Mama's Gift Guide for Christmas

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It's doesn't feel much like Christmas around here. We just got some cold weather but for sometime now it was warm, gloomy and rainy. We decided on not getting a tree for maybe the simple fact that we have nothing to decorate it with. We're in this clearing out mode rather than buying more things that we'd have to pack and move in the coming months. We are starting slowly to pack up things into bins and label them. I'm kind of a freak about organization. In the last 5 years, my motto has been less is more but for some reason, I keep accumulating more things. Of course having a child creates more things, so I adopted an attitude of research and awareness. Almost everything I buy, I research it (reviews) and figure out where and what it's function will be in the house or for my wardrobe :). It's nice to start getting rid, basically donate, the things that no longer work for us. I would like this move to be a fresh start on the whole family. Olivia's getting bigger and closer to having a "big" girl room, Zach will have a new job in his field (crossing fingers) and I will be a exploring all the ways of supporting my creative side as well as my family side. It's coming soon and I'm really excited for it but first organize, donate, label and research. So my Christmas list consist of things that I'm replacing - like the boots (love them!) or adding - mainly jewelry. I definitely need pajamas for cooler months // Mixing bowls are a must in my house - my mother had this green set // and a sweet little "I love my family" sticker for my car // I'm not really into putting stickers on cars but I like having one thing that can help me find my car in a parking lot full of cars - so that's the function :)

Thanks Well-Rounded Giving 2012

I must say this year was the most well-rounded Thanksgiving I've ever experienced. We were invited to spend Thanksgiving with one of Zach's oldest buddies (high school days). They're probably the most relaxed family I've had the pleasure to hang with. I loved it. The house was set out in the country (9 acres), dogs running around, amazingly fresh food served (including Siembra Farm), good ole' gun shooting (first time ever shooting a real gun... and I thoroughly enjoyed it), amazing people to converse with including the small people running around, a family magician (yeah, there was even a magic show for the kids), Pee Wee's playhouse playing on the TV, Egg Nog, Wine, Guitar playing, Singing... I mean it was just the best. It's hard for me to say this when I didn't spend any part of it with my family. I definitely missed my family and I kind of wished they would have just came over to this house to sing and play. Over the years, the holidays seem to get more stressful especially with a kid. Packing the car, making sure she's on schedule (which never happens // equalling a child running around at 11 o'clock at night), traffic, family drama always creeps in (definitely on my side of the family), driving to my dads for a second helping of food (I have done this for half my life), overstuffed, sleepy - It just gets too crazy. This year we simply jumped in the car and drove 30 mins north. That's it, no traffic, just country space with a beautiful blue sky. Olivia could not get enough of this place - running around, playing with the other kids, eating dirt, following the dogs around... so a big THANKS to the Galligan's for inviting us to their sweet home on Thanksgiving. So here are some photos of our well-rounded Thanksgiving but first, a little Olivia photo shoot that happened earlier that day :)