Happy New Year!

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from our trip to Denver, where we had a wonderful time ringing in the New Year with old friends. We drove 8 hours through the night with Mark and Ruby crammed in the Rondo, and stayed with Johnny and Jen for four days. We had wonderful dinners, visited the aquarium and a nature museum, watched lot's of great football games (Go UTES!!!) played some rowdy games of Cranium, poker, and even some beer pong! It was awesome to see our friend Aiji again, and to meet his fiance Sharon. Griffin was a very good boy, and he kept all us grown ups hopping. It was a great vacation, as it always is with friends. But, it's good to be back home.

Arrington Christmas Program

Some of you may remember last year, we did a little dancing Elf number for our friends and family in honor of Christmas. This year, I've had a little more time on my hands to put into the show. Enjoy!

An extra special number honoring the romantic dances of the past...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

A little taste of our Kansas roots....

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

And the Grand Finale!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Let it SNOW!

(this was Griffin last week, the first time he really figured out what snow is)

Griffin has had a fun weekend! Last night, he had a sleepover at Grandma's, then he woke up to lot's and lot's of SNOW! He calls it, "'No", and he loved playing in it. He didn't even mind when Sean threw snow at him, he just opened his mouth and tried to eat it. It was a fun day. 

It's beginning to look a lot like...

CHRISTMAS! I love it! I have my tree decorated, other decorations up, lights outside, and finally yesterday it snowed. I love looking out all my big windows and seeing the snow on the trees, and the light that shines in. It's the perfect scene. Ahhhh. Too bad the practical part of me isn't prepared at all! I have even thought about gifts, or plans like that. But, the important part is done. I better get a move on it! 

A little whine and cheese...

From 3:00 till about 5:30 is by far my least favorite part of the day. It's that time when I've done about everything I can think of to keep Griffin entertained and busy. I've given up on the long list of things I've hoped to accomplish in the day, frustrated at only completing one thing, or two if I'm lucky. Griffin has either napped, or passed the point of no return for hoping to accomplish a nap, and is cranky. I'm waiting for Sean to get home, but there's still a good hour or two before that happens. I'm tired, usually hungry from lack of a meaningful lunch, and worn out from wrestling Griff through 4 diaper changes, mostly major poop, (at least that number is down from those early days!) fighting to keep him inside, keep him from undoing any progress I've made in getting the house clean, laundry done, ect. I'm disappointed that I still can't find a job, not that I could get one if I wanted because I still haven't gotten my license approved. Then, to top it all of, my husband gives me attitude about me "not doing my job" and "having it so easy" since I don't have to go to work all day. He sooo doesn't get it! 

Okay, I'm done throwing my little pity party.  But, the best part is that every day, around 6:00, we have dinner, I give Griffin his bath, we read stories and play, and he goes to sleep like the sweet little angel he is, and I get my second wind. Start making lists for the next day, finishing up things, hang out with Sean, and it gives me just what I need to make it through till three o'clock tomorrow.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone had a great day of rest and relaxation after a fabulous Thanksgiving. This year, I was ambitious enough to host the feast, with my parents and our long time neighbors. I would have to say it was a success,  with the help of my mom who kept everything moving smoothly. I wanted to show off my beautiful table, I really channelled my inner Martha Stewart for this one!  

Highlights from Houston

So I'm just getting around to posting this, but we were lucky enough to spend a long weekend in Houston visiting Sean and the Arrington family. We had "Thanksgiving/Christmas/Griffin's Birthday" all packed into 5 fun-filled days. It was gorgeous, and it was my first time in Texas, so I was excited. I was a little disappointed at the overall lack of cowboys, and southern accents. I wouldn't have even minded being called "ma'am". But, the free samples at the HEB made it all worth while. They had samples of wine! And, at the liquor store we sampled Scotch! Only in Texas. Remember Scott, we'll always have HEB. On top of being able to spend quality time with our family, and seeing Sean again, here are some other highlights: 

(For some reason I didn't take any pictures of Griffin's first experience at Chuck-E-Cheese. I wish I could figure out a way to type the way he said, "chuckeecheeeese" over and over again. He loved it, almost as much as his daddy and uncle scotty did!)

First we celebrated Christmas, Griffin got his own remote controlled Dinosaur, which freaked him out a little at first. But he had fun opening all his presents, and even forgave Aunt Candy for waking him up.

Then, we celebrated his birthday. Grandma Pam and Uncle Scotty spoiled him rotten! He got lot's of dinosaurs (Roar!) and books, and fun toys. 

The cake was awesome, but it stained everything green. Griffin thought it was really fun! Sorry for the blurry picture, Mommy had a few cocktails. 

We went to the Houston Zoo, Griff rode his first Carousel. He was so cute, he'd wave at everyone watching the whole way around, then he had to say "Bye Bye" and pet all the animals on his way off.