My PB + J

O’ Christmas Tree

 I  know this post comes really, really late but I don’t have as much leisure time when it comes to blogging these days. For Christmas this year I had to work on Christmas Eve until about 9:30 PM and then I came home to help pack up my car and we drove to my parents house. We did not arrive until 2 AM, which was no big deal but I still had packages to wrap since we did the majority of our shopping earlier that day. I told Jim that come June we will figuring out Christmas and our shopping lists, it may take us a few years to learn how to balance having Payton’s and our nieces birthday seven days before Christmas. The holiday was great, we had a quiet morning just playing with Payton and watching football as we waited for my sister’s family to head to Running Springs. We dined on my favorite meal of the year: a standing rib roast, Yorkshire pudding (my absolute fav thing) and veggies. It did seem a little odd this year not baking one single holiday treat, this all comes from what I previously stated about the balancing act. This year was also a little harder being the first without my Grandma. As I had pulled out my holiday wrapping boxes I looked straight into the box and saw a bag that my Grandma had used many years prior and then two gorgeous wraps that were perfume from Nordies. I immediately started bawling. I miss her so. When we stayed at my parents, we slept in my old room which turned into my Grandma when I moved out. Before then I couldn’t even walk in there without losing it. This time, I was at peace, I felt her warmth in there and knew she was looking down on me. This Christmas wasn’t about all  the presents, which by looking under my parents tree you might beg to differ, but as my Mom stated, she had to buy double to make up for what my Grandma would have given. We are truly blessed to have spent the holiday together, and I truly hope y’all had a great holiday. 
Little Miss when we woke her up to leave for Grandma and Papa’s. 

My parents tree. 

The only gift Payton seemed interested in. 

She played on my Grandma’s rocker the entire day. Here she was getting out of Daddy’s way as he vacuumed. 

The day after she played in the little snow that my parents had while Daddy and Geoff went snowboarding. She gave me the best gift by sleeping until 11:30 AM that day. 

Our Tree

Payton on NYE eating her breakfast. 

Daddy and I ate at the coffee table and we watched Beauty and the Beast as a family and then hit the sack by 8:30. Exciting. 

Leaving on a Jet Plane. . .

Not me, sadly. I miss flying somewhere fun. I cannot wait until we can travel this Spring or Summer, whenever I earn enough vacation hours to take a family vacay. For now, Jim has left our little family for a few days to head on his first business trip of 2011. Back in 2006 Jim had been promoted to International sales but UPS sold MBE and Jim was transferred into Industrial Engineering in 2008. As 2010 came to a close they moved him once again but back into sales. UPS is focusing on selling franchises at the University level so my dear hubby’s first trip is to Clemson University. He is somewhere over us heading to San Fran at the moment and then later tonight he’ll land in the A-T-L. Very jealous. I would actually move to Georgia in a heartbeat, which, given a higher promotion we would have to move to Georgia where the UPS headquarters is. Anyway, this is our first few days ever without Daddy home and of course Miss Payton is coming down with a cold. We’re headed to the doctor after my hair appointment this afternoon, let’s pray it’s just a cold and not an ear infection! 

goodbye 2010. . .hello 2011

I am more than thankful for what 2010 has brought to my family, however, I have never been so ready to start a fresh year like I am now. I guess with only a few hours remaining it isn’t a lot to ask. We hope that all of you have a safe, healthy and happy new year.

Jim and I have been discussing all of things that we would like to change in 2011, here are a few:

* Get back to working on our house. We would love to start our bathroom project and remodel our garage into being Jim’s workout area. We also have the plan of purchasing one window a month and our first window project will be removing our back windows/patio door and making that into a slider.

* Get back into my workout routine. I have lost 85% of my baby weight but have those last stubborn pounds that I had gained prior to getting preggers that have not left my hips, thighs or ass. I am switching from LA fitness to 24-hour fitness to accommodate my crazy work schedule.

* With that being said, we have promised ourselves that not everything in our lives has to revolve around the baby. We made it a year, a year where we stopped everything for her and forgot who we were. We’re not selfish people whatsoever but we cannot let ourselves “go”any longer.

* Rebuild friendships and keep reminding the ones in our lives how much they mean to us.

* Cupcakes Business. Focus and get a business plan down on paper. Research SBA loans. Website needs to built so I am not just paying for a domain name that has sat empty for two years.

* Practice photography. Maybe if there is time I will take a refresher course over the Summer.

* Tell my sister, mother, and father that I love them everyday.

*  Focus on my mental health.

* Get organized.

* Research MBA programs for Jim.

What are your “resolutions” for 2011?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I am off to make our NYE meal of:

Pork Tenderloin with cippolini onions and apricots
Oven Roasted Red Potatoes 
Artichokes 
Homemade Molten Chocolate Cake 
Wilson Creek Almond Champagne 

cuteness alert

Here is a sneak peek of Miss Payton’s First Birthday shoot by none other than, Tessa, of Grin & Share It Photo. 



I am swooning over my sneak peeks, there are more of course, so if your my friend on FB go take a gander of my gorgeous baby.

More to come over the next few days, even her first year video!

Birthday T-Minus 3 days!