Christmas Tree Time!

Today is one of my favorite days of the year....

....today we go and get our Christmas tree!

Mike worked a half day from home so we were able to leisurely get up and leisurely get ready and leisurely enjoy the day. I brought out all my other Christmas decorations and put those up around the house while I was waiting for him to finish working. Then we headed off to Menards! I know, Menards, but hey, its been the tradition since we got married so that's where we go and probably where we will continue to go although Mike has already mentioned that when the boys
are bigger he wants to experience cutting down our Christmas tree with them. It was colder than we thought out in the yard, but that just makes the experience more fun! :) I think we picked a pretty good tree even though it hadn't had a chance to fall.

I can't wait to decorate it tomorrow!

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself."

Dr. Appointment

Today was another doctor appointment for Cole. I knew that I would have to get the H1N1 shot this time since they didn't have it last time so I wasn't looking forward to that....but.....everything went great! Dr. Flore was right on time (sometimes she's on call and we have to wait awhile) and she was very thorough and spent quite a bit of time with us. Of course, I had to have that awful flu shot afterwards but how lucky for me, I didn't even feel it! I think I make a mountain out of a mole hill when it comes to shots. Next appointment I have to have a glucose test for gestational diabetes - love that orange drink! So thankful that Cole is healthy and doing well!

Christmas Shopping!

Today we met Erica at the Rosedale Mall to do some Christmas shopping.....well, to do Erica's Christmas shopping! :) I tend to start very early and have almost everyone done by the time the Christmas season rolls around. But it was so much fun to get out and relax and go out to eat and get coffee and check out all the deals. I didn't purchase much - just an approved buy at Bath & Body Works to get more oil for our burners (Mike said that we needed to make sure we had replacements on hand - he's a huge smell guy! :) !!) I wasn't planning on staying out that late but we ended up just talking so much at Caribou that the time just got away from us. Oh, and by the way, for anyone that's wondering, even though Caribou has gotten Guittard chocolate to make their hot chocolate (and other drinks) with, it still does not compare in any way to Starbucks hot chocolate! And for those of you out there who have not tried Starbucks hot chocolate, before this Christmas season is over, you HAVE to go to your nearest Starbucks and order a venti hot chocolate - it will change your drinking experience forever! :)

Goofy Boy!

Mike thought it would be funny to have Taylor wear the pop carton on his head and Taylor went for it whole heartedly!!! He walked around the house with it moving his head from side to side and had the best time with it......why do we buy fancy toys again?

Matt & Jess!

Moved! They finally closed on their house! And we are so happy for them! The house is just perfect and the neighborhood is perfect and they are not even that far away!

I thought with them purchasing a house in St. Francis it would be like forever away but it is just a short drive up 65....so nice!

I'm so happy that everything went smoothly and now they are in and ready to LIVE in their house! Congratulations Matt & Jess!

Chocolate Covered Cherries!

It's that time of year again! I can't believe how quickly it comes and how quickly it goes! But what a day it is! Nana watched all the grandbabies again while we went to my Grandma's to make all the cherries. What a treasured memory it is to have that time with my Grandma....I know that one day there will be a time when she's not the one melting the chocolate but right now, I am going to cherish each and every year that we can do this together. Getting 700 cherries done in 7 hours is a pretty good accomplishment and I am happy to say that they are probably the best cherries we have ever made! My sister-in-law is going to be very happy on Sunday when I give her her first sampling - she loves these! Now the holiday season can begin!