One Year

It seems like it's been almost a year since I've blogged! Somehow, somewhere along the way I just lost my mojoe when it came to blogging. I use to love it. I've tried countless times to come here and write. In fact, I have countless posts saved but once I read them, I realized how depressing they sounded so I scratched posting them. But I realized something today. The point of this blog was to chronicle the life of my family. And that's not always going to be peaches and roses. So maybe if I just get the bad stuff out of the way, i can move on and get back to telling stories of my four year old screaming "damn it" from the bathtub and talking about poop. Besides, my bad is trivial in the grand scheme of things. So many people have it so much worse.

So on with the show! What I mean by the title of the post is simple. It's been one year since we moved into our new house. Our house that has definitely become our home. A lot has happened since moving here. Some good and some bad. Among the good I like to count the new neighbors and friends we have made since moving here. I'm so thankful to have some of these people in my life. I'm also thankful to have reconnected with old friends. Since moving here, Little Bit moved up two classes at school. Next up, Pre-K! Reggie the cat joined our family and life with a cat has been interesting. The hair! God the puffs of hair I find in corners and on the steps! And Miss Stella came along in August.

But unfortunately there has been a lot bad. We lost our sweet Oscar the Boxer boy in July. I don't think we'll ever quite get over that one. We still field questions from Little Bit. She declares constantly that she misses him and that it's been a long long time since she saw him.

I was diagnosed with melanoma, otherwise known as skin cancer and I'm looking at a surgery and possibly worse if I don't get the all clear from the tests. The words "no more tanning bed" scare me. There's nothing ickier in my shallow world than a tubby pasty me! But the words "possible chemo" scare me even more.

Tax season is back in full swing. And I don't think anyone quite understand how much that effing sucks. It stinks only seeing your husband who does A LOT a total of about 3 hours out of the day and one of those hours includes getting ready to head out the door in the morning. But as the Pioneer Woman quotes frequently on her blog per the good mafia wife, "this is the life I have chosen." HA! But Soph and I miss him terribly. I despise not being able to sit down at the dinner table together every evening.

And that new puppy. The one who helped to heal the gaping hole in our heart from Oscar the Boxer. She has a terminal kidney disease. No one can really say when she'll have to leave us but unfortunately it will be sooner rather than later in terms of having a pet. One vet says probably a year. I'm such a glass empty kind of person that I can't help but think of the end point. Of having to rip back open that wound that hasn't even quite healed the whole way. The questions again. The impossible answers. And just the general underlying sadness of the whole ordeal. We'd like to think that Stella was given to us for a reason. But reality tells keeps slapping us in the face reminding us that shitty things just tend to happen. Maybe it's karma and I need a list like Earl.

So on that note, I'll go ahead and cut this short so I can get back to regular scheduled programming. On a good note, the last season of Lost is on and it rocks! Tons of my friends are pregnant so there are lots of new babies coming this way in the fall. I have a sorority reunion in April. I'm the proud owner of a Bear Grylls fleece thanks to my awesome and thoughtful husband's Valentine gift to me. Nothing says I love you like a guy who eat maggots and grubs for a living. And Little Bit's princess birthday is coming up in a few weeks. So we'll just keep on keeping on.

Christmas 2009

Christmas with a three year old was definitely unlike any Christmas I've ever experienced. Sophie B. really got into the magic of season. Chewy, our Elf on the Shelf kept her laughing everyday. Santa was a topic of conversation everyday. And for 25 days the doors on our advent house were almost ripped off the hinges!

Our trip to the most expensive place on earth Disney World the week before Christmas put somewhat of a wrench into our Christmas plans. It made for a hectic and rushed week leading up to Christmas when we came back. Come Christmas morning, Mickey Mouse couldn't hold a candle to the guy in the red suit who some how knew that a certain little girl had her heart set on a barbie jeep.

Pouring "coca-cola classic" for Santa. We figured that milk would get warm and nasty by the time he made it to our house.

Rounding the corner to see what had been left...

Watch out people/parked cars/animals and objects. Soph has wheels!

Channeling Alvin, "me I want a hula hoop!"

The Most Magical Place on Earth

So last week was our big trip to Disney. Some called us crazy, but we DROVE. And i can honestly say that I could not be happier with that decision. Little Bit is a ROCK STAR in the car. We made it to Orlando in about 13 hours with only 3 stops. That included a late lunch about 1n hour away at the ole Bob Evans.

Steven was only able to spend one whole day at the Magic Kingdom with us. But we made it a marathon day. Cramming in a ton of characters and rides.

I'll keep this post short and just post some pics. I'll blog more about the trip when I have time. Right now I have presents to wrap!

First guy we ran into, Goofy!

Waiting for Mickey is hard to do!

The VIPs.

The castle looked beautiful decorated for Christmas!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

When we bought this house last February I think I started planning a Christmas party right away. And when Janice mentioned wanting to have an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party, I KNEW we had to have one. We tracked down a dickie and Steven went as Cousin Eddie. Love my husband! Next year we are going bigger and better. I'm thinking entertainment, perhaps karaoke or hand bells. Ok, onto the pictures.

Jered wore an "ugly" sweater, just not an Ugly Christmas Sweater. Props for channeling Bill Cosby.

The award presentation. The Jelly of the Month Club. The gift that keeps on giving the whole year!

The 3 finalists. Mark for "keeping it real". Joel for wearing his mama's sweater. Brian for wearing his musical, light up ensemble!

The law school gang. The key is go gaze off to the side.

The A&F gang got really into it!

He's Back!

Guess who was parked on top of our Christmas tree when we walked in from all of our Thanksgiving travels? Chewy, the Elf on the Shelf! I thought Sophie B. would pee her pants when she spotted him hanging out on a branch. So he's back and he's taking notes to report back to Santa.

His story somehow landed on her bed. We had to read it immediately. Of course the most important thing about Chewy is that he can't be touched. Once touched, his magic disappears. Then I guess you are SOL because there is no one to report back to Santa whether you've been naughty or nice.

And of course we had to do some goofing off with the Christmas ornaments.

Now we are parked on my bed watching old school Rudolph. Tis the season! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

10 On Tuesday

1. Still on a giant Scooby Doo kick around here. Apparently, I bare a striking resemblance to Velma. Whereas my daughter says she looks like the "pretty one" with the "cool scarf" around her neck.

Exhibit A: Mama

Exhibit B: Sophia

Now the bad part of this is that the other day I ordered an orange sweater. A few weeks later, I ordered a red skirt from the same place. The catalogue had them paired together with a purple scarf. Sounds crazy but looked cute. There ain't no way I'm wearing that orange sweater and red skirt together! See exhibit A.

2. My house is officially decorated for Christmas. If GiGi were a Smurf she'd be Christmas Smurf because she came over on Sunday and helped me to do some serious decorating. She can whip up a wreath in .2 seconds. And her secret, fishing line.

3. Ugly Christmas Sweater party is set for December 5. Steven's ensemble is hilarious. Thanks to my aunt for sending me not one but 2 dickies from Uncle Kev's stash. Funny, she said that I did NOT have to return them. Said that the were just going to "disappear."

4. We are about 20 days away from seeing "the mouse" And I'll be truthful, Sophia Carr could really give a flying sh*t. I'm pumped to be spending some serious cash on tickets.

5. My cousin Shane is headed to Afghanistan next week. Stinks.

6. I'm in a "hate the world" kind of mood today.

7. But wait, I saw New Moon and it was awesome despite the awkward pauses stupid Bella screaming as though she's in child birth during her "bad dreams." So maybe I don't hate the world. I came out of the theater on Team Jacob.

8. We are headed to PA on Wednesday for Thanksgiving. Four days full of cousins, a puppy, and craziness! Stella is going to have PapPap's blood pressure going through the roof! But she'll have an ally in Aunt Amy. We are doing our Christmas gift exchange while we are there since we stay down here for Xmas. I know what Soph is getting and lets just say that I have a feeling Snoopy snow cones will be forced upon everyone.

9. Pierced ears have been a hot topic around here lately. Soph's intrigued by them, wants them, but also knows that there is pain involved so the chicken in her takes over. I'm leery because even if she does go through with it, I know that she'll fight me to the death taking care of them.

I chickened out on multiple occasions. The first time, i was 4 and went with my best friend. I made the mistake of letting Allison go first so I saw what went down and said, hell no. Then finally a few weeks later my great aunt was watching me and i announced that I was ready to bite the bullet. Not wanting me to change my mind she said, "get in the car, lets roll!" I distinctly remember that I had on wonder woman under-roos. That's it. And I remember her taking me down to a small town beauty shop, climbing up in the chair, and that was that. In my under-roos PEOPLE!

10. On that note, I'm out. I'll leave you with a photo of Hanna Montana. This was from a birthday party where Sophia's behavior was class act. NOT.

44 Months

Daphne, I mean Sophie,

Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you? Perhaps you are in Puerto Rico chasing el chupacabra. Running from ghastly ghost pirates (my personal favorite). Or maybe you are hanging out with Sunny and Cheer, the Harlem Globetrotters, Batman & Robin, or Don Knotts. It all blurs together considering that I've watched no less than 3432 episodes in the last month. All I know is that you can't get enough of the Scoob.

The highlight of this past month was of course trick-or-treating. This year we ventured over to Ben's neighborhood since there are only 7 kids in our new neighborhood. Why is it that kids feel the need to run as fast as they can to each house. It's as though you truly believe that they are going to run out of candy before you can reach their doorstep. So run you did, and fall you did. Skinning your knee and causing us to make a quick costume alteration in the middle of the street. But you picked yourself up, dusted yourself off, and quickly ran to the next house. We chuckled when you announced to a few people that you couldn't eat peanuts but not to worry, you would give those snickers bars to your mom and dad. Thanks for thinking about us baby girl!

You are still a kid who loves music. And I hope you are always a music lover. And I hope you always love such a wide variety of music. Nothing makes me laugh more to hear you break out in a song that it's particularly age appropriate. The other day your daddy was dumbfounded when you broke out into a chorus of "Walkin After Midnight." On the way back from the mall the other day you told Gigi, that you "woke up dis morning, smiled at the rising sun." And I often hear you, singing, "a hip hop, a hippie the hippie to the hip hop, you don't stop the rock."

You love all of the kids in the neighborhood. Every.Single.One.Of.Them.Nicholas, Nathanial, Zack, Toby, Tanner. And I love that you love them. I love that you get excited when you see someone outside and run as fast as you can to join them. I love how you go next door, ring the doorbell and ask politely if so and so can come out and play. I love how we literally have to bring you inside kicking and screaming when it's time to go to bed. I'm so happy that we moved here. When I told you that some little girls would be moving in to the house down the street you got so excited and immediately asked if they were going to be your friend and play outside with everyone.

Christmas is right around the corner and you didn't need anyone to tell you that fact. You've asked me countless times if "Chewy" the Elf on the Shelf would be able to find your new house because he needed to report to Santa how good of a girl you were being. And also, that the jeep that you want is pink.

This coming month we'll be heading to Grammy and PapPap's for Thanksgiving. So far you have told me that you are thankful for dinner with your family, Reggie, and Stella. But not spiders or lady bugs. In fact, you "hate their guts." Oh and you are thankful for John Denver and yesterday on the way to school you asked me if he would be able to play his guitar at your school Christmas show. When I explained to you that unfortunately, John Denver is in heaven, and not almost heaven anymore, you said, "oh, well then I guess Michelle's daddy will have to play then." Poor old John Denver. Who needs him when you've got Michelle's daddy. Maybe your daddy could come to school and swing a golf club for the class.

So happy 44 months Little Bit. This time next month we'll be hanging with Mickey Mouse. And big surprise for you is that your friend Allie from school is going to be there too! Same week, and same hotel! What are the chances. Of course I'm not sure why we are spending so much money taking you to Disney World when for $5 there's a perfectly good Snow White in Hurricane. Who knew!

Love Mama