Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Also the busiest.  I know I haven't updated in a while, but with only one follower I doubt they missed my updates, but I will still keep plugging away.

It's been a crazy time between, work, baking, play dates and just general life.  A lot has happened recently.  I guess the biggest thing is that we purchased a new truck.  Totally not intentional, well we had always talked about how we would need to trade in/sell Casey's truck to get a more family friendly one if we wanted to have another baby.  So a week ago we went to the dealership just to claim a prize(they send us these scratch and win things on occasion) and of course they asked about us purchasing a new car.  They initially wanted to make an offer on my car but we need my car so we wouldn't trade it in so of course they then asked about my husbands truck.  We told them what we needed to happen, money wise for the truck and then payment wise for the new truck, in order for us to walk out with a new truck.  Well they made everything happen and the deal was good enough that we decided we didn't want to walk away from the offer.  Casey truck is getting up there in years and mileage so every passing day the value of the car would keep going down.  So we are now the proud owners of a new 2012 Dodge RAM 1500 four door.  And we have purchased a second carseat so Alexis can ride in it so we can use both cars as family cars which will help take some of the demand off my car and make my car last longer.  Alexis has named the new car the 'Jolly Roger' which goes with my car named 'Bucky'.  If you or your kids(if you have any) watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates you will know where those names come from.

Alexis and I have been having fun getting into the Christmas spirit.  We had a friend over and we decorated ginger bread houses.  Well actually it was only one house because I couldn't get mind standing before one of the sides fell over and broke apart.  We did get one standing.  The girls had fun, mainly eating the frosting, but it was a fun experience for all involved.  Alexis also made ornaments that were pinterest inspired.  She has really been getting into arts and crafts which will come in handy during the cold winter.  She has also been all about helping me bake christmas cookies.  She likes to help bump the ingredients into the bowls, help stir and with the peanut blossoms she helped roll the dough in the sugar and put them on the  baking sheet.  She really wanted to help put the hershey kisses on the cookies, but since that happens when they come right out of the oven I told her she had to be older to do that since the cookies and the pan are hot when you do it.  She even helped me wrap the presents.  She would hold down the paper while I got the tape and put it in and then after i wrote who they were for she would draw a little picture to add her little touch to it.

The other day I dared to make cut out sugar cookies.  For those who have ever made them or attempted to make them, it's a messy process because you need a lot of flour to keep them from sticking to the counter top.  Last year for Halloween I attempted it and it didn't go very well.  This year I figured out on secret to it.  You need to chill the down once you mix it all up.  Cold dough is easier and less sticky to roll out.  Although you still need a lot of flour, it just makes it a little easier to roll out.  So  I was able to successfully make a decent amount of cookies.  I finally used the christmas shaped cookie cutters I purchased last year at TJ Maxx.  Once the cookies were all cool I frosted them and then alexis added sprinkles.  She loves helping add the sprinkles.  Of course she kept asking if she could have a cookie and since it was around snack time I caved and let her have a couple.  She basically just as the frosting off the cookies.(why not it's the best part right?)  Well on the last cookie I gave her I put a bib on her because she was starting to make a mess with eating just the frosting.  I learned a lesson to not turn your back on a three year old eating a freshly frosted cookie.  I went into the living to the computer and when she was done eating her cookie she showed me her hands and they were stained red from the frosting.  So I truly do not know if she ate any of the frosting off that last cookie or just made a mess with the frosting.  Needless to say that it was bath time immediately following that.

So far we have had a great holiday season.  One more day off work before Christmas and then we get to spend the whole day as a family opening gifts and playing with new toys.  So here's is to a wonderful Christmas.

Alexis and Halle with their gingerbread house.

Alexis caught red(frosting) handed.

Alexis' First Dance Recital

So Alexis has been in dance class since pretty much the summer.  I decided to take her to dance class over the summer while it was basically pay as you go.  That made it nice because I just wanted to see if she liked dance class.  The class is a Dance With Me class, so I participate in class with her.  They are taught very basic ballet moves and just do fun dances.  Alexis really got into the summer classes so we signed her up for regular classes.  She has been doing so well and now even makes me sit in the corner so I can watch her dance.  It's kind of boring to just watch her because the class is meant for parent participation as well, but I love how independent she has become and how good she is at following the teacher and doing all the dances by herself.

Saturday was her very first dance recital and it was really nice.  Alexis had been excited about it all day telling everyone who asked what our plans were.  She would tell them she had her dance recital.  She looked so cute in her dance costume.  All the little girls did.  Lots of pink.  I will admit I got a little teary eyed when we were waiting back stage.  My baby's first dance recital.  Unsure why I got emotional but it happens.  When it was time for us to go on stage Alexis got a little stage fright.  I think it was because when they sent us on stage it was completely dark and I think that scared her a little since it was her first time.  She did the dance a little bit.  I helped her with the moves but by the end she was doing it herself.  I kind of wished they let them do the dance twice because I know the second time she would have done the whole dance by herself.  It was still great and lots of fun and there will be another recital in May.

On a completely different note, another blogger I have been following finally was able to get a positive pregnancy test on her third round of IUI.  So big congrats to Miss KK, best of luck to you and a happy and healthy nine months and  I cannot wait to watch your pregnancy grow and keep cheering you on.

So here is to a wonderful dance season for Alexis and a healthy nine months to KK.

Here are a few pictures from after the recital

Back to babymaking?!?!

Well with the arrival of AF (another 33 day cycle, which looks like it will be the 'normal') we will hopefully get back to actually trying for a second baby.  When we were talking about what months of the year would be best, work wise, for having a baby September and April were the ones that seemed to be the best.  No conferences for Casey to go on, no major training, of course there will always be those late nights and unexpected things but with no conferences that could potentially have him away from home around due date those months seemed to work out best.  Well, since it's officially December that would be a September baby if I were to get pregnant.  Now of course you cannot guarantee anything when it comes to getting pregnant, or even when the baby decides to come, so technically we would still have a slight potential for an August baby, but since Alexis was pretty much right on time, I would like to think the chances of another August baby are super slim.

In the back of my mind I was hoping and thinking I would get pregnant right away off birth control.  People can dream can't they?  In the front of my mind I knew it could take a while.  I am hoping now that it's been close to 5 months since I took my last birth control pill that my body has started to regulate itself.  That is evident by the fact that I have had two cycles in a row that has lasted 33 days.  I know I cannot rest on that as my official cycle length because it could change at any moment but as of now I am using that as a gage when it comes to marking a calendar to know if I am 'late' or not.

On a side note of pregnancy, I am excited that Prince William and Kate are expecting.  I do feel for Kate for having to go through the illness she is experiencing.  I cannot imagine how horrible it is, but I saw the pictures from her release at the hospital and at least she is smiling and looks happy.  I know in the back of her mind she probably just wanted to do home and lay down, but you have to give her a hand for dealing with all of this for the whole world to watch.  I hope they have a great pregnancy and this illness doesn't last the whole time and she is healthy the rest of her pregnancy and she has a healthy beautiful baby.

So here is to all the holiday babies either being born, being found out about and maybe even being conceived!

The cold has arrived

Now I am not talking about sickness, thank goodness.  NO I am talking about the bitter, cannot go outside more then a couple minutes, bundle up in winter coats, hats and gloves kind of cold.  It's has arrived in Grand Forks and now there is no going back until the spring.

Yesterday the temperature was in the 40s but it was so windy and the wind was cold all either Alexis and I could stand was about 20 minutes outside.  It was actually raining when we woke up so it was still wet outside when we went out.  Pretty much all we did was run back and forth on the sidewalk.  But it was good to get outside and have some fresh air because soon enough it will be below zero out and there will be no going outside at all.

Today we went to the local Santa's Village with MOPs and had a good time.  They set it up really nice with a lot of decorated trees.  It makes me a little envious that I do not have the talent to really create an amazing themed tree.  But with a three year old it's fun to put up all the ornaments from my childhood and add new ones we get Alexis.  She has a fun time hanging up the ornaments.  At the Santa's Village they had a couple craft things for the kids to do and then handed out cookies and hot chocolate.  Alexis had fun doing the crafts.  They had foam stickers, and had foam gingerbread girls(and boys) to decorate.  Alexis did such a good job.  Even gave her gingerbread girl hair.  She has lately been insisting that when anyone draws a smily face that the face needs to have hair on it.  They also had a scratch away thing, there you scratch off the black to see the color behind it.  That was actually pretty cool and I made sure to put her name on it and the year so if this becomes an annual thing we can keep the ornaments.

We actually set up a 32 inch tree in Alexis' room so I think I will hang that ornament on her tree.  I also have several craft project ideas that I have gotten off pinterest to make ornaments.  So every year when she makes an ornament we will give an ornament to each set of grandparents and then she can make one for her tree and her tree will be all of the self made ornament.  I am excited to start the tradition of making an new ornament every year.

Here's to the coming winter and all the fun ideas that will hopefully become real.