Until Next Year Sylvester

I am really truly going to miss this guy. We don't do any crazy elf things. He doesn't get into mischief. He doesn't roll our bathroom. He just quietly moves from spot to spot. The kids talk to him every morning and say hello, and apologize to him when they're bad. 

The look on their face each morning when they go look for his new spot is priceless.This year he left a goodbye letter for the kids. 

It read:

Dear Josh and Jules:

I want to say goodbye. To Santa I must go. I will miss you both very much. I have enjoyed seeing you both get so excited about Christmas. Please always remember that Christmas is not just about presents, but being kind to others. Jesus taught us that, and that is why Santa flies on Christmas Eve. 

Jules: I've enjoyed watching you clean your room and use your manners. You are a very polite little girl. Remember to not take off your socks and shoes and throw them in the floor when you walk in the door. And eat your vegetables!!!

Josh: sometimes you are the sweetest boy. And other times you've been naughty. Santa and I have been watching!! Please remember to always be polite. No bad words, no hitting, and no whining!! Be nice and play fair. You are a good boy, I know it!

I love you both very much as does Santa. I hope he brings you lots of presents. Read my book again and always remember me. 

Love,

Sylvester

 I love our Elf, Sylvester. Until next year my friend.

Our First Nutcracker "Date"

This will top my list and my memories as one of the very favorite days with my daughter. I decided this year will be the year that Jules and I would try to go see The Nutcracker. They have a "Mini Nutcracker" which I would have preferred, but tickets went soooo fast, so the big girl Nutcracker at TPAC in Nashville would be the way to go! It was a risky move, since tickets were over $100 for the both of us, so it would have been an expensive mistake if she hated it.

She couldn't have been a better girl, and the afternoon was absolutely lovely. We went to lunch downtown beforehand at a place called Demo's. She requested spaghetti, so what better place than Italian? About 50 people stopped us to tell Jules how pretty she was. She was on her very best behavior the entire time.

The show started and she loved it. It was long, yes, and by the end she was ready to go, but she honestly did amazing. I loved every single second of it. Next year I think we'll try to do the Mini Nutcracker again though.

As special as it all was, I have discovered in my adult life that I still DO NOT LOVE The Nutcracker. I thought maybe it was because I was just a kid? Nope. Yes, I know, I suck. but I honestly hate it. HA!! Isn't that horrible? It's the most boring this ever. It's like CATS the musical but with no singing. Everybody just gets a ballet solo. But Jules loved, it so I loved it with her. It's one of those mother/daughter tradition things that I've looked forward to since the day she was born. It was incredibly special.

But maybe next year going the "shorter route" will help out this mama. Hehe.

I promise she's excited!

Tried to set the camera up to take our picture. Kind of a fail. Need a tripod!

Phone picture. She got to pose with one of the ballerinas from the show!

My little Eloise at the Plaza.

And don't feel sorry for Josh, he got a super date too. He got to go with his daddy to the Titans game!

Brunch With Santa 2014

This morning was their annual "Brunch with Santa" at their school. I love their little school so much. Im going to miss everyone when they go to big school. that which will not be named, as I can't believe they are getting that old. 


The little kiddos are all so sweet, and their Santa is so great with them!

Speaking of Christmas this year, Sylvester the Elf is back and they love, love, love him! My kids are just uber happy to find him every morning. We don't go all out crazy with him. I just move him from spot to spot, but the kids think its the greatest thing ever, so why mess with it? But, if you must, this post I did a while back is getting some crazy attention via Pinterest right now My little Joshy is ga-ga over Christmas this year. It's doesn't hurt that his best buddy in the whole world is his stuffed Gingerbread Man (Gingy) from last Christmas. I love, LOVE this time of year!!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see our day-to-day activities!

Oh hey look! I got in one! I've been good too!

On Josh: Sweater & Cords: Gap//Button Down: Janie and Jack//Shoes: Crocs (first and only pair - but they're boots and wool lined! They're cool, promise!!)
On Jules: Top and Dress: Jelly The Pug//Pants: Matilda Jane//Shoes: European Brand

Little Darlings

First Meeting with Santa 2014, and a Look Back at Years Past

Holy Moly where have the years gone??? As in tradition, we spent the first Saturday in December at the local Brentwood Library for our Breakfast with Santa. You can see years past here and here. We didn't go last year as we went to Disney (WAH! How was THAT a year ago?)

But, we ventured again this year. Brentwood Library does a fun little morning with Santa meetings, letters to Santa, face paintings, food, carolers, and the familiar and sweet magic show by Scott Humston. So fun!!



Snack Time:

Snack time lol!

2011! Seriously how cute is she? 

2012 - We got juice again!

Santa Pics!

And now its time to walk down memory lane.

2011 - Jules refused to sit in his lap. So, she took the stool at his feet. Ha!

2012 - I had to intervene again lol. Jules was so scared.

This year the magic show was magical for this guy!

Seriously, as soon at Scott came out, Josh says: "You know, Mommy, magicians (or however he pronounced it, ha!) always need volunteers. They ALWAYS do"

Well, Scott then came out and said he needed one. Whoever had the biggest smile. Well, the only thing I regret is not snapping a pic of this guy's smile. HYSTERICAL. Needing to say...no one else had a chance. 

Jake and Josh

And a look back at them years ago. Le Sigh...




How, how, HOWWWWWWW have they gotten so big????? So cute, so sweet, and so just yesterday, right?



We then headed down to Downtown Franklin for their Christmas Parade It was so quaint, so easy to see, and so perfect.

Me and my stinkers. Tis the season!

We ended the day with the kids first viewing of Babes in Toyland, with Annette Funicello. A complete classic, one I havent seen in 20 years but I've seen 20 thousand times. Oh the memories.

I'm a giddy person in Christmas season. giddy, giddy giddy. You can't get a smile off my face.

Thanksgiving 2014

We spent another Thanksgiving down in Waverly. I didn't take many pics, but did take a couple. Im blessed beyond measure!

Things I'm Thankful for in 2014:

1. My two blessings, Josh and Jules
2. My husband
3. My business, Le Petite Maison. (www.facebook.com/lepetitemaisonshop) - it allows me to...
4. Being able to stay home with my two littles - extremely thankful for that.  
5. Two nieces, Sutton and Olive
6. Great friends
7. My crazy sisters, mom and dad, and inlaws.
8. That's my moms breast cancer diagnosis was treatable (well, hopefully) and that her chemo is almost over! - radiation is next!
9. Our home in Brentwood. It was still one of the best decisions we ever made. We gutted it and turned into a forever home. And adding location and fabulous neighbors - it's wonderful
10. My new minivan - I know that sounds shallow, but MAN I love, love that thing
11. My health - I was hospitalized last week with extremely high blood pressure. I've always had it, but got taken off meds (but now back on them big time) it was pretty scary.
12. My kids and husbands health - I know too many people whose kids are sick, going through treatments, husbands with cancer, the list goes on and on. I am blessed in this area, and something that terrifies me.
13. My kitties Gus and Zelly (can't forget about them!)
14. Our life - we are able to do so much and go so many places, and live like we want to live. I think and pray all the time about other struggling families, and those sweet kids who don't get much to eat or play with, or even people to pay attention to them.
15.  Christmastime. Im so glad it's coming. The magic and spirit of the season just overwhelms me. And now that I have kids, it's just awe inspiring. I just love it, and love seeing it through their eyes.

Four Year Portraits

Yay! I can finally post these since Christmas Cards are finalized. I am really late at getting their four year shots done - but better late than never, eh?

Back to NYC

Ahh, this city. I love it so so very much. I try to go once a year. And I've been pretty successful. My first trip there was in 1994, and again in 1996. A group of singers from my high school was invited to sing at Carnegie Hall. (moi being one of them) and yes, I get that dates me to like, a million years old. After that I piggy backed on my mom's fields trips to the Big Apple. She would chaperone an 8th grade field trip every year. (its also her fave city too, so hence the reason they'd go there lol)

After that my sister was a buyer, so shed go to NYC about twice a year (nowadays much more) and I'd try to piggy back on her trips too. I promise I'm not a mooch. ha! I was always invited and always paid my own way. It's just way more fun when people are already going and you can just tag along.

Then, I owned a stationery company for some time, and we'd attend the National Stationery Show at the Javitz center every year.

So, now that I've convinced Jake that it's also the bestest city EVAH, we try to go every year too. He's a big Yankees fan anyway, so he certainly does not care.

This year was Derek Jeter's final season *sniff sniff* with the New York Yankees. We simply HAD to go up and send him off in style. It also happened to be around our 12th (yeesh!) Anniversary. And, it just so happened that we watched him hit his very last homerun ever in Yankee Stadium. Pretty cool. We also spent lots of pre-game at Stan's. Love, love that place. Jake and "Stan" chatted it up a few years ago and came to know he actually moved to Nashville and flew back and forth for games. Small world eh? (clearly a New-yawker though) When we spoke with him this time he had moved back to north New York.

I'm a BIG FAN of Priceline. I do it pretty much every trip I take. It's not great if you're looking for a cheap room - but it's REALLY great if you're wanting a 4-5 star property and are willing to pay 3 star prices. We got the Waldorf Asortia this time!! Holla. Still pricey? Oh yeah. As pricey? Heck no.

We also took in one of our favorite shows, Rock of Ages. It's a really fun show if you haven't had the chance to see it. We went and toured the 9/11 museum. Last year when I went the museum wasn't open, just the memorial. I didnt take many pictures. It was honestly too emotional. You can easily spend an entire day there and it was just too awful. You have to make yourself get out of there. You just cry off and on the entire time. So sad.

I also got to catch up with a friend from seriously, a lifetime also - 6th grade! Thanks to good old facebook we've kept in touch. She is living my dream up in NYC. Living in a high rise, doing the city-mama thing. Other things we did were lunch in Little Italy, dinner at Nobu, and dinner at Becco. Becco is an "every trip" stop. It's excellent every time! Until next year NYC!

Times Square selfie!

So, this is in Stan's. It's the picture that Derek Jeter signs in the farewell Gatorade commercial. So neat!!

In the Yankee museum inside Yankee Stadium

Like I said, I didn't take many pics inside the 911 museum, but this is one of a firetruck. Completely burned. 

At Stans

Stans!

At the game. the bottom is cut off. My memory card got all screwed up :(

Me and Shannon!