A look back at 2015

As I sat, holding Lola who slept, and watching Greta amaze me on this educational iPad game (and listening to Ryan snore as he napped) - I thought about all that 2015 gave me.  

The highlights...

1. Announcing the sequel was on his or her way and then having another beautiful new baby girl, Lola Jane, whose smiles brightens my life. I never thought I could love someone as much as Greta but as soon as I laid eyes on her my heart grew larger.

2. A healthy Greta all year!! She challenges me daily - but feel I'm to blame for that. I can't imagine life without her. I love each and every day I get to be her mom.

3. Saying good bye to one of the greatest   guys I've ever known, my grandpa. As he celebrates his first New Years in heaven with E-ma and his brothers... I look forward to hearing his stories some day. 

4. Putting in a pool. People thought we were crazy doing this while I was 9 months pregnant - heck I was one of them. So glad we did! Greta loves it and I'm sure Lola will too. I look forward to many fun days in 2016 in the pool. 

5. Getting the opportunity to be part time starting in 2016. Excited about the challenges this will bring. What a blessing this will be to our family and my sanity. 

6. First family trip (and mine as well) to Disney World and Sea World. It was filled with smiles, laughter, meeting all the characters, tears, melt downs and days of memories!

7. A personal highlight... Getting to be part of the bell ringing ceremony on Nasdeq. What a great experience! 

8. Learning to be a mom of 2. A constant balancing act between giving them the attention they need and managing to keep everything else at home going. I feel with every day I get a little better and am proud that they are both happy and healthy.

9. Having a family that loves me and my family and would do anything for us. I know many don't have this so I am very thankful for them all. Especially my hubby who works hard to provide for us. And my mom who drops everything to help me, including being cooped up in a hotel for 5 days with a 2 1/2 year old and 4 month old. She's the best!

10. And so many more big and small moments. 

So here's to learning from 2015 and loving and living life in 2016. I got this! :-)

 

Happy birthday Jesus

I really work hard to make sure grea knee why we are celebrating Christmas. And that it all because of baby Jesus' birthday. So Christmas morning when we woke up and I asked who's birthday it was - she said Jesus and then sang him a song.

https://youtu.be/5uVW94z2kMY

Christmas blessings

Feeling blessed and loved beyond words as I sit and think back of the last few days. It's hard for me to imagine what Christmas's are like when families don't get along or there is drama (besides a 2 year old's drama) or any of that.  I have been blessed my entire life with joy and gifts at Christmas, love and support all year and guiding hands to help me. The older I get, the more I realize this is what matters. It's more about creating memories that will last them well into adulthood and beyond. As we looked at slides last night, it was fun to see mom and dad's faces light up as they remembered soon certain moments on the farm or with us or the rest of the family. It was happiness, joy, laughter that filled the room.

I look forward to those moments with my kids and grandkids some day. 

Ewald Christmas

Christmas morning we left Greenwood and headed to Unionville for more Christmas fun. With only 2 short stops - a potty break for Greta and gas and a snack for Lola we made it there in less than 6 hours.

Having mini Oreos and chips in the car for lunch, we were starving when we arrived. Snacking began, then yummy perch was fried (thanks J&J) and Oreo cookie dessert, then Mary's great meat came out. Needless to say we filled up quickly. 

Present opening began almost as soon as we arrived. I was also proud of Greta for helping hand out everyone's gifts too. And she actually loved doing it. More great gifts like a Frozen cd/microphone thing for Greta which she has been singing into since we got it. Play food and  a cash register - more playing fun. Oh and high heels and a purse which she loves and I think looks so old when using. 

Lola also got some new toys - which Greta enjoyed testing out. And Ryan and I got some great gifts as well - new saw, sweatshirts, a crockpot, a couple more Pandora beads. 

Saturday was filed with more food, a scavenger hunt for the kids and an evening of looking at old slides - which inevitably lead to lots of laughs.

Now to load the sleigh up one more thing and head home. 

The bark returns

Well it was bound to happen... The bark returned. And there was 2 nights it was the worst it ever was. I tried everything from a honey patch on my chest, humidifier, cough syrup (only a little), cough drops, and finally cypress essential oil. First night after I put it in my feet, I had 3 hours of no coughing - a record. Next night but as good and by the 3rd night of oils - it was somewhat under control. 

Then Greta got the bark - the worst thing she could have gotten from me. But with the humidifier and some cypress on the feet, she's on the mend as well. 

Lola is also sounding much less congested as well. Thank goodness because that was going on like 7 weeks. 

Here's to starting the new year healthy! 

Delaney Christmas

This year for the Delaney Christmas, we loaded up the sleigh and off to Greeneood we went. Ryan made it in record time - I'm still not sure how but I might rethink sleeping so much next time. The girls did great too. Greta napped only a little bit but Lola napped pretty much the whole time so we didn't stop at all.

We are truly blessed with a great family that loves each other. There was lots of book reading, playing with both new and favorite toys at their house, eating (and more eating). And on the 23rd, a tornado touched down about 2 miles from the house so we spent a little time in the basement. For the record it was in the 60s one day and the 50s the next.

Also as tradition, we danced and sang around the Christmas tree. Greta did a great job and sang along to all the songs she knows - jingle bells, Rudolph, Santa clause it coming to town and part of away in a manger. 

Then Christmas Eve, we opened gifts. Greta and Lola both got more great gifts as did we. I think Greta's favorite will be her new Anna and Elsa barbies she got.

Then Christmas morning, we woke up and hung out and enjoyed an amazing breakfast with homemade cinnamon rolls (which I'm going to try and make sometime). Then we loaded the sleigh back up and gave lots of hugs and said our thank you's and good byes. And were off to our next destination.

Christmas at our house

This year for 12 days I wrapped up a new Christmas book and snuck it under the tree. So every morning  it was, "you think there is a preset under there for me??" Usually it didn't arrive until after dinner, but she loved checking for it. And she loves book so this was great!

Greta don't get the Santa thing yet (maybe because she doesn't care for him) - so we didn't make a deal out of it. We went out to dinner and when we come home lots of presents under the tree and a stocking full goodies. We actually did this 2 nights to stretch Christmas out. 

She opened all hers and helped with ours and Lola's. Puzzles, lots of books, clothes, hungry hippos - where just a few of the highlights. I must have been a good girl too and got 2 beautiful Pandora beads and a new fancy purse. Plus Muck boots so I'm ready for mudding around and hunting with Ryan. Ryan got clothes, a cool drink holder for the pool, a water pic and socks of course. 

Next year when Lola is a year and a half and Greta is 3 1/2 will be so fun!  All that joy and innocence and pure happiness Christmas brings.