Creating a little early holiday cheer

I love the holidays. It has always been a very special time for all of my family. Both of my grandmothers LOVED Christmas and had very specific decorations they enjoyed on their Christmas trees. Grandma Goldie preferred a sparkly gold and red theme, gold sparkly pears, red balls, gold angels. Grandma Vandenberg adorned her tree with angels. Many of the angels were tatted by grandma herself.

I am excited that this year will be our second Christmas with little Elliot in our lives. Year however Christmas preparation will be a little bit different.  James is headed to Uganda in mid December to we need to get everything ready early.  Tree, Wreath, Christmas cards and presents all need to be taken care of early.

It is interesting for me to see how the importance of certain things has changed as I have gotten older.  For the past several years I have stressed the importance of usable gifts.  I don’t like to purchase anything that is just cute.  I prefer cute AND useful.

Last year for my parents we created a great calendar on shutterfly.com.  Each month was a group of photos of Elliot from the corresponding month from 2009.  It was a perfect gift for my parents.  They could spend a whole year, 365 days, with Elliot.

A new thing for us last year was sending out photo Christmas cards.  That too is a double duty item for me, Christmas card and a new Photo of Big E.  In the past I had been quite skeptical of just ordering a photo card online.  The designs often seemed generic and boring.  I was pleasantly surprised to find these great Holiday and Christmas card designs at shutterfly.com.  Design of every item in our house is often a HUGE discussion.  My husband is an Art Director/Graphic and web designer and myself being in the architecture business….well….let’s just say that we are both very opinionated and will not settle for a mediocre design. I am super excited about ordering this year’s holiday cards.  I think my Grandma Goldie would have joyed the retro chic feel of this card. And the subtle colors in this one make me think of Grandma Vadenberg’s white angel tree.  She always had silver tinsel that gave it that cool, classic feel.

I also love many of those that give the hope of Peace and Love this holiday season.   Honestly I am having trouble narrowing my selection down.  Maybe I will have to send out more than one design this year.

3 little steps

On Sunday, May 1, 2010 Elliot too three little steps and walked between James and I!  James saw it happen but I was looking the other way and only saw him show up at my knee.  Prior to sunday he had taken only two steps.  One Thursday and one Friday!  Now were are waiting for the real walking to begin!

High School Reading

Recently I came upon this post about all the 20 books one should read before the age of 16. I am almost twice that ate and honestly I have only read 3 or 4 of those cover to cover. I have read portions of many more but I am way behind.

The best bibs

I received this recommendation from Leah. She is one that is really good and thorough at researching products. Prior ro seeing her review I was contemplating getting the leather bibs that were reviewed on ohdeedoh.com last year.

On her recommendation I decided to go with the bumpkins bibs. They really are the best. We have 2. After Elliot eats I wash it out with soap and water. Hang it on the refrigerator and it dries out by the time he is ready to eat again.

Now I need to go purchase two more for when Elliot starts daycare next week.

some of the current favorites in our home

This is a list of some things that “rock our world” at the current moment.

1) favorite new children’s book; On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman.  Polar bears danced, Heaven sounded every trumpet.  I love reading this to Elliot.  It tells children just how special they are.

2)Earth’s Best Organic Barley Teething Biscuits.  Elliot loves them and so does James.  Good thing the little guy doesn’t mind sharing with Daddy.

3) stroller footmuff.  We bought this for our bugaboo and have used it so much.  We also use it on our Baby Jogger performance series running stroller.  James is out of town often for volleyball and Elliot has been on many Saturday morning runs with me.  The footmuff keeps him toasty….  Now if I could just get him to wear his mittens!

4) Skype and technology in general.  My parents just got high speed internet, a new laptop and skype.  They have been video chatting with Elliot everyday since they got it.

time for new rain boots

For those of you who don’t know, I walk to work.  I LOVE (I’m talking pink puffy heart love) walking to work.  On rainy days like today I carry a umbrealla, wear my raincoat  and  my pink rain boots.  The rain boots are a relatively new (February 2009)  addition to my rain necessities but I think they are my favorite part. 

This morning on my commute I looked down and saw a crack in the top of my left boot.  I guess my inexpensive rain boots have reached their lifespan.  Time to invest in some new boots. Now the problem is deciding on a color.

Baptism

Last Sunday Elliot was baptized.  It was a very special day.  Grandmamma, Grampy and grammy visited as well asUncle EdwardHis baptism gown/outfit was made by my highschool youth leader, Rose.  It was beautiful.  The skirt buttoned on and off for both a traditional gown and a more modern romper.

a girl needs a handbag

I am in despirate need of a new handbag.  I have been carring around my pumping bag (if you have to ask, you don’t want to know) for far too long. 

Any inspiration for a cute new bag? I usually go with a black bag but maybe I should go for some color this time.

alright people..i joined the kitchen cure

time for our tiny kitchen to get a facelift through apartment therapy’s kitchen cure.

run like a mother

That’s what I am. A mother. A mother to the most beautiful little boy. I am blessed.

I have also recently been blessed to find a great group of running women. Since January 16, 2010 I have been running with the Women on the Move training program at Phidippides here in Atlanta.  I love it!  I have met some very nice women and found a piece of myself.

I am also blessed to have an old friend that recently moved to Atlanta.  She too is a new mother.  She is also a runner and a tri-athlete.  Reconnecting with her has also given me inspiration and dreams of running events to look forward to.  This friend recently introduced me to this book.

When googling “Run Like a Mother” I found many inspirational things.

- A piece on Athleta.net written by Kristina Pinto.

Ms. Pinto brings to light how  “the parallels between running and motherhood appear to any woman who has found herself exhausted, humbled, and overjoyed at the small gains of either running or parenting.”  You can read more here.

- I also found a blog of a group of moms in Richmond, VA.  They call themselves “Team Run like a Mother.”  It just so happens that a friend from college is a part of this team.  If I still lived in Richmond I would like to think they would let me be a part of their group. You can find their blog here.

I am sure by this point you have surmised that I am looking forward to this book.  I am looking forward to my new found running and the places it will take me.