looking back . . .

one year ago . . . .















happy december!
one week till bryce's birthday,
24 days till Christmas!!!!!
So much to celebrate,
so much to give thanks for,
so much to look forward to!
*okay, yes i just realized that TOMORROW is december, but happy day BEFORE december.

home sweet home

The morning you have to leave your vacation is such an odd thing to me - you are desperate not to leave, closing the door of the hotel room that last time is almost PAINFUL as you drag yourself back to the real world, and anticipate the laundry, unpacking, and settling in . . .. but somehow, on the trip home, you start to be READY to be home. That's how my day was yesterday!!! We are home home home, and now I have to get organized for someone's BIRTHDAY a week from TODAY!!! Are we really going to have a TWO YEAR OLD in the house!!???? Bryce learned how to say TWO at my parents' house this week, as well as "I don't know!" And last night he added the dreaded, "WHYY?" to his vocabulary. (As in, "Why is the sky blue? Why do birds fly? Why are you grumpy? Why is my shirt blue? Why do I have to go to bed?")

So, we are home and heading to The Little Gym today! Bryce had a great time at my parents' house, and at Disney World. . .and so did we!!!!

more disney! more disney!

just a mishmosh of some more disney pics. . .we didn't take a whole lot yesterday, but here is one demonstrating Bryce's desire for his own King size bed, a few more from the lights at MGM, and from the tree lighting at Epcot last night, plus the amazing giant gingerbread house at The Grand Floridian! Heading home today . . .sigh. We always wish for just ONE more day.

how could i forget????!

How could i forget the photo of the mouse himself!!!????
Tonight we went to Epcot, and Bryce actually sat on Santa's lap and talked with he and Mrs. Claus!!! Santa told Bryce that he KNOWS Thomas the Tank Engine, which was a big selling point, as Bryce tried to decide whether or not he likes that big bearded Santa guy! We had photos taken, which we should be able to view tomorrow - we will be sure to pass along the link!!!!! It really was "the best Santa" that I have ever seen. We were first in line to meet them, and they knew it was Bryce's first time meeting Santa. He and Mrs. Claus were so so sweet, and talked to us for quite a long time!!! We have been spoiled now, so we will just have to come back to Disney every year to see Santa - no mall Santa is going to cut it now!!!!

bryce loves mickey!

We are having a great time at Disney!! I would have posted pics sooner, but our internet connection wasn't working. . .here are a few to enjoy!!!!! Bryce LOVED LOVED LOVED the christmas lights at MGM, and he LOVED meeting mickey mouse and playing in Winnie the Pooh's play park at the Magic Kingdom!!!! We also met Stitch, from Lilo and Stitch. We checked out the gorgeous Christmas decorations at The Grand Floridian (where we spent our honeymoon!) and saw all the animals at Animal Kingdom this morning. If Bryce ever wakes up from his nap, we are heading to Epcot this afternoon for dinner in Germany!

new words!

-Hi! or Hi ___________ (insert name here!!!)
-dup dup dup (up up up) when he wants to go play on the stair machine in the exercise room!! (so funny, he LOVES it!!!)
-I love _________ (insert name here!!!!) :)
-Mickey Mouse (which sounds like Mi-i-mow)
-How old are you Bryce? TWO! (sounds like Do!)

thanksgiving thankfulness

We are thankful for great big gigantic turkeys, playgrounds, cool autumn days (of which there are not many, in south florida!) family who loves to play, a new rug to drive trucks and trains on, the dollar bin at target (And the CUTE trains there!) bubbles, pie for breakfast, Christmas music, big hugs, and lots and lots of love! Happy Thanksgiving! Here's what we have been up to the past few days. . . .

Night of Lights

one more picture - a bit fuzzy, but at least you can see what it's like in the plaza with all the lights up!!!!! it is SO hard to get good pictures of the lights!

happy catchup!

okay, getting caught up: night of lights was this weekend in st. auggie.
*this is a total flagler tradition! its like a big class reunion/holiday kickoff *the lights were beautiful as usual *the kids were running everywhere in the plaza - it truly is a miracle we didn't lose any of them! * had dinner beforehand at The Pizza Garden (a pre-night of lights tradition in our family) * also here is a cute pic of bryce helping lizzie with her homework (she has a new MOST comfy bed in her NEW room - she might come home one day and find us snoozing there) and a pic of the three toddler tots at annamaria's house (we were so happy to have joy and her guys here for the weekend!!!) * HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOY! (tomorrow anyway!)*got my hair cut on friday (can't really tell from these pics)* super short - not so sure i am loving the layers!! *had girl's night out friday night - annamaria and I went to Cheesecake Factory and did a little shopping! *eric started hanging up christmas lights yesterday, and one of the radio stations has already started playing christmas music 24-7 . . .can you believe how early!???? *leaving tomorrow for fort myers, and then disney world!!!!!!*happy thanksgiving!!!!!!!

Awww, RATS

Don't harass me about it being almost a week without pictures. . . .computer pooped out again. Sigh. Be back soon!!!

PS. . .our holiday wishlist has been slightly updated if you need ideas!! (not that we are going around asking for gifts or anything!!!) don't forget to let me know if anything should be taken off. . .either leave an annoymous comment, or just tell me (if it isn't FOR me anyway!)

picasso? pollack? WILLIAMS

some of the fabulous artwork that Bryce has been doing lately!!! the past few days we have been painting with acrylics and Q-tips. . . he LOVES it (those are the three bottom paintings.)

One more pic for today. . .

more birthday pictures. . .

Still trying to get caught up sharing our past week (it's been a BUSY one . . .including a trip from Mimi and Poppy, Mimi's birthday, Halloween, and Eric's birthday!) These are pictures of Eric and his birthday desserts. We ate his gigantic chocolate cake (more pics of it on my blog) at Dave and Buster's with friends on Saturday. (As you can see them all singing so sweetly to Eric in the pictures!!) We had dinner, and then went to the game room . . .Bryce "played" his first game of Skee Ball (it mainly consisted of him chucking heavy wooden balls in every direction BUT the little cups!) Chris and I earned enough tickets to get Bryce a little squishy soccer ball, which he LOVES (and says Lizzie's name when he sees it, because he knows she plays soccer!!!)

Bryce made his own TRAIN out of blocks. . .he has been doing this a lot lately, and after he finishes it he says "Chooo choooo!" For Eric's birthday, we had lunch at Ted's Montana Grill and enjoyed this yummy apple dessert together!

holy cow it's WORKING!!!!

will it work??!!

Let's give those Halloween photos another try. . .

No photos necessary

I don't believe it will take photos to tell you how Bryce threw up on the living room floor the other night. And I don't believe it will take photos to tell you how Bryce threw up on Gigi and Doobie's floor the other night (at least they have a tile floor!) (Eric was REALLY excited to spend his birthday hosing off the doormat covered in . . . .stuff.) I don't believe it will take photos to tell you that I have not been in the mood to attempt to post the dozen or so pics I am getting behind on posting. So please, just bear with me. We have been trying to celebrate Eric's birthday (of which I was going to post a BUNCH of really embarrassing pics of him to make you laugh . . .they will come, don't worry.) Maybe tonight. Hopefully tonight.

technical difficulties

Don't give up on me. . .. Halloween pictures are COMING. .. (And probably a bunch of others too) I have been TRYING to get them up for two days, but I am having technical photo/blogger/computer/me problems . . .will give it another try today at naptime or after bedtime!!!! Keep checking back!!!!