The first of many 29th Birthdays!!

Another birthday has come and gone, I am so lucky and blessed to be surrounded by so many loving people in my life.  Not only my family I was born into, but Evan and his family that have now welcomed me with open arms.  I am so lucky to feel so much love and thoughtfulness on this first of what I hope to be MANY 29th birthdays!!

This is probably the last year I won't hesitate or cringe before telling my age :)   The funny thing is, for whatever odd reason, I am having a harder time being "twenty nine" than I already feel towards the big 3-0.  This is not to be offensive to anyone older than me, I am married to someone that is 30, in fact most of the people I love most are 30 or older, however, for whatever odd reason, that 9 at the end is more frightening than a 0 at the end! :) 

Thank you to all that made my birthday so very special! I am so very blessed. The many sweet calls, texts, facetimes on the actual day, and of course cards and gifts truly made me feel all the love! I know it is such a busy time of year for everyone, which made it all that much more special.

Evan and Bella spoiled me all day, and then Evan and I had a wonderful dinner out before heading down to the beach to spend NYE with my family.

It is going to be mighty hard to top all the amazing things that happened to me in my "golden birthday" year of 28, but here is to a wonderful 29 and hopefully even more excitement to add to the wonderful memories already made.

A truly heartfelt THANK YOU to all those that texted and called to make the actual day that much more special, I am one lucky lucky girl!

A Ho Ho Ho we go.... to Arizona!

Evan and I decided several months ago that we would spend Christmas time in Arizona with Dick and Betti-  we always love Arizona in the "winter" time, although this time was cooler than usual, and were looking forward to spending time with his parents/ my parents in law for a relaxing few days in the desert.  Jeff, Zoe, Cooper and Ella also joined the trip the last few days we were there.

 

I learned two important things this week... 1) my father in law has no trust in my ability to make challah and 2) he wishes there were less words in my blogs, so I will try and lessen the words, but he already knows that when I do make challah, he will only get to smell it. no tasting! :)

I got my first golf lessons, and have learned I am a left handed golfer for sure, so once I get my golf clubs, and maybe a few more lessons, I will be well on my way to playing with Phil Mickelson (he's a lefty too!!)

I am happy and still a little scared to have been present when Dick filled to things on his "bucket list" during our trip ... first being purchasing a gun, I am most scared, because he took Evan shooting the first time he used it.....

Plant a potato.... Get a potato....

Dick also was "Santa" on Christmas Eve for a sweet little 4 year old neighbor.  The costume that the mother ordered for him to wear arrived the morning of Christmas Eve and at about 3pm we realized the package said "beard and wig sold separately"!  Off to Michael's Evan, Dick, and I went (what an experience all on its own!) then it was time to create a beard for Santa. 

The materials ready to go...

Santa wrapping his belly on...

Beard in tact, time for the hat...

Dressing Santa was quite the team effort as you can see, Betti buttoning him up and Evan putting his belt on..

and a ho, ho, ho, off we go..... Santa and his elves....

He enjoyed it so much, we stopped at other friends' houses in the neighborhood for a few ho, ho, hos!

And the Jewish Santa couldn't complete the night without picking up Chinese food to go.. what a blast!

On Christmas Day, Miss Lu Lu got to have her annual run around the golf course, while it is closed!

I've gotta admit I was counting on a fort, since I am pretty sure the first thing I knew about Jeff was that he built forts on Christmas, but he found these new blocks to be way too much fun, and it was a block building Christmas instead..... yes, the horse/donkey is "protecting" the block building!

The week in Arizona was filled with some of this...

Lots of time with this sweet little boy....

 Much love with this little girl...

A Gramma Betti with her arms full...

And then it was time to say bye bye.... these little munchkins were surprised to see us at the airport again since we had already said goodbye, but were nice enough to bring my iPad with them to the airport that I had left up at the house! :)

Of course this Aunt Amy was more than happy to squeeze in a few more kisses!

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Happy Holidays!!

Wishing you all a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and a wonderful ringing in of the new year! 2011 has been filled with many wonderful memories and we look forward to 2012 being just as exciting!! Hope your holidays are filled with much love and laughter!!




To all our family and friends celebrating Hanukkah, we wish you three more glowing nights of Hanukkah and many special memories made around the menorah spinning dreidels!




To all our family and friends celebrating Christmas, wishing you a Ho Ho Ho and a Merry Christmas!




XOXOXO,
Evan, Amy, and Bella Hello Kitty


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Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah!

I was way prepared on the gifts end of things, but way unprepared on the wrapping end of things, so I camped out upstairs with all my boxes, tape, bags, bows, wrapping paper, gifts, and PUPPY, and knocked it all out, Bella and I maybe had way too much fun with it!  She came in on her own and plopped down on the two over sized bags a you can see, she looked like she was ready to get in on the fun, and I figured Evan wouldn't want a pink bow on his gift, so to Bella it went...

She even kept sneaking in up under my arm as I was wrapping, as if she was going to tell me if I was doing it wrong?!  I hope it met her approval!

The first night was all about Bella - Bella got her Hanukkah presents, minus the one that has not arrived yet, and Evan and I each opened our presents that we had designated "from Bella"!

Obviously Bella was having a hard time deciding which set of treats she wanted to rip into first....

Mom, I think i want a mini donut...

no, maybe the biscuits....

She even got her own Hanukkah cookie - no, I didn't make this one haha!

she LOVED her new toys, and the pink one even "traps" treats, but I am pretty sure she got it all out, if not, pretty darn close to it!

Dad, you grab one end, while I tug on this end... this thing is fun!

Here is Bella showing Evan and I our presents... I thought it was funny that it just so happened that after all wrapping had been done our boxes looked so similar....

What I didn't realize was that it was about to get  FUNNIER,m because Bella got us the SAME THINGSSSSS!!  What a smart puppy - seriously, what are the chances though?!  Neither one of us had really mentioned needing any slippers, but both got warm comfy slippers that also have a good bottom so they can be worn outside when taking Bella out in the Winter-  they look almost exactly alike, minus the color - mine are left, Evan's right -SO FUNNY.

Hope everyone has a Happy Hanukkah and a Merry Christmas!! XOXOXO

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Holiday Craftiness and Happy Holidays to All!!

So, hopefully, random people in the neighborhood don't read my blog, I am not sure they would, as the person I am about to speak about I do not know very well, and we are not even facebook friends, but at the neighborhood holiday party, I was told (slightly sternly) that it's time for me to take my "fall decorations" down and switch it to CHRISTMAS.  About a 3rd of our neighborhood is Jewish, but yes we were at a Christmas party when this took place, so I (with a few drinks in me, sorta giggled and said, I am working on it, I promise within the next week it will be changed... phew I was just in the nick of time.... (by the way, I am pretty sure Evan's response was- "we are Jewish, and technically it is still fall" hahahaha!!)  We all had consumed a few adult beverages so it was a bit entertaining of a conversation all and all looking back on it.... anyway, I held up to my word, and the pumpkins and "happy fall y'all" sign is ready to be stored away in a "fall storage box" and our house is now Winter Holiday-ized!!!

I came up with this idea myself- - as kids growing up we always displayed the holiday cards on the mantle, well I realized as I got excited to have a mantle to display them on, that in fact most cards these days are flat cards (ours included), so i came up with this little arrangement -- you can't really tell because of the coloring in the room, but I spray painted clothes pins a light gold / silver color, and hung it from natural colored, glitzy, soft, plush, yarn.  I love all the holiday cards, with sweet pictures and messages on them.  I was afraid it would fall if I just did one big dip across the whole mantle, so I have it pulled up three times in the middle, and held by crystal votive holders that we always have on the mantle - I'm pleased with how it turned out...

With the help of Pinterest, I also created a fun door decoration to make our house "holiday-esque" without being "Christmas" - I also think I can get away with leaving it up much of the winter - but who knows, I may just get called out again at the next neighborhood event! :)

It's sort of hard to tell, and i promise its cuter in person, but its three round wreaths from craft store, all wrapped several times and tightly in yarn, then tied together, then i went to spray paint polyurethane on it to "seal it" from the weather, and it turned yellow - OOPS - so I then spray painted it white over it and all is good -- i then tied a piece of burlap around it like a scarf and glued on wooden heart shapes from the craft store that I spray painted black. It looks crooked in this picture, but I promise it is not - I went back outside a few minutes ago to make sure it was only like that from the angle of the picture! :)

Lastly, with the motivational help of Pinterest, and then sis Julie having made them and convincing me they weren't that hard and breaking down for me what each piece was, I made my own canisters on pedestals - I LOVE THEM.  This season they are filled with :

1) york pieces -- im SHOCKED there are still that many in there and Evan hasn't snuck more out! :)

2) gold, silver, and blue dreidels

3) chocolate gelt pieces

They are so fun and festive, and I can't wait until I get a table (that fits) for the entry way, because I know they will look even better there than on the island! :)  I also am already thinking about what will go in them next!!  That's just about it for decorations around here, but I love that they are all hand made and not store bought and can all be used for years to come!!

I need to get to packing and a little more laundry, but wishing ALL of you a very happy holiday, no matter what it is you celebrate -- Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and depending on how quickly I get back to blogging - HAPPY and HEALTHY New Year to ALL!!

XOXOXOXO

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Bella is back in action and a fun filled weekend indeed!

Bella has been such a good patient -- really at day 8/9 we decided it was healing mighty well and we would lessen her cone time and take it off full time on day 9/10 - she soaked up her last day of being a "patient" pretty well, and just plopped wherever she wanted for a little rest, including wrapping her body backwards around the corner of the sofa... silly puppy!!!

One of Bella's main/ most tasking restrictions was no stairs .... Friday I was not feeling well and really wanted to lay down and relax to avoid my ritual of getting a sinus infection every year right about now, but also let Bella have free reign, so i opened what you would have thought was a "magical" door to miss Bella to the basement - i told her to go downstairs, and she did slowly and carefully until the last 3 steps, which she lept over, and wandered around the basement seeing all the things she had missed out on for the last 10 days .... you would have thought we took a 5 year old to Disney for the first time, she just walked around and was so excited and just darted a step towards each of her toys down there, checked out every corner, and probably was thinking "oh thank goodness, i never thought i was gonna be able to come back down here again!!" As you can see, she was quite excited to get back on the big bean bag, i was laying on the other end of it, and she propped up proud and pretty at the foot.....

She finally exhausted herself out down there, and probably saw that I wasn't feeling the greatest and also resting, so i caught her snuggling up to her big gorilla toy and cuddling it after she had decided she was finished cuddling with me on the bean bag... pretty cute if you ask me, but I'm biased!

Her activity level is just about back to normal now, we are just trying to limit her excessive running around outside to make sure she fully heals the two weeks.  However, her favorite toy is the dreidel Aunt Diane sent.... when she squeezes it, it sings "dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay".  She usually runs around with it excitedly, squeezes it, then sets it down to watch it sing.... I think her true mission is to test her daddy's patience..... probably not a bad idea :)

Who knew they made so many Hanukkah toys for dogs... here is the dog shaped, squeaky toy .... he has a kippah on his head and is holding a dreidel in his hands.... here you can see the dreidel, as she enjoys removing his kippah, it must be fun to chew on!

Here you can see what is left of the kippah....

Yes, I do understand I have a completely spoiled puppy, but on Friday, I even went as far as making her treats from scratch -- SUPER easy recipe, and if anyone has a dog or puppy that likes peanut butter let me know, it is super easy and she LOOOOOOOVES them, she would eat all of them at one time if we let her!!  They're cheaper than the pb cookies at the store too! 

This weekend, Evan and I went to dinner on Friday night in the Highlands and then went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden Lights Display.  It was a bit chilly outside, but it was fun to walk around and see all the displays.  I had never been to the Botanical Gardens, and obviously it was a bit hard to see anything but the lights at night, but it was a fun evening!

Evan was pretty excited to pose for the camera - I may get in trouble for this one!

It was pretty cool that you could see the downtown skyline in the background... these blue light up things, lit up off and on to coordinate to the music that was playing, like the fountains in Vegas!

The poinsettia tree was gorgeous - made out of all real flowers!!!

Saturday we got alot of things done around the house, and even got around to building one of the adirondack chairs I have been staining, the next one will have to wait until the new year, because it takes up too much room in the garage, and I will need to be able to get my car in there when we leave for Arizona on Wednesday!! Pictures of that project will come once they are complete! 

Today, Sunday, we spent all day downtown at the sports bar STATS, it first and foremost is a super cool sports bar, and they even have a tap at each table, and you can have them turn it on and you refill your own beer as you wish - we didn't sit at one of those tables, but it was alot of fun.  Our good friend Avi has created, come up with, and is now launching a FANTASTIC fantasy football program that not only was a big hit, but already has huge interest in it!! We had alot of fun catching up with friends, and are SOOO excited that our good friends Patrice and Avi are going to pick up their puppy on Wednesday - they decided LAST NIGHT to get one!!  Bella will be so excited to get a play mate!

I have tons to do before we leave for Arizona early Wednesday, so to the laundry I must go .. hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!! :)

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it's starting to look alot like..... Hanukkah!

This past weekend flew by, but was so much fun!  Friday night we went to dinner and then went to shop for our "angel children" - this year we got 3.  We were going to get 2 again like last year (one baby boy, and one baby girl) but I became totally weak when I saw a 4 year old boy that NEEDED things that most of us would consider everyday things, and are very thankful for, yet can not fathom being in need of.  His "wants" were even things that most take for granted and already have - like books, shoes, and coats.  My heart just melted and we got three angel children this year. Evan and I go shopping for them together, and it is such a rewarding feeling.  They don't give us the kids' names, but we know their age, size, needs and wants, etc.  We hope the gifts we got each of the kids will go a long way and warm their hearts, make their holidays special, as well as warm their bodies!!

It always feels good and rewarding to put others that are in need before yourselves, so it felt good to do this and donate to these needy kids before giving and receiving gifts to and from those we love and care about, but know are less needy than many out there!  I look forward to instilling these strong beliefs and traditions in our own kids some day once we have kids, especially around the holiday season!

Saturday we packed the car with all the angel children gifts, to drop them off to be sorted and delivered to the kids! 

Saturday night we were invited to a holiday party at someone in the neighborhood's house!!  Whoever said we picked a great neighborhood for young kids / kids in general, was absolutely correct, HOWEVER, what they failed to mention is that the adults also know how to have a mighty fun time!! :)

They had a DELICIOUS "beverage of the evening" that I can't wait to remake, it tasted just like mint chocolate chip ice cream, and was amazing - if anyone is having a holiday party and needs an adult beverage suggestion, let me know, I would be happy to pass along the recipe! :)

We also had a "naughty santa" exchange, Evan was REALLY excited when we ended up with the grill tool set after it got "stolen" several times!!  We took a gift I found on Pinterest as well as a bottle of wine to go with it .... the gift looked like this.....

and I put a card with it that said "ho, ho, ho from the ding dongs next door"! 

Later in the night Jodi and Ben showed up from another Holiday party, and in walked Jewish Santa, Ben had dressed as Santa for the party before this one.... Evan and Jewish Santa...

The night was a blast, and reminded us of how we are no longer 21, but it was still fun and the best part was we could WALK home after and not worry about driving!  All in all it was a great night!! At the party we all agreed to reinstate "supper club" which they had a few years ago before we were here, and we look forward to getting together with this crowd of about 40 once a month this year!

Bella is feeling a great deal better, thank you SO very much to those that have called and texted/emailed asking how she is doing!! She still doesn't love her cone, but she seems to not mind it nearly as much. You can always hear where she is, because she is always walking into things softly with the cone, or she is purposely rubbing it against a wall hoping it will magically pop off if she does - good thing its soft and doesn't mark up the wall! :) 

I think she may even find a benefit from the cone now.... it seems to help her hold her heavy bone in her mouth..

 If you look carefully in this next picture, you can see how the cone helps keep the bone in her mouth for her by sorta pushing back on it - you can see the end of the toy, to the right of her mouth, against the inside of the cone....

Her incision spot is looking MUCH better, her pain meds are all finished up, and as we can tell by her return to her favorite spot, the incision area must not be sore anymore. as the stone doesn't bother her!!

Hope y'all have a great week!!  The holiday cards have been put in the mail, now I just need to finish my Winter door decoration, wrap Hanukkah presents. ship Hanukkah presents, and buy some Hot Chocolate, because its starting to look alot like Hanukkah around here!! :)