I can come up with at least 10 different reasons I have not blogged in over two weeks! I truly have been busier than I anticipated and just haven't made the time. Sad, seeing as I had hoped that blogging most of the month of November would have boosted my blogging time. I guess not. :(
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Though I'm disappointed in myself for not finishing NaBloPoMo, I'm quite glad my focus was on other things. We pulled off hosting Thanksgiving dinner twice at our house this year. It was grand. I'm so, so thankful to have a home to be able to host such gatherings. Though our house is not large by any means, we were able to work things out just fine. And I have discovered a love for hosting! It's such a joy to serve others.
Thursday we had Mike's side of the family over. It was so nice. So many wonderful foods. It was a great time of food and fellowship (and Black Friday ad's). My only disappointment is we didn't get any games of Yahtzee in. :)
Friday the kids and I drug out all of our Christmas decorations and started in on the decorating. We spent most of the day decorating the tree and the rest of the house. The kids were pretty tired from the busy day before so it took longer than usual. Several meltdowns and several strands of lights later we were done. We ended the day as we do every year (on the day we put up our tree) with popcorn and Jim Carrey's The Grinch.
I had to work Saturday which stressed me the whole day. Not because I do not like my job but because I was trying to get things ready for my side of the family to come over Sunday. I hate being in the middle of something and have to stop. Some how it all worked out and work actually ended up being a nice break from our dinner preparations for Sunday. Mike and I actually ended the day with the kids in bed early and watched a movie.
Sunday we had a total of 20 people here for dinner. Again, lots and lots of food. My family is crazy when everyone is together and with 4 preteens/teens, 2 younger kids, and 4 young adults (18-20) it gets loud. But surprisingly Sunday was pretty quiet for my family. A few of us stayed downstairs playing Euchre while most of the older ones (my parents, Uncle Larry, and step-mom) stayed upstairs and watched the football game. After most everyone left my nephew, his fiancée (both in from Indiana), my sister, my hubby and I played Wii until almost midnight. It was a lot of fun. It was nice to have my family all together. We even had both of my sister in Florida on Skype so it was the next best thing to having everyone together for the holiday.
Camden enjoying the Steelers game along with most of the family who refused a photo. :)
My sweet niece Bethany and I.
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The entire week after all the festivities I took to recoup! Camden and I worked on school right up until Thanksgiving so that I could take some time the following week to clean up and just simply get back into a routine. I LOVE hosting but I love my routine as well. It's been a good transition back into "normal" life.
Normal life since has consisted of holiday prepping, Christmas gift purchasing, school, several photo sessions, and baking. Lots of baking. The kids have helped me make sugar cookies and pumpkin bars. None of which have been frozen for Christmas. I was also bribed into making Puppy Chow the other night and that is half gone already. Hence, my holiday baking will not officially start until the week of Christmas. Otherwise it will not last!
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Here is a little peek at one of the photo sessions I've had recently. I have two final holiday sessions this week. I am truly thankful that God has been blessing me with more and more opportunities to use my gift to bless others. I enjoy giving to others so much .
Isn't she just precious?! And she was just a little over a week old when we did these! One of the sessions I have this weeks is of another newborn. I just love capturing their tiny features. Looking forward to doing this for a special friend of mine next year when she has her baby. Can't wait!!!
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I recently have been having issues with my cell phone. I have not been receiving texts, nor have others been receiving mine, and I was not always getting calls. These issues didn't happen all the time, it was random and quite annoying. I purchased my phone used so I knew that eventually it would die and I'd have to replace it. So over the last month or so (since these issues began) I have been looking into my options. There has been one particular phone my heart has been set on for a long time but our company has never carried it (iPhone). Well recently I started falling for another phone, one that several close friends have. I've played with this particular phone a bit and knew if I ever had the chance to actually have the phone I wanted, this one would be it. So when researching my options I found that not only could I purchase this particular phone, at a price I could afford and not break my bank account but I could purchase it without changing my contract and making my plan higher. I have already been paying the highest data package available so my plan wouldn't have to change. BUT, they are now actually offering a data plan that is in between their lowest data package and their unlimited (which I currently have and use very little of). SO, I finally got this pretty little phone...
It's a Motorola Droid. It's not a Droid 2 or Droid X, just the Droid. BUT, it's the phone I've wanted for a long time. I was happy with my previous phone but let me tell you, this phone steps up on every level. It's crazy amazing. And the best part is I got a crazy deal on it and we knocked about $35 off our monthly bill! Having a phone I love and saving money = WIN! I think the hubby is even intrigued by my new phone. Though he'd never have a phone like this, I think he will enjoy playing with it. There are so many apps that you can download, it's crazy! I have a fun educational (free I might add) app that even the kids can play. Pretty cool.
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So there ya have it friends. That's my update in a nutshell. Thinking that I probably should end here for the night. I have a full day tomorrow with the kids and another photo session in the evening. So I guess I should turn in for the night.
Hope ya'll have a wonderful week! Until next time friends...TTFN.
*All the photos except the infant photos are from my point and shoot or my phone so the quality is not very good. Sorry.
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