Long Weekend Fun!

What a great weekend! We were able to visit Connor, Ryan, Ray and Jill in Cincinnati. Great to spend some time with family! With the extra day (we both had Monday off) we were able to get all of our cleaning done and errands ran. Feeling strong starting off the week! Enjoy the pics!

Just chilling in my big kid underwear. No big deal. (no accidents...but we only did it for like 2 hours...)

The kiddos 

This weekend we started gymnastics-I should have taken pictures but totally forgot (next time!). Emma Clare listened pretty well-but will need to keep working on her patience. I think she'll have fun with it! In other big news, we signed a lease and put a deposit down for a house to rent starting in March! Can't wait to have a little more space and a yard. It's going to be a great change for us! Other than that, weekend was pretty uneventful. Hung out with Grandma and Nana a bit and laid low. Next weekend we're going to Cincinnati

to see Connor and Ryan (and of course Ray and Jill). Can't wait!

Love this little stinker! 

Ashville (and more!)

What an AMAZING two weeks off! Even though I was super stressed trying to get everything done before I left, the family time was the greatest gift! After rounding out and amazing Christmas,we had a little time at home before we left on our trip. We celebrated Elise's 1st birthday and spent a little time at the zoo (in the freezing cold!) Then we (and both grandmas) began our journey on New Year's Day to Ashville. We hit the road at 5am (thinking EC would go back to sleep...she didn't). It was an amazing trip. Our house was perfect, EC was great on the drive, we had tons of fun, we got to visit with friends, pretty much the most amazing trip. Even though EC and I were a little under the weather with colds, we had a great time just laying low at the house and exploring a bit of downtown. I'll let the pics below do the rest of the talking. I think we may be starting a New Year's tradition!

 Happy Birthday Elise! 

 Rainforest!

 Emma Clare wanted that bird! I can't believe how close you get get the animals in the rainforest!

 Biggest hit of the house in Ashville? The HUGE bathtub!

 Jumping like a frog (poor baby had a pretty runny nose!)

 Our Cows

 The view from our house

 Soph and EC-new BFF!

 Chimney Rock

Stay Cool People! 

Merry Christmas!

Wow! What a blessed Christmas. We are so happy to be near family this year. It is crazy to think this time last year I was packing up to move back to Cleveland while Chris was staying back in Savannah. So happy to all be together!

EC had fun opening gifts, but got distracted after each gift. It took us about 12 hours to finish up ( with me opening a lot...) but we had fun for sure! I think her new kitchen and art supplies have been the winners with her princess castle and trampoline in a very close second!

In amazing news, Adam got engaged to Marissa! Yay for my new sister in law!

Another weekend closer to Christmas, yay!! We had a very chill weekend (so chill in fact I took no pictures-so instead I'm posting some from right after Thanksgiving when Nana took EC to Chuckie Cheese's...yikes). Friday Chris and I went out with another couple for dinner and Grandma watched EC. Saturday Chris and I made 120 candies for his cookie exchange at work. Lots of fun-just a good thing EC took a good nap through it all! We had dinner with my Godparents and EC was a riot. Sunday was just a lazy day with no real plans. Just enjoyed all the snowfall out of our windows! I can't believe we are almost at Christmas-can't wait!

 Climbing up high! 

 Nana went in with EC-Chris and I were pretty sure we wouldn't fit (or at least that is the excuses we used!)

 Again? Again? 

And this is just a throw back from about 1 year ago...crazy how much she's grown!! 

Santa?

Two more weeks of work until both Chris and I have two weeks off! So excited, but it will be a busy two weeks! Guess you gotta earn the time off, right? This weekend we had EC's first haircut (and didn't take a picture!!). I think I was just in shock that she sat still! We gave her a sucker, but she had no idea what to do with it, she just kept rubbing it on her lips! Sunday we had a pancake breakfast with Santa. EC loved the pancakes and didn't mind Santa...until we wanted her to sit in his lap. Nooooo Thank you!

 Emma Clare and Santa

In a serious conversation in Mommy's Office

Happy Thanksgiving!

So the only reason I'm happy about Thanksgiving is I can now listen to Christmas music openly without being ridiculed! : ) But in all seriousness, we have so much to be thankful for. We are so blessed to be close to family again, and to have the most amazing little girl. We had lots of fun over the long weekend-some highlights- we got a new car (Rav4-let't talk about how freaking happy I am not to be driving the corolla in a Cleveland winter!), spent time with family, black Friday shopping, attempted to go downtown to see the lights (don't ask) and just hung out. It was great! A few pic below!

 Loving her ball pit!

 Look at that hair!

hehehe

First look at the Christmas tree!