one in the frame and I can't believe how fast the time is going!!

Trick or Treat 2010

For some unknown reason I did not take a "formal" picture of the kids with their halloween costumes on?! These are the best I could come up with. We got plenty of use from the costumes this year as we started halloween week by trick-or-treating at our local Wegman's grocery store and then on Thursday we went store to store at the mall. On Sunday we went to Bellefonte and did the regular festivities with little Connor. The kids had a great time and I'm trying now to get rid of the chocolate that is in the house...however, my method of removal isn't the best one!


Matt as Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story

Alexis was our beautiful Snow Princess!!

Jack-O-Lanterns

Today was the day to carve our yearly jack-o-lanterns. The kids both drew their faces on paper first and then Mike carved them out for them. Matthew took a huge step this year and actually pulled the 'guts' out himself. If you look closely (or you can click on the picture to make it bigger) you'll see his facial expressions to see what I mean!

Wonderful Weekend

We had a great weekend!! Friday after school the kids went to Nana and Pop's for the weekend. They spent the day on Saturday at the Pittsburgh Zoo with Nana, Pop, Aunt Kate, Uncle Freddy, Aunt Em and Connor. They had a blast! Mike and I spent the day in the beautiful (but breezy) 57* full sun fall weather. He had his big 50 mile relay race so I went out to watch and cheer him and some friends on throughout the course. Later that night we joined some fellow racers downtown for some drinks and fun. They all did an amazing job out there, it is a very tough course. Sunday was church and then we joined a few friends and their families at Harner Farm for a corn maze and then of course an ice cream cone to finish it off! Again, it was beautiful out. The leaves are changing, the sun was shining and the company was great!! I love weekends like this. As busy as it sounded it was so relaxed! We'll see what this week brings us.


Mike running his final leg of the race.


Harner Farm family picture.

Alexis and Matt enjoying the pumpkins.

A Few Pictures...

This is the sight I found when I looked in the back seat of our car on the way to the beach! Alexis got her own make-up kit from Nana!!


Matthew's 5th birthday part at Grange Fair. I can't believe my baby is 5 already!!


Alexis' first day of 1st grade and Matthew's first day of Jr-K. Much better for Alexis from last year-no tears!!

Warrior Dash

This weekend found Mike and I in Lancaster. John and Betsy flew into Baltimore and joined us for a fun filled few days. I served as photographer, cheerleader, etc as the 3 of them ran the Warrior Dash race! (If you've not heard of it you should look it up, it's pretty cool) It is a 3.15 mile run with 12 (or 13?) obstacles in it. Let me just say I WILL be doing this next year with them. It was so much fun! They all had great times with Mike at 20:35 min, John at 27+/- min and Betsy at 31 +/- min. We are still waiting on the official times from the website but those are our estimates. (Mike had a watch on so he thinks his is pretty close) This race ends with you crawling under barbed wire in the mud and then jumping over 2 rows of fire. After the race it's one big party. They had food, beer, bands and tons of people. So much fun from the normal day to day events! Other than the actual race it was so nice to visit with John and Betsy for a few days! I'm hoping to get some pictures posted as soon as I can figure out what's causing the technical difficulties. Stay tuned...

Technical Difficulties

I am really, really trying to upload some pictures to this blog but for some unknown reason and several attempts it doesn't seem to be happening right now?! I'll keep trying...

Mike and I are headed to Lancaster this weekend to meet up with John and Betsy so the three of them can run the Warrior Dash race. I'm am the cheerleader/photographer so let's hope I can get some pictures posted from it. If you've never heard of it it is a 3.1 mile race with obstacle's set up throughout the course. They end with crawling through the mud to a free beer and a big ole turkey leg...can't wait, sounds fun!

Stay tuned for some pictures...from the race and/or random kid pictures!

xoxo
Megan

Fresh and New

Well here I am again. I'm sure if I went back a few posts I would see that I said I would blog more...and I didn't! I'm turning over a new leaf and what better time than now to start! I've been inspired by a few friends whose blogs I love to read and I know how anxious I get for their new posts so I'm back...

I am not even going to try to catch up from last Christmas but I'll just say it's been BUSY. Alexis started 1st grade in September and Matthew is in his last year of preschool. I remember thinking how long it would be until both my babies were in school all day-seemed like it was forever away-and now we are down to months.

They are both getting excited for the upcoming holidays. The toy magazines are coming in the mail and just as I did as a kid, the highlighting and circling of all the toys that are being wished for is happening! I am as excited for the holidays as the kids. I was just telling Mike tonight that I am practicing such restraint by making myself wait until after Halloween to do my Christmas cards-crazy, I know!

I will try to post some pictures soon. It doesn't seem to want to let me do it right now, hmmm...maybe I've been away a tad to long!?

Much love
Megan