Weekend Recap

It was one of those weekends where we didn’t have a whole lot planned and ended up being super busy.

Saturday consisted of grocery shopping (which always seems to take forever) and a lunch outing.  We’re planning S’s third birthday and needed to pick up a catering menu so figured we might as well stay and have lunch.  We headed home and worked on cleaning the house (pointless) while A shampooed the carpeting in our dining room.  I’m not sure where the time went, but the evening seemed to pass by in a blur.

Sunday we went to church and then attended open house at the school we plan to send W to.  Prior to going, I definitely had reservations, but I ended up loving the school.  Seeing the classrooms also helped W immensely.  He had previously mentioned he was really nervous about attending a new school, but after the open house, he said he was really excited.  I loved seeing all the artwork and activities displayed.  We met both kindergarten teachers and heard the daily schedule.  I was really impressed.  Our only concern is that there is sometimes a wait list to get into this school so we’ll have to wait to find out if W can attend. 

The remainder of the day included going to the grocery store again (we went to Target on Saturday and while they do have groceries, they don’t have a lot of produce) and making French Onion soup.  We did have a little scare in the afternoon.  A was downstairs with the boys while I was trying to clean up the toy room (why do I bother?) and I heard him say, “What happened?!?!” and then he yelled for me.  I knew something was wrong.  I ran to the basement door to see W walking up the stairs, his face covered in blood.  I grabbed him and sat him on the counter so I could assess his wound.  With the amount of blood, I thought he might need stitches.  He actually stopped bleeding pretty quickly so we assumed he was ok (is there a rule for stitches vs. no stitches??).  He did have a deep gash, but it was small.  We came to find out that he was jumping on his mini trampoline and lost his balance.  He somehow hit his head on a screw that sticks out of the trampoline (that’s the way it was designed, which is really stupid).  A bandaid and a popsicle later, he was fine.  Also, he wasn’t even crying when this happened?!?  He told A, “it feels like something is dripping off my head”.  He only started crying when he realized our concern.

A and I finished the weekend with an episode of This is Us.  We’re still a couple episodes behind and I’ve seen a few spoilers already. L 

A and I had also hoped to go out on Saturday, but our baby-sitter had a family matter to take care of.  I’m in need of a break so hoping we can reschedule soon.  And this morning we found out that one of our offices is closing and 25 people lost their jobs.  I’m so sad and disappointed.  This is not the same company I joined in 2012. L  I keep hoping things will get better at work, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Friday Thoughts

So funny story… the boys both sleep well during the night (finally…praise the Lord!).  W is not potty trained through the night so he stays in his room for about 11-11.5 hours.  S has an occasional wake up if he has a bad dream, but will remain in bed and call out for me or A.  Even when he wakes in the morning, he’ll start babbling or making noises and wait for me to come in and get him.  So I was sound asleep Monday night, heard a noise and opened my eyes to see S staring at me.  I was so startled/confused/disoriented – Was it Saturday?  What time was it?  In my sleepy confused state, I asked A, “what is happening here?”  S had climbed out of bed, opened his door, walked down the hallway, opened our door, and A and I never heard anything on the monitor.  Stealthy.  Pretty sure that little incident took years off my life.  Here’s hoping it doesn’t happen again.

This winter, the boys have lost approximately 79,350 pairs of mittens, gloves, hats, etc., but who’s counting??  Bring on spring!!

Thursday morning was rough.  Both boys have been impossible to get out of the house and to school on time.  They don’t want to put on coats, hats, shoes, etc.  They don’t listen.  They’re too busy playing.  They just don’t cooperate.  And it’s not just for me – they’ve been acting the same way for Nani and A.  I had had it.  I was ready to head out of the house and leave S at home, but my mom managed to get his coat and shoes on.  Protesting, he started screaming in the car.  I went into a long lecture about how they needed to be better listeners, it was rude to be late and make people wait for them, I threatened no tv in the mornings, no toys, etc.  I was done.  I left school really frustrated.  And then when I picked them up for the day, the boys were outside playing and this happened:

Little girl: “Excuse me, but S isn’t sharing the telescope.”

Me:  Wow – this girl has really great manners, must work on that. “S, you need to share.  Everyone can have a turn with the telescope.”

S: “No!”

Me:  Ugghh… think of something… I really don’t want to climb up this playground structure and pry S away from the telescope.  And as I’m trying to quickly think of a solution, W chimes in…

W: “Well, you know, S is only 2.  He still needs to learn sharing.  He already got in a big fight this morning before we even left for school.  He’s cranky today.”

The little girl shrugged and waited a few more seconds, S decided he was done, and she got her turn with the telescope. 

Ho-Ly crap.  W articulated what I couldn’t.  Maybe I’m doing something right after all with these two.  They don’t even need me anymore. ;)

We’re off to visit what we hope is W’s future school this weekend.  Kindergarten… whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa… I’m NOT ready!!

Weekend Recap

We had another weekend with no major plans.  I’m really loving these!

On Saturday, we tried to get the boys flu shots, but apparently in IL, pharmacists cannot administer flu shots to children under 12 years of age.  I had checked the pharmacy website and it made no mention of this – now I know.  So the boys are still without flu shots… eek.   At least we got our grocery shopping done while there.  After shopping, the boys got haircuts.  They were perfect and they look as handsome as ever! ;)  We spent the remainder of the afternoon outside.  Loving these 40 degree temperatures!!

Sunday was spent going to church and Starbucks.  We had a low key afternoon spent inside since it was rainy and muddy.  A and I took down most of the remaining Christmas decorations (including outside lights) and brought out some Valentines décor.  We tried to catch some of the football games and I made mostaccioli for dinner.  The boys have been playing well together lately (for the most part) and at one point, S held out his arms for a hug from W and commanded, “Love me!”.  Cutest.thing.ever.  They were absolutely crazy before bed – cabin fever was setting in again I think.  And that was our weekend.

Friday Thoughts

Happy Fri-YAY!!

I'm excited for our usual Friday night pizza and live PD!  Big plans tonight obviously.

I've read over my last post quite a few times and debated deleting it.  Perhaps I was being too dramatic, emotional, etc.  I was definitely frustrated when I wrote it.  But here's the thing... I started this blog for myself.  To capture memories with my kids, my thoughts, and life moments (big and small).  I've always kept it real.  So I'll keep that post and keep dealin'. :)

Is anyone else totally freaked about the flu epidemic??  I keep hearing news stories of people dying and I never want to leave the house.  We've always gotten flu shots for the kids.  I realize this is a highly controversial topic and everyone is capable of making their own decisions.  With a husband who has CF and teaches (hello, germs!) and two kiddos in preschool, we are definitely pro flu shot.  Anyway, the kids haven't gotten one this year.  We didn't do that on purpose, we just hadn't been to the pediatrician and I hate going when the boys aren't sick.  Flu shots are on our to do list for this weekend.  Nevertheless, I'm totally freaking out that the boys or A will still come down with the flu.

I'm still kicking butt on the treadmill.  I don't think I've lost any weight, but I feel so much better, which is all that matters.  I've noticed that exercising just a little has really helped with my anxiety.

I've been super stressed about finding someone to watch S next year.  I think we found someone and I'm really hoping it all works out.  Fingers crossed!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy

I had an interview last week and it didn’t go as well as I hoped.  I left the interview feeling like I could’ve and should’ve said so much more.  I didn’t have the exact requirements or background specified in the job description, but I felt that my experiences and history with the company would be an asset to the position.  Unfortunately, I didn’t convey my thoughts as well as I had planned to.  As the interview was wrapping up, the hiring manger told me there was lots of interest in the position and she had several resumes to look through.  Awesome.  Certainly not how you’d like an interview to end.  It’s a really terrible feeling knowing that you only had one chance and didn’t put your best foot forward.

Later that night, I was walking on the treadmill, trying to exercise my frustration and sadness away when the tears started falling (pretty sure A thinks I’m crazy as he came downstairs to find me wiping my eyes).  This somewhat insignificant moment in time made me think about my life and how every significant aspect was achieved after many hurdles and hardships.  Not one thing or one facet, which I would classify as important, came easily.  And honestly, I’m tired.  Tired of putting forth SO much effort, tired of trying so hard, tired of trying to continuously defy odds and overcome.

According to US News and World Report, the high school I attended has 4500 students and a graduation rate of 46%.  In regards to math proficiency, 5%  of students met expectations.  5%!!  63% are classified as economically disadvantaged.  I’ve been out of high school for some time, but I don’t think the numbers have changed much.  Somehow I managed to pass the AP Calculus exam and earn college credit.  Statistically speaking, odds were that I would not attend college, not graduate, and certainly not graduate with a degree in Chemistry.

Even college couldn’t be an easy experience for me.  Sure, chemistry is a difficult major and I didn’t expect to just breeze through.  But senior year, my dad unexpectedly passed away.  My grades suffered, I failed my first class ever.  I struggled with how to cope while being away from my family and how to move on without my dad.  I ended up staying an extra semester to retake that class I failed (and received an A).  I eventually graduated with my BS in Chemistry.  And through scholarships and savings, I graduated without any student debt.

And then I started dating A.  Of course that couldn’t be easy either.  Finding out he had CF wasn’t something I anticipated.  CF wasn’t even on my radar.  I knew there would be challenges, lots of doctor’s appointments, hospital admissions, lots of worry.  And while A is currently doing well, I’ll always worry about his health and how it will affect our future.

I switched jobs shortly after A and I were married and found myself in a miserable position.  I had to stay because we had just purchased a house and A was student teaching and substitute teaching.  One of which paid nothing, the other paid very little.  And I’m not one to quit a job without having something else lined up.  For over two years, I looked for a better, more fulfilling job.  I went back to school and earned a graduate certification in a field I was more interested in hoping it would help me land a new role.  All the while, I was incredibly unhappy.  It was a really low point in my life.  Trying to summon enough motivation just to make it through the work day, feeling overworked and uninspired.  Maybe I needed that awful experience to push me into pursuing a different field, but it was so difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel while I was knee deep in dissolution testing and assay analyses.  Thankfully, I eventually made it out of there and into a much better position.  While I don’t love my job right now, it is infinitely better than that awful experience 10 years ago.

And then A and I decided we wanted to pursue having children.  I knew that wouldn’t be easy, but also didn’t anticipate so many cycles and such poor results.  4 IVF cycles and 1 FET later, we have our two miracle boys, (2 miracles out of 36!! total embryos) but feel like we didn’t have a say in when our family was complete.  1 IVF cycle is incredibly difficult (physically, mentally, and financially), let alone 4.  I envy those who can expand their families without medical intervention.

So it’s not at all surprising that this interview didn’t go well.  But for once, just once, it would be nice if something wasn’t so incredibly difficult to achieve.  I don’t expect anything to be handed to me.  But does everything have to be so darn difficult??

Last week, when it was uncharacteristically warm and raining,  S exclaimed, “Mommy!  That’s glitter on the window?”.  No, I told him, just raindrops reflecting light.  I could really use some glitter in my life instead of the rain lately.

Weekend Recap

It seems like most of the country has off work today.  Not I.  But I can’t complain – it snowed all night and it’s still falling.  We haven’t had all that much accumulation – probably about 3 inches, but it was enough to make roads slick.  I asked my boss if he minded if I worked from home today given the weather.  Being the wonderful boss that he is, he didn’t mind at all.  So currently sitting under a blanket with laptop in front of me and a sleepy dog at my feet.

It was a rare weekend in that we didn’t have anything planned.  A good thing because S was awful on Saturday.  I was sure he was coming down with some bug.  His cheeks were rosy and he had meltdown after meltdown any time he didn’t get his way.  We had planned to go out for lunch and then complete our weekly grocery shopping.  But after crying the majority of the way to the restaurant, I just didn’t want to deal with a cranky toddler while eating.  We decided to go through the drive thru and head home.  At this time, W was also upset because I refused to go to McDonalds.  Why do kids love that place so much?!?  Two cranky boys in a car is no bueno.  After lunch, I planned to go to the grocery store alone.  But, of course, both kids wanted to join me.  They were actually really good in the grocery store.  It was the only point in the day I remember in which S was not throwing a fit.  A and I could not wait for the kids to go to bed!

Sunday, S was totally fine.  It was as if Saturday never happened.  Church went well.  We had plans to visit our usual Starbucks.  When we got there, it was packed.  Hardly any spaces to park and a long line to order.  Since my mom couldn’t join us anyway, I suggested we head to my favorite breakfast spot – Egg Harbor.  Naturally, both boys weren’t keen on the idea.  But A and I decided to be mean and take the boys anyway. ;)  I’m not really a breakfast person, but the food here is so good.  The boys eventually stopped pouting and we had a delicious breakfast.  After that, A and I decided we needed more time out of the house so we headed to the nearby Wildlife Discovery Center.  We’d never been here before and I’m not sure what took us so long, but I loved it!  It’s nearby and FREE so win, win!  We got to see snakes, lizards, opossum, turtles, a caiman, toads, and other creatures.  The boys loved the old building and had so much fun walking to the different rooms and visiting animals.  We even got to give a Rhinoceros Iguana named Flora a back scratch.  We headed outside to see the owls and bobcat and tried to figure out what type of owls we were seeing (a great horned owl and a barred owl – we think).  The boys wanted to stay out and run along the trail, but it was 16 degrees and windy and I couldn’t handle being out anymore.  Such a fun place and we’ll definitely return!  The rest of the day was spent on the treadmill, cleaning up a bit, and making a yummy dinner (chicken and linguini with lemon cream sauce).  A and I watched This is Us and called it a night.  I should also mention that S has been eating a TON – 5 pancakes and sausage this morning (HOLY MOLY) so maybe he’s going through a growth spurt and was hangry most of Saturday… who knows?

And in other news…

W now knows how to use the remote and keeps turning on Peppa Pig.  It’s my own version of hell.  Save me!

When S isn’t having a meltdown, he’s as sweet as can be.  He’ll say, “I like you, mommy” and “I love you so much”.  Melt my heart.

I’m so over our cold temperatures.  I know winter is cold, but it doesn’t need to be 5 degrees every day.

I really have the urge to travel.  I traveled to more places last year than ever before and now that it’s been awhile since we went anywhere, I really want to go.  A and I pondered a spring break trip, but the responsible thing to do seems to be to pay off  bills and save up for a trip later on.  Still… I’d really love to go!  I may have even looked up Caribbean cruises (not happening, but a girl can dream ;)).

Stitch Fix Friday (#18)

I am way late in sharing my most recent Stitch Fix.  It arrived before the holidays and it took me a long time to take pictures.  I also ended up exchanging one of the items for a different size and had to wait for that to arrive (not that it took very long).  Without further ado….

https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/5478084?sod=w&som=c

I loved this Havana Front Buckle Pullover sweater and then when I viewed the photos A took, I felt like the way I styled it didn’t do the sweater any justice.  It looks a bit frumpy in the photo, but in reality, it’s so cute and cozy.  I love anything gray and the buckle closure is such a fun detail.  I wore this a couple weeks later with a black top underneath and different shoes and liked the outfit better.  Regardless of the way I styled, this sweater was a great addition to my closet.  KEEP

Next up, the Rossie Embroidered Sleeve Knit Sweatshirt.  I had this pinned and was excited to receive it.  My only complaint is that it didn’t arrive sooner. J  I love this under my green vest and I think it would have been perfect for the fall months.  Truth be told, I’m struggling with how to style it for winter months.  It’s a bit shorter than tops I typically wear so I do prefer to wear it under a vest, but will have to experiment with other looks.  Embroidery seems to be super trendy lately and I liked that this incorporated the trend without being overly embroidered.  KEEP

Next up, this cozy Ellah Textured Front Cowl Neck purple sweater.  I love it with leggings, skinny jeans, or under a vest.  It’s such a versatile sweater and great for work or being home with the boys.  I had ordered a sweater from Loft in almost the exact same shade and it arrived with a hole so I was happy to keep this and return the other sweater.  I love purple and so does W.  This was a definite keeper.  KEEP

Let’s call this photo, “Hey, I just realized I’m wearing my new Stitch Fix Elizabeth Super Skinny Jeans – can you take a photo??” J  Let’s talk about these jeans for a minute.  They have an elastic waist!!  As in, no zipper, no button.  And I love that about them!!  These are black, but they’re sort of a blue-black, which I also love.  They’re incredibly versatile.  They do require an extra tug to pull on because of the elastic, but they fit like a glove.  Team elastic all the way!!  KEEP

Finally, the Tonie Lace Inset Pullover sweater.  When I initially tried this on, it was more on the fitted side.  It wasn’t tight by any means, but I thought I’d feel more comfortable if I sized up.  Then when I looked at the photos, I thought the smaller sweater probably would have been more flattering.  Oh well.  I like it either way (and yes, I need to iron it).  I initially thought this was a blush color, but it’s more of a cream, which I like MUCH better.  I love the feminine lace detail and there’s even a zipper on the side.  I actually wore this to my company holiday party and felt put together, but not too dressy.  KEEP

I loved this fix!!  It was another 5/5.  Unfortunately, I don’t think the photos demonstrate how great these pieces really are.  Special thanks to Addie for posing with me, as usual. :)

Weekend Recap

I don’t really have anything to recap since it was a pretty uneventful weekend.  I love these types of weekends and since everyone returns to school today, it was nice to be able to “relax” and ease into the work week.

While the boys and A were off from school, they came to visit me at work on Thursday.  My coworkers enjoy seeing them (as far as I can tell!) and the boys didn’t want to leave.  I felt like a jerk trying to hurry them along, but I really had to get back to work.  Anyway, it’s always great to get a visit from my favorite guys. 

On Friday, A took the boys to an indoor bounce house place that looked so fun – he’s such a great dad!!  I met them for pizza afterwards.  S was so exhausted, he fell asleep around 6:00 and slept for the next 12+ hours.

The rest of the weekend consisted of errands and our usual Sunday routine.  The boys got along really well all weekend.  S told me that W was his friend.  Melt my heart.  W tried to potty train S and offered him Oreo cookies and Hershey Kisses as rewards.  I HATE potty training so if W is volunteering, I’m all for it. ;)  And both boys played really well together the majority of the weekend.

In other news, I’m doing great on the treadmill!  I had no real goals or expectations when we brought it to the house.  I mainly just wanted the option to walk a couple times a week while A did his vest.  Well, we’ve had the treadmill for eight days and I’ve walked/jogged seven of those days.  I feel so accomplished when I’m done and it seems to have helped quite a bit with my anxiety (or maybe I just feel a lot better because I had a break from work).  Anyway, I’m proud of myself.  I don’t really expect to keep up this pace, but I do hope to continue using the treadmill every week.  A has been using it too and he’s doing awesome!!  Go us!!

And in completely random news, I wore my hair differently yesterday and today (straight and partly back) and people keep commenting on it… so I think I need to change up my hair game every so often.  Ha!

Time Off

The remainder of our days off were spent sleeping in (until 6:30am) and playing with new toys.  Our temperatures remained in the single digits so we typically only ventured out when we had to (or when the boys got stir crazy).  It was so nice not being confined to a schedule. 

Highlights of my time off included taking the boys to the indoor play place at the mall to burn off some energy.  Aside from losing my beloved hat in the mall, it turned out to be a fun day, complete with a Starbucks hot cocoa stop (A is now addicted to hot cocoa).

We got to enjoy lunch with our closest friends and their kiddos.  Believe it or not, all five kiddos, age five and younger were nearly perfect.  S did drop his drink and decided to lay on me while I was eating, but all in all, the kids were great and the food was yummy.

I cashed in one of my gift certificates (that I realized I had received last Valentine’s Day - I’m not always so good at using gift cards) and enjoyed a relaxing pedicure.

We sadly took down our Christmas tree because it was losing way too many needles and no longer taking in water, but it did give us some much needed space for ALL the toys!

We somehow convinced my mom to watch the boys for a couple hours while A and I watched a movie and ate sub sandwiches.  We watched Gone Baby Gone – I didn’t love it, but it was nice to be able to spend time with just A.

A and I somehow managed to move the world’s heaviest treadmill from my mom’s house to ours.  This requires a little back story.  I mentioned in a previous post that I felt a little lost lately.  Work hasn’t been great and the miscarriage left me trying to figure out how to let go of a dream and move on with life.  I haven’t been happy, I haven’t felt like myself, and I’ve eaten more Christmas cookies than anyone should.  I mentioned to A that I really wanted a treadmill and thought I could walk while he did his vest in the evenings.  Even though we wouldn’t be doing the same thing, we’d at least be together.  I had a treadmill at my mom’s house that has sat idle for the past 10 years.  I didn’t even know if it worked.  I wasn’t sure if I should just buy a new one or try to hire movers to get the old treadmill from her house to mine.  Since treadmills apparently cost hundreds of dollars (I had no idea they were that pricey), movers seemed like the best option.  Fast forward a bit:  I asked A to take a look at the treadmill and I wanted to see if it still worked.  It did and A said he thought we could move it ourselves.  I said no way.  He wanted to try.  You guys, that was the heaviest thing I’ve ever moved and I was sore for days, but we did it!  We got it up my mom’s stairs and into our basement.  I’m 3 for 3 days in terms of exercising and sometimes I even get crazy and jog a bit.  I feel so much better when I finish.  It isn’t much, but it’s a start to a heathier me.  And I was so proud of A and I for moving that enormous thing!!

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows – the boys had their moments where they were tired of being stuck inside and tired of one another.  I had to call into a couple work meetings (despite being on vacation – boo).  But I also had coworkers sending me instant messages telling me to stop working and reiterating that I was on vacation, which I appreciated.  It was a reminder that I have really great coworkers who have become good friends even if my job is far from spectacular. 

For the most part, it was a blissful break from work and I’ll miss being with the boys daily.

Christmas 2017

All good things must come to an end and here I am back at work.  We had a wonderful Christmas and I can’t believe December is already over and we’re in to 2018.  I wanted to do a quick (or maybe not so quick) recap so that I’ll be able to look back and remember Christmas 2017.

Typically, Christmas Eve is spent with my dad’s side of the family.  My dad passed away 15 years ago and I really enjoy getting together with my aunts, uncles, and cousins on his side of the family.  I’ve always been close to all of them and it’s a great way to remember my dad.  I’ll try to keep the drama brief, but this year was a bit different.  I noticed that my cousin (who happened to be my matron of honor – which is hilarious now that she’s been engaged 3 times, married twice and unbeknownst to me, was pregnant with her new boyfriend’s child at my wedding) unfriended me on Facebook.  I had no idea why and thought it was ridiculous.  A month or so after unfriending me (and A), she sent me a rude FB message from her mom’s account even though she had my phone number.  It basically said that she was hosting Christmas Eve and I should at least have the courtesy to respond to her message and let her know if I’d attend.  I was still confused, but didn’t want to deal with any drama, especially on Christmas Eve, so I told her I had other plans and left it at that.  She went on to ask me why I thought I was better than everyone else in our family, told me she unfriended me for my political posts (which I hardly ever post), told me I ignored her two Christmases ago and ignored her again at a wedding, and that I didn’t like her FB posts or pictures enough.  It was laughable, immature, and absurd.  And after all that, she asked why I didn’t want to spend Christmas with her.  Haha!  After the FB messages, she then started texting me, telling me she was sorry, that we should talk, and that we needed to keep our family together.  It was bizarre and I didn’t want my boys anywhere near that craziness so I again declined the invitation.  I saw one of my aunts just a few days before Christmas and while I did miss seeing other cousins, aunts, and uncles, I don’t regret my decision to avoid the drama. 

SO all that to say, we decided to spend Christmas Eve at my mom’s house.  Prior to heading there, we went to mass and were asked if we’d like to bring up the gifts.  I felt really honored to be asked, but was a little worried we’d drop communion or the boys wouldn’t want to walk with us.  Luckily, all went perfectly and it was a great way to start the day.  

The boys and my mom at church on Christmas Eve.  I love their little outfits. :)

Christmas Eve at my mom’s house was wonderful.  We indulged in comfort food – fried chicken, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese.  The boys opened their gifts from my mom and received their Power Wheels Jeep!  I think they were really surprised!  W is a terrible driver (doesn’t get it from me! ;)), but we had fun watching him try to drive S around in the snow.  Unfortunately, our temperatures have been in the single digits and it’s too cold to go outside, but I know they’ll have fun whenever they get to drive it again.  It ended up being a relatively low key Christmas Eve, the boys got to bed early enough, A and I played Santa that night (the best!!), and I really enjoyed the day!

I LOVE that we had a white Christmas!!  We got just enough snow to cover the ground.

I've taken a Christmas Eve pj picture every year and I love looking back and seeing how the boys have grown.

Christmas day, the boys woke to find more gifts under the tree and big wheels from Santa.  Not surprisingly, no one wanted to go to church (yes, as Catholics, Christmas Eve mass was separate from Christmas day mass and we went two days in a row!  How’s that for commitment?!? J).  Somehow, we convinced the boys to get dressed and made it to church on time (miracles happen!).  Once we got home, the boys checked out their stockings and opened one gift from Santa.  Soon enough, it was time to head to A’s parents’ (also known as Nani and Papa) house.  We had a delicious lunch (or was it dinner?) of beef tenderloin (sooo good!!) and several sides and the boys had a blast running around with their cousins.  It was a little chaotic, but I remember growing up with several cousins and I LOVED holidays with them so it makes my heart happy to see the boys playing with their cousins.  There were too many presents and we left with full hearts and full bellies.

But we weren’t done yet.  The day after Christmas, my mom and brother came over for brunch.  We’ve done this three years in a row now and I so look forward to it.  We stay in our pjs or comfy clothes.  I make cinnamon rolls and a breakfast casserole while A makes pancakes, bacon, and sausage.  We eat a ton and then we all open gifts to one another while the boys open their remaining presents from Santa.  Wrapping paper, ribbon, and toy boxes are everywhere.  I usually ask for a mix of practical items (my favorite shampoo, undies) and splurge items that I can’t justify buying for myself (a pricey cardigan, more Lipsense) and I got a good mix of both.  I even received jewelry from my mom and A!  All in all, it was a truly great Christmas.  I love that we draw it out for 3 days because it really does seem like a magical time and I’m always so sad when it’s over.  Being a parent at Christmastime is such a blessing that I’ll never take for granted.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!!