29 Years Young!

What an amazing year it has been!  I completed my first, entire year as a stay at home Momma and couldn't be happier.  Don't get me wrong there are days where going to work might seem a little easier and some adult interaction would be nice, but then my sweet boy says a new word or needs extra cuddling before nap time or a little cortizone for his eczema and I remember exactly why we made the decision for me to stay at home and I wouldn't change a thing!  

In February of last year I starting nanny-ing for a sweet family and their smart and sassy daughter Emma.  Unfortunately, when she went back to school there was really no need for me anymore and it didn't make sense for me to make that drive to only watch her for a short amount of time.  With that being said, I also found it as somewhat of a blessing because the drive during the winter is crazy-town!  I get the opportunity to watch Emma on occasion and we have so much fun.  Brayden follows her around all day yelling, EMMA, EMMA, EMMA!

Also in September I was able to work from home for Rachel's Challenge!!  Wa-hoo!!  I really enjoyed being able to stay at home, yet work for a great organization and make some extra cash for our family as well.  I knew going in that it was only a temporary thing, but I really enjoyed my time.  Fingers crossed that they'll have me back next year:)

Brayden and I have had so much fun this last year.  We continue to go to story time at the library, we hit the pool every once and while, I recently starting going to Stroller Strides, as well as the occasional play date with our friends.  

Geoff has worked his TAIL OFF this year, which is a blessing and a curse.  Lots of work means I can continue to stay home, but it also means that Daddy isn't home much, which is a huge bummer.  Regardless...we're counting our blessings!  

Last year was a great year...so new year, new number, I'm looking forward to what 2015 has in store for us.  

Here's a couple photos from my birthday!!  We went a few days early to my favorite little Italian restaurant called North.  Then yesterday Brayden and I did some shopping and had lunch at Red Robin and then I came home to make Sausage, Potato and Kale soup (aka Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden, one of my favs!!) Ending the night with triple layer carrot cake.  Happy camper!!

Couldn't be more handsome!

<3

I tried to take a picture of us at lunch and while I was taking it...he tried to get a drink of Freckled Lemonade!  LOL!

Carrot cake and flowers from my boys!

A birthday present!!  My poor walking shoes have holes on the bottom, it was time. 

  

Christmas 2014

Last year for Christmas, Geoff and I kept saying, wait until next year, it's going to be so different with Brayden being a little older and it was!  He wasn't super excited about opening presents, but he sure LOVED everything that he got.  As soon as he opened something, he'd want to play with it instead of opening the next gift, so it took a little while.  

Geoff and I decided to do our little family Christmas the Sunday before Christmas this year because we didn't want to haul all our wrapped gifts down to haul them back home.  So here are a few pictures from our little family Christmas.

Sign of a successful Christmas.  We're so blessed!

After Geoff got off work on Christmas Eve-Eve, we decided to start our journey back home.  Because we didn't leave our house until after 6pm, we decided to stay at a little hotel in Poncha Springs, which is about the half point.  Worked out nicely.  

                           

We then got up first thing Christmas Eve morning and finished the rest of the 3.5 hour drive. Christmas Eve is full of traditions...typically we do dinner at the McCoy's which is a bunch of yummy hors dourves and then later in the evening Brayden and I headed off to church with my Mom.  After church we always swing by to visit with my Grandma for a bit.  Then on Christmas morning we let Brayden open his Santa gifts then we waited for Daddy to come over so he could see him open all his presents.  After that we headed over to the McCoy's for Christmas over there and then back to my house for presents with my brothers family and back to the McCoy's for dinner.  So we did a lot of running around, but Brayden was a trooper and we had such a great time.  Brayden was spoiled (as were we!) beyond belief.  I told Geoff we needed a Uhaul to bring all of Brayden's stuff back.  Haha!  Here's some pictures from Christmas with our family...

                                       

                                        

I LOVE how much Brayden LOVES my Grandma!

                                      

Melts my Mommy heart!

  

Thanksgiving 2014

I'm a little behind, sorry!  We had a great Thanksgiving.  Good company, awesome food, too much food and so much to be thankful for.  Geoff and I always manage to squeeze in 2 Thanksgiving meals in one day...we've got it DOWN!  haha.  Brayden had an 'early' lunch and then went down for a nap when the rest of us sat down to eat at my parents house.  After Brayden woke up, we headed over to Geoff's house for Thanksgiving dinner!  :)  Perfect.  So here are a few photos (as I didn't take very many) from Thanksgiving this year.

Cookies for Santa...or Brayden

This year we left cookies out for Santa, which was so much fun!!  I promise I'll post more Christmas pictures, but just had to post this. So here's how it went...

Set the cookies out...

Test out the reindeers carrots...

Test Santa's cookie (egg free-no bake cookie!)

Haha!  It's all about quality control. He wanted to make sure that the reindeer and Santa had only the best. Haha!! Maybe next year! We had an awesome Christmas and we're looking forward to 2015! Happy New Year!!