It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!

On my internet favorites, that is!  I have been busy lately, creating wishlists, searching out the best prices on gifts, and designing my Christmas cards!  I love how easy it is to make your own photo card these days.  Shutterfly makes it SO simple - and they have tons of gorgeous cards to choose from!  You could get folded greeting cards (for those of you overachievers who want to put a hand written message inside!) or my favorite, a flat stationary card.  Some might have hundreds to order, so a flat photo card is a more economical choice.

Here are some of my favorites -

No Mistletoe Necessary

Count Your Blessings

And I am always a sucker for blue and red -

Ornaments All Aglow

Not only do they have great cards, they also have other items that would make wonderful gifts.  In the past I have made this -

For our grandparents.  I got together with all the family members and added a picture of each couple and the birthdates and anniversaries.  My Granny LOVED it - as did the entire family!

Jason doesn't know it, but Santa might be bringing him a Calendar Mouse Pad - Lilli is so beautiful it is easy to use her on a photo gift!

I already have a perfect spot for these canvases , so I hope Santa doesn't forget about me!

You know what I love most, though??  Promotions!  Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly! Learn more: http://bit.ly/sfly2010

You guys will have to wait and see what I have created on Shutterfly for our 2010 Christmas card, but I know you will not be disappointed!!


Show Us Your Life - My Living Room

I have been reading Kelly's Korner Blog for a while now and just love it!  Not only does she have an adorable little girl, but her daughter Harper and Lilli are about 2 months apart so I can really sympathize with her! 

On her website she has a section called "Show Us Your Life" where blog buddies can link up and share things.

 This week is all about living rooms.  I thought I would join in and share mine with you.  You can click on any of my pictures to make them bigger.

We have been in our house for 4 years now, and the living room is where we spend most of our time.  I love the color - Whitall Brown by Benjamin Moore.  It looks like a creamy chocolate milk!

This is our fireplace, a beautiful stacked stone.  The fireplace was nothing but pretty to me until the Ice Storm of 2009 - at that time all we had was heat from the gas logs so I learned to really appreciate the space directly in front of them (and it is also where we put our mattress and slept on the floor!)

The picture above this loveseat is a wedding gift from Jason.  It is a framed photo of the spot where he proposed, at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. 

There are several changes to our living room - we no longer have the coffee table out because of the dangerous corners.  Oh, and the space in front of the fireplace is filled with Lillian's toys.  But I wouldn't have it any other way!

I know it has been a while since I have posted - I plan to be back again very soon now that school has calmed down and I have more free time!  Until then, a photo of my sweetie enjoying her very first milkshake -



Lillian at 15 months!

Hey blog buddies!  It has been over a month since I updated my blog - my apologies!  Well, first my computer died.  After about 2 weeks and some help from the local computer repair man, we are now back in business.  Other than that, I have no real excuse, other than spending time with my loves!

On Friday we had Lilli's 15 month Well Baby Visit.  I cannot believe she is 15 months!  Here are some facts about her -
*21.7 lbs (30%ile)

*31.5 inches (80%ile!)

*Can walk, run, climb stairs and get down from couch on her own

*Waves bye bye

*Just started blowing kisses!
*Used a fork for the first time with me Friday

*Says: mama, dada, nahnah (not sure if she is saying no or Nana), yeah, da (dog), ca (cat), hi, bye, and a couple others.  Babbles ALOT in her own little language
*Likes to dance (bends her needs and sometimes shakes her hips side to side)
*Nicknamed "Hurricane Lilli" for the destruction she causes throughout the house

*Sleeps 11.5 hours straight, waking around 8:30/9 AM
*Takes 1-2 naps a day, about 3 hours of sleep total
*Loves any and all food, finally starting to love ice cream

*Goes swimming about once a week and is very subdued in the pool.  She is getting a TINY bit more adventurous each time

*Loves to get in her Cozy Coupe

*Tries to sit on Brady, our cat

*Entertains everyone behind us at church, hehe

*No real stranger anxiety

*Gets really excited when we pull in the church parking lot or our driveway, now that she is forward facing (which we did around 14 months)

*Likes going jogging with me in her jogging stroller

*Adores her Daddy.  Goes to the door and says "Daddy...DaDa?" over and over when he is away

*Loves to talk on the cell phone, saying "Bye" when she is done and puts phone down

*Enjoys being outside, running around in the yard

*Wearing size 4 diapers, 18 mo tops, 12 mo bottoms, size 4 shoes

*5 teeth, but several more coming in

*Loves books, can find these in books: ball, fish, tiger, kitty

*Enjoys bathtime - mostly because it is "Lilli and Daddy time!"

Lilli is an amazing child.  She is very easy going, sleeps and eats great, and loves her Mommy and Daddy.  We are having so much fun with her and I am LOVING being home with her this summer!  We are making memories and I am glad to be able to share them with you!

4 Years Ago...

4 years ago, I woke up to a beautiful Saturday morning.

I put on my beloved Reem Acra with a little help from my sister

I met a teary eyed Jason in the foyer of our church, and prayed he liked my dress

(he did!)

I sang "Going to the Chapel" RIGHT before walking down the aisle.

And held tightly to my great-grandmother's hankie

Then held my Daddy's arm as he walked me to my future (and we both cried like babies!)

I repeated our beautiful vows and promised my all to Jason

and kissed him, to make it official and all ;o)

I celebrated with our family and friends

and savored every moment being his new bride

I tried to remember our rehearsed "first dance" (but mostly just stared into his eyes!)

then I danced with my Daddy (and cried, yet again!)

I got revenge with the cake (after icing went down my dress from his turn)

listened to an hilarious, yet, touching toast about Jason

and cried through a beautiful toast from my dear sister

I danced some more

And waved to on-lookers in a carriage

shook my booty with my besties

then said goodnight to the most perfect day

4 years ago, I married my best friend.

Happy anniversary, my love...81 more to go!

St. Louis Trip, 2010

Hello blog buddies!  Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend.  We sure did!  I'll just jump right into the recap!

Friday-

We left around noon to head to St. Louis, Missouri.  It is about a 3 hour drive from our house.  St. Louis is a very special city for us.  We went there in 2004 when we had just begun dating and really fell in love with each other on that trip.  Then, in 2005, Jason surprised me and took me back for a weekend getaway.  At the end of the trip he proposed at the Botanical Gardens!

We have so many great memories of the city!

Anyway, Friday night we checked into our hotel, and got ready for dinner down the street at PF Changs.  We enjoyed our meal and Lilli did fantastic. We sat outside in the shade on the patio and enjoyed the evening.  L just loves to people watch...something she would do all weekend!  We hit up Target for some goodies then came back to the hotel to swim. 

The water was a bit cool, but she enjoyed it anyway.  We came back and called it a night, knowing the weekend would be busy!  She slept fine in her Pack N Play (thankfully we had a suite so she was in the living room) after crying initially when we put her down.  Thank goodness for a good sleeper!

Saturday-

We got up, had yummy free breakfast and then had a shuttle take us to the Zoo.  Seriously, the best part of staying at our hotel was that we had a van that could take us whereever we wanted to go within a 3 mile radius.  We were the only ones in the van, so it was like having a private driver!  Then when we were ready to leave we just called them and he came and picked us up!

The Zoo was crowded and hot, but we enjoyed it.  Such a good Zoo and the best part is that it is free!  Here are some of my favorite pictures-

Lilli was decked out in her zoo outfit...

Thankfully, when it was her nap time, she just fell asleep!

Lilli and Daddy, circa 1918!

Riding in the van like a big girl!

Back at the hotel, she found fun in the pillows-

She also loved the cabinets.  She's a mess.

We rested in the room, then headed out to the Boathouse for dinner.  Of course, we had to get a family photo!

I wanted to mention that we had plans to eat dinner at this place called Crown Candy Kitchen.  I had read about it on tripadvisor and knew it sounded like something we would enjoy.  Even though I jotted down, "iffy neighborhood" on my directions, we didn't pay much attention to it.  Well, after getting lost (because the road ENDED, literally, with no warning) we asked a cabby in a Walgreens parking (random!) how to get there.  His reply, "well, it is in a rough area...wear a helmet. I'm not kidding."  We took that as a sign that maybe we shouldn't go there!  We had a good laugh about it, but I am still bummed I didn't get to try it! 

Sunday-

We ventured out to Grant's Farm, the 281-acre ancestral home of the Busch family.  We had watched a TV show that featured the farm and I was so excited it was in St. Louis and we could visit it.  It did not disappoint! 

Lilli and Daddy fed the baby goats

We saw an animal talent show.  She loved it, clapping and dancing with the music.

She had a blast on the carousel!

But the best part (for her AND me!) was seeing the Clydesdale horses.  I couldn't wait to see them in person, and they were more beautiful than I imagined.

We even got to pet them!  We loved this guy, named Jerry

I think Lilli wanted to climb that fence, I could barely pry her away!

She liked the baby one, I think.

I keep telling J that Lilli needs a pony. Really, I want a pony, but what's the difference?

Monday-

We had a hectic morning, due to the fire alarm going off in our hotel!  Thankfully it was just an alarm and Jason and I were both awake, but I hated to get Lilli up before she was ready!  (Although I would rather complain about that than an actual fire!!)

We drove out to our favorite place, the Missouri Botanical Garden.  If you haven't been there, you really should visit it soon.  It is beautiful.  This is our third trip there, and I still want to go back.  You would have to go every month to see all the flowers in bloom. 

Lilli loved these lights/balls

My favorite part of the MoBot, the Japanese Gardens

We fed these beasts, I mean fish, at the Jap. Gardens

And took lots of breaks to sit and enjoy our surroundings

Lilli found this fountain and although she didn't go through it, she had fun walking around the edge!

Finally, we made it to the Gladney Rose Garden, where Jason proposed.  I wanted a picture of the three of us in our spot!

5 Years Ago:

and now:

Back in 2005, after the proposal, Jason took me to this area so we could sit and talk.  I had a million questions for him, "when did you get the ring??"  "how long have you planned this?"  etc.  Well, it wasn't until he started telling me how he had taken my parents out to dinner and asked my father for my hand in marriage that I finally lost it and started bawling.  My dad had such a sweet answer and Jason was so proud for pulling it all together.

We sat here - and I cried like a baby!

Lilli wanted to play with the balls one last time

Then we said bye to the gardens!

And just like that, it was time to go home.  :o(  We had planned to go to a cute restaurant called Three Monkeys, but it was closed due to Memorial Day.  So we drove around and finally ended up at Hooters by the Arch of all places. I think I stuck out like a sore thumb because the Cardinals were playing later that day and I had on no red!  Oh well, Lilli loved the balloon the Hooter girl gave her and I'm sure Jason didn't mind the Hooter girl's balloons...hehe.

We can't wait to go back again!