HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Just couldn't resist to do a picture like this. Before bed we did a quick "New Year's Baby" photo shoot! Happy New Year everyone!! Hope your 2007 was as blessed as ours and we look forward to an exciting 2008!

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

This Christmas was wonderful as always. Even more fun with the sounds of little footsteps running around and big girl belly laughs!! We had a wonderful holiday. Daddy was home and we got to spend lots of time with him which was a treat. We started off the holiday celebrating "Little Christmas Eve" (the 23rd) with my brother and his wife (Chad and Sara) at their home in Richmond, VA. Sara is Norwegian and fixed us a traditional Norwegian dinner. It was delicious and their house looked beautiful. Puck, their cat, who happens to weigh close to 20 lbs was very happy to see us, especially Julianna. She chased him all around pointing at him saying, "Kee-Kee" and "Mow" and tried to kiss him multiple times. I think he was happy when we left!

On Christmas Eve we opened all of our special gifts from Alabama. Nana and Papa sent wonderful toys for Julianna. There was a table and chairs for her to color on and is the perfect size for her. She loved it and climbed right into her chair. They also sent a hand carved, miniature nativity scene. It is really cute and when Julianna saw the sheep she yelled out "BAHHHHHHH!" She got some clothes from Nana and Aunt Ree Ree, an ornament from Ree Ree and Uncle Carlton, and some precious stationary for her to write her thank you notes on!Lots of wonderful stuff!! THANK YOU NANA, PAPA, AUNT REE REE, UNKIE CARL and COUSIN!!! (We will try to get a copy of the video to you soon!)

My family all drove over in the afternoon and we went to the family church service in Va Beach to see the Christmas pageant put on by the kids. It was so funny. I love to watch the kids perform. Then we had everyone over for dinner and birthday cake for Jesus. Ike made a wonderful diner. We had beef tenderloin, "good carrots" with horseradish, green beens smothered in a bacon gravy and mashed taters. I made the Zippy Cranberry Cheddar spread I have seen on several blogs and it really was awesome!! I also made a traditional German holiday raisin bread that we have every year. Once Julianna went to bed we brought all of our gifts out to put under the tree then headed to bed to wait for Santa.
Oh, I almost forgot the best surprise of the day. Santa had a big gift for me that got delivered on Christmas Eve. A new tempur-pedic mattress!!! THE BED IS AWESOME!!! Evidently "Santa" was tired of hearing me complain about our bed! haha I came home from running last minute errands and two of Santa elves were carrying a mattress into our house! haha Good work Santa!



Christmas Day was exactly how I hoped it would be. Julianna woke up and when she walked out into the living room she walked right over to all of the new toys and presents sitting out. My mom and dad had spent the night, and Chad and Sara were at the house by 9am. We all had breakfast together and then started opening gifts. Our stockings were full! We must have all been pretty good this year. As you can imagine, it was pure chaos and Julianna loved it. We need a bigger house for all of the toys! :) Mom and Dad (Nee Nee and BaBop) got her a shopping cart to push around, a mini Hoover vacuum cleaner so she can help mommy around the house! :) and a Radio Flyer Red wagon! Julianna climbed right in it! It will be her chariot to the pool this summer. Ike and I got her a Pottery Barn "Anywhere Chair" and a wooden rocking horse. Ike found an antique looking sled for us to pull her around in if it ever snows!!! It is adorable. After all of the excitement here we packed up and drove over to MD to see my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins!



The day after Christmas we saw Julianna's Godmother, Aunt Carrie, and her mom "C-C." They always spoil Julianna so we knew she was in for a treat. They spoiled her with lots of great clothes, books, shoes, and ornaments... the list goes on and on! THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Now we are back at home, relaxing and putting away all of our new stuff. Oh, I almost forgot, one of my favorite gifts from the Stutts family was the little block of Grape smell from Wykers!!! I LOVE THAT SMELL and I can't wait for all of Julianna's stuff to smell like it! :)


THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR MAKING OUR CHRISTMAS SO SPECIAL. WE LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR LOVING US AND JULIANNA THE WAY YOU DO! :) MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Santa was at the grocery store?!?

What are the chances that Santa would be on base at the commissary at the exact same time we were today!!! He was there and we got to have our picture taken with him again. Julianna was still not overly impressed, but she wasn't scared of him this time. No crying. But still no smiling. She did say "ho ho" when she saw him! :)

Ike's latest project!

Ike has ventured into the Potty making business. I guess I should say the Potty CHAIR making business! haha Julianna has been using the potty since about Thanksgiving (not EVERY time, but she is only 14 months old!!) We started her out on my old potty chair that was actually my brother's first so it is over 30 years old. It still worked great, but it was a bit of an 'antique' and we didn't want her to break it. The thing that was so awesome about it was the tray that hooked on the front. She could sit there, play with toys or eat cheerios, and she was locked in place. It was great!! Well, in our shopping for a new potty chair we realized that "they don't make 'em like they used to!" So, with a little engineering, Ike made a new one. We bought another booster/high chair that she actually uses to eat in, and one of those potty seat inserts that you put on your regular toilet so the kid doesn't fall in. (haha) Then we just needed a little bowl for underneath to catch the... you know.... and voilà, a new and improved potty chair has been created. See pics. Ike is taking orders, about $60 per potty chair! :) haha


old chair


old chair with tray


new and improved with cushy comfort seat! :)


new seat with tray. how cool is that! haha

Baby it's cold outside!!

Getting ready to go out for our walk! Gotta get bundled up. It's cold out there!


Fun at the playground


Running around... chasing the Lucy dog


This is a present from my Ree-Ree but Mommy says I can't open it yet! :(


Caffrey loves his pink room! (he's a little fruity)

13 (months) going on 30!

This video was taken back in the beginning of November. She was 13 months old. It just cracks me up. Daddy' s in so much trouble. I dont know if you can tell in the video, but she has some expensive taste! ;)

What does the cow say??

MOOOOOO!!

Check out the vintage Auburn t-shirt. That was Ike's when he was little! :)

Great Surprise!!

DADDY's COMING HOME TODAY!!!!

We got a call from Ike this morning saying that they were coming home a couple of days early and he hopes to be home by dinner time tonight! :) YAY!! Very exciting. I can't wait for him to see Julianna. She changes so much every day... in 3 weeks she has learned so many new words and tricks. She likes to tell me about the "tee" (tree) with the "dar" on top. And the "can-cane" (candy cane) that is in her book. Of course there are lots of "baaaaalllll"s on the tree for her to point out. Ball has been one of her favorite words for a few months now. Santa is still a work in progress but she definitely knows who he is when we see a figure or a pic of him in one of her Christmas books. She also likes to "talk" on the phone. Usually the only real word I hear is "hello" which is becoming very clear now. It started as just "lo", then "heyo" and now it is pretty much right on with a full "hello." And she sees me on my phone so much that she knows you have to hit a button on it first before you say hello. So she does that too.

It is so much fun to just sit back and watch her. She entertains herself so well and she picks up so much. If I grab my purse to look for something she starts saying "bye" because she knows I always get my purse before we leave. haha It just cracks me up. I most definitely have to mind my P's and Q's or she will learn some things I wont be proud to say she learned from me! :) And with Ike gone I don't have many other people to blame it on! haha

I will post pics later. We just got back from a short trip to Maryland. I got to see some friends and went to a Christmas Party with my old work. My "old work" is actually about to be my "new work." I quit my most recent job in Norfolk and have actually decided to go back to my old job in Annapolis to work VERY part time. Probably 3 shifts a month and I can do them all in one week so I only have to travel once a month. Mom and Dad will watch Julianna (I'm sure they are really bummed about getting to see her once a month) and I will keep up my skills and see my work buddies. I think it will be great while Ike is gone.

Anyway, this post totally changed subjects.... but the point WAS.... wait, what was it again? OH yeah! IKE IS COMING HOME TODAY!! :)

Sunday- Holiday Porch Tour

This weekend our neighborhood held a Holiday Porch Tour. There was a judging of decorations, music, local vendors, and carriage rides. It was alot of fun. Here are some pictures from our fun filled day.


Riding on the horse and carriage


First carriage ride


With the pretty horsey.


The weather was perfect. Here are some pics of the beach.


Beach looking back at the club house and neighborhood.


Julianna enjoying the band at the club house.


Listening to music.


She became the star of the show!


With Aunt Carrie.


Hanging out with the other kids.

We really had a fun day. The weather was so nice it hardly felt like Christmas time!