Merry Christmas/year end review

I would like to wish all my family and friends a very heart felt Merry Christmas. It seems that this year is the most special yet, we have Chloe to celebrate our Christmas, what a wonderful life Gary, Chloe and I have. I truly feel blessed beyond measure to have what we have this Christmas. As I was sitting by our fire place playing with Chloe and gar, I thought This must be what it means to have a merry little Christmas. It's about the love you share with those around you. Life is so sweet when you have reasons to celebrate!

What a perfect season to Celebrate. What I love about this season is the hope and new life that it brings. Often we set goals to become better, as a new year's resolution, and I love it. What better time than for Christmas to celebrate our year end review.

So here is our year end review

Chloe's Birth
+Graduation with a Pharm D
+mommy staying home (sahm)
-living on student loans
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one happy family in Iowa Falls

that is us this year of course I can't forget the little things Chloe has done this year, like smile at me for the first time, slept through the night (happen at 9 1/2 months,)and many many more new things. Gary and I closing on our first house, Meeting every one he works with. Getting to know new people in Iowa Falls and growing up to be a stay at home mom.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Parties

We had so much fun at our Christmas Parties, and we still have one more to go to today! busy busy funnes! Chloe didn't know what to think about Santa, she was fine after she had daddy beside her and the gift helped her feel more relaxed. We had lots of fun and I wish I could chat more but this is a quick update with pics so enjoy the Christmas season!

lots of Christmas projects coming together

Our Christmas lights I Love our light display, and Chloe loves looking at them, as she sqeals and coos ever time she sees them light up at night!





One of my favorite things during the holidays are crafts, and Christmas projects. I love making Christmas decorations, it's the one thing I can't get enough off. Although our decorations are always a work in progress I feel a sense of warmth and thanksgiving as we decorate. some of my favorite things to craft during Christmas is, first and foremost, a Christmas Card, although I thought it was simple and needed more embellishments I still enjoyed making all 60 of them. I have always wanted to make some Christmas wreaths, with picks that I picked out with care, I made two, one is already to give away while the other one, (the one you see the picture of) I am having a hard time giving it away since I love it, but I know that who ever get's it will love it (they are both for family Christmas Parties we have this weekend.) The next thing that I can't live with out that I tried for the first time this Christmas season is home made cookies, and lots of them! I made cookie press cookies, and they are so yummy They have almond extract in them and then they are dipped in chocolate. the picture of Chloe eating a cookie is one that I made, she loved it and then had to eat some off daddies cookie, lucky for her I made 12 dozen cookies!

So what do you do with 12 dozen cookies, you make them for two big Christmas parties you have in one weekend! both families parties have upwards to 50-75 people!

I love having a baby during Christmas it brings something new and exciting to the season! I hope that you guys will have a very merry Christmas and to enjoy the festivities that this season is all about!

the joy of this Christmas Season

Yes, Chloe loves making messes, I think this is such a great learning experience, for her and then after wards its bath time so what isn't fun about that? maybe the clean up for mommy? I can't complain she is learning so much from trying to feed her self!

This week we got a massive snow storm, look out the patio window, the snow drift is huge! Gar was able to make it into work after snow blowing his way out all three days of this yukky storm, I was grateful that we were able to stay warm and cozy by our fire.

Christmas plans are coming together, Chloe Gar, and I, got to go caroling at the nursing home where I volunteer at, she loves meeting the residence and they love her, it's such a great time to visit. there must be something about the snow that makes me want to bake, I have two big family Christmas parties to bake for, and some people that have been on my "list" to thank with some treats. These treats include, butter cookies from my handy dandy cookie press (the best recipe is on Wilton's website) Chocolate mint stars, ginger bread cookies and maybe some sugar cookies. I need to get all of this baking done by Friday of next week... I also need to make a wreath, and get some last minute decorations done. Why do we do so much during the Christmas season?

Celebrate the Joy of Christmas!

my new outlook on Family!

Our family has been so busy and I hope to get more pictures up, for now these pictures will have to work for now!

As always the Christmas Season get's so packed with special events that Gary and I look forward too. The biggest change this year is Chloe, and how she views her little world around her. every time she looks at the Christmas lights out side our house or the rein deer (pictures to follow shortly) she goes ummm, oahhh maaa maama... Not sure what that means but the best translation I can give is cool what is that mama?

We are also looking forward to our Higgins annual Christmas Party, Chloe get's to meet Santa for the first time! I can't wait to get some awesome pictures!

This holiday season has been a turning point in my life, with various things that have shaped my life and those around me, and now being a mom this is my new out look on life, it might sound a little selfish but I firmly believe it works:

life is too short to worry about those that don't care about you! Make life fun and only do what you want to do, as long as it makes you feel whole inside. The rest of the day to day stuff, and people is just fluff. your real family is what really matters and those are the people you need to watch out for daily and edify those relationships. I have found that it's such a better place to live in, to deeply care about those that mean the most to you and for those that maybe don't care, you have to let them be and know that you did your best.

So you might think why is this coming out of me during the holiday season when this is the season to reconnect with those you loss contact with, right? I wish I could say that I came up with this new logic because of something wonderful that happened, however, not so much in my case. I don't want to get into it too much but I just want to say that my feelings for the ones that love me and are the closest to me mean the most to me in my life. I truly believe that when you are surrounded by the purest love you make your world a better place.

So anyways here are some way cute pictures of Chloe and our first Thanks giving!