MEIKO!

After a rough fall (well, rough 2012 in general), we decided to treat our family to a lil' love and happiness ... and this came in the form a 2 lb, 11 week old Morkie named Meiko! We couldn't get home from vacation fast enough to pick her up and although she still seems to get confused on the whole 'i can only go potty outside' thing, she has been such a blessing! Avery loves Meiko and can now almost say her name perfectly and is constantly asking to "hold it". And Foxxie was the worst critic of all, but has finally come around and taken well to her new best bud!

Deck the halls .... of Avery's bedroom

Since Avery is actually old enough to get in the Christmas spirit this year (Hallelujah!!)- I decided to jazz up her bedroom with some festive accessories. If you haven't seen our house yet, we have a different theme tree going on in each room with matching decorations. It's a little bit of work, but something I look forwsrd to doing every year. Every morning Avery & I count 1...2...3! as I plug in the lights to the big tree - and before she can even admire the lights, she has already run to the next tree awaiting 1, 2, 3 lights! All of my decorating efforts are well worth it if my little girl enjoys them like I do!

Vegas Vacation

Mommy & Daddy just returned from a well-needed/deserved vacation to Scottsdale/Vegas and couldn't come home empty handed with something for Avery. Leave Mommy in charge of a souvenir and this is what you get!

That's a Honey of a Tree, Clark!

It's officially Christmas time and our first stop on the Tradition Train was heading out to Williams Tree Farm to pick out our Christmas Tree. Williams Tree Farm is a wonderful, family-owned farm where my family started getting our Christmas trees over 20 years ago! We were on a mission to pick one out quick enough to get home before the Bear game, and since Nick knows how particular I can be with my trees, we gave ourselves plenty of time! So much fun to have Avery talk about the trees and take in all the sights - I think she is going to like Christmas just like her mommy!

Rest Peacefully...

Unfortunately my family has lost another Patriarch, my Grandpa. Our hearts are very heavy as I have lost both of my grandpas in the last 8 months. My grandpa did live a full life though - he loved his church and Polish heritage, his house, his immaculate yard and flower beds, his loving wife of 59 years (would have been #60 in February!) and his 5 supportive children, their spouses, 8 great grandchildren and his only great grand child, Avery. I am so proud that I could bless with him with his only great grandchild as he would just light up every time he would see her. I really am so lucky that I had 28.5 years with him - he was a gracious soul and has been such a source of support for my mom and our entire family. We are going to miss him dearly, but know he is in a wonderfully better place. We will never forget him and have the fondest of memories to hold on to. Rest peacefully Grandpa Moosie!! xoxo

BOO!

happy halloween! we had a great time this year since avery was able to understand it and get into it a bit more than last year! flashback to last year:

same chair, another year, another costume:

maybe we're biased, but isn't this the cutest dorothy/toto combo you have ever seen?!

Door County

last weekend we headed up north to door county for a visit with nick's mom & stepdad aka grandma jamie & grandpa jason. avery had a bit of a rough time adjusting to a new place, but still managed to have a great time! i think we picked the last weekend with the trees still having beautiful colors so our timing was perfect!

Please light your candle!

Many people probably do not know that today is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day ... I didn't until Facebook told me this morning :) Please light a candle at 7pm tonight and keep it lit for 1 hour to shine light on all babies that the world never got to meet.

Fall Fun!

Happy October everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts lately (for almost a month actually!) At least I can't say it's because we have nothing fun to share, because boy! have we been busy! It's no secret that fall is my favorite time of year so I have been busy introducing Avery to all of fall's finest activities ... Apple Orchard, Pumpkin Patch, Lockwood Park & Midway Village! We've played with pumpkins, ate apple cider donuts, rode on tractors and wagons and even made our very own scarecrow! We still have a few more fall activities coming up including another trip to the Pumpkin Patch & up to scenic Door County to visit Grandma Jamie & Grandpa Jason and see all the fall colors. And of course, the red sequin shoes are anxiously awaiting to be worn Halloween night when Avery will take a true stab at trick or treating! Can you guess her costume?.....