New Year's Eve

Another year decade is gone.  I didn't even realize the decade thing until someone mentioned it on Facebook today.  I have always heard that the older you get, the faster time seems to go & that is definitely true!  I have a few New Year's resolutions that I think are very realistic.  With that said, maybe I can stick to them!

• Avoid Target.  Seriously, every time I go in that store I drop $200 & I don't know how it happens.  I think that I feel like their stuff is cheap & therefore I'm getting a deal when actually it's not nor am I getting a deal!  I do get a lot of shirts there for Mallory & myself.  Love their little girl clothes & love when someone asks me where I got an outfit from & I can say Target :)  However, my bank account does not like the hits it takes from me shopping there.  
• Keep blogging regularly.  I am proud of the way I have kept up the past two months & I know that one day I will be so thankful that I did this.  Life is so hectic that everything becomes a blur to me if I don't take the time to document some things.  No matter how tired I am at night, I want to continue to record what is going on in our life at least a few times a week.  
• Lose 10 pounds.  I always have losing weight as a resolution but this year I feel different about it.  I'm so over being a size 2.  But if I could shed 10-12 pounds (go from a size 8 to a 6) I could fit back into so many awesome jeans that I own!  If that isn't motivation, I don't know what is.  I know I can do it.
• Be a better wife.  As parents, Patrick & I put 110% into Mallory.  She is our entire focus so much that we don't focus on each other like we should.  Both of us are aware of it & it is easy to say, we'll do better, but hopefully by making it a resolution I'll be more aware of making that effort.  

     
That's all of my resolutions for 2011.  I am excited about the new year & all the things to come for our family.  Hopefully, it will be the best yet.  Tonight, we are going out to eat with five other couples in New Bern.  I'm ready for a good time....Happy New Year!!

B-Ball

Is Mallory's favorite game to play.  Basically, the way you play is - Mallory stands in her crib & throws the ball while I pick it up a million times & throw it back in the crib.  Repeat over & over.  & she loves it.  She laughs & laughs especially when Mommy gets silly & tries to do tricks like dribble, dunk, etc.   

 

Winter Wonderland

This rarely happens in Eastern NC. 

Our backyard:

My snowbunny {who didn't like the snow}

 Snow fell all day yesterday.  This was taken this morning.  Thankfully, today is a vacation day for me & I didn't have to worry about getting on the road this morning.

Daddy & his girl in front of the pond

Mommy & Mal

Mid-yawn.  Can't you tell how much she liked the snow? :)

& my very favorite snow picture.

We stayed inside the entire day yesterday & ventured out for only a few minutes this morning.  It's nice to stay home, catch up on some things & relax a little!

Our Merry Christmas (& a whole lot of pictures!)

We have had a wonderful Christmas in the Heath household!  Mallory must have been a really good girl all year because Santa came & left a bunch of toys.  We had a little trouble getting Mallory out of bed Christmas morning but when she finally got up & got going, seeing her face light up was the best present we as parents could ask for.  I know as Mallory gets older the gifts will get more & more expensive so Santa kept it pretty simple this year with a kitchen, Dance Star Mickey, 2 baby dolls, a baby doll stroller, books, clothes & pj's, a counting hippo & a magna doodle.  She really seemed to love each & every gift she got & I hope that she will always be appreciative of ANY gift that she receives.

We always spend Christmas Eve with Patrick's family because Deborah works Christmas Day every year.  We had dinner with Granny Pat & played some fun games.  The first game we played, we went around in a circle & rolled dice.  Whoever rolled the number that Granny picked, had to dress up in the Santa hat, coat, scarf & gloves & try to open the present.  In the meantime, the other people kept rolling & if someone else rolled that number, they got to try.  Whoever got the present open got to keep it!  Here is Papa Leroy trying to get the present open.  He was hilarious!

Grandma Deborah's turn to try:

 Mallory got a new BlackBerry looking phone from Granny!

 Daddy modeling the Santa hat

Grandma Deb & Mallory

Granny Pat & Papa Leroy got Mallory a Mickey Mouse tricycle.  She loves it!

Mallory helping Daddy to open his present

Grandaddy Oneal & Grandma Deb bought Mallory this crib for all her dolls.  She fits in it too.

The best we could do for a family photo :/

Santa came & left these toys

Some friends of ours gave Mallory this bookbag.  It's got her name on it & is as cute as can be.  I put it on her back but she was not feeling it!

Mallory & I Christmas morning

Christmas breakfast, yummm

She got a table & chairs from Aunt B

& another pair of gasses

Such a girly-girl

Joseph & Ashley

Grandmother got weights for Christmas!

That's our Christmas in a nutshell!  I am looking forward to spending the next few days at home trying to clean & organize everything.  It is supposed to snow & be cold!!  Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

  

Live Nativity

On Sunday, my parents had a small family get together with my grandma & her sisters.  Several family members had other Christmas parties they had already committed to so we missed them but still had a good time.  Here are a few pictures. 

ON THE GO...

My Aunt Mickey gave this little tiara to Mallory.  She didn't like it being in her hair but she got a kick out of everyone else wearing it.  This is Aunt Carol modeling the tiara.

Instead of doing a Christmas play this year, our church decided to do a live nativity scene.  It turned out really good & we had a good crowd come by to see it!  Patrick was Joseph front & center :)  I was supposed to by Mary but got there too late!

Mallory & Mackenzi playing together.  Mackenzi is such a good little mama to Mallory!  I sit back & watch them play & laugh because Mallory thinks she is just as big as Mackenzi who is in kindergarten!

& this is random but I have a REALLY hard time finding foods (like meal time foods) that Mallory will eat.  Literally, there is like 3 things she will eat as a meal.  I got home late tonight & Patrick had to go to a funeral so I decided to try Mallory on fishsticks.  I've tried before & she didn't like them, but this time I put some ketchup on her plate & showed her how to dip the fishstick in the ketchup.  She loved it & ate about five!  For some reason I thought she was too little to get the dipping.  WRONG!  Just another reminder of how fast they learn & catch on to new things.

Behind Times

I am well aware that I am behind the times & that everyone else knows how to do these collages, but I just learned today!  Can you tell I'm a little excited :) 

I played around with these pictures taken back in May by Hailey when Mallory was 10 months old.  How cute!
You can expect to be seeing more collages now :)

Christmas Quiz

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? It depends, but usually if it's wrappable I prefer wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Growing up, we mostly had real trees.  Since getting married we have had artificial pre-lit trees until this year, we decided to go with the real deal.  I think I'm hooked now! 

3. When do you put up the tree?  Either the day or weekend after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually after Christmas, but before New Years.

5. Do you like eggnog? I like a little bit of eggnog.  It's not something I can drink a lot of.  Once a year is enough!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably either a pogo stick or trampoline.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My inlaws for sure!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Mallory

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Definitely mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably an article of clothing that was WAY too big.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? After Thanksgiving.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think I have actually recycled a present, but I have definitely give a few away.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?  The desserts!

16. Lights on the tree (colored or clear)?  Growing up we had colored, but now I use clear.  I like both.

17. Favorite Christmas song?   Angels We Have Heard on High

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We are home on Christmas morning, then go to my parent's house & then my grandparents.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Sadly, no.

20. Angel, star or ribbon on top of tree? Ribbon

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Patrick's family is Christmas eve, my family & Santa is Christmas morning.

22. Favorite children's Christmas song? I’m Gettin’ Nuttin’ for Christmas.

23. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crowds while shopping & rude people!

24. Favorite ornament theme or color? Oh this is tough, I have so many ornaments that I love.  Probably a painted ball with a bride & groom on it, personalized with our names & wedding date.  & I like to keep the colors on my tree the traditional red, green, silver & gold.

25. Turkey or ham on Christmas day? I think we always have both.

26. What do you want for Christmas this year? Hehe...good question!  I never really could think of much this year but the husband helped me pick out a pretty sweet necklace from Stella & Dot so I know I'm getting that.

27. Does anyone in your family dress up as Santa? Nope.

28. Age you discovered who Santa was? I’m not sure...maybe around 9 or 10.  I really can't remember.

29. Eggnog, hot chocolate, or apple cider? Hot chocolate.

30. Traditional colors (red and green) or other colors? I'm big on the traditional colors for Christmas.

31. Do you have any Christmas decorations on your roof? Negative & probably never will.

32. How does Santa get into your house? Chimney or magic key? Magic key...for now!

33. Do you prefer gifts or gift cards? Either.

34. Favorite children's Christmas Cartoon? Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!!

Restful Saturday

While at work yesterday, I started getting the dreadful sore throat feeling along with a headache :(  Patrick had a cold all last week & I could tell that I was getting it too.  By the time I got home, I felt terrible & just wanted to go to bed.  We had planned on staying home anyway so we called it an early night after taking a few pictures of Mallory playing. 

I just can't get enough of this little face!  Excuse her lack of pants...it was close to bedtime!

 She threw all her toys on the floor & then got in the tub where all her toys stay.

Today we were able to stay home for most of the day.  It's the first Saturday in a REALLY long time that we didn't have much going on.  Patrick went hunting & Mallory & I spent the day in our pj's mostly resting along with a little cleaning.  We both took a 3 1/2 hour nap this afternoon!  It was heaven.  Especially with the cold & rainy weather.

Tonight we had Christmas with Patrick's Dad's family.  We all got together at Patrick's uncles shop which worked out great.   

Patrick's cousin Trish gave Mallory a set of blocks that she loves

All of the kids playing together

Mallory LOVED Megan's BlackBerry!

Me & Meg

We laugh everytime we get together with our husbands.  They are 1st cousins but could be brothers.  They are SO MUCH ALIKE!

Mallory with Grandma Deborah.  She's playing with a toy from Grandma Louise.

The King's

After everyone ate & opened gifts, Trish's fiance's daughter, Margaret serenaded us all with her violin playing!  She played all the Christmas songs & she is very talented.  I was impressed!

Ok, the resting is over.  Starting tomorrow morning, we are busy again.  We enjoy it though...it's nice to know we have so much family & friends & isn't that what the holidays are really about anyway?!