A Visit

Katie loves having visitors.  Last weekend, Matt's family came to visit us in Roanoke for the first time since we moved -- and Katie was counting down the days until they arrived.  Popa and Jake had been to Roanoke many times before, when Matt worked for the baseball team.  But, it was Abu's first trip to the Star City.

On Saturday, we took them down to the City Market to peruse the little shops/boutiques.  We also went to lunch at a place called Thelma's Chicken and Waffles.  Crazy restaurant name, right?!?!  They literally serve chicken and waffles -- together as a dish.  If they name their whole restaurant after a dish, I figure you better order it.  So, Katie and I shared -- and it was quite good. 
 

After the market and some lunch -- we packed in ice skating and a visit to the Hotel Roanoke.  That night after dinner and SweetFrog we headed up to the Star.  It truly is beautiful up there at night with all the city lights twinkling at you.  


If we learned only one thing from the family visit -- its that Katie loves her Uncle Jake (okay, we already knew that).   Jake takes such a sincere interest in his neices and nephew -- to me its a bit surprising for a 21 year old guy.  Over the weekend he taught Katie how to shoot the basketball properly (she will never listen to me!).  In return, she made him participate in a tea party and play dolls in her room.  She also insisted on holding his hand virtually everywhere we traveled. 

 

On Sunday, we stuck close to home.  It was so cold that we only went outside for a little while so Katie could show Popa and Abu how much she has been enjoying her scooter (one of their Christmas presents to her).

Before they left on Sunday she asked when Popa, Abu, and Uncle Jake would be coming back for another sleep over.  We all promised to do it again in the Spring when the weather is a bit nicer and we can do more outdoors....maybe even take in a baseball game, like old times.

Happy New Year

Matt and I were discussing our New Year's goals for 2013.  He set 2 goals:  To survive the next year of school, and to be a better father/husband.  He's always so concise and to the point....love that about him. 

As usual, I had a longer more verbose list.  No shock there right?  I can't say that I've been good at sticking to my resolutions in the past....and my list is too long to go through on a blog post - you guys don't really want to hear all of them!  So, I'll just share one for now.  I want to do a better job of taking pictures of this little girl!  As I put together an end of the year photo book over the holidays I realized that each time things get busy at work/home I stop taking pictures.  I'm resolving to do a better job with that in 2013. 

From our family to yours - we wish you a Happy and Prosperous 2013!!!

The pictures in this post are of Katie -- ready to head back to school.  You might be wondering what's in her hand - its turkey sausage (a breakfast must have in our house).

Christmas 2012

Christmas 2012 is certainly one I will remember.  Not for the family time, so much as the FLU!  Saturday night, the 22nd I started feeling a little off.  Katie had a cold the week before so I just assumed I was getting her cold -- no big deal.  Sunday was our Christmas gathering with mom's side of the family and I didn't feel any better, but still thought it was a cold.

Sunday night I took a turn for the worse.  By Monday morning, my fever was over 103.  There have been few times in my LIFE that my fever has been that high.  I just don't run high fevers.  I had to concentrate to even understand what Matt was trying to say to me that morning.  I basically told him I needed to go to the doctor and to keep Katie away from me. 

The good news (not really) -- I haven't established a primary care physician in Roanoke.  So, Matt and Katie drove me to an MedExpress urgent care facility and dropped me off.  I didn't want them near me -- or anyone else who would be there on Christmas Eve.  When the doc examined me, she said you look like you have a really bad sinus infection, not the flu.  She said "we usually don't see fevers this high with the flu, and the level of congestion in your sinuses is indicative of an infection."  I asked if she could humor me and do a quick-flu test to be on the safe side, since I had a 3 year old at home.  She agreed to do so.   20 minutes later, she came back into the room and said "you have the flu."  AWESOME!  Just what I wanted for Christmas.

Now, there are few times during the year when my job is calm enough for me to take 1-2 weeks of vacation and spend time with Katie and Matt.  And this is the first year in MANY years that Matt and I have both had Christmas vacation time together.  So -- to say that I was a little disappointed about being sick this Christmas -- would be a MAJOR understatement.  Not to mention, my family was scheduled to arrive Monday afternoon and celebrate with us.

Despite my concerns over others getting sick, my family came to the rescue (I am so fortunate).  Nana, Papa, and GG came to help on Christmas Eve.  They helped care for Katie, wrap presents, put together bikes and virtually everything in between.  I got out of bed long enough on Christmas morning for Katie to open her presents and then I went right back to bed.  Where I remained until yesterday.

Nana and Papa took Katie to their house in Woolwine on the afternoon of Christmas Day where she stayed (happ7 & healthy) for 2 nights.  Matt spent 2 days nursing me back to health and scrubbing his hands everytime he left my room (yes, I was quarantined).

So far - no one else in the family has gotten the flu (praying it stays that way).  Again, I'm disappointed that this Christmas didn't turn our how I had planned.  But I am so grateful to my family for all their help  -- especially my parents and my.  It is definitely a memorable Christmas, but not for the reasons I intended.  The pictures from this post are from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I'm so glad Matt got some videos so that I could enjoy them later.

A Return

A little over eight years ago, Matt and I were married at The Hotel Roanoke.  Sadly, we had not been back there since.  We thought it would be fun to take Katie with us on our return.  Since the hotel is so beautifully decorated at Christmas time we thought that would be the best way to also get Katie excited about the trip.

First, we had dinner downtown on The Market Square at Alexandro's.  The Hotel is only a short walk from The Market - and we also walked past the Roanoke Christmas Tree on the way.  She enjoyed playing/chasing daddy around the tree  -- and of course making silly faces for this photo. 

Next, we headed across the huge catwalk bridge to the hotel.  For those of you who are familiar - its a great place to let a kid run like wild!  The best part - it goes over the train tacks.  If you are lucky, you get to see a train too.

Finally we got to the hotel.  They do a display of Christmas Trees each year - all different themes which are sponsored by civic organzations, businesses, scout troups, etc.  Its actually quite beautiful!  We all had a wonderful time viewing the trees and walking through the hotel.  Our last stop was The Crystal Ballroom -- where Matt and I were married.  Unfortunately, there was a private party being held in the room, so we couldn't go inside -- But Katie at least got to see the outside and we told her the story about our special day.

It was really cool to take Katie there with us on our return.  We hope to all go back sometime soon -- maybe in the spring when the flowers are in bloom.  :-)

Polar Express & PJs

Today was Polar Express day at Katie's Preschool.  We have been talking about and planning for Polar Express Day all week!  In fact, before she went to bed last night Katie must have asked me about 100 times...."Its tomorrow, right mommy?"  "Yes, Katie.  I promise, tomorrow is the day." 

One part of Polar Express Day - and possibly most important to Katie - is that all the kids get to wear pajamas to school.  Moms and Dads are encouraged to attend with their children - also wearing their PJs.  Katie actually woke me up at 2:15 AM this morning, SO EXCITED, and asked if it was time to start getting ready yet.  When I said "No, its still a long time before morning" she said, "but mom, this is taking forever!"  To which I responded, "actually, what's taking forever is for you to go back to sleep."  At 3:45 she finally did. 

Morning came -- much to slowly for her and a bit too early for me.  We both got dressed into our bedtime best, and I wanted get a few pictures before we left the house.  Katie was all too eager to pose for pictures - proof once again she really was into this whole Polar Express/PJ thing. 

** On the car ride she kept saying "Mommy, I cant wait to show my Mickey Mouse slippers to all my friends!" **

Finally we got to school and headed to her classroom.  Each child was given a train ticket by Ms. Hannah.  The class proceeded into the fellowship hall of the church/school where the conductor punched their tickets and they boarded the train. 

Next, the music teacher read The Polar Express book.  At the end of the reading, each of the children got their own bell and they all started singing "Jingle Bells", and "Here Comes Santa Claus."  At the end of "Here Comes Santa Claus", the big man himself appeared!  Katie was so shocked, I'm not sure she knew what to do with herself.  Her face was just priceless!!!  Finally, each of the kids got a chance to sit on Santa's lap, and talk with him for a bit about their Christmas wish list.  We finished the morning with a class picture and some snacks.

Today was a pure joy!  I know when she is older, this will be one of those moments I will look back on with a huge smile on my face.  It is so much fun to live the traditions of Christmas through your child, to see their face light up when they see Santa, and to see the excitement in their wiggly little bodies as they get geared up for this Holiday.  In the words of the country song..."Yeah, that's the good stuff."

 

O Christmas Tree!

For the past 6 years, we've had a fake tree and a Yankee Candle (for the pine scent, of course).  Matt hated the fake tree.  He simply relented to my wish for Christmas decorating convenience pre-Katie.  And the past 2 years she's been too young to know the difference. 

When we moved this summer and were packing up the Christmas items from our old house Matt said (direct quote here) "I hate this thing, and I'm definitely not making the effort to pack it, transport it, store it in the attic of another house, and use it again."  There went my fake tree.

With no fake tree - and no hope of me getting a new one anytime soon - we decided it would be a fun to head to a Christmas tree farm, select, and cut down our own.  Saturday morning we headed out together on a perfect day.  Katie split her time at the tree farm doing one of 2 things:  1) Making a nest of leaves/brush.  Then finding and putting acorns (which she called her eggs) into the nest, then sitting on them to keep them warm.  In case you are wondering...."Make Way for Ducklings" is a favorite book in our house right now.  Or 2)  Finding every tree in the field that was her height and insisting it was the best tree by far....and would fit perfectly in our living room.

Eventually Matt and I picked what we thought was a good tree.  Together we sawed it down, carried it out of the field, packed it onto the car and headed home.  Once home, Matt started to trim the tree and get the leaves out before we brought it inside.  Except while he was shaking the leaves out  ----  he BROKE the tree!  Not kidding...totally broke it!  A good 1.5 to 2 feet gone.  I just stood there looking at him.  Couldn't  believe it.

After some debate, we realized we were going to have to go out for a SECOND tree.  We knew we didn't have enough time to drive back out to the Christmas Tree farm and cut another one down (besides Katie would have been beyond impatient at that point).  So, pre-cut tree shop here we come....and $85 later...we have one tree up and one in our garage.  Matt was so frustrated that the day didn't turn out how he imagined.  Personally, I thought it was a good/funny story to tell Katie when she gets a little older and can appreciate the humor.

Here she is....our 2012 Christmas Tree (still needs the tree topper)!  Hope you all are having as much fun preparing for Santa Claus as we are!!!  :-)

Thanksgiving 2012

This year we spent Thanksgiving at Matts families' farm.  His paternal grandmother is 97 years old and after recovering from a broken hip and some health issues - she is finally back "Home!"  It had been over 2.5 years since we got together at the farm.  See below a picture of Katie the last time she was there (around 8 months old)....and then this year.

 

Katie enjoyed playing the toys left behind from generations of older kids.  Two of her favorites were a bicycle from one of Sam's girls as well as a playhouse which Sam built years ago.

I enjoyed being in the old house.  I'm not kidding about the "old" part - it was built in 1906.  Amazing really!  Visiting with Ganny was great, especially to see her back in her home.  The shot below was taken right before we started our Thanksgiving meal....pretty sure that dining room has seen a few family gatherings!  :-)