Christmas 2011

Wow!  A lot has been going on and I haven't made much time to blog.  What can I say?  It's Christmas time...and we have been rather busy!  Today's post is a collection of photos and stories from the past week.  A lot has happened so please sit back and enjoy the 'show'.  *wink*

Girls Day Out (to finish up our shopping)!

*Sugar, Princess E, Fenway, and Me*

"Mini Winger"...it just seemed fitting.

*wink*

Princess E and Fenway made me laugh all day. 

Was that another reason why they were invited??!!??

Thanks again, ladies!  I love ya!

PQ cleaned his room like a mad man in preparation for the big holiday.

(And I must say he did a MIGHTY FINE job too!)

On Christmas Eve, we went to visit Big Gram.

She was more than thrilled to see the kids!

A little Santa humor...come on, it's her first Christmas!

We celebrated with my side of the family on Christmas Eve.

Papa H and Titi have an ongoing "funniest present exchange".

This year, Titi brought (and wore) all of her past gifts from Papa H.

Oh yes...that's a faux fur coat and gold leopard skin leggings.

HILARIOUS!

Beaner wanted in on the fun.

(Seeing my sporty niece wearing the 'girly' fur was just too much to handle!)

Where did Titi come from exactly?  The girl cracks me up!

(I agree with Country Mouse, Bets...you're not the crazy one!  *wink*)

D-Dawg played "Santa' this year and he did a great job passing out the presents!

Speaking of presents...did you notice the SMILE on Beaner's face?

Oh yeah...she LOVED her girly lotion that we gave her.

I'm telling you...one of these days, she's going to want to wear a dress too!

Well, probably not...but maybe one day.

*wink*

~Thanks again to that 'secret elf' for buying us matchie-matchie warm-up jackets!~

Maybe next year we'll get matching dresses for Christmas Eve...

I doubt that will happen...I love you, Beaner!

*wink*

On Christmas morning, Sugar received her very first stocking filled with toys, baby spoons, and plenty of 'hair pretties'!  With all of that hair, we can't go wrong giving her hair accessories!

PQ's stocking was chuck full of candy, toys, and games.

His favorite stocking stuffers were Nerd Rope and Angry Bird Erasers.

Apparently that 'secret elf' stopped by our house as well.

Matchie-Matchie sweatshirts for PQ and Me!

(Just for the record: I.HEART.MATCHIE-MATCHIE!!)

PQ has been a reading machine lately. 

One of his favorite gifts this year was his Narnia book on CD.

I think this picture sums it up...

Can I get an AMEN, anyone??!!!???

PQ had a great time opening up his presents. 

And I must say that he was a HUGE help to us at every family gathering...thanks again for opening Sugar's presents, PQ!

You're the best big brother she could have!

Later in the day, we ventured to church to celebrate the birth of Jesus with our church family.  Both of the kids got dressed up.  PQ sported a shirt and tie while Sugar wore a fancy dress (and a little fur coat).  They looked fantastic!  (I'm sorry for not getting any pictures!!!)

After church, we headed over to Nana's house to celebrate.

Much to our surprise, Sugar was not the only one wearing fur on Christmas!

Apparently Miss K loves fur just as much as the rest of us!

*wink*

And really, what holiday is complete without a Snuggie??!!??

(Thanks, Aunt Mamie...Little Miss Weenie loves her new pink snuggie...hahaha)

A busy Christmas season but it has definitely been filled with some amazing memories.  Merry Christmas, Everyone!  I hope you're all enjoying the holiday season as much as we are!

XOXOXOXO

Merry Christmas!

A VERY Merry Christmas indeed! 

Merry Christmas from our family to yours...

We've Been Busy...

Something to think about...

If that doesn't change the way you pray (or encourage you to start),

I don't know what will...

Grampa went shopping today...

Sugar got her very first pair of 'real' sneakers today.   PQ got a pair as well...but not pink size 2's like his little sister.  *wink*

Bow Tie Madness!

Last night was PQ's Christmas program for school.  This year, PQ decided that he wanted to be "the first kid in the history of SCS Chrismas Programs wearing a bow tie".  Well, here you have it...

Introducing 'The Coolest Kid I Know'...

and his beautiful little sister!



Say What???!!!???

Well, I've heard it all.  Never in a million years did I ever expect my son to come out with this one.

PQ informed me this afternoon that he was starting a "Dictionary Club".  I tried to refrain from giggling as I probed him further about this said club.  He had it all mapped out in his head.  Apparently, children are going to travel from afar to be a part of his club.  Each member will bring their own dictionary and they will each take turns looking up words of interest.  The club is going to meet every Saturday at 4pm, however, he will need to arrive by 3pm to set up.  I asked him where the group would be meeting and he said that they would be meeting at his school on the playground.  I questioned him a little further about who would be joining the club and apparently 8 students from his class have committed to regular attendance.  (I wonder if their parents know about it??!!??)

I told PQ that we could host the club at our house, if that's something that he really wanted to do.  And without hesitation, he said "Yes, that would be better.  And I will need a table set up in the livingroom for our club meetings".  I reminded PQ that his club could meet in our basement where the game room has been set up.  I think he liked that idea...because afterall, every dictionary club meeting will eventually turns into an air hockey tournament, right??  *wink*

Dictionary Club....yup, that's a first for me.  But if you or someone you know would like to join, I can point you to the club President.  He's always accepting new applications.  *wink*

ADORABLE!!!  Absolutely adorable!  I love PQ!

Our Family Christmas Tree

There were big things going on in the H Family House this weekend, that's for sure!   As the Christmas season has been approaching, so has our eagerness to put up the Christmas tree.  It never fails...PQ and I always want to put the tree up WAY EARLIER than Papa H.  This year was no different but with all that has been going on with our family, we haven't had time to think about putting up the tree.  That is, not until this past weekend!

But wait...it gets better!  For years Papa H has been trying to convince me to buy a real tree.  But for whatever reason, I've always barked at the idea.  Perhaps it was the fear of having the tree start a fire in our house.  Or perhaps it was because of the mess.  Who knows??!!!??  All I know is that Papa H prefers a real Christmas tree so this year, I opted to 'go with it' when he mentioned it.  He was a little shocked, to say the least.

PQ picked out the tree all by himself...and it's perfect!

YIPPEEEEE!  We can finally put up the Christmas tree!

Seriously...we are SO PSYCHED about it!

After putting the tree up on Saturday afternoon, we decided to leave the tree bare for the time being.  We had family coming over for dinner that evening so we thought that it would be fun to decorate the tree with everyone who was there.  After dinner, we brought everyone (Uncle, Grampa, Grammy, Uncle L, Titi, D-Dawg, and Beaner) out into the livingroom to decorate the tree.  Everyone put at least one ornament on the tree before the kids finished up the project on their own.

Uncle pretended to give Papa H a cone head. 

These two have such a unique relationship...they crack me up!

Thanks again to the kids for doing such a great job!
(Sorry you missed Sugar...she was catching up on her beauty sleep.)

...And thanks for making everyone laugh!

Family time...there's nothing quite like it, is there?  It's music to my soul.  I love having family and friends over to visit...but during the Christmas season, it seems to warm my heart even more than it typically does.  Man oh man...I love the Christmas holiday!

Apparently, we are all a little tired!

BoBana Loves Sugar!

SUGAR: Did you hear??!!!??  My friend, BoBana (Baby Sunshine) is coming over to visit me!  She loves me....a lot!  A lot a lot...Did I mention that she loves me a lot??!!??  I better take a nap before she arrives.

BoBana is HERE! 

Wake up, Baby Sugar!

SUGAR: Hi, BoBana!  It's so nice to see you (so close)!

SUGAR:  Mom!  Is this how Beaner used to be with PQ??!!??



SUGAR: I like that you love me, BoBana...but I think I need another nap.  I'm exhausted from all of this lovin'.  Will you come back and see me again real soon?

BOBANA: Of course, I will, Baby Sugar.  SMOOOCH!





Traditions and/or Certainties

Over the past several days, I have been trying to make sense of everything that happened so quickly with Auntie. Although I still can't wrap my head around all of the little details, I can reflect on what a great life she had. She lived 77 years and within that time, she became known for a few signature items. When I think about the legacy that she left behind, I immediately think of all of the wonderful things that she did for people. She had a heart of gold and she wanted everyone to feel special.

Beyond her character traits that we all remember, there were certain things that remained a constant. I don't know if I should call them traditions or certainties. Either way, they are things that stand out in my mind every single time I think of Auntie. For example, she never left the house without a pair of slippers in her purse. As silly as it might sound, her slippers became one of her signature items. In addition to the slippers, you could always find her wearing a particular red zip-up sweatshirt when she was lounging around at home. Or how about the numerous Noah's Ark figurines that she has collected over the years. And what about the fact that she would Vaccum her house at 4 o'clock in the morning...every.single.morning!

I could go and on about the traditions and certainties that come to mind when I think of Auntie. I would imagine that I will be sharing more on these quirks in due time but for now, I want to hear from you. Do you have a 'signature' tradition or certainty that people will remember YOU for? If so, I would love to hear about it. (As an aside please know that these quirks make you memorable to the people around you. Don't feel silly about whatever it is that people remember you for...instead embrace them and know that the people closest to you will always have pleasant memories of your uniqueness.)

Auntie: 1/18/34 - 11/21/11

I love you, Auntie!

I mattered to her...

Today was a rough day for me. I spent the majority of the day processing what has happened and what is yet to come. We never really expect a love one to die but it is a very real part of life. Auntie's life touched me more than I realized. While I always knew that her and I were close, I never really gave it much thought. I guess you could say that I took it for granted. I loved spending time with her and I did so often. But now that this has happened, I wonder if I told her that I loved her enough. And that's just it...we can never assume that we've told someone that we love them enough.

The conversations that took place today were heavy. They ranged from discussions about living wills to a saving knowledge of Christ. I guess you just never know when something like this will happen to someone that you love so dearly. Up until this past week, the words 'living will' terrified me. They were the words that I never really wanted to talk about with anyone in my family. Perhaps it was because deep down I didn't want to think about someone close to me dying...but after this week, I realize how critical a living will really is.

A living will is different than an actual will that many of us are familiar with. A living will is a legal document that a person uses to make their medical wishes known regarding life prolonging medical treatments. It summarizes your medical treatment in the event that you are unable to speak for yourself. It outlines exactly what you would like doctors to do..and not to do with regards to your treatment plan. In situations like we are currently in, it allows the patient to decide the course of treatment. In Auntie's case, her wishes were made known to Uncle prior to this tragedy and he has since relayed that information to the doctors. Per her wishes, there will be no medical intervention.

Tomorrow is a day that will forever change our lives. At 1pm, we will be meeting with the team of doctors who have been treating Auntie since she arrived at their hospital. A family meeting will be taking place to determine where she will spend the next few days before she passes. My heart aches for her but I know that she would not want to be kept alive by a machine. My heart hurts the most for Uncle. Nobody ever plans to be alone. I can only image how much pain he is feeling right now. He told me today that he had so many things that he wanted to say to her. My heart aches for him more than anything.

I hate that situations like this are a reminder to us that we can never take things for granted. You just never know when it might be the last time you get to hold someone's hand...or kiss them goodnight...or tell them that you love them. The simple things that we often assume the other person already knows. But what if they don't already know how much they mean to us? Do we really want to wonder whether someone knows deep down that they matter to us?

As I drove home from the hospital, I told Papa H how much my relationship with Auntie meant to me. I adore her and I know she felt the same way about me. She is the only person in my life that 'pops-in' unannounced just to say hello and check in in me and my family. She came by often to see me because I mattered to her. She told me countless times that I was like a daughter to her. Looking back on it all, I love that she has always been a constant in my life...and I in hers.

I feel so blessed to have had her in my life for as long as I have. I love her with all my heart...

He is my strength.

A lot has happened over the past two days. You just never know when someone might be leaving this life...it all can happen in a flash. On Thursday morning, my aunt had a severe brain hemorrhage and she is currently in critical care. The doctors do not expect her to make it...and while our family waits for more updates, I am desperately leaning on God for His strength.

Please join me in prayer for my Auntie, her husband, and the rest of our family.

Perhaps...

With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us, I can't help but wonder what people have planned. Most people have family traditions that might include large gatherings, several different options for dessert, and a nap during the late afternoon hours. I myself fall into this category. I'm blessed beyond measure. I have so much to be thankful for.

But what about the people next door? Or how about the people that we see every morning on our way to work? Do they have plans to celebrate the holiday with someone they love? Or with someone that loves them? Do they feel thankful for this life? I wonder how many people around us feel lonely during the holidays. Perhaps someone's spouse has passed away or perhaps someone's spouse is in a nursing home. Perhaps someone's son or daughter is fighting for our country. Perhaps someone has never had a family to call their own. Perhaps there are circumstances and situations that are very real to people that we can't even begin to imagine.

I wonder what would happen if we each extended an abundance of love to the people around us. Perhaps someone right in your own neighborhood needs to feel loved and valued this holiday season. Perhaps this is the year to seek out those around you and make sure that they have a family to surround them during these holidays that are intended to be filled with love and joy.

Perhaps this is your year to step out of your comfort zone and invite someone over...perhaps...

For Daddy...

More Time With Papa H

A lot can happen in five years.  There's no question in my mind that our lives have changed.  Our focus is different.  Our motivations have changed.  And our priorities are where they should be. 

Over the past two weeks, a lot has happened for our family.  I don't want to overwhelm anyone with the details so for now, I'm going to keep it simple.  My husband continues to blow me away.  He is such an amazing man.  He is a man of integrity and compassion.  He is a man with a heart for his family and he is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that his family has everything they need.

For years, he has been working for various companies in upper-management capacities.  For years, he has been feeling disconnected from all the 'fun' stuff that we get to do while he's at work.  For years, he has been yearning for more time with his family.  And just last week, he was presented with a new job opportunity that will allow him to be at home more with our family.  The money was comperable to what he has been making, his hours will be from 6am until 2pm, and the benefits are much better than what we've had.  (Did I mention that he will be working 15 hours LESS per week than what he has been??  Oh man, I am so excited for him!)

We couldn't be more thrilled and excited for this new job opportunity for him.  We are so proud of him...and we are honored that he would make this move to benefit our family.  We love you, Papa H!

Offline...

Sorry for the lapse...we've been offline for over a week. I have tons of things to share...lots of pictures to download...and plenty of new developments to report out. Unfortunately, tonight's not the night. I'm exhausted and I need to get to bed. Please be sure to check back over the next several days, as I will be updating and sharing as the days go by. Until then, stay well, my friends.

Crazy New England Weather

 I've lived in New England all my life.  I know all the jokes about 'crazy' New England weather.  I remember wearing t-shirts one day and then snow boots the next.  But today, Little Miss Sugar got to experience the 'crazy' weather herself.  Welcome to New England, Baby Girl.  *wink*

From tropical appeal in the morning...

...to her first snowfall by night.

Welcome Home, Sugar!