Christmas Sneek Peek

Well all of our bags are packed. We have our suntan lotion ready, our hats, our sunglasses, and yes even some warmer gear for when we experience those cooler Florida winter nights, that will still feel amazing, I'm sure, to us Chicagoans! We can't wait to head out on Tuesday morning and for our Christmas vacation to officially begin.

Because we are traveling by plane, we celebrated some of Christmas, just the 3 of us, which was so special, last night. Craig and I exchanged our gifts and then Santa found his way to our home for Georgia to drop off a couple of things before we left for our trip that he knew we wouldn't be able to bring back, and the word is, the rest of her gifts will be waiting for her Christmas morning at Grandpa and Grandma's, that Santa is one smart cookie!

Last night was the best! We made some yummy appetizers and then Craig and I cracked open a bottle of bubbly to start the celebration. Stockings in our family have always been a huge thing, and there are always such goodies in them, both little things that may be silly or sometimes even great things that are little in size, but carry with them a big punch. I always look most forward to opening up stockings, you get to see how creative Santa, and everyone else helping out with the Christmas purchasing, can be. This year did not disappoint and our stockings is where we can always find our Christmas ornaments that we give to each other each year. The ornament always has to be reminiscent of something special from the year and this year Georgia got to get in on the tradition. Our tree is full of so many wonderful memories because of this tradition and I just love it!

I did get my CHI flat iron!!!! Well actually money for the CHI, but you know I went out and bought it this afternoon so I could take it along to Florida! Some other great things, my ornament, which is a cow jumping over the moon since I read Goodnight Moon to GG almost every day, this great Christmas CD by Barlow Girl, they are incredible, and these.......

Bon Jovi tickets!!!!!! I know, I'm freaking out about it!!!!! The seats are so good and my precious husband stood in line forever for them, I didn't even hint at him to get these, but he couldn't know me any better. We went to Bon Jovi almost 2 years ago, and it was the best concert I have ever seen HANDS DOWN! What an amazing performance and show and you just wanted to sing your lungs out. I literally had perma smile for like 3 hours straight and then for an additional 4 days afterward. Bon Jovi is coming back to Chicago in July and the likelihood is that we will not be living here, so the night will include the concert and then a special night away just the 2 of us downtown. Don't worry, I already have child care covered with Nana, I called her first thing this morning to book her!

Craig got tons of golf stuff....a special monogram to tag his golf balls, a golf shoe bag, and this new TaylorMade golf bag. I loved the color of this fine looking thing and he will look totally the part toting it around the links, as if he needs to try, he's a natural when it comes to golfing and I really need to get back into the game myself so that we can enjoy this sport together more this coming summer. A set of 3 picture ornaments were perfect for the proud Daddy, all of his little lady smiling away so hugely.

Georgia was most content with her big bag of building blocks, although staking them up she's not so in to, she is more interested in just pulling them out of the bag and then tossing them behind her! GG wasn't as huge on her ornament as Mommy and Daddy are, but some day she'll appreciate all the hard work that goes into picking out the most perfect one.

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We had dinner as a family, tucked the girly into bed, and then cozyed on the couch in our comfys to watch Christmas Vacation, a perfect night in my opinion, it could not have been better!

Many safe travels to those of you heading away to spend time with family and friends this Christmas week and a special prayer we will all be blessed and reminded of the gift of our Savior who came into this world just for us this holiday season. We love you all!

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8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:8-12

Birthday Beginnings

The birthday bash has officially begun! Georgia is going to turn 1 year on Saturday and this week we started the celebration with her first gift that she received from her Uncle Todd, Aunt Kathy, Macy, and Jack. The Stuckes certainly set the bar high for Mommy and Daddy considering I thought an American Girl doll was still years away, but oh never fear, there is something even for the littlest of ladies.....a Bitty Baby! I see many tea parties at the American Girl doll store, new outfits, and "mommy can I please have this?" in our future.

Georgia loved the doll, and took right to kissing it on her forehead, she's been getting in practice of how to treat a baby at the Mikitka household! I think it will still be some months until she really "gets it," but what a fun gift, her first baby doll. Thanks so much Stuckes, what a special treat for our leading lady!

About This Time Last Year...

Today I was thinking about how life has so drastically changed in just a year. It's incredible how with the blink of an eye, days, months, a whole year flies by and for us, we've definitely had a big change in our household.

At this exact time last year, we looked like this......

Can I just say, whoa, hard to believe what I would have looked like had Georgia not decided to come 2 1/2 weeks early and bless us with an early arrival as well as the much loved tax break!!!

And this is what we look like today.....

A much smaller belly I'm happy to admit, and smiling and loving each other more in this year than last, how is that even possible? Imagine how we'll be 5, 10, 25 years from now! One resemblance in the two pictures, still sporting those gold hoop earrings this year, they are a different pair than the '08 ones, but I can't seem to take these ones off my earlobes. Gosh do I love this accessory, and LOVE the fact gold is still so vogue and has remained that way, hope it keeps making an appearance!

My Sweet Love, was stuck in this awful thing for MONTHS last year, and sadly, into the beginning of this year as well.

All because he got down and dirty doing this......

Who would have known a supposed harmless game of flag football between 2 groups of friends, church friends no less, would turn into something so rough and tumbling that it would require an ER visit. OK, so maybe it wasn't really a low down dirty game, but still, a tweak of the ankle in just the right way, and I was jumping over a high fence I'm not sure I could have even scaled not pregnant, let alone with this belly. Super Mama powers I guess!

For Christmas last year, I was asking for one of these......

Yes for those of you who didn't see the post about me wanting this last year, this is a super trendy hospital gown that even Tori Spelling was spotted sporting while delivering her cutie patutie, Stella. I didn't get it, but some fabulous comfy and pretty new PJs, robe, and nightie, were perfect instead for the hospital and it felt great being in my own stuff rather than in that stiff hospital gown that they provide, that on me, drags along on the floor!

For Christmas this year, I'm asking for one of these.....

The fab CHI flat iron. I've borrowed some friend's before, and fell in love instantly, I've been old schooling it still with doing the doo straight with my trusty curling iron. Even the name suggests I'm doing it all the wrong way. I'm thinking I'm probably not going to get it because I only mentioned it to Craig once and then I actually told him I changed my mind, it was too expensive for just a plain old hair straightener, but now I've changed my mind again, and I think it may be just the ticket for nicely straightening these locks of mine. Looks like money from both my precious grandparents will probably go to this doo dad.

And this year for Christmas 2009, we have this precious angel in our lives......

Born just 11 minutes after Christmas last year, I tried my best for my darling husband, he really wanted Georgia born on Jesus' birthday, and weighing a perfect 6 lbs. even, what a belated Christmas gift from our Lord! It's hard to believe that next Saturday she is going to turn 1 year, the months have flown by. And this year certainly looks different than last year, no big belly making it difficult to tie your own shoes, no horrible ankle boot that you have to fasten on in the middle of the night just to go to the bathroom, or to go pick up your newborn for your wife to wearily breastfeed, no laboring through opening up presents and trying to time contractions just right so that we could "enjoy the day," no wondering "is this really it," no more watching Elf for the millionth time at Prentice Women's Hospital, both in English and Spanish, and no more middle of the night feed that you wonder, "are we ever going to make it through this, please Father, give all of us strength!"

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This year I'm going to be reading from the Twilight series, Eclipse, on vacation instead of Babywise or What to Expect When You're Expecting, we're having fun with the girly changing the day on our advent calendar every morning, it's a struggle to get up our 3 flights of stairs not because I'm carrying around basically the weight of a frozen turkey in my belly, but instead because I'm weighed down by an almost 1 year old child, a diaper bag, a target bag, and that beloved Diet Coke that I decided to treat myself to at McDonald's because "I really needed it today," we're saying grace as a family at dinner with not just 2 of us, but 3, and one of GG's 5 words is Amen!, can you believe it, and this December, ripping open Christmas presents has never been quite as fun!

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Yes, this year looks different and how could we not be grateful for the treasure in our life of Georgia Grace, what a blessing!

Jury's Still Out

So last week was so sad as some of our fav shows came to an end and we had to say good bye to Top Chef, Million Dollar Listing, Biggest Loser, and most disturbing....Glee, Wednesday nights will not be the same.

But, I was sooo looking forward to getting a fix for my Glee withdrawal and hyped up the new show The Sing Off, all weekend long to Craig. I'm sad to say, I'm slightly disappointed and the verdicts not really back yet if this show is going to make the cut in the Speelman household. True, there were some great groups.....I especially loved the Beelzebubs, Nota, and The Socals, but they were definitely no Glee, I miss Mr. Schu, Emma, Rachael, and Puck! And not to mention, what a strange group of judges. So we'll see, but the previews for tonight looked fun and the singing sounded better in just the little teasers we got to hear, so here's to hoping, I have to live out my inner stage diva in some way!

Speelman Christmas

We had the best time being home in Minster over this past weekend. It's always the best feeling going home, and I can honestly say that even though Minster is not my official first home, I have come to love it just like Cincinnati and seeing Mom and Dad Speelman and all Craig's amazing brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews, it truly feels just like my own family, and I'm blessed to be able to even say that, what a gift all these precious people are to us.

We got in town on Friday afternoon and after having a yummy home cooked meal we tucked the girly in, put on our comfys, and snuggled up to a good Christmas Hallmark movie on TV. Yes, we LOVE those cheesy movies, and Craig's dad especially is a sucker for them, too cute. We watched Mrs. Miracle and it was a definite holiday good one, the warm fuzzys and everything, pretty sure you can still catch it on the Hallmark movie channel considering they tend to play the same movies over and over again! On Saturday everyone was getting ready to celebrate the Speelman Family Christmas that Larry and Amy were going to be hosting. Amy had sent out invitations inviting everyone to go to mass first and then head to their house, what a perfect thing to do as one big family, it was a great start to the night. Larry and Amy's home was decorated BEAUTIFULLY and pulling up to their driveway and seeing how gorgeous everything looked with the lights on, and the home to the nines with amazing garland, made me covet their nice spacious home, not so good after just being in church! We had a fantastic meal at the Speelman's with apps and wine and other festive drinks and the company, who could have asked for more!

All the cousins loved being together....the older ones with their significant others, what cute couples!........

......and the younger ones.

Alana and Emma were amazing with their cousin GG. They were great at taking her under their wing and letting Craig and I have a bit of a "break." In all these pictures sweet Georgia looks so exhausted because they literally had her running ragged, she was exhausted by the time bedtime came around, and thank goodness we had brought the pack and play along so she could just knock out while the rest of us still had some fun.

Georgia also got to get some snugging in with her Aunt Kathy. What a lucky lady this girl is to have so many aunts and uncles who just want to hug and kiss her all the time, she is blessed! And can I just say how fab GG's aunt Kath did look at the celebration....love the Lincoln Park after Midnight nails, and the all winter white outfit, she looked beautiful and totally stylin'!

My precious, precious Mom Speelman, I just love this lady, she is one of a kind!

The kids were really too cute playing together through out the night. Georgia must have crawled up these stairs at least 20 times chasing after the nieces and nephews. It's so fun and special to see all the cousins together and how close everyone is. Being a part of a big family is so fantastic and I just love it! Oh, and speaking of big family.....they'll be another addition soon. No, no, no not us, but sweet Andy and Kelly are expecting their 3rd, and this child will be #18 in the mix of grand kids, not to mention the 2 great grandchildren, we're going for an even 20!!!! Excited to mention this now that the news has been shared with everyone, we're definitely praying for their little peanut and can't wait to meet them in July! And shut, wish I had a picture of the proud parents, but sadly, I don't, bummer.