So it begins...

Happy New Year to you all! May this new year bring on many special blessings and good health!
We have a lot to look forward to in 2015!

I usually do not do New Year's resolutions, but I thought this year if I post them on here I will be held more accountable. I also thought I could do realistic ones that are actually achievable and not so far fetched that I will not be able to follow through. Here are my top 3 for 2015!

1) To take more pictures with my Nikon and find some sort of editing software to make good use of our investment and documenting our family of FOUR!

2) To do more "Happy's" for people. I always think of these cute, sweet ideas that would be so thoughtful to do for others and then I never actually do them. This year I hope I can follow through and complete selfless acts of kindness to others. Whether it's baking, leaving a note in a mailbox, sending a random text/email, or buying a happy for someone, I want to be able to put a smile on someone's face for no reason.

3) Drink more water daily. I am always hit or miss on this and really want to make a constant effort to drink more water all day long!

There you have it! Now, what are yours???

Tis' the Season

We had a wonderful month leading up to celebrating our Savior's birth. We started off with Mae's school Christmas party that I helped with. I was so busy dealing with 11 1-2 year olds, that I didnt get many pictures. Here they are before the party started and here is Mae chowing down on her Christmas cupcake:

We had a fun play-date Christmas party as well with all of our baby friends and mama friends. We made the same wreaths we made at Mae's school party since I had all the supplies, we decorated and ate yummy Christmas cookies, and the mama's enjoyed mimosa's (I snuck a few sips:) and had such fun playing with the kids:

We enjoyed dinner in Ballantyne (part of Charlotte) and listening to carolers and seeing the big tree:

We loved wearing all of our Christmas clothes: 

Date nights with daddy:

We enjoyed our daily tradition of opening in the mail in the same spot and enjoying all of the Christmas cards:

We had an Auburn Alumni board member Christmas party: 

We had bonfires and friends over for smore's in our backyard:

Ryan and I had a yummy dinner and Christmas party with his Charlotte Harbert office: 

My parents arrived Tuesday: 

We celebrated Christmas Eve at my cousin Rob and his families house. We enjoyed the BEST meal ever and played scattegories! 

It was all fun and games until Mae refused to eat and felt feverish, so Ryan took her home to nap while I got to enjoy time with my family. So we spent the next 48 hours in our PJS (including Christmas day) nursing her. She did get in a few smiles and play after Santa came: 

The two Kelly's snuggling and snoozing:

Mae got a slide, kitchen, mini trampoline, books, clothes, toys, you name it! She was spoiled by everyone! 

Friday dad and Ryan took Mae to the doc to hear she had a nasty ear infection and mom and I went to my 35 week check up. Maggie is all and well and on schedule as of now. I didnt do as good of a job documenting this holiday season with Mae being sick and my big old belly holding me down. All that matters is that sweet baby in the manger, and am so thankful for our Lord Jesus' birth and the reason for the season! Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!

Preparation

This past week Ryan had his company Christmas party as well as a meeting in Birmingham. I am too far along to travel and I have been having a ton of contractions, so my doctor suggested I stay home. Ryan offered to take Mae to give me a much needed few days to rest and put my feet up. I immediately jumped on it because I knew it was best for me and baby Maggie, but as the days got closer, I became very anxious and distraught that they were both leaving me! After a lot of prayer, I said good bye to my two loves! 

Mae's first airplane ride. She did great! She was spoiled by Ryan's parents, his grandmother, brother and his family, and his Aunt Linda. She had a blast and my dad even snuck in a visit! (Mom was at the Church of the Highlands LIFE retreat)

I took advantage of the time and got my nails done, shopped, ate out with friends, slept in, took naps, and did a little pampering: 

On Saturday morning, my sweet friends Terri, Webber, and Emily threw me a "Sprinkle" to shower sweet Maggie. It was so nice and I stocked UP on diapers! I am so thankful since we will have TWO in diapers for a bit! 

I am so incredibly thankful for the new friends that we have met since moving here! I love our group of moms in our playgroup, love that my cousins are in town, our fabulous Realtor, and even old and new friends from Auburn that live here! It was so fun to get together for a yummy brunch!

Last minute, we decided Mae was not ready for a big girl bed, and I realized that I needed her to continue to be a great sleeper while we welcome a newborn into our family. So we borrowed a crib from a sweet friend. Mae helped daddy put it together!

We are giving extra snuggles and TLC to this sweet cuddle monkey. Her life is about to change drastically! I think she is going to love her new baby sister!

Maggie update: 

Maggie is moving like a wild woman! WAY more than Mae ever did, that I can remember! I hope she is getting all of her energy out now and will be calm, cool, and collected when she comes in this world! 

I have gained 25 lbs at this point. More than I had gained with Mae but not by much. I am still smaller this pregnancy than with Mae, so thankful for that. 

I LOVE sweets this pregnancy. Milkshakes, cookies, cake, candy, you name it. I am normally not a sweet person! Hope it goes away when the baby comes, because I need to lose this baby weight! 

I am 34.5 weeks as of now. I have had 2 days where I felt like Maggie was about to come. Thankfully, I have rested and put my feet up and she is staying put. As much as I am ready to meet her, I want her to keep cooking! I will be shocked if she doesnt come early. 

Hospital bags are packed, lets be honest, they have been packed. I am OCD I know. Maggie's room is ready. Big sister books have and continue to be read. Diaper pails are up and around the house for both girls. Pump parts and bottles are washed. We are READY!

Can't wait to meet our little nugget! I hope I can remember how to be a mom to a newborn! 

Bathroom completion!

It is with extreme excitement that I state the bathroom RENO is done, DONE! It was a long month and a half, supposed to be 2 weeks, but so well worth it! Mae fell in LOVE with the contractor Scott, and Ryan worked his fanny off doing some small things himself (paint, faucets, toilet install, caulking, etc.) and it is finally perfect and I am in LOVE with it!

Here is the list of all we had done:
-Tore out the soffit (boxed wall above the shower)
-tore down the 12 foot wall between the open door and shower wall.
-Demo'd tub, toilet, old shower, sinks, faucets, countertops, tile surround, blinds, and floor
-new toilet
-new tub
-new shoe mold
-new shower with niche
-new faucets
-new shower and tub fictures
-new tile surround for tub
-new marble countertops
-new undermount sinks
-new globes on light fixtures
-painted mirrors for a new look
-new hardware on cabinets
-painted cabinets with "Duck Blue" Annie Sloan chalk paint
-new tile floor
-new bamboo blinds
-re-painted all trim
-painted the ceiling and walls
-new glass doors for shower as well as expanded the shower space
-new towel racks and rings
-STILL NEED: open shelving Ryan will build behind toilet

Check it out:

Before:

During:

The beginning of painting the cabinets. 

The blue made us nervous and we were not sure at first. The countertops were a nightmare I wont even go into. 

Mae LOVED Mr. Scott. He loved her too. He even brought her a lollipop and stuffed minnie mouse at the end of the project for being such a good girl!

This is my bedroom at one time...wow. 

Before the doors and shower head were installed. 

Tile selection:

After:

This is the only part not finished. Ryan is going to build open shelving like he did in our kitchen, we he gets a chance. Then it will be complete. 

So thankful for our new bathroom. Even though most people wont see it, Ryan and I can enjoy it since we use it daily! It has been such a breath of fresh air!