Christmas Time is Here

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Hello from the heart of the midwest!

I’ve been a little absent again due to the flu bug hitting the household! I’ll spare all the gory details, but let’s just say I haven’t cooked very much at all so I haven’t prepared anything much for the blog.

You’re in luck though, because we got our Christmas Photos back! and I’m bursting to share them.

It’s officially C-O-L-D outside… and it’s officially December which means Christmastime IS HERE! and what’s more perfect than getting your Christmas photographs back from the photographer on December 1st.  I’m absolutely thrilled with how adorable these came out. Pepper’s little face makes my heart just melt all over the dang floor. AND she is such a good sport! These were taken on one of the first really cold days of the season in November. Our blood was still thin! We were not prepared! But, our favorite photographer really knows how to capture the moment real quick like for all of our sakes. (Thank You Lauren @ Elbe Photography) Towards the end, I’m not sure if she’s smiling or if her face is just a bit frozen…. ha ha!

Christmas season is such a special time for me. My mom has always given our family such beautiful Christmas memories! Family, Baking cookies, decorating the trees, setting up her Christmas Village, crafts, lights, movies! … the list goes on. All I want to do is continue to try to make each and every Christmas just as special for Pepper. It’s so funny when thinking about what traditions you want to start and what traditions you want to carry on. I see Elf on the shelf in our near future.

 

We are keeping things a little bit simple this year due to the busy-ness of getting settled into our home still.  We will have a tree and I’ll have my 27 year long Santa Claus collection out, but next year, all bets are off. I just might go a little Christmas crazy.

 

One tradition we have as our own little family?

Eric and I have watched It’s a Wonderful Life together on Christmas Eve late at night while eating popcorn every year we’ve been together now. One of our first years together, we wanted to do a really traditional tree and we decided we would try to string popcorn and cranberries on thread with a needle. You won’t even believe this, but as we were stringing we both thought, “THIS IS TAKING FOREVER….THIS WAS THE WORST IDEA EVER..” shortly after we realized we each had a dog eating popcorn and cranberries off of the string that was lying on the floor. Needless to say, we decided to just go buy some garland.

 

I’m still feeling a little off so I apologize for the incredibly random ramblings.

I mean, I know I’m pretty much known for that, but I think this one is pretty full of useless information.

But, at least there’s some cute baby girl photos.

Enjoy!

I’m in love with this family photo. Absolutely in love. I’m even in love with that one string of hair flying haphazardly in the wind.

 

I’m even in love with the fact that Eric forgot to take his coat off. I went our and bought a nice sweater for him to wear so that our clothes would all kind of coordinate and what’s he do? he forgets to take his dang coat off. Insert eye roll. I still kinda love him.

and I definitely still love this photo.

Quick note: I loaded these backwards. So, this is actually the very last photo. Which also happens to be my favorite. This is the one that I’m about 93% positive her smile is just kind of frozen on her face.  She’s so sweet!

Eric and I are in the corner yelling, “Pepper smile pretty!!’ and dancing around trying to make her laugh. Well, I was dancing around trying to keep warm, honestly.

My Heart!

She’s too much. And check out her little shiny blue shoes!

 

 

“Come get me. Now. Please.” -Pep

“Free Pizza For All!!!” -Pepper (Girl after my own heart)

 

 

 

“

Again, MY HEART!

 

Everyone says she looks like Eric, and I agree mostly. But, I’m starting to see more of myself in her, and it makes me so happy! You know, because I carried her for 40 weeks, 280 days- give or take a day. . (I wasn’t a glowingly ecstatic pregnant woman, trust me.)

 

 

And Here’s us. My sweet little family that I am so lucky to have. They really fill my heart and soul beyond belief and I am so excited for our many Christmas’s to come….

 

and In the end, we all shared a huge, delicious sugar cookie… that was frozen from being outside.

but, I warmed it up with the heat in the car.

and it was mighty tasty.

 

Cheers to kicking off this beautiful holiday season to you and yours….

..from me and mine.

 

All photo credit goes to: Lauren Broderick www.elbephotog.com  (We love you, Lauren!)

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