Memories & New Year Resolutions

I can't believe another year has come and gone. So many wonderful memories have been made this year. Lots of parenting firsts and events I will never forget. Here is a stroll down memory lane for our family in 2011:

• Jaxson played his first year of baseball. He loved it - we had a great coach and team and he can't wait to play again this year!
• Aidan FINALLY made it through potty training! I thought it would be easier with the second child - nope I was wrong! When he finally caught on, it was the best feeling in the world!
• Watched both my babies in the cutest end of the year preschool program. Aidan shined on the stage and surprised everyone in the audience with his very loud singing skills and awesome dance moves!
• Jaxson started Kindergarten. Yes, many tears were shed those first few days (from me of course!) but he has a great teacher who he adores and this made it so much better for Momma!
• Got to be the Tooth Fairy for the first time ever! Jaxson lost his first tooth (literally fell out of his mouth - his Daddy thankfully found it on the living room rug!).

I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for our family. I hope it will be as good to us as this past year has been. I don't usually make New Year resolutions but I thought I would give it a try this year. If you need some inspiration for your own resolutions or are just curious to check out mine, click on my latest hub below! Happy New Year everyone!

10 New Year Resolutions Every Mom Should Make

My Baby Boy is 6

So everyone says it over and over but you never quite get it until you have your own children. They grow up too fast! My baby boy is going to be 6 years old on Wednesday. I just can't believe it. I remember the first time they put him in my arms - I was scared to death and completely in love with my 7lb 12 oz bundle of joy!

I have so many memories of that day. By far my most treasured memory was Jaxson crying while getting checked out by the doctor. My husband went over and started talking to him and he instantly stopped. Jaxson is still like that - a complete and total daddy's boy. It's okay I occasionally win his attention and love and when I do it is the best feeling in the world!

Another great memory was seeing both sets of new grandparents hold our little baby. The smiles on their faces were priceless as they each took a turn holding him. My dad was out of town but managed to fly in at the last minute to see his first grandson. I was so happy that he made it and loved watching him hold his grandson so proudly.

My sister was also a proud aunt. She bravely accompanied me in the delivery room along with my husband and mom. She helped me while I pushed, held my hand, cried with me, and made me laugh all at the same time. Jaxson quickly stole her heart. He is truly blessed to have such a wonderful aunt.

So December is a crazy month for all of us - with Christmas shopping, family get togethers, and holiday parties. In the middle of all the madness, we have Jaxson's birthday party for the family a couple of weeks before his actual birthday. I hate that his birthday is so close to Christmas so I try extra hard to make him feel so special and loved. Today I took cupcakes to school to celebrate with his class and on Wednesday, his actual birthday, we will be visiting the Discovery Center upon his request. Holiday birthdays are the worst - especially for kids - but I hope that all the effort I put into making his birthday into a big deal makes him realize how much he means to us! Happy 6th Birthday my baby boy!!!


Be sure to check out my latest hub:  Holiday Birthdays - Ways to Make Your Kids Feel Special

The Birthday Boy :)

Gotta love a sharp dressed man :)

Fun Adventures With Our Elf

Finally, Santa Claus delivered the Elf on the Shelf to our house the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Since I forgot to set up his grand arrival, he just happened to magically appear on top of the Christmas tree while the boys were taking a nap that day. Jaxson finally found him about an hour after they woke up and let me tell he was just a little excited.

Of course, myself with those infamous "mom moments" totally forgot to hide the darn thing on Monday night. My sweet Jaxson saved me with I bet he didn't want to fly in the snow. How I love that child! That is exactly why he didn't leave! He did finally move to a new spot during nap time that day when it quit snowing :-)


So yesterday I was on a quest to find more funny and creative ways to hide our new Elf on the Shelf. I had the best time setting up different situations with our crazy elf and took some really funny pictures. It was hilarious because of course Aidan was home so I had to be sneaky as I was setting up the pics. Playdoh, popcorn, and cartoons were all used to distract him while I finished my mission!

As usual, I went a little overboard and ending up with about 18 crazy ideas. I decided to include some of my ideas in a hub I wrote on Hubpages. The first hub titled Funny and Creative Ways to Hide Your Elf on the Shelf  has already been published so be sure to check that one out to see all the fun adventures with our Elf on the Shelf. I am currently working on "Funny and Mischievous Ways to Hide Your Elf on the Shelf" so be on the lookout for that one next! Hope you will find them useful if you need some new ideas on how and where to hide your Elf on the Shelf!


Jaxson found our Elf on the Shelf!





Feeling the Love

I have to admit I am feeling the love today. I don't like getting any older but all the love and attention you get from family and friends just makes you feel good. My family took me out to celebrate with dinner last night which included an embarrassing serenade, a ridiculous hat, and whip cream shoved so sweetly up my nose. This morning I was awakened by my sweet Aidan who whispered in my ear "Happy birthday Momma! Wake up so you don't miss your birthday party." I also couldn't help but laugh when he wanted to put Toy Story gummies in goodie bags for all our guests. For those of you that are wondering...no, I am not having a birthday party, my boys just think it is required to have one to celebrate your special day!




Jaxson enjoying my special birthday hat :)


I have also felt the love from the stores I shop at lately. Just this past Saturday, my husband checked the mailbox and brought in mail from both Kroger and CVS. I received a free trial size Axe styling gel (which of course I gave to my husband) from CVS with a coupon for $1.00 off my next purchase. I also received an email today from CVS wishing me a happy birthday and included a coupon for $3.00 in extra care bucks to use on my next shopping trip. Kroger sent me a boat load of coupons thanking me for being a loyal customer this past year. These weren't just random coupons. They had done a report on what all I had purchased during the past year and sent me coupons on items that I buy on a regular basis. I was pretty excited to find four of the coupons were for FREE items!

Whether the love is from my family and friends or from the stores I regularly shop, I am certainly feeling the love today! Thank you so much for making me feel special on my birthday!



My Birthday Coupons! Thank you CVS and Kroger!



Get Your Elf on the Shelf

My boys were asking me when Woody, our Elf on the Shelf, was making his appearance this year. I told them that Santa Claus usually delivers him right after Thanksgiving (which is when I get out all the Christmas decorations). They are so excited to see him again and I have to give all my thanks to my mom aka Mimi for this wonderful gift. If you have small children and have never heard of the Elf on the Shelf, you can ask any parent around that this is a must have for the holiday season. You see this Elf has magical powers and flies back to the North Pole every night and reports back to Santa Claus who has been naughty or nice. After making his report, he flies back to your house and hides in a different location every morning. Its so funny watching my boys jump out of the bed all excited to find out where Woody has landed for the day! Another plus is when your kids are acting up, all you have to say is "Be careful the Elf is watching!" and it works like a charm! So much that I really wish we could keep our Elf up all year long!!! If you are interested in getting one, check out the link below:



Meet Woody - Our Elf on the Shelf :)