End of the Holiday Parties

All I can say is WOW!  This is one pooped Miller family.  Thank goodness I'm off between Christmas & New Year's to recoup.  Poor Randy on the other hand has to work.  The mom & dad-in-law left this morning.  So it's just Evann & mommy who are left to put all this Christmas decor away.  So we ended our celebrations with a few last visits, one being to the Miller family on Christmas Eve.  We hadn't seen that family in several years so it was great to catch up.  Christmas day is sacred & I won't allow anyone to take it from Evann (or me).  So we spend the entire day in our jammies, open gifts & eat all day.... which is exactly what we did.  Randy, Evann & I were not alone tho... house full with the in-laws staying with us.  The day after Christmas we topped the holiday's off with a trip to my dad's house, then off to the Lindemann's.  Aren't you tired just reading this??  Lord, I am!!  I've done more cooking, cleaning, laundry and dressing up than anyone cares to do & poof.... it's over in a blink.  I will say, Christmas really is a kids holiday.  It's so much fun with Evann around.  And he must have been good this year because Santa brought him everything on his list, then some.  His favorites are the HUGE crane, pillow pet, air craft carrier & number of Star Wars ships (including yoda, darth vader & a clone trooper).  Guess it's time to relax a little before heading back to school and work.  Through it all, Evann was wonderful.  He kept chugging along, no naps & was a pretty sweet kid.  It's all the present a mother needs really!  MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Evann & I made a little snowman

Scott Miller reading "The Night Before Christmas" to the kids on Christmas Eve

Santa must have a BIG sleigh

Evann taking a picture of me, taking a picture of him

Some of the great-grandkids on the Lindemann side

Cute baby Carter



Carter's a big ham for the camera



Grandpa & Evann read airplane books

Beginning of the Holiday Parties

It's Christmas Eve & it's snowing.  Which of course prompted the question "Mom, it's snowing!!!  Can we open our presents now???"  Not how it works big guy. 

We kicked off the Christmas spirit with our annual visit to have breakfast with Santa at the zoo.   While you sit at your reserved table & enjoy breakfast, different animals visit while waiting for Santa to arrive.  Then Santa & Rudolph come riding in on a golf cart.  It brought tears to my eyes to see how excited Evann was when Santa was pulling up.  He ran to the window with eyes as big as saucers.

Here comes Santa.... on his golf cart, naturally!

We wrote Santa a letter.

Santa was very cool.



Having a serious conversation about Star Wars toys.

After our Santa visit, we had a Christmas packed weekend.  Evann's cousin had a North Pole party where we did crafts, rode reindeer and saw the big man himself (again).  He didn't like riding on the pony with a saddle but on the cart was a-ok.

Pony carriage ride

"Reindeer"

Santa arrived at the barn!

After our North Pole event, we celebrated Christmas with the AuBuchon family.  It had been many years since I'd seen them.  Randy & Evann had never met most of that family.  It was a wonderful time to say the least.  It was like time stood still for me.  All the aunts & uncles are just as I remember.

Randy, me, Cynthia (sister) & Brendan (boyfriend)

Uncle Mark, me & Dad



Great Grandpa AuBuchon

 After the AuBuchon Christmas we had the Thompson Christmas party.  It was the usual.... loud & filled with lots of food!  Randy & I hosted this year with Viviano's pasta!  Yum-O!  We also have the tradition of playing a white elephant gift game.  It's always fun. 

Anna, SeVana & Chayse

Viviano left overs

Evann then had a party at school that Maw-Maw & I attended.  Evann brought his $5 boy gift to exchange with another kid in class.  He was sooooo excited to get his Bauckugon (unsure how to spell).  I on the other hand think it's completely stupid, but who am I.  He likes it.  Here's a picture of Evann's best buddy, Cooper.  He and Cooper LOVE LOVE LOVE Star Wars.  That's all Evann asked Santa for this year.  Hope the big man delivers!


Cooper & Evann at Goddard

 So, as you can see we've been rather busy!  Seems to be non-stop this month.  While at moments it's all a little overwhelming, I'm feeling more overwhelmed by how lucky we are.  Our house is warm, filled with love & everyone is healthy.  It truly is a blessing.  BUT, I'll say it again... I'm ready for 2010 to end.  It's been filled with bad karma, hard moments & misfortune.  But it's our life & I wouldn't change a thing.  Everything happens for a reason.... how you choose to deal with it is in fact a choice! 

Bring on the rest of 2010!  We have four more celebrations plus Christmas day at home!  I'm SOOOOO excited for Santa this year. Oh, and so is Evann.

Thanksgiving Fun

Thanksgiving was a great & extremely busy time.  I was fortunate enough to have 10 days off, but it was filled with daily events.  As many know, we started the holiday by having to put Coal down.  One of the hardest things Randy & I have had to do.  The vet reassured us it was time and poor Coal was in really bad shape.  He was our first baby of nearly 14 years.  Of course, Evann is ready to replace Coal with a guinea pig, hamster, cat..... not another dog tho!  No pets unless it's a fish!!  We plan to plant a large tree in the spring & spread Coal's ashes so he'll forever be at the home he lived for 7 years.

The next, much more fun, event was a loud, laughing celebration with the Thompson family.  Evann had a great time with his cousins.  The food was wonderful & visiting with everyone was just what the doctor ordered. 

(Grace, Evann & Ava)

We had three more Turkey events during the week.  One with the Lindemann family, Corbett family & Aubuchon.  We hosted twice so there was a lot of cooking & cleaning involved but totally worth it.  Did get one entire day of shopping completed.  It was a shop 'till ya drop day with my mom.  Completed all my Christmas shopping except gift cards.  YIPPIE!  I'm finding it very difficult to hide "santa" gifts this year too.  Someone is rather nosey.  I made it through the day with only three purchases for myself.  I'm so proud.  It's a first time record!!  Usually it's two gifts, one for me!  Just don't know how that happens.  

And so it begins!  The holiday season that is.  Finally put the Christmas tree, lights & decorations up the first weekend of December.  Just what Randy wanted to do over his birthday.  I made it up to him by going to Three Margarita's for dinner & giving him a guitar for his birthday.  Now he has to learn to play!  We hope Evann takes an interest, as this could be a great 5year old gift for his birthday next summer.  WOW!  FIVE!  I'm really hoping 2011 goes by more slowly.  

A New Look

It's an all new look folks!  Decided to start an entire new blog to head into the new year!  Check back soon for pictures & updates.  No really... I will find time to update!!  Honest! Well, it's my hope anyhow.  In the meantime, enjoy one of my favorite pics of Evann at about six months old.