Christmas Came Early for Me Too.........

Not only did Brayden get some of Christmas presents early but I did too; look what Brayden got me for Christmas....

A Nikon D3100; isn't it beautiful??  I have been wanting a new camera for such a long time & Brayden couldn't have picked out a better one (thank you Lance.........you are the best hubby a wife could ever ask for)!!  Thankfully Wolf Camera was offering FREE classes with the purchase of the camera because I have a lot to learn & will hopefully be able to squeeze a few in before Christmas. 

Here are a few of the hundreds of photos that I have taken so far; I took these the first day I had the camera & again I have A LOT to learn but you can just see that the quality of the photos is just better overall!!  I am just playing around with it right now & trying to learn from reading the book & so far I am LOVING IT!!

Thanksgiving........

My parents left on Tuesday (11/23) so Wednesday it was back to reality & trying to get the house back in order.  I am normally a clean freak but I have been worse about things with this pregnancy & am even worse when we have people coming over & we do this Sunday since we are hosting a couple's baby shower for our dear friends Meghan & Justin.........so needless to say I am & have been in a cleaning frenzy!

Anyway, Wednesday I cleaned & did a ton of laundry & the Thursday was Thanksgiving & we again ate way too much food!  We packed up that morning & headed to Lance's Aunt Joie's house for the holiday.  Almost the whole family was there for Thanksgiving this year & that means A LOT of people; Just look at the family photo that was taken (& there are still a few missing)!

Brayden had a blast; we got there early enough so that he could eat & then nap there & he woke up in an amazing mood.  I was afraid that he would be a bit stand offish with the amount of people there but he walked around like he owned the place.  He found his 2nd cousin (I think) & they played for the longest time.  The were first fighting over the toy stroller but they soon came to a compromise & B just pushed her around.  Honestly she is cuter than any baby doll he could have put in there!!

The big kids turned on the karaoke machine which meant B had to dance until he couldn't dance anymore........

But he still never lost sight of his long lost cousin, Isabella........... 

The day was fun & it was so nice to see all of the family but it was so nice to get home & rest; if you can call sitting down with the Black Friday ads & planning my Friday of shopping relaxing.  Shopping was a great success & I feel like I got a lot done but this sums up how I felt at about 2pm since I was up at 2:45am!

I left the house to go to Kohl's & Walmart before little butt was even up & then B's JuJu came over at 7 & we shopped for the rest of the day.........he was quite the trooper that day!!

The Holcomb Family Visit - Part Three.........Good-Bye's Stink!!

-BMonday Lance was back to work so we just chilled at the house that morning & played with all Brayden's new toys!!  He actually slept in that morning & didn't gt up until 8:30.........that is unheard of for him!! 

After nap time we ventured out to the park that afternoon. I tried to get on the slides & swing with Brayden was Colton kept me from doing to much; every time I would try something I would get very dizzy so Puddy had to step in & play a lot BUT I don't think he minded at all!! I actually think that it would be a tie between Brayden & his Puddy on how had more fun!!

 

Our kid is a dare devil; he really has no fear; he walked up to this part of the park & started to take a step without holding Puddy's hands..........sadly I think we might have many bumps. bruises & maybe even a few broken bones in our future. 

When we got home we ate turkey leftovers (& they get better with time) & then just waited for Lance to get home.  My mom & dad then gave Brayden the best present as far as I am concerned..........a recordable book.  He will now be able to listen to both of their voices read him "The Night Before Christmas" any time he wants to & believe me it is pretty often since they left!!  It makes me cry when he grabs the book & I hear them reading but it is a happy cry so I guess that is not such a bad thing.

Tuesday morning came & we all got up & got ready to go see this...........

I was so happy that my parents, sister, Lance's mom, Lance & Brayden could all be there to see Colton; it made the whole experience so much more meaningful than it already was!!  When we got back home mom & dad packed up & were on the road; B had lunch & then fought his nap with a passion that afternoon.  I later figured out that he had a very upset stomach; I only figured this out because when I went into get my screaming child he was covered in vomit!!  It was everywhere & his whole crib & he had to be cleaned & washed..........it was such a sad sight & I hope I don't have to see him like that again anytime soon!!

It was a wonderful family visit BUT it was way to short; it was a very sad good-bye that afternoon & we miss them so much already.  I know that my family didn't live really close to begin with but 8 hours is a lot different than 26 hours; I am so happy that they will be with my Grandmother & can't wait to visit & show Brayden where his Puddy grew up!!  I wish I could just be selfish & have them move here but I guess life just doesn'y always get to go my way..........DAMN IT!!

The Holcomb Family Visit - Part Two

We woke up Sunday (11/21) morning & because we wouldn't see Puddy, Grams & Aunt Mammie until May 2011 we decided to do Brayden's Christmas from them.  It really didn't go as I thought it would; I though that B would at least be interested in the wrapping paper but he wasn't............all he wanted to do is stand on each & every box that Lance pulled out from under our downstairs tree.  It was alot fun & he loved everything that he got; looking back I wish we would have had Mom & Dad open the presents with him & I am really sad that we didn't get more photos of them all together!

My dad & I are always the first ones up in the house; I really enjoy our morning coffee time!  Brayden didn't know what was in store him that day.........

Saying good morning to all 4 dogs! 

Waiting patiently for everyone else to get up.............mommy wasn't as patient!!

Brayden wanted to try my Dad's Mountain Dew..........unfortunately he loved it but I promise we didn't give him anymore that day!!

So we decided to go out back & play for a while......... 

Daddy finally got up (it was still early; like 7:30........I had just woken up at 3 that morning so I was impatient) 

Brayden helped Puddy move his truck so that the boy could all go get breakfast........fast food biscuits; does it get any better??  We were already going to eat a Thanksgiving feast so why not throw in a fattening breakfast too?? 

After breakfast it was present time & this is all Brayden wanted to do............. 

We were all done opening so B gave Gram, Puddy & Aunt Mammie a round of applause as a thank you & then everything had to be put together.

I think that this might be Brayden's favorite toy............his first set of golf clubs!!

After presents & while the turkey cooked Lance & my dad went to the garage to play darts; why they didn't move my truck is beyond me!

We cooked the turkey in my Christmas present...........it was the best & juiciest turkey I think I have ever had.

The Feast

After eating & cleaning up Lance & Aunt Mammie took a nap so Brayden, Grams, Puddy &  I went out front to work off some of the many calories that we just ate...........

We just chilled & played for the rest of the afternoon & evening; we of course watched football & Brayden tried to see how far he could push his daddy............

Lance saying "no" to Brayden & Brayden clapping to get Lance to smile..........

It was a wonderfully long day but we had so much fun & ate way to much.............I miss my family so much already & wish they were still here!!  We love you guys!!!!