More of Christmas 09

I am determined to finish writing about Christmas of 2009 before February begins.  This weekend I will be blogging, preparing for a Cosignment sale, working on an email blast for Nickie, and do some stuff for Rita's - all while taking care of the kids alone (Brian is working) and it is my sweet sister in law, Julie's bday Monday so we will be celebrating Sunday.  It will be busy, but I will get it all done!  See it is almost 1 am and I am still awake.  Thank goodness for the 11 hours I got last night!


Gingerbread Houses - every year my family has a tradition of making gingerbread houses.  Continuing on  with the tradition here is a collage from Dec. 2009 gingerbread making!  Logan loved it and Austin ate EVERYTHING that he could get his chubby little fingers on!

Must Be Santa - We saw Santa and only one of the boys was able to keep composure!  Logan did great.  He hopped up on Santa's lap and asked for a train to ride on (santa sure was listening to that request)!

Austin on the other hand well here are the pictures, you can see how it went down.

1. holding on for dear life                

2.  Screaming and kicking - literally

3. Mommy back on the scene regaining composure

4.  This years Santa picture...

Christmas Eve - I was coming down with something, I felt awful; my eyes hurt (turned out to be double pink eye), my head and face hurt (turned out to be sinus infection), but I was not going to let that stand in the way of our Christmas.  So we woke up early Christmas Eve (at this point all of my wrapping was done, and we were all ready for Santa) and headed over to Brian's parents house.  After lunch we got dressed and met my family at church and then headed over to my parents for their annual Christmas Eve open house celebration.  We ate, the boys each opened a gift and got on their Christmas pjs and we headed home around 8.  After putting out cookies and milk for Santa and sprinkling reindeer food on the soaking wet lawn we headed to bed while visions of sugar plums danced in our heads (well something was dancing in my head, I thought I was going to die at this point)!

Christmas will have to be another post that I work on this weekend.  I am tired people and I need to floss and brush still:)  Night!

Happy Anniversary to...US!

Brian and I celebrated our third anniversary on the 27th of January.  3 years, two babies later (if you weren't at the wedding and don't know us well you can figure it all out) we spent the day with the boys and then sent them over to my parents so we could go to the movies and go to bed.  SERIOUSLY!  We are tired.  We watched the State of the Union while playing a clever drinking game (every time Obama said certain things we took a shot, I won't bore you with those details, but you know his "key" phrases)!  Then we went to bed and I slept a glorious 11 uninterupted hours.  We didn't do anything elaborate just spent the day with each other doing nice things and enjoying the other's company.  The night before the boys and I made "celebration love" cupcakes and got daddy a heart balloon.  I laid the cupcakes out to resemble a giant 3 had the balloon and his card waiting when he got home.  Anniversary morning the boys and I made Brian's favorite, banana nut muffins while he slept in a bit.  It was just nice and simple.  Brian gave me a beautiful card and my favorite sour candy.  We saw The Book of Eli.  It was good, really I just enjoyed holding my boyfriend's (he'll always be my boyfriend) hand and munching on buttery popcorn and candy.  Thank you God for my husband and our little family.  Bless our marriage for years and years and years to come.

Here we are dancing at our reception to Rascal Flatt's God Bless the Broken Road (that led me straight to you)

Austin's First Haircut

Before the holidays we took Austin to get his first haircut.  Logan received his first haircut when he was a year old also.  Austin's hair was getting long, like over his ears long!  So off to the barber shop we went.  Both boys got their haircut that day.  Logan is an old pro at this point; he sits by himself, does ask the barber asks, giggles as the razor goes over his hair line, doesn't mind the talc to get the hair off, and then asks politely for his awaited lollipop! 

Austin wasn't so sure, so he sat with me!  The shirt came off and the hair started falling:(  This time I wasn't too sad.  Logan's first haircut I cried.  This time I was fine.  I asked for some clippings and consoled my baby! 

15 Months Old

Today, January 15, 2010, my baby, Austin turned 15 months old.  To celebrate I will share 15 things about Austin that make him our "little bit."

1.  Austin LOVES taking baths.  We say "it's bath time" and he runs into the bathroom to get in the tub.

2.  Austin can unzip his pjs and trys to take off his clothes throughout the day.  Socks ALWAYS come off.

3.  Austin LOVES to eat...he loves everything, especially veggies and sweets:)

4.  When Austin is tired he will reach for his crib as if to say "I want to go to bed!"

5.  Austin is a cuddler.  He will nuzzle his head into your shoulder and stick out his booty (like he did as an infant) and then he starts to pat you. 

6.  Austin mimics us, we laugh he laughs, someone is crying (like big brother) he starts to cry.

7.  Speaking of big brother, Austin is, does, trys everything Logan does. 

8.  He gives sweet little kisses and hugs that makes you want to eat him.

9.  Austin isn't that great of a sleeper at this point.  He goes to bed around 7ish but wakes around 10 to stay up with mommy and daddy for a little bit (we think he does this because Logan is asleep and he gets any toy he wants)!

10.Austin can scoot around on any ride on toy.  He loves the "roller coaster."

11. Austin doesn't like TV or anything that requires sitting.  He has a lot to do. 

12. Austin does the hand movements to "If your happy and you know it," "Patty Cake," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," - he loves to dance also; we sing and dance each day. 

13. Austin can pick up a crayon and knows how to color with it on paper. 

14. Austin says "mama," "dada," "that,"

15. Austin can climb up stairs and onto things, but he can't get down. 

I could go on and on about our sweet 15th month old boy.  He is different than Logan was at 15 months does and likes different things.  He is pure joy and smiles smiles smiles all day long.  He is a starting to thin out as he is now full on running!  When we go for his check up I will post his stats.  I love my boys incase I haven't mentioned that lately.

Christmas Tree Adventures

WAYYY back in October Brian and I went to a silent auction with my family benefiting the North Gwinnett Schools Foundation. When I was teaching I wrote a grant for $500 in books for my classroom. I was awarded this money which is raised through this yearly silent auction. We went to the auction and came across "An Old Fashioned Christmas." Included in this prize was a tree that you cut down yourself at Bottom's Tree Farm, a car pass for the Nights of Lights, 2 gift certificates for family portraits, and a honey baked ham! We had our house decorated the first week of December the only thing missing was our live tree we had to go and cut down. It was Dec 15th before we had the time and the kids were well enough and the rain had subsided so we could get out and cut down our tree. Logan loved it. He helped Brian get saw the tree while Austin toddled around. My parents came to take pictures. It was a fun afternoon. We had warm apple cider, ate popcorn, and saw the farm animals while we were there. It was a neat experience. However I am a Frasier fir kind of girl. I do not like the long needles. We have a lot of heavy ornaments which made it very difficult to decorate the tree this year. Because the only trees available at a Georgia tree farm are the kind with thin branches and long needles. By Jan 2 I had it with the tree and it could not be taken down fast enough. WAYYY back in October Brian and I went to a silent acution with my family benefiting the North Gwinnett Schools Foundation.  When I was teaching I wrote a grant for $500 in books for my classroom.  I was awarded this money which is raised through this yearly silent auction.  We went to the auction and came across "An Old Fashiond Christmas."  Included in this prize was a tree that you cut down yourself at Bottom's Tree Farm, a car pass for the Nights of Lights, 2 gift certificates for family portraits, and a honey baked ham!  We had our house decorated the first week of December the only thing missing was our live tree we had to go and cut down.  It was Dec 15th before we had the time and the kids were well enough and the rain had subsided so we could get out and cut down our tree.  Logan loved it.  He helped Brian get saw the tree while Austin toddled around.  My parents came to take pictures.  It was a fun afternoon.  We had warm apple cider, ate popcorn, and saw the farm animals while we were there.  It was a neat experience.  However I am a frasier fir kind of girl.  I do not like the long needles.  We have a lot of heavy ornaments which made it very difficult to decorate the tree this year.  Because the only trees available at a Georgia tree farm are the kind with thin branches and long needles.  By Jan 2 I had it with the tree and it could not be taken down fast enough.

Sickness & Snowstorm both of 2010!

Oh has it been an extremely loooong week in our home. Monday we could tell Austin wasn't feeling 100% he was fussy and seemed to have a cold. So Monday afternoon, following one of resolutions I cooked homemade Baked Potato Soup. We had 5 grain bread to dip in it! Every calorie I ate during that meal was worth it. By Tuesday we suspected it to be a little more than just a cold so when Austin's fevered spiked to 103 Wednesday am we headed to the peds. office. He has pneumonia and a double ear infection. I get his prescriptions filled, get the kids’ home and fed, bath, books, and bed before 8. Thinking it was all going to be ok, I woke up Thursday am to a different story, Logan was very sick. However when I say I woke up I mean from the 2 hours I was able to sleep while taking care of Austin. Logan woke up and by mid day had a 103 temp. He wouldn't eat just wanted to rest. We were preparing for the big snow to hit, so Brian went to the grocery store not because we are crazy thinking we have to stock up, he went because we think everyone else is crazy and the shelves would be cleaned out. He came back we had dinner and then Logan's temp was back up and he began to throw up. Let’s just say it was a long night. We just sat on the couch watching the football game, taking turns giving baths, changing sheets, changing clothes, getting drinks, giving medicine until 2 when we couldn't take it and all went to bed. I did sleep for a few hours and work up and changed Austin and put him back to bed for a few more hours. I then feel into one of those deep sleeps that you should not fall into at 7am when you have to be up at 9am for a pediatrician appt 20 minutes away and the roads are iced over. Brian and I changed, dressed, fed the kids changed ourselves...did we brush our teeth - not so sure, but we made it to the appointment. Logan has a double ear infection and a virus. So we will be in the house all weekend. I cleaned our house today from top to bottom disinfecting anything that could be touched. So as quickly as the snow came and went, I hope is the case for the babies being ill. We are ready for it to GO!

Brothers

I have a lot of brothers.  I remember crying each time I heard that one of them were going to be a boy.  I sooo wanted a sister.  HA - all those baby boys prepared me to be a rockin (if I don't say so myself) mommy to my own two baby boys!  I never had a sister, but I have super sister in laws and secretly I LOVED/LOVE being the only girl - it has its perks! 

Its a long story about how we became siblings and at this point in life none of that story matters.  The only thing that matters is that they are all (all 5 of them) my brothers.  I grew up living with Ryan, Michael, and Kevin.  They are the three I often talk about in my blogs.  Its not that I forgot or don't care about my other two brothers its just the way things were.  No blame, just the famous "it is what it is."  But I hate that.  Brett and Justin have grown up and have become amazing young men.  I remember them as babies in their diapers.  Brett would call Justin "justy" he (brett) was a skinny, tough little thing.  Justin was a chunk, I look at Logan sometimes and see Justin.  They loved their dog Molson (or Molsey as Brett called him), loved to play outside, were very much "all boy."  I miss them both more than they will ever know.  I made Brett an ABC book when he was born, I was like 6 or 7.  It makes me sad but also happy that I have those memories of them being little.  

We don't know each other like I know my other siblings, but they are thought of often and nothing can break a sibling bond - no time or distance.  You know I am an adult now, I have children of my own, so I can make plans to see them and one of these days that is just what I will do.  When I was 12 I couldn't afford or have the ability to do that, but at almost 29, its time.  Love you boys - all 5 of you!  

Check out my brother Justin - http://www.youtube.com/user/mullen3#p/a/f/0/jGxOFFyvaOE

It's Been a MONTH!

Happy 2010! I can not believe I have not posted in an entire month...Well actually I can. It has been a crazy, busy, changing, exciting month. I will have an entire post with pictures and Christmas details coming soon, but I didn't want another day to pass and another post to slip by. So I have 31 minutes before it is Jan 3! I guess since it is January 2, I will start with my New Years Resolutions - which by the way I NEVER make. I just find it very strange that people take a New Year to state how they will better their bodies, their relationships, their lives; so I NEVER make a resolutions. I have always just tried to be a better person all around each year and not focused on a particular thing to change or make better. HOWEVER, 2009 has been a doozy of a year, so I decided to write down a few things (ok 7) that I would like to see progress made. I will share, since if you walked into our kitchen and over to the fridge you would find these 7 things written in RED marker on a piece of paper!


Meg's 2010 Resolutions (oh and by the way, who cares if you say twenty ten or two thousand and ten - really is that important enough to have a discussion about? - ok I digress back to my resolutions)
1. Get Logan out of our bed permanently and sleeping contently in his room
2. Lear to use sewing machine (my parents gave me a Brother Computerized Sewing Machine with basic Monogramming function! I am locating lessons as we speak. I love to look at it and have big plans for it!
3. Spend less time cleaning and more time playing. As a Stay Home Mom, I too often get caught up in the house work and take for granted my babies being with me. Not any more. Just today I spent 2 hours building a railroad track and playing trains - that is my happiness.
4. Cook well balanced dinners 4 out of the 7 nights and sit down as a family to eat these dinners - again too often I am home alone with the kids and so easily put them in their highchairs for dinner and clean up the kitchen while they eat - NO MAS!
5. Laundry - fold it as it comes out of the dryer, instead of piling up on my bedroom floor and having to rewash or de-wrinkle after it has sat there for several days.
6. Workout at least 3 days each week - not to lose weight just to be healthy.
7. Organize, hang, and put in albums all the pictures (thousands) that are located in my Creative Memories photo software on my computer. Well that is the 7 seven things I hope to accomplish. All very achievable and healthy "resolutions."


So since I am back tracking, it might be easier for me to go back and work from my last post about the pub closing. I will flat out say it...that weekend and two weeks following SUCKED. It was very difficult emotionally, physically, and financially on all of us. Brian took each day in stride the way Brian always does, find the positive. I on the other hand had one too many meltdowns. I kind of closed myself off to friends and to anyone mentioning that they wanted to help. Family on the other hand is hard to escape. When I didn't want to get dressed, my mom was at my door. When I wanted to stay in bed, my babies needed to be cared for, and when I wanted to quit, my husband reminded me that things like this happen all the time and for a reason. It is life and this one thing wasn’t going to ruin our beautiful life. Plus when the going got tough we had to keep on going because Christmas was coming whether we were in the spirit or not! However having two sweet boys quickly snapped us into the spirit. So the pub closed, Brian spent the last open weekend working hard and the days following he had to keep working, restaurants don't close themselves!


During that time I decorated and prepared our home for Christmas. I can't wait to share the pictures of our 10 foot live Christmas tree that we cut down. Logan thought that was VERY cool. He even helped with the cutting! I went to my first ever Tacky Sweater Christmas party and came in 2nd! I shopped several times with the boys, we visited Santa, shopped some more on my own, wrapped, listened to more Christmas music than ever - I needed the extra lift! I made cookies and candy, more shopping, more wrapping, and then it was the week of Christmas. One gift that we were given prior to the holiday was Brian getting a new job. He was offered several things before the pub closed, some of which he might pursue down the road, but he knew he could not work so he took a general manager's position at The Brew House downtown. Not his ideal job, but something to keep him busy and our bills paid until other jobs pan out. I am proud of him as always and love him for all the things he does for our family and how hard he consistently works.


Well it is 11:59, I am glad I wrote this before another day slipped by! I will post about Christmas within the next few days; it was a very magical time, two boys who loved everything about the holiday made it that way! Oh and after Christmas, I got sick with an extreme sinus infection and pink eye - in both eyes! However I was better and rang in the New Year with my family and kissed my boys and husband at midnight as we begin another year together, a year full of new beginnings, new dreams, and more wonderful memories.


Happy 2010 Everyone!

LL Update

Well, I didn't want to have to post this. I really actually never really believed I would have to post this, but I do. Loafing Leprechaun will be closing. My husband did a wonderful job and did everything in his power to keep LL running for as long as it did. Truth be told, the economy really stinks. Around 2,000 other Gwinnett county businesses will not reopen in 2010, one being LL. We are sad but know that something else is out there for us. Thank you for all the support we will keep you posted on new Harris ventures!
This weekend at Loafing Leprechaun Brian has planned a BIG party for December 5th. If you are in town and are able to please stop in!

Loafing Leprechaun

Dear Family and Friends and anyone who reads this blog,

We have endured some tough economic times, so much so that we may have to close our doors in December. This is an extremely difficult time for our family and our employees and their families. We have devised a plan that we hope will bring more and more people through the doors during the next few weeks. If we were to generate enough money, we may be able to continue operating. With that being said, we need your help. We need you to pass the word along to your family, friends, co-workers, coaches, supermarkets, stores you frequent etc. Let them know that this great establishment may be closing and we need support from the community now more than ever! We are offering 20% off food purchases during the Thanksgiving weekend (the flier for this is attached). Print some off, put it in your office, meeting rooms, workrooms, restrooms - anywhere that people will see it! If you have a neighborhood or work newsletter that will be going out this week or before Thanksgiving, please mention the Loafing Leprechaun. We have a facebook fan page with another coupon on there. So if you have a facebook page, PLEASE look up the Loafing Leprechaun and become a fan (again tell your friends and family to become a fan). I will be posting any events or news on what is happening with the pub on this page. We have faith that our small business can make it if we get the support from the community.

On behalf of Brian, his employees and myself we thank you.

***Since this is a blog and not an email here is the coupon feel free to print it off and use it during the holiday weekend and let your family and friends have one also!
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Bring this coupon to Loafing Leprechaun Restaurant and Irish Pub and receive 20% off food purchase.
Valid Nov. 25-29
Excludes alcohol

Loafing Leprechaun Restaurant and Irish Pub
6320 Sugarloaf Pkwy
Duluth, Georgia
678.218.0800
Located in the Holiday Inn Parking lot, next to the Gwinnett Center

We will be OPEN Thanksgiving from 4pm-2am! If you have guests in town bring them by for an after dinner pint! Gladiator’s fans come on in after the game!
Going Shopping on Black Friday? Come by for a bite to eat and a drink! We will be open at 11am that day!
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