Christmas with one shoe and a piece of china for deviled eggs.

We had Christmas in our new home this year. So awesome!

This meant I felt the need to decorate like crazy and attempt to set up a dining room in a matter of a week. OH and plan Christmas dinner. I did it, with the help of others- Thank you Dad, Aunt Mary, Mom, Elaine and of course Chris. I already had most the decorations done, and yes I totally "super glued" 3M hooks to the stucco outside to hang my Pintrest inspired garland. I may or may not have told Chris it's removable. I guess we will find out this week when I take it down. Other wise I will have to make deco mesh garland for every freaking holiday. 

So back to Christmas. It was SO much more fun when you have a baby, it's more exciting. We all know the "Reason for the Season" and that's important to me and trust m e I have definitely had my chance the past few years to reflect on that but this year not only felt like a celebration but the excitement of starting our own traditions with CC was the best. I'd be lying if I said no one ate the cookies left out for Santa on Christmas Eve. My ass woke up at 4am hungry and ate the whole damn plate. That's right, add those pounds to my behind, I have until the 27th to eat like a Queen. Then my sisters leave and we have aprox. 2.5 months to lose some holiday weight plus some before our next cruise. Cruise. Yea I said it... We all got a surprise family cruise for Christmas from my Aunt. You should have seen the faces on my sisters face when they opened that present. AHHHH! I can't wait!!!!

P.S. I start Weight Watchers this week... who wants to join with me?

OK so back to Christmas (can you tell I am unmedicated tonight) I can even finish typing a sentence before I start thinking of the next thing in my brain.

So Chris and I played Santa the night before. We spent Christmas Eve at my Father in Law's house eating a full Christmas Eve dinner, stuffed our faces only to come home to a boat load of unwrapped gifts and make Santa cookies. So we sat on the family room floor till Midnight wrapping up the last of the gifts, which felt so good knowing we have CC to wake up in the morning to terrorize the place. 

 Speaking of, here he his himself who decided to wake up mimicking the Grinch until he found Mickey Mouse (see video)

We went to Mass which I dressed CC in a typical Christmas outfit, long sleeve button up plaid shirt, khakis, sweater vest and one shoe- because I couldn't find his other dress shoe. Then Chris caught on and asked why he had one shoe on. Ummmm.... he must have kicked it off. Yet secretly my train of thought was people at church would think... "oh Miss, I think your baby lost a shoe"

Ohhhh YES, "OH NO, he must have" darnit.

Hey at least it would look like he HAD shoes on when we left the house. My brain works backwards people.

OH so back to my story- I dress him in this outfit, walk to church in 80 degree weather and then almost lose grip of the stroller that WOULD have gone piling strait down a ditch filled with black water. AHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Thankfully we made it all 11yrds to the church, but poor CC had already broke a sweat. Seriously clothing people- make some flipping Florida Christmas outfits that can sustain this 85 degree temperature and while you're at it- make some Halloween ones too. Putting my kid in a fur covered lion suit is just not practical. Thank you very much.

We were able to get these 2 pictures by the manger he so gracefully slept in last year as Baby Jesus. Ahhh Baby Jesus... he was sooooo tiny last year. Oh CC found out that he can slip under the pew and greet the people behind him. This is all while I am trying to catch him by the feet before he makes it 100% of the way through. Sorry folks that sat behind us.

 You may notice I am sporting the same dress as last year. One year later I am proudly rocking a maternity dress. I love the dress too much not to wear it. Chris would have been in this picture had he been a sport and come up front, but the guy hates pictures. After 9 years, I just accept that about him.


BUT I was able to get this picture of US right before dinner. We were celebrating our new dining room. Which for the past 9 months has sat empty with no light fixtures and boxes of diapers, odds and ends and left over unused baby toys.
This past week I painted the accent wall, we picked up my Grandma's 45 year old dining set that I have accepted as a gift from my Aunt and ALSO got her beautiful Danube Blue China. Like the WHOOOOOLE set. There's pieces I have no idea what to do with- I took out the plate that goes under the thing that holds the stew/soup and I thought it was for deviled eggs. Until my Aunt laughed and said nooooooooo, Ashley.

The joys of growing up. I remember being at the kids table and here I am 28 years later setting up my own table to feed everyone else. I may serve deviled eggs on a piece of china meant for something else, but at least you know your in for a good laugh at my house.

It was a great Christmas, the whole family (CC's Aunt's and Uncle) are in town and we were all able to be together. There wasn't a minute that Nolan, Charlie and Brice were not thought of, we had a blessing at each dinner wishing they were here. 

Merry Christmas and until next year.....