Home With Mommy: That Blur Was Thanksgiving Weekend, Right?

We have been busy. I assume you have been busy too. If you work in retail and had to be there unreasonably early, you deserve an award!!! I forgot to take pictures but I'll try to be entertaining anyway.

Thanksgiving: Since both sets of Grandparents live in the same town as us, it's pretty easy to see them both. We had the most perfect Thanksgiving dinner ever at my parent's house then later went to my in-laws for dessert and Lisa's birthday (since it's been a while Lisa is Josh's sister). At my parent's house we had a large crowd of 14 people with one of them being Saumya. The almost 4 year old Indian friend of ours who Zach had fun with at my birthday. They were both asking for the other earlier in the day. She is about to become a big sister (tomorrow) so she already was in "that's mine" mode. "Here I'll put 'my' bike over here so you can't play with it". It was Zach's. They sang Happy Birthday, to Saunya. I heard that story from Josh so I sure hope he showed Zach how to politely not take her bullying. She's usually not like that I swear!!! Josh's mom is all "Cake Boss" these days and tries to make cakes look real. Lisa loves cats so this was a cat. She did a great job with it!

Black Friday: We both spent years working in retail and have spent the years since avoiding stores (other then the grocery store) as much as possible. It's a big decorating day so I did Monthly AND Seasonal changes around the apartment, in the yard (which my neighbors always compliment and are excited about) and my attire. While I did that, Josh and Zach went grocery shopping. The last grocery trip of the month is also the wine shopping (Mommy allows herself 1 glass a night) so they are gone longer. We decided to slum it with food so we got a pizza for lunch and later had Burger King for dinner (I got a massive amount of exercises so even with these splurges I had 4 extra miles for the week). I did do online black Friday shopping though. My decorating day/Christmas Day/Valentine's necklace broke so I explored Kohls.com during the early bird special (it was 9am). A Sterling Silver snowflake necklace usually worth $100 was down to $21.99 (after a 15% off coupon).

Saturday: We set up and decorated the tree after Josh brought in the boxes. Zach loves the tree and keeps saying "pretty tree" (you should see his reaction to my light up snowflakes in the yard!!! He's in love!!!) It was great and Zach loved helping hang the ornaments. He's so good with my breakable decorations I'm not worried about him with these. He didn't nap that long since we hadn't put the lights on. When he heard me awake telling Josh we should do the hard part while he sleeps (lights) he walked in. He didn't want to miss out on the fun!!! In the afternoon, while the boys took Daddy time I wrapped all the presents but my own. That night I took Zach to walk around Kohls (not busy at all at 7pm btw) while Josh wrapped my presents.

12 Days: For those who don't know Dec 26 - Jan 6 are the 12 days. These are the days the three wise men traveled to see baby Jesus (Epiphany). When I was a baby, my parents started a tradition of spreading out the Christmas gift giving (to not be overwhelming) and do one a day for the 12 days as well as Christmas morning. It's usually something small and/or inexpensive. We do that too and Zach loves it. All his gifts from us are clothing he will need as he gets bigger (like his 4's snow pants). He gets the fun gifts like toys from family (but he loves his cloths from us too!!!)

Today: We are trying to keep today like every Sunday. While making breakfast, though, Zach plugged in the tree. guess what his favorite part of the tree is? It is back to normal today and even though my mom originally said "no family dinner Sunday" I wasn't surprised to get the phone call "I'm making meatloaf tonight wanna come?"

Diet: I am sorta taking a break from the diet. I have leveled off at 125 lbs (goal 120 my muscles all hurt though from extra exercise so my guess is less of it's fat) and 34" waist (goal 30 - 32"). I still will eat well and exercise as much as I can I just won't keep track of my weight/waist/need exercise/got exercise or any of that until Friday, January 6th (my weigh in day is Friday a new diet week starts Saturdays). I want to enjoy the Holidays. We are designed to get bigger as it gets colder to add natural warmth. It's how God made us. I don't think I'll see progress for a long time anyway.

Now for the entertaining part:

1. Tap Dance? Can't my shoes are in the Garage and we can't find them (my BA is in Dance remember)

2. Juggle? That would hurt!

3. Zach story? Did that already. Were you entertained?

4. Joke? I don't have anything original.

5. Funny face? Considering even my parents say I'm bad at getting my picture taken I take it all my faces are funny except my "don't mess with me" face.

6. Sing? I only sound good in the car to either Amy Grant or Britney Spears so to spare you, no.

7. Make music? The only instrument I know is the piano and that's at my parent's house. My skills are limited though.

8. Recite a poem? It depends on the poem.

9. Prank Josh? The boys are having Daddy time so sorry, can't.

10. Old pictures of Zach from last year's Thanksgiving weekend? You saw them already but that's probably what you all want to see, a picture of Zach. Here you go:

Last year when we put up the tree

It was easier to keep him out of the way in the high chair. He kept unorganizing Josh's organization of the fake tree branches

The first time he ever saw the tree lit at 5 months. It was funny, that December (at 6 months) learned the "shove yourself backwards" crawl and the "push yourself forwards" crawl. I kept finding him in the presents!!!