We are ready!

We had a busy weekend getting last minute gifts and cleaning the house. Nick has already started cooking today and I made my cannoli cream this morning! Christmas is officially here. Josie is running around like a crazy lady and has no idea what is in store for her today and tomorrow!

Here are pics from this weekend and you know I'll have 100 after this week is over. Aunt Jessie arrives today and we are counting down the hours!!!

lookin a little rough at Target

Hanging out at Kyong's on Saturday

stylish baby

enjoying the nice weather

her first pizzelle!

Jen had a gift exchange for the kids yesterday. Josie got a brand new phone from her friend Elizabeth. 

homegirl in the back needs to get in 

the Christmas spirit! :)

crazy girl

Merry Christmas everyone! Can't wait to catch up in a few days!!
xoxo

Happy Friday

Happy Friday everyone! Thank goodness this week is coming to a close because its a been a long one. Josie is finally on the mend and feeling better. No whooping cough, but she definitely has croup. She has one more day of antibiotics and is sounding better and her nose isn't as snotty. She takes her medicine like a champ-loves the taste!

It's been fun spending more time with her, she is so much fun these days. She follows us all over the house and tries to repeat everything. Last weekend, I busted out the bubbles again and she started yelling, "bubble, bubble!". She loves to play with them and tries so hard to blow them out. She knows where her toes are, and has started helping herself to cheerios in the lazy-susan. We have to keep an eye on her at all times!

in the cheerios box

She loves hanging out by the Christmas tree and was already getting into her gifts! 

exhausted

finally feeling better

I have no idea how this happened, but I'm 

going to roll with it. How cute! 

This little bunny came all the way from China

and jumped in her stocking. :) 

 Josie also helped me wrap some presents this week. Look at how flushed she is, poor thing.

Countdown to Christmas begins! Josie and I still need to pick up some stocking stuffers and a birthday present for Daddy. 

Have a great weekend everyone. Safe travels.

xoxo

Meeting the Big Guy

Well..remember when I said we were going to Chicago this weekend...strike that and reverse it. We cancelled our trip last minute because Nick hasn't been feeling well. He felt crappy all week and thought by Friday he would be better, but that didn't happen.

So we took it easy this weekend, we had a lot of snow showers come through, so it was nice to be at home. Sunday we went to Mansfield for Brunch with Santa! We knew meeting the big guy was going to be dicey- just didn't know HOW dicey.

Beth and baby Noah

double fisting

cheeeeeeeeese

Frankie hitting Uncle Nick with his "sword"

1st time laying eyes on the big guy...shell shocked

hahah check out her face

epic fail

so proud of her balloon and to get away

from that scary man!

So we took Josie to the doctor today and she had to start antibiotics. We will know if she has whooping cough tomorrow. :(  If not, she definitely has croup ( better than whooping, but still miserable). She has been handling being sick fairly well. Friday and Saturday she didn't sleep too well, but did better last night, and hopefully will tonight. Her nose has been running like crazy, but thankfully she is still eating and drinking OK. I hate when she feels bad, and thankfully Nick and I aren't coughing, so we probably haven't caught her germs. 

Oy, we need to get everyone healthy before next week! Can't have Josie not feeling well when its time to open presents. Here is a little peek at her first stocking stuffer. I just couldn't resist.

Happy Friday

Happy Friday everyone! Sorry for the lack of posting. It's been a busy with, and Nick has been under the weather, so time just flew by.

On a better note, we are headed to Chicago this weekend to visit friends, do some shopping, and eat fabulous food. Uncle Johnny and Ernie will be in town as well, so looking forward to meeting up with them. It's going to be cold as balls, so thankfully we have warm hats, coats and gloves. Can't wait to see the city all lit up! Since we are heading there, that means Josie is at Grandmas again! We thought about bringing her, but decided against it because of the weather. Hopefully this spring/summer we will take her. Josie will get to see Santa on Sunday!! We'll see how that goes...we figured Grandma can break her in, and then Nick and I will take her to the mall. Hopefully she has the meltdown the first go around.

Keri sent me this photo last week...there is some classic 80's styling going on...yikes! Now do you see where Keri gets her hair from? Check out that bouffant! Jane has a bouffant of her own. :) I, on the other hand, look like a deranged cabbage patch kid. Gotta love 80's bowl cuts.

shopping at Easton

Josie is now on strike from most foods. I knew it was coming. She has started to weed out almost everything she ate, which wasn't a lot to begin with. This week she has refused mexican, pasta and tuna noodle. She used to inhale those foods, but isn't having it anymore. She has also been fussy because she has two molars coming in, so maybe that has something to do with it. But, her diet now consists of fruit, cheerios, mac and cheese and graham crackers. Oy vey. 

On Sunday, she decided she wasn't going to nap all day. Huge mistake, gigantic. She can't go a day without both naps, let alone neither. So by 6 pm she was a nightmare. I put her to bed, and she didn't wake up until 7 the next morning. Hopefully she learned her lesson. 

Here are a few other pictures from this week...

Yes, its that big!

1st pair of overalls! So classy. Lookin like

Missoura more and more :) We decided to keep 

the 2T because 18mo was a little snug in the belly. Ha!

Have a great weekend everyone! 

xoxo

Happy Friday

Happy COLD Friday everyone! This will be a short one because I am busy at work and I don't have many pictures from this week. Josie is too busy and fast for me anymore.

We are trying to teach her how to give Simba treats, even though it might be counterproductive. We tell her not to give him anything when she is in her high chair, but then give her "pet approved" treats...so we'll see how it goes. She is learning.

trying to get monkey to take a ride

annnnnnnnnnnnd this....

*****

Since Christmas is nearing and we are thinking of how fortunate we are, I've decided to help those less fortunate and volunteer my time. I know those that read my blog are basically family and friends, and ALL of us are extremely lucky. We have food in our belly's and roofs over our heads. I told Nick that I didn't want to do presents this year, because we absolutely don't need a thing and that's not what Christmas is about. 

I follow this blog- Modg blog, and for the third year she has done Operation WANA (we are not assholes), definitely sounds like something I would subscribe to. Basically those that are in need can post what they need ( mostly gift cards for food, warm clothes for babies, diapers etc..). She does her best to weed out any shadiness or douchbagery, so after reading a ton of submissions, I found a military family that was in need and will send them a little care package this weekend because we are in the position to help. 

I also found a rescue in NC ( don't ask me how) but they take in abused animals and give them free care and help get them adopted. They just recently rescued three dogs that were together, and the condition these dogs were in was absolutely disgusting and horrific. One was basically dead and another, they just removed four corn cobs from her stomach because that's all she had to eat...disgusting. You guys know I'm a total sucker for dogs, so of course I had to give them money. Not a lot, but something to help with those medical costs. You can go here to read their story and see some pictures and videos of the three. They are doing so much better and I check in on them a few times a week. And I just got a personal thank you in the mail for donating. Very nice. 

Nick said at this point, we might as well take out an ad in the paper and say that Kelly Sarli is granting Christmas wishes!!!! Hahahahha. But in all seriousness, I don't expect anyone to contribute like I have or in any way, BUT just know that we are all blessed and there are so many out there less fortunate than we are, so its nice to pay it forward. I want Josie to know that the Holidays are about much more than presents and gifts. Obviously she wont remember anything from this year, but going forward, I plan to volunteer with her and help other families in need.That's the end of my soapbox speech.

Have a great weekend everyone!

xoxo

Our Growing Girl

OK, little update on our Josie Jo. She is growing like a weed now and its so much fun to watch her take everything in. She is officially walking alone and loving every minute of it. She is still a bit unsteady, but gets around great, and bugs Simba all day and night.

She is starting to really talk and say words. Just last week she started saying, " Hi, No, Who's That, That's Nice, Stop it, and Oh." She loves pointing at Simba and saying "who's that!" since we have been asking her that for months, she now proudly says it herself.  She keeps trying to say, "Oh, Baby", I'm sure it will come soon.

She understands absolutely everything we say and is so so smart. She is soaking everything up, so time to lay off the swear words. On Sunday, we were sitting in the living room and I asked her if she wanted to take a bath. She immediately took off for the stairs, crawled up and waited for me in the bathroom.

She also loves giving her stuff animals kisses. She has finally started to play with them, and loves her pink monkey that Aunt Linda got for her when she was born. She likes to prop her on her walker and stroll around the house, its the cutest thing. Now we tell her to give her animals kisses and she does on command. Adorable.

little visit from the hair fairy

she likes "monkey" to sit on the edge of the house

the tomato keeper

piling stuff on dads lap

running around

turned my head for one second....

her favorite drawer

and her new favorite thing