...why we are NOT in Nebraska right now!

this brings new meaning to the song, "Let it snow"...we'll try again tomorrow!

...Christmas of LOVE (part 1)

We have to spread out our Christmas celebrating because we have many branches on the ole family tree, and in order to get around to everyone we have to get the party started early. We celebrated Chicago style over the weekend with just the 3 of us and also with my family. Here are the photo highlights....

We are now off to "God's County" aka Nebraska to do some more celebrating with Ry's fam and our extended fam! Merry Christmas to all and for now, good night!

A few OF MY FAVORITE THINGS....

So my friend Missy (you can read her blog if you click on "The Kollars" link to the side...she is so wonderfully hilarious!!) blogged about her favorite things, saying, "if Oprah can do it, so can I!!" and I agree which is why I decided to respond to her post and list a few of mine.

#1. Pants that fit and don't I guess! I officially have 2 pairs of jeans that are deliciously soft and snug...thank you to Ali for introducing me to JOE's. The don't fit part of that is my real favorite part...SWEAT PANTS! I could LIVE LIVE LIVE in them and sadly for my hubby I mostly do.

#2. As you can see from the post below, DESSERT. Simply stated, I love almost any kind!

#3. My hard working hubby who gets up everyday, shovels the drive, and lets the dog out so that I can stay snug as a little bug in my house and play with my little lovey or frolic around with my friends and their little lovies.

#4. SNUGGLING and SNOOZING in MY bed! Oh, I love to do this, imparticularly with 2 boys and one pink blankie...there is nothing like laying in bed with your 2 favorite love bugs (and yes a Maci girl too!!) in your very own bed! Perfection!

#5. Open mouth kisses. This may sound strange, but it melts my heart to get one of these from Griffin...even though your face needs a raincoat to receive one. His face is so serious while coming in for it. Here's a shot of him smooching Elmo (his Christmas gift from us) in Griffy fashion.


#6. 1.2.3. Ryan. Abbi. Griffin. Family time starting new traditions, having dance parties to Chris Brown, Jordan Sparks, & Beyonce, playing in Elmo's restaurant together, opening gifts (and screaming when anyone unwraps!), just plain eating together...I feel so blessed to have my own little family in my own little place in this great big world.

#7. (on the materialistic side) Pottery Barn. Tiffany's. Kate Spade. Clinic make up. Joe's Jeans. Rocket Dog shoes. Starbucks, plain coffee or Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate...have it, it's amazing!!!!

#8. Sussies...unexpected surprises!

(this is such a fitting picture for this one, my favorite sussie!)

#9. PHOTOS and Christmas cards...and letters in general!

#10. SUGARLAND. My musical obsession. I was only going to do 10, but I have to put this one on here. I wish I was Jennifer Nettles. I want my hair to look like hers, Ryan thinks I may be stalking her...the song LOVE and ALREADY GONE and EVERYDAY AMERICA.....loving it, loving it!

#11. GOD. This sounds cheesy,I know...but I am so relived that He's got the whole world in his hands and He's the man with the plan....because if it was my plan I would still be sitting in bed wallowing. His PRESENCE in my life is my favorite PRESENT even though I don't always live...think...act like it, I am trying.

Thanks God, for sending your little bundle to earth. I know that I must be on your "favorite things list" because, I can't begin to imagine this kind of sacrifice, but I am humbled and grateful and trying to live out the hope of it daily.

And now I will pass this along...what are your favorite things???

Am I the only one with this problem??

"I tried a dessert called death by chocolate, but it only made me stronger..."

Ok, seriously I can't take these Christmas cookies.  I never feel like I have a real "Christmas season" eating problem.  Ok, sure for the few days I am with my family celebrating I stuff cookies, turkey, stuffing, pie, and whatever else is laying around down my throat until I am on the couch wishing I hadn't done that (come to think of it, this does kind of sound like a problem).  But this year I have been downing the pre-holiday cookies like it's my job.  Griffin has been really into Sesame Street lately, and can you guess which character I can honestly say I am most like...yes, Cookie Monster my friends, that is me.  I am pretty sure I hear them calling to me in the night, for breakfast...I consider them coffee cake, and I can pretty much come up with a trauma during any given day for which I need to eat a cookie in order to sit, ponder, and wallow in misery before I come around and eat a celebratory cookie.  I finally threw them out...and took them to the garage can otherwise I may never have made it to Christmas due to "too much cookie" or Ryan would have had to take me to cookie detox.  Considering I am diabetic and still carrying a few baby pounds (can I still say that??) I pray every night that it is baby carrots and celery sticks that drive me absolutely crazy, but alas it is only chocolate that can really claim my heart.  Darn it.  Maybe next year, it is right around the corner you know.  

'Cause every girl's crazy about a sharp dressed man...

...or at least your momma is:)

It was freezing today, but we were out of necessities and we were straight up going to be eating stale chips and some crusty marshmallows if we didn't hoof it to Walmart. So, off we went. I wanted to bundle us both up like big fluffy marshmallows (clearly not like the ones in my pantry that are stale and not so fluffy anymore) so we busted out the Nebraska slicky suit and the black with purple highlights boots...very classy. When we were finished Griffin looked circa 1994...this is what most of the boys in my 3rd grade class wore to school. He still stole my heart though...he has his ways:). He wasn't so sure about the boot look at first but by the end of Walmart we were loving the tap dancing we could do in our shiny boots when we run...happy winter days!

We need a little Christmas...and we got some!

The holiday decorating extravaganza at our house is finally complete! First I had to get ole Grinchy here on board (self nick-named by the way while trying to get these lights strung in the freeeeeeeezing cold!)

Little man on the other hand sees no problem with the weather and jumps into help, our very own little Christmas elf.

Dad, can I please please come out there and help you?? Soooooo cute!

Ahhhh...shiny and bright and all done...and feeling less Grinchy

Can you see our tiny holiday helper in the window...very sad she is not in the family pic!

Even at 18 months when G doesn't understand the whole Christmas concept, it is still hard to wait to open presents....he has opened his Elmo doll 3 times. I finally just decided to hide it...I can't figure out how he knows which box it is, but it seems he is never short on surprises for me!

...now can I open guys??

It's going to be the hap hap happiest Christmas

Sisterly love...xoxo!

Em & Ry, our friends from college...now in the city too!

Christmas sweaters worn in all their glory.

Alice in "Grandmother's little Dears" authentic sweatshirt.

Naperville represents!

The Richard kids....aren't you proud mom & dad??

...ready to rock around the tree

...and jingle all the way!

For your viewing pleasure, here are some pictures of what my husband liked to call, "an adult night out to act like kids!" Andy & Jules invited "just a few" of their closest friends and family over for a tacky Christmas sweater party and here are the results. We definitely "donned our gay apparel". Ryan is sporting the ski outfit my dad wore on his honeymoon and then again when he took us skiing in the mid 90's...you can imagine how we felt about this. Oddly enough Ryan found a new confidence in this outfit and had himself quite a time in these "snug" black "hot pants"! Enjoy...

Griffin puts on a scarf and wonders if he can go too???

Giving THANKS.....and a turkey coma!

Sadly over Thanksgiving I once again forgot my memory card...you would think I would learn, but this is the story of my life unfortunately, I've accepted it! I am sure ours was spent much like yours...watch parade, salivate over turkey, impatiently wait for turkey, finally eat turkey and fixings, and spend the rest of day in "turkey coma" or if you were my brother...get the "meat sweats". The rest of the weekend was spent recovering from that, paired with more eating, family, friends, shopping, and BIG RED win...all in all a great time had by all. We're feeling blessed, thankful, full, and ready for more holidays...oh and as Griffin demonstated so well on Sunday night after all the festivities, exhausted!

Deck the Halls!!!

So we started to decorate for Christmas this weekend. Don't judge me....we are going to be very busy next weekend and we want to enjoy it for the full season....and ok, I just couldn't wait any longer....sorry! We're not all the way done....and seriously this is a lot to go through for one holiday, but so worth it.....it serioulsy does make me jolly. This is the first year that Griffy can really participate in all the hoopla and it's the first one at our own house with him, so we
tried to get him invovled. Here's what we have so far....

*3 broken ornaments

*1 very annoyed daddy because mommy made him put up and extra tree and then individually scew in each bulb.....it wasn't so bad, ok it wasn't great!

*1 glittery NOEL sign thrown in the washer without mom knowing, and it got washed (now daddy's work clothes have holiday spirit too!)

*1 high heeled crocodile whose high heel has been broken off....don't ask, it is seriously my favorite decoration though...I think a little super glue may fix the problem!
*1 little Happy Holiday Helper.....

Ho! Ho! Ho! I love this holiday!

Ah....the holidays are here! Can't believe it, can't wait!

Enjoy your turkey days everyone!

Putting up the angel with daddy's help!

I'm tired....decorating is hard work....and so is pulling it all down!

An update from Griffin: My first Chop!

Hello my fabulous family & friends,

Griffin here again. Just wanted to brief you on yet another "first" in my short little life. The other morning when mommy came to get me from my crib she noticed that I had several lovely locks in my eyes and hanging down mid-nose. I was irritatedly trying to move them out of the way so I could see her happy smile and more importantly locate my morning milk. She decided it was time for my first hair cut. Although daddy and mommy love my curls it was time for a tiny trim they said. So off to the barbers I went. When we got there I sat in a green race car, they strapped me in and I was off....to get a chop! Mommy brought her camera so we could capture this monumental event, but when she turned it on she realized there wasn't a memory card in it. She panicked for a minute, but never fear....for the mere price of 4 dollars the salon supplied us with a certificate and pic of the event...what a deal. So, here I am...with a few less hairs...but even more curls! I think I look pretty mature and mommy and daddy like it too! What do you think?

Love to you,

Griffin A.

....thankful

#1. a date with my hubby that he planned...think a few moments of adult convo, stir fry, and a dessert called "death by chocolate" from a place that only serves chocolate.....i seriously almost did die.



#2. seeing my sister...someone who really gets me...or does a good job trying.

#3. my little peanut all smiles...exploring and loving something new.

4. Nebraska friends!! Nothing like a few of the college family stopping by to make your weekend.

(Emily, Susan, Griffy, Ab, & Milano)

5. The holidays are almost here...we heard our 1st Christmas tunes of the season....and it snowed for the first time.

Just a few things I have to be thankful for lately.....we had a nice laid back weekend just hanging together...highly anticipating what the next few weeks, the first fluffy snow, and the magic of it all will bring! How lucky we are to have a God that (if we look....sometimes it's easier than others) gives us sweet things to smile about everyday.

On the un-thankful side....does laundry ever end???:)

...more Halloween Happenings

Part 2: The Real Deal

Now onto the 31st....Our first chance at Trick or Treating! I would love to tell you that Griffin hammed it up and loved it but I think he still needs another year or two to really embrace the full delight that Halloween truly is. Also, he was cutting a tooth and had a really hard time with it, so he smiled for a few pictures and then moped around to a few houses with a really sad and pathetic look on his face. After about 3 houses where Ryan had to open up and hold out the terry cloth pumpkin shaped treat sack we were ready to head home, but hey, at least we tried right! There's always next year! TRICK OR TREAT!!

The first and only transfer of the night is made! Halloween history!

Halloweeny Happenings....

Part #1: The Prep Work

To prepare for Halloween this year we partook in the age old tradition of carving a pumpkin last weekend. Of coarse I had planned this out for weeks, found a wonderfully plump and perfectly round pumpkin, and visions of candy corn and pumpkin seeds danced in my head as I envisioned us as a cute little family carving this prized beauty into an award winning toothy grin. We would put a little candle in his hollow tummy and his happy little face would illuminate the rest of our night......

Here my friends, is a snapshot by snapshot dipiction of what actually happend:

Griffin poses with Eccleston pumpkin 2008....here comes some good old fashion family fun!

Ryan scoopes out pumpkin, Griffin takes one look in and is not as interested as he was in this "pre" shot.

This spoon is much more exciting....

You know what else is exciting? Spooning pumpkin guts onto the floor!

Here Ryan is explaining to me that we should draw on a detailed picture of the face before we carve it....and where I simultaneously decide that I am totally just going to eyeball it.

So eyeballing it was a mistake of gargantuous proportions, the nose is now all we have room for and it's crooked.....

Ryan, clearly extremely irritated, is pondering what we can do to recoup this and reiterating that we should have drawn out the face before making any cuts. I am agreeing in my head, trying not to laugh, and not admitting he was very right. All while Griffin is scooping more seeds onto the floor and then falls off the chair he was on......all parties are somewhat miserable.

...but we aren't quitters and we forge on to create some kind of Halloween memory, if only through pictures.

If you would just cooperate for one picture.....

Ahhh....there we go, good ole fashion family fun, just the way it was supposed to be, crooked nose and all.

I guess this is what I get for watching a few too many Martha Stewart Halloween specials. I start hearing things in my head like, oh I could sprinkle that ghoulish gourd in glitter for a fun Halloween treat....ridiculous, Martha it never turns out your way for me....I need an intervention! What I would like to call this night is a typical "Eccleston Family Special" where I make Ryan get on board for something ridiculous and he goes along with it because he loves me and is a great husband. Then things go classically amiss , there's a small disagreement, we patch things up and smile for a picture at the end. Hey,it's not perfect, but it's ours.....welcome to our family....

I was pretty sure I could manipulate these pics to make it look like a very charming experience, but I thought you would probably enjoy and believe the truth more:)!