Our Newest Addition...

This little guy is named Vander (pronounced "Fander"), and he's the newest member of our family! :)  He's such a little cutie, and he's brought lots of smiles and laughter since we got him!!  Stay tuned... I'm sure there won't be a shortage of pictures and updates on this little furball! :)

Christmas Is On It's Way...

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas...

We've had such fun decorating for the holidays this year!  While traveling in Europe over the past three years, we would try to pick up an ornament representative of the country we were in for every place that we visited.  Needless to say, we accumulated quite a few from our travels! :)  So, the fun part was being able to unpack all of those this year and use them to decorate our Christmas tree!  It's been so lovely being able to look at the ornaments on our tree and remember all of our travels over the past few years!  It definitely brings back alot of fond, happy memories!!

We were also so excited to put out on display our gorgeous nutcrackers (knussknackers) and our pyramid that we brought back from Germany!  It's so nice to have a little piece of Germany with us this holiday season!  :)

Our Christmas tree...

Our ornament from Italy... This one left us craving pizza and yummy wine! :)

A little reminder of our time in Slovakia...

Prague...  One of our favorite cities to date! :)

Our nutcrackers and pyramid...  I (heart) these!! :)

We even tried to get Riley in on the Christmas spirit...
Let's just say, he wasn't amused! :)

The presents all wrapped and ready to be opened!
Happy Holidays from our home to yours! :)

A Little Holiday Cheer...

Being that I've been struggling to get into the holiday spirit this year (I'm going to credit that to the fact that my class kept me ridiculously busy with trying to write a 25 page literature review, amongst other papers, we've had a couple family birthdays thrown into the mix since Thanksgiving, we got a new addition to our family - more on that later :) - and a variety of other things that have kept us running non-stop! :)), I thought that maybe this little questionnaire about the holidays I found on another blogger's site, might do the trick to get me into the Christmas-y frame of mind! :)  

Here goes nothing... :)

25 Holiday Questions:

1.  Eggnog or Hot Chocolate?  

Eggnog... Definitely!  Love that stuff... But, only in very small quantities! :)

2.  Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?  

Presents are always perfectly wrapped and topped with bows and ribbons in our house... :)

3.  Colored lights on tree/house or white? 

I like white lights on the outside of the house... Although, Brian and I have never actually put lights up at our house. :)  This year our tree has multi-colored lights, but I'm thinking next year, I might try some white lights...

4.  Do you hang mistletoe?

Nope...

5.  When do you hang your decorations up?

Anytime after Thanksgiving, depending on how busy our schedule is! :)

6.  What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

Hmm... I love stuffing! :)  But, my favorite dishes would have to be Christmas Eve appetizers we always have out at my parents house... Fudge Nut Layer Bars, Magic Cookie Bars, Cold Pizza, Rum Cake, Pinwheels, Walking Taco Dip, etc... Same things every year, and they couldn't be more delicious! :)  I love it because whenever Christmas Eve rolls around and the table is loaded with all of those goodies, I get goosebumps and the magical feeling of Christmas sets in... just knowing that I'm home at Christmas, surrounded by all of my loved ones. :)


7.  Favorite holiday memory as a child?

Santa visiting our house on Christmas Eve... I remember the one year, pulling into the driveway and seeing Santa (i.e. my Uncle Dave! :)) standing and waving from our roof... Priceless! :)

8.  What is on your Christmas wish list?

Not much this year... Simply being home and with the family is present enough. :)

9.  Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve?

Yep...  It's become our family tradition... And, it just doesn't feel the same when we don't do it that way.  Christmas Eve is such a magical evening in our family. :)

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

I love our tree this year...  It's loaded with ornaments we collected during all of our travels around Europe...  What great memories! :)


11.  Snow? Love it or dread it?

Love it for the holiday season!  As well as for some additional skiing... However, once March rolls around, I'm so ready for it to be gone!

12.  Real tree or fake tree?

I love real trees... I grew up on them! :)  However, this year, we've got the fake tree up and decorated... :)  Still pretty though!

13.  Do you remember your favorite gift?

A Coach purse from the hubby a few years ago, and a beautiful Tiffany bracelet from my parents a couple years ago... And, pretty much anything my little nephew, Kaden, gives to me! :)  Although, any present I receive, I'm so very thankful for! :)

14.  What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you?

Being with family! :)

15.  What is your favorite holiday dessert?

It's a tie between fudge nut layer bars, magic cookie bars, candy cane cheescake, and rum cake! :)

16.  What is your favorite tradition?

There are so many, I can't even begin to decide... Although, my tradition is to sit in the living room of my parents' house at some point before we head to church on Christmas Eve, and simply soak up the tree, presents and the atmosphere... I love it because it's such a peaceful moment, and it really lets you feel the magic of Christmas. :) 

17.  What tops your tree?

This year, it's a big red bow! :)

18.  Do you prefer giving or receiving?

I love giving, as long as the person appreciates it. :)  I especially love giving to my nephew... The smile on his face when he unwraps gifts is priceless! :)  But, who doesn't like receiving things every now and then as well?! :)

19.  What is your favorite Christmas song?

Have yourself a merry little Christmas... I love it! :)  But, whenever I hear the Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas Is You" song, I can't help but smile!  It reminds me of all the years that my sister and I would dance to that song during the holiday season! :)  

20.  Candy canes, yuck or yum?

Yum! :)


21.  Favorite Christmas movie?

It's a Wonderful Life and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation... And, A Christmas Story is pretty high up there as well. :)

22.  What do you leave for Santa?

Milk and cookies! :)

23.  Do you have a Christmas morning tradition?

When I was young, we would get up and start baking/cooking for Christmas dinner! :)  Nowadays, if we spend Christmas Eve at Brian's parents' house, we get up and head up north... And, if we spend Christmas Eve at my parents' house, we get up and head south on Christmas morning. :) 

24.  Do you prefer to shop on-line or at the mall?

Usually the mall... But, I'm definitely beginning to like this whole online shopping thing much more! :)

25.  Christmas letter or Christmas card?

Christmas card... Definitely! :)  Which reminds me, I've got to get mine sent out! :)

Hope you all are having a happy holiday season!

The Big, Bright Light Show...

My mom came down to visit me this past weekend, and we had such a fun time! :)  Upon her arrival on Saturday, we headed out to Rochester to check out "The Big Bright Light Show", which my brother had recommended.  What a cool thing to see!  It's a holiday light display in downtown Rochester.  All of the buildings lining Main Street are adorned with Christmas lights... There are literally 1,500,000 Christmas lights strung up and down the buildings!  It was so bright and colorful! :)

We strolled around Main Street, enjoyed dinner at ROJO Mexican restaurant (YUM!!), wandered through and did some shopping at a mini-German Christmas market we came across, and had fun wine tasting at a local winery downtown.  It was such a fun evening spent with my mom! :)

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out, chatting, chatting some more, and shopping.  I had such a fun time, and I'm already looking forward to our next Mother/Daughter weekend!  Thanks for visiting, Mom!! :)

The Big, Bright Light Show! :)

We ordered guacamole at ROJO... Much to our surprise, this guy came out to our table and made the guacamole in front of us, specifically to our liking... Nice!
There's nothing like fresh guacamole!! :)

Oh how I love guacamole! :)

Mom was very impressed! :)

The Kris Kringle Market...
It was similar to a German Christmas Market in that it sold fresh strudel, hot gluhwein, handmade crafts from Germany, and authentic German foods...
And it was just so festive and fun to wander through! :)

I made a friend! :)

Looking down Main Street... 

Mom strolling down Main Street while enjoying the light show. :)

So pretty! :)

Me and my mom... :)

Kaden Turns 5!!

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, we celebrated Kaden's 5th birthday!  I can't believe he's already 5... Yikes!!

He celebrated his big day with a Batman-themed party, a delicious cake, yummy food, lots of presents, and surrounded by quite a few people who love to spoil him rotten! :)  Overall, he had a great birthday!  He even admitted at the end of the day, "Everything I wished for came true!" :)  Now, that sounds like one very satisfied birthday boy! :)

He doesn't look spoiled at all, does he? :)

Me with my favorite little 5 year old! :)

The cake...
It was very tasty! :)

Lots and lots of Batman! :)

Trying on his snowmobile helmet from Uncle Jason. :)

His 4-wheeler from his mommy and Randy... Doesn't every 5 year old have a quad?! :)
This made for one very happy birthday boy!! :)

And off he goes! :)

The Birthday Boy...
He's just too cute! :)  But, he's got to stop growing up so fast!!

Blowing out the candles...
He informed us that his "wish" came true! :)

Happy Birthday, Kaden! :)
I love you bunches!!

Thankful...

Wow!  I can't believe that Thanksgiving has already come and gone...  It was the first Thanksgiving we were able to celebrate in over three years, and what a wonderful feeling it was to be able to partake in the festivities again this year.  Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays... Primarily for the pure simplicity of it. :)  It's a holiday that simply revolves around spending time with family and friends to celebrate all the things we have to be thankful for.  I always enjoyed it because it meant that it was the one time of the year where our whole family would gather together to feast on a delicious dinner, talk, laugh, and enjoy each other's company. :)

And, after missing Thanksgiving for the past three years, I'm happy to say that some things never change...  This year, I was surrounded by my family (unfortunately, my husband wasn't able to be there with me. :( ), I stuffed myself full of delicious food, and I can't even begin to tell you how much laughing I did throughout the day... It was wonderful!! :)  And, as the day went on, I was reminded of all of the things I have to be thankful for...

-I have an amazingly wonderful husband... I can't begin to tell you how fortunate I am to be married to him... He's my rock, he supports me in whatever I do, he makes me laugh when I'm sad, he has faith in me even when I don't have faith in myself, he puts up with my goofiness, he pushes me to my fullest, he listens to me ramble on and on and on about randomness, he encourages me to try new things, he's my fellow adventure partner, he puts a twinkle in my eye, and makes me smile daily!  :)

-I have the most wonderful, supportive, and loving family anyone could ever ask for!  They've always been there for me, they're the people who have molded me into who I am, they're the reason I'm the person I am today, and I can't begin to thank them for always standing by me and loving me unconditionally.  (I'm also extremely thankful to have been blessed with being an aunt to the cutest kid ever... Kaden can always put a smile on my face like no other. :))

-I am also thankful to have wonderful in-laws who have welcomed me into their family with open arms. :)

-I have the best friends, both here and abroad, a girl could ever ask for! :)

-I'm thankful for the past three years... I am forever grateful to have been given the experience of living in Germany and being able to travel through Europe!  It's something I had always dreamed of doing and never thought it would happen... But, somehow that dream came true.  The past three years have taught me so many things, and I've learned so much about myself.  Because of this experience, I've turned into a more compassionate, adventurous, confident, caring, and worldly person, and for that, I will be forever thankful. :)

-I'm thankful for my cute little house that is starting to feel like "home" to us. :)

-I'm thankful that we both have jobs so that we're able to continue to do the things we enjoy doing.

-I'm so very thankful for our health.

-I'm thankful to have my little furball, Riley, back in my life. :)  I can honestly say that I missed having him curled up in my lap, purring away over the past three years.

... and the list could go on and on! :)  Needless to say, as I start adding everything up, I am one very lucky girl! :)

I hope you all have as many things to be thankful for as well!  I hope your Turkey Day was fabulous and you were able to spend the day surrounded by the people you love! :)  Gobble, gobble!!

Silver Bells in the City '11...

After missing it for the past three years, I finally made it back to one of my favorite holiday traditions... Silver Bells in the City! :)

Every year on the Friday before Thanksgiving weekend, downtown Lansing kicks off the holiday season with an electric light parade, the lighting of the state Christmas tree, Christmas carolers, and a firework display...  It's always a fun way to start the holiday season! :)  

So, this past Friday, Brian and I hopped into the car, headed to Lansing, met up with some friends, and joined in all of the festivities...  It was actually Brian's first time at Silver Bells in the City, and he really enjoyed himself! :)  It was a great night filled with tons of Christmas cheer, great friends, lots of laughs, and so many memories of previous Silver Bells in the City festivities! :)  What a wonderful way to start the holiday season! :)  

Waiting for the tree to be lit...

Counting down to the tree lighting...
The capital before...

... and after! :)

So pretty! :)

After the ceremony, we headed to Kelly's for a bit of Christmas cheer... :)

Brian, Jessi, me, and Rachel having fun at Silver Bells! :) 

Renee and Kory were racing to the end of their water! :)

This is where the night took a random turn...
Suddenly, Rachel and my hats became the highlight of the evening! :)

Kory and I in front of the capital and the state Christmas tree... :)

Holiday greetings from Brian and I! :)

Beautiful Colors...

Autumn in Michigan has been absolutely stunning this year!!  The colors have been gorgeous!  The other day Brian and I went for a walk in the woods, and we were met with such a beautiful sight!  Check it out for yourselves...

Hope you're all having a wonderful fall! :)