christmas (came) early

He leaves this afternoon and heads to Cape Cod tomorrow with dad, so we thought we would let him do Christmas with us a little early.

Our family tradition that has come from Mark's childhood family tradition, is to read from the book of Luke on Christmas morning, about the birth of Jesus. The last few years we have let Hunter be the one to read the story from the bible and he will until his sister is old enough to rotate and read with him.

{Hunter reading to us the birth of Jesus}

This year Hunter requested a 'big boy' bible of his own. The one he has is for 'little boys' and so with the gift money from Nana Jan and Papa Mark Baniewicz, Mark was able to find this fabulous boys bible. If you have young boys, this is a must have boy bible. I absolutely love it.

For each book of the bible, it tells you who are the authors of writing that book and the purpose of that book in the bible. It really breaks things down for them to understand things, but its cool enough and laid out in an adult fashion that they are getting a very "grown up" book.

{His new boys bible}

{can be found on Amazon}

Then after unwrapping many 'Red Sox" things like a beanie cap, beach towel, backpack.....

He opened up his BIG Christmas gift of the year.

An autographed travel jersey that was actually worn during season of 2009 by Red Sox pitcher, Clay Buchholz.

{The actual jersey worn by Clay here....}

{...is now being worn by my 9-year-old son!!!}

Think he is happy?

My good friend and old roommate and her now husband, Clay Buchholz, went over and beyond to make this such a special Red Sox Christmas for this little guy. Lindsay lived with us when Hunter was about two-years-old. Just a little guy.

The message from Clay says:

Hunter,

This is a game-used jersey!

Thanks for being the biggest Sox fan!

Best Wishes!

Clay Buchholz #61

Remember this post and this post? See how fun it is during baseball season in our home?

{Morgan had to give it a twirl too!}

And to add a little more fun to it all. I put a lot of thought and heart into finding our families stockings. Did I want matching ones that looked all nice and pretty displayed for people to see? Or did I want to get stockings for each of our personalities that would be fun and make for great conversation pieces when people came into our home?

Exactly!!

I wanted something unique and something that you won't see in many homes!

A Red Sox and a Yankees Christmas stocking hanging side by side during the Christmas holidays!

By the way....

Clay and Lindsay are officially married as of November 14th, 2009. I was so bummed to miss the wedding, but it was a beautiful fairy-tale wedding for my girlfriend, Mrs. Lindsay Clubine Buchholz.

To see more photos, friend Lindsay on Facebook here. Also, Ill be posting all my Christmas photos on Facebook as well, so if you haven't already, come friend me here.

Dear Clay and Lindsay,

I can't put into words how thankful I am to the both of you for making this special Red Sox Christmas take place for (as Clay said it) the BIGGEST Red Sox fan!! He was so surprised and full of smiles while reading the message Clay wrote to him on the back. For you guys it was a special treat doing this for Hunter. For Hunter, it is something that he will be able to cherish and keep for the rest of his life..... even if you (Clay) get traded to some other team. To him (and a lot of us) you will always be a Red Sox player first.

Congratulations to you both again on your wedding. Thank you so much for a magical Christmas for a 9-year-old boy. Lindsay, you have gotten to watch him grow into this little man he is today. I can't wait to watch the same when you guys start growing a family of your own.

Merry Christmas to you guys.

And a Merry Christmas to all of YOU reading this here today.

God Bless!

so much holiday in this post

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It looks like Christmas in this post!

a little taste of Christmas in Florida

If we can't get Florida to feel like Christmas, we will just do our best to bring the Christmas feel to Florida.

You see, if you close all the blinds, turn on all the Christmas decorations in the home and listen to holiday music, while you fill the house with the smell of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies and the sound of laughter of children running around. You can forget about the 75 degree temperature and rain outside here on this island people call the 'State of Florida' and have a little taste of Christmas in Florida.

It isn't the midwest where you walk outside to 20 inches of snow. Temperatures so cold your car won't start and your mouth looks like its an oven with smoke rushing out of it every time its opened.

It really is hard to get that 'Christmas feeling' here in South Florida. Especially if you are from the midwest or any place where its cold this time of year, or you even have snow.

I guess for those that are born and raised here in Florida, it really is Christmas to them. Its what they know.

I know differently, and so for that it makes it hard to get in the Christmas groove around here.

But we do our best......

{Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal - No Bake Cookies}

{our decorations for our bread house}

{for me, it was my first bread house ever}

{the FINAL product}.... so pretty. Hunter did a fabulous job.

(photo taken with cell phone: below)

{waiting for the bread house to set before decorating it}

night and day (part II)

Remember this face? Did you read this post?

{old school}

Looks like a big difference to me. Agree?

{new school}

Morgan is really loving her new school. I mean LOVES it!

Each day she has school, we ask her when she wakes if she wants to go to school. Her response is always with a sleepy smile "kayyyy."

We eat, get dressed and pack her bag and head to school.

She walks in and greets all her friends with a smile and hugs the teacher.

Today I spent about an hour in her class with her and just watched the things they do, and boy are they busy.

Morgan was running around, smiling, laughing and playing with her friends. While her friends where more interested in mommy and mommy's camera.

Anyways, I am in the process of writing my letter to get it into the right hands regarding the other school. I just wanted to share with you the "happy" update of this story and hopefully I make it a happy ending for many other kids and parents once I get my letter out. Ill keep you posted.

To enjoy all the photos from her school today, click here.

oh yea

Recently, I have found myself going in circles. I say often either in my head or out loud "I'm always going in circles." Its so true.

As a mother of one or multiple children, you know your work is never ending. There is always laundry to do. If there isn't, give it another 15 minutes and BAM! like magic dirty clothes appear in the laundry basket. There is always mouths to feed. Toys to clean up. Diapers to change. Pets to feed. Something to do.

I often find myself doing one of these:

I get up to go into the kitchen. Realize the cats are hungry, so I walk into the area where their food is to fill the bowls. Realize there is cat food on the floor around their bowls, so I walk to the garage to grab the broom and dust pan. In the hallway as I get the dust pan and broom I realize there is litter on the floor from the littler box and my day begins......

I begin sweeping up the litter.

I finish sweeping it up and go to empty the dust pan into the garbage can in the kitchen.

"OH YEA".... I forgot to sweep up the cat food.

"OH YEA" ... I forgot to feed the cats too.

Go to put the broom away and the dust pan...."OH YEA"..... I forgot about the load of clothes in the dryer.

Instead of taking clothes out, I hit "touch up" for another 13 minutes. Why 13? Well it wasn't quiet ten minutes as that seems too short, and not quiet 15 minutes as that probably isn't necessary for clothes that truly are ready to be taken out of dryer and be put away. I am just buying myself 13 minutes here.

"Oh yea.... I need to make up Hunters bed."

"Morgan, mommy will get your juice in a minute."

"Oh yea...... I need to make my bed up too."

"Morgan, do not color on the walls, that is for paper at the table only."

"Oh wait...let me wash these dishes first, I am tired of looking at them already."

"Morgan please do not do flips on the couch."

"Oh wait.... I forgot to do Hunters bed."

"Morgan please stop pulling the cats by their tails."

"Crap.... still didn't feed the cats."

"Morgan you ready for a snack?"

Finally I feed the cats.... It only took an hour and 23 minutes to feed the dang cats.

{If I don't hear any complaining then that means the cats and Morgan each got their own food and not the other way around.}

Some of you are laughing right now because it also exactly how you spend most of your time. Running around in circles saying "oh yea."

I feel like every little thought leads to another.....and then to that an action and before I know it, I feel like I have done so much, and its not even noon yet. Then I look around and it appears I haven't really done much at all.

But I am exhausted.

"Morgan, mommy said do not stand up in the chair."

It can make anyone feel a bit on the crazy side. Heck I may be on the crazy side already.

I feel that hustle bustle and my "oh yea's" have doubled during the month of December. Between all the work, traveling, new school for Morgan, changes in routine, holiday shopping and planning. I haven't had time to slow down to really enjoy this holiday season.

It's so different these days.

Instead of actually going out shopping for special unique and thoughtful gifts for those you love. Everyone is swapping checks or handing out gift cards. Part of it makes it easier, but then there is that part that takes away the fun. The excitement of seeing that person open up a gift and be surprised, and actually liking what YOU picked out for them. Often times you send money or a gift card and you never see or hear about what your money actually got that person.

That's not for me.

I enjoy Christmas shopping. I love gift giving. I love searching and thinking outside of the box to find something that the person I am giving to will love. I believe having to take the extra time to really put thought into a gift for someone, that means you also have to get to know them that much more. The gift cards and money is an easy way out. Its doesn't force you to think. It doesn't force you have to put thought into what that person is into. And it allows for the hustle bustle to go even faster.

So, I am taking myself back into history for a little bit here.

I didn't send out gift cards to anyone this year. I didn't send money this year. I actually took the time to see what each of my family members are into. What are their likes this year. What would really make them smile and surprise them that I knew them well enough to pick something that would rock their worlds.

I am determined to not let all this high tech, fast money and hustle bustle take away the one time of the year that I get to think of my friends and family, buying them gifts just to let them know how much they mean to me and make me smile for loving me back.

So today....

I told myself to slow it down.

When I did slow down....

I had a little fun.....check it out.

My tree.

{an all bow decorated tree - makes for a toddler friendly tree}

{I love my christmas tree bird}

{My two boys}

OH YEA..... I need to go take that load out of the dryer now!
"Morgan, mommy heard you the first time..... hang on."
Oh yea!!!


Happy Holidays!!!