Just Add Water?

Since she returned home on Saturday afternoon, Alexa has been making up for lost time with her Christmas gifts.  I cannot believe how self-entertained she has been with her new toys (although I will admit I did talk her out of playing tennis...I pictured balls ricocheting off my belly).  Each day she's also wanted to sample one of the mixes for her Easy Bake Oven - - the sight of them in the pantry is pure temptation to make them.

Tonight we discovered the Easy Bake Oven has its limitations.  Alexa was excited to make pizza using one of the mixes she received with the oven.  I was expecting a Chef Boyardee-like pizza, simple with grated parmesan as the cheese topping.  However, when we opened the mix, we discovered everything was packaged as a powder and required water to make the component.  Just add water for cheese?  Eek.  Regardless of the texture and smell, Alexa was insistent upon making the pizzas in her beloved oven, and we followed the recipe verbatim.  After 12 minutes of baking time (+ another five of cooling), the pizzas were ready, and she was ecstatic to have the first bite.  Her face was priceless, as she couldn't even stomach one of the microscopic pizzas.  Looks like we won't be buying the pizza mix again.  I think her hope of making me dinner in the Easy Bake Oven is a thing of the past, as the "magical" purple oven seems to do a better job with desserts.

Maybe when I pick her up from school tomorrow we can squeeze in a quick game of tennis - the thought of the 'just add water' cheese has turned me off from the Easy Bake for a few days. :)

Baking away with her Easy Bake....
Much better luck with the pink sugar cookies and lemon frosting.

Repeat Christmas (sort of)

My hiatus is over, as Damon and Alexa arrived home today, and not a moment too soon...I missed those two!  I eagerly left the office to pick them up from the light rail station (easier than the airport & Alexa loves to take the train) as their arrival time approached.  Alexa's at the age where she gives the best greetings - as soon as she saw me standing by the car outside of the light rail terminal, she screamed, "Mommy!" and ditched her suitcase to come running to me.  You would have thought that I hadn't seen her in weeks rather than just three days.  Needless to say, she made my day.

I discovered one of the benefits of cutting Christmas morning a bit short - - when Alexa came home this afternoon, it was like it Christmas morning all over again...just without the wrapping paper.  After showing me the gifts she received in Fresno, she excitedly rediscovered her presents from Santa that I had organized (I took advantage of the downtime and bought the perfect storage containers for all of the tiny pieces) while she was away.  For the next couple of hours, she was engaged with her Calico Critters and My Little Ponies.  It was only when she started to get tired - the past few days were chock-full of activity - that she put the toys away and asked me to sit with her on the couch.  Within minutes she was sound asleep, resting her head on my ever-growing belly.  Ahh....it's good to have my little girl back home.

I'm sure tomorrow will be jam-packed with the activities she didn't get to do today - - baking with the Easy Bake Oven, creating masterpieces with her WikkiStix and a much-anticipated tennis game (she wants to be like Serena).  Hopefully she'll go easy on me, especially on the tennis court.  I'm not sure how agile I am these days. :)

Today was like a repeat of Christmas morning
....sans pj's and wrapping paper.

Changing Gears

After a few days of solo time, I am ready for Damon and Alexa to return home tomorrow.  Between work and tasks around the house, I have been able to accomplish a lot in the past few days, but I definitely miss my pint-sized sidekick.  Thankfully we have had plenty of FaceTime chats, but both of us are looking forward to our reunion tomorrow.

Alexa had a great day today, as Papa Hovey took Alexa and her cousin Luke to the Fresno Zoo.  My father-in-law was kind enough to send me some video clips of Alexa enjoying her time at the zoo, feeding the giraffes and goats.  Alexa's a seasoned pro at giraffe feedings, and seeing the videos brought back great memories of our personalized giraffe encounters at the Phoenix Zoo and St. Louis Zoo last year.  I look forward to having similar experiences with Baby #3, as there's no doubt that she will grow up with a special place in her heart for these majestic animals.

Speaking of Baby #3, now that Christmas has passed, there's been a marked shift in the mindsets of Damon and myself to start preparing for our upcoming arrival.  I called Damon today, and he called me back within 15 seconds, worried that something was wrong.  Yes, we have definitely entered 'baby watch' mode :)  I'm just hoping she pays attention to her due date (January 24th), as I need every day within the next four weeks to prepare for her arrival and my maternity leave at work!

The trio at the zoo today....quite the snowman family!

Decorative Touch

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Whew - - what a couple of days.  I was lax about updating the blog (busy + tired), so here's a quick recap of the past few days.

We did a pretty nice job of spacing out the Christmas festivities, but Alexa was a constant ball of activity and excitement since school let out on Friday afternoon.  Her energy level is touch to match, especially at nine-months pregnant.  I will admit I let her watch an extra tv show on Monday just so I could snag a quick 30 minute nap.

On Christmas Eve morning, Alexa had a bundle of presents waiting under the tree for her when she woke up, as I had decided it would be the perfect opportunity for her to open the presents from my side of the family.  Alexa was beyond excited to receive an Easy-Bake Oven, even declaring that she will be giving me the day off and taking over dinner duties.  I was ecstatic to hear that until I looked at the size of the Easy Bake pan....I think it would take hours to make a substantial dinner using the 2.5"x3.5" baking pan.  There went my Christmas wish - lol :)

I had to go to the hospital for a fetal monitoring appointment in the morning (this little girl is measuring small, exactly as Alexa did), and by the time I returned home, Alexa and I had to get ready for the matinee performance of The Nutcracker.  The ballet was beautiful, with elaborate sets and costumes, and Alexa thought the sight of boys wearing tights was hilarious.  So much for culture!  We were planning to cap our Christmas Eve with a visit to Damon for dinner at the restaurant, but a late lunch unfortunately changed those plans.  Nevertheless, Alexa and I still had a wonderful Christmas Eve together, and I knew she was worn out when she asked me to tuck her in bed at 8:30pm.

This morning was a rather rushed Christmas morning, as Damon and Alexa had an 11am flight to Fresno (too close to my due date for me to fly).  After Alexa opened her presents from Santa, including the much-anticipated Calico Critters dollhouse and a tennis racquet, we enjoyed a nice family breakfast before I took them the the airport.  I know Alexa was disappointed that she didn't get a chance to play with her toys, but when she returns on Saturday it will be like Christmas all over again - except for the wrapping paper.  Santa seemed to do pretty well this year, as I think she received everything she wanted.  Although I think she was most excited about the two Reese's Peanut Butter Cup trees that Santa left in her stocking; it's always the simple things...

Damon and Alexa's first stop when they landed in Fresno was a very important one.  They headed straight to the cemetery to visit Granty and allow Alexa to impart her decorative (dollar store) touch upon his newly set headstone.  It's hard to believe today marked the thirteen month anniversary of his passing.  I know it was an emotional visit - the headstone reiterates how permanent this truly is - but it was good for both of them.  Alexa knows the cemetery as the place where we go to remember Granty, and Damon mentioned she talked to Granty a lot more now that the tangible reminder was there.  She made sure to use every decoration we'd purchased a few weeks ago, and the finished product was very Alexa-esque.

After the cemetery, Damon and Alexa enjoyed the normal Hovannisian Christmas Day celebration in Fresno, a very festive gathering to say the least.  Alstott and I had a very relaxing day in Scottsdale, taking advantage of the beautiful weather with a couple of walks.  I must admit, it was a nice change tonight to know that I didn't have to wrap any presents, make dinner, figure out a pose for the Elf on the Shelf...in other words, a perfect day of r&r.

Merry Christmas!

Hard at work decorating Granty's headstone....

Very proud of her finished product.
A perfect holiday tribute to her beloved baby brother!

A Big Step

Today I finally began the task I've been dreading....I began to convert Grant's bedroom for the new baby.  Initially I was planning to wait until Damon and Alexa are in Fresno for Christmas, but I thought-twice about that decision, as I was worried that doing it solo during the holidays could make it an even more difficult and emotional task.  I'm not even close to being done, but I was relieved to make the initial step today...this was a huge hurdle for me to overcome.

Alexa was in the playroom, on the other side of the house, and Alstott was snoozing on the couch when I first entered Grant's room.  However, within twenty seconds of me opening the door, both of them were suddenly at my side.  It was an odd sensation - - a rebirth of sorts, as Alexa opened the door to the Jack-and-Jill bathroom separating her bedroom and the baby's room - excited to be so close.  It was the first time in over a year that the door between their rooms was open, but by gauging Alexa's reaction, I could tell it was a very welcome change.

It was a huge comfort to have Alexa and Alstott in the room as I began to pack Grant's clothing and bedding.  Alstott curled up on the rain forest mat, where Granty spent a lot of tummy time, and Alexa played with Grant's stuffed animals.  They were both on their best behavior, as if they knew the significance of being in the room.

I am not ready to put Grant's items in the garage with the rest of our storage items, so I cleared out some space in the built-ins in the master bedroom for storing his clothes and bedding.  I never realized how many clothes that little guy had - many that he never wore.  I remember my brother commenting about Grant's extensive collection of St. Louis Cardinals clothes, and I had to smile as I realized that Grant's collection was far-more expansive than I ever realized....hoodies, onesies, caps, etc.  My brother would be proud (and jealous!)....

It's a tough mental change to transition the space from Grant's bedroom to Baby #3's room.  A part of me wants to leave Granty-esque elements in there as a tribute to him, but I have to remind myself that this is the new baby's room and not a memorial to Grant.  Over time I think this will become easier, especially when we finally meet the newest arrival in January.

One element that will remain in the room....a wooden "G" on the wall.  It's a perfect reminder and subtle tribute to our little guy.

Many good times were had in Granty's room....
and I'm sure we will have many more.

In the Spirit of Giving

Winter break has officially begun for Alexa!  Today was the holiday program at her school - Alexa's class performed "Oh Tannenbaum" - and she happily headed home, knowing she gets two weeks without school.

Alexa and I headed over to Phoenix Children's Hospital later this afternoon to donate the toys that she and Gabriella had selected during our shopping trip last week, in lieu of exchanging gifts with each other.  The toy donation site was adjacent to the hospital, but I knew the sight of PCH would help the idea of giving resonate with Alexa.  Sure enough, as we saw the hospital in the distance, she exclaimed, "There's Granty's hospital - - I see the hand (a hand with a heart-shaped palm is the logo for PCH)!"

Alexa proudly carried the Target bag into the donation center, pulling out the giraffe toy to show the volunteers.  As she loaded everything into a wagon, she declared, "These toys are from me and Gabriella, but she's in Buffalo now."  As I filled out some paperwork, Alexa began to explore the shelves that were stocked full of toys, games, etc...  It was like a Toys-R-Us on steroids, especially because all like-toys were sorted and shelved together.  She shot me the puppy-dog (begging) eyes, and I reminded her that all of the toys were for the sick kids in the hospital.  It suddenly hit her - - "When Granty was in the hospital, he got toys and I got toys too!"  The Child Life department at PCH had been wonderful to Alexa, so I was glad to hear that she remembered it.  After that, the puppy-dog eyes disappeared, and she was very satisfied to have donated the toys to the hospital.  I foresee this being an annual tradition....

As we saw Phoenix Children's Hospital in the distance, it was tough not to get emotional.  The time, emotions and experiences associated with PCH represent the most significant events of my life.  As we drove past, I quickly identified his two PICU rooms on the sixth-floor (his Oncology room was facing the other direction) and said a little prayer.  Damon and I need to plan a separate trip back to PCH to visit - the medical team there (I think I can still name all of the doctors, residents and nurses) became entwined in our lives and touched both of us in a way we will never forget.

Unloading the toys at the donation center...
(tribute to Uncle Steve & Waste Mgmt in the background - lol)

Giraffes Can't Dance

The holidays are kicking into high gear for Alexa....today was the annual holiday party at her school, an event she's been awaiting since Thanksgiving.  The allure of wearing pajamas to school and decorating sugar cookies is tough to beat.  I am glad I will finally be able to stop answering the question of "How many days until the holiday party?"

Another component of the holiday party is the book exchange, something in which Alexa and I invested a lot of thought.  I encouraged her to pick one of her favorite books (last year was 'Purplicious') - a task that was much easier said than done.  She hemmed and hawed for days as she tried to decide what title we should buy to share with one of her friends.  I had to ix-nay 'The Night Before Christmas' - she seems to have forgotten about her desire to celebrate Hanukkah - but she finally made her decision.  She selected 'Giraffes Can't Dance', a wonderful book my friend Molly bought for Alexa last Christmas.  Needless to say, I was thrilled with her selection and immediately bought it from Amazon.com.

As we wrapped the book last night, Alexa grabbed the book and conducted a mock Show-and-Tell for me.   "This book is special to me because it reminds me of giraffes and my baby brother Granty.  He died but is still very special to me and always in my heart."  I couldn't have said it better myself.  I hope the friend who received the book enjoys it as much as we have. :)

If only she could wear pajamas every day......

Creative Cooking

Over the past few days, Alexa has been spouting off recipes of things she would like me to cook....it took a few requests before I realized she was making up these dishes and concocting the recipes entirely in her mind.  Mint seems to be a popular ingredient - I'm sure attributable to the holiday season - as she's proposed everything from mint pie (pie crust, mint and whipped cream) to mint with porkchops.  I'm not quite sure how edible some of her creations would be, but I have to give her credit for creativity.

I've learned Alexa is very intrigued by stories about my childhood, so during dinner on Sunday night, I was recalling incidents from my childhood to encourage her to eat her zucchini.  She was captivated by some of the Niehoff rules - i.e. I had to eat one pea (or lima bean, brussel sprout, etc...) for each year I was old, I wasn't allowed to leave the table until I finished my meal, etc...  As I relayed the stories to Alexa, I started to have flashbacks of some of the meals I used to despise.  I distinctly remember a few meals that led to hours of standoff at the dinner table.  Before I knew it, Damon and I were laughing hysterically, and I had to make two calls to my parents' house for verification of some of my recollections.

Damon was convinced I was making up recipes (probably thinking Alexa was rubbing off on me), but thank goodness for Google.  As I explained the meals to him, supported by the back-up of Gene and Kathy (my parents), he began to Google the recipe names and was shocked at the search engine results.  Sure enough, for every 'nightmare' dish I mentioned, Damon was able to find the recipe, coupled with pictures, on the Internet.  He was incredulous at some of the Niehoff meals of the 80's - Chipped Beef on Toast, Tuna Noodle Casserole, Corned Beef Hash (canned!), Western Rice Skillet, and, Damon's personal favorite (based upon the name alone)....Turkey Divan.  I think these must have been Midwest classics that never quite made it to California.

For the record, my mom no longer makes any of those meals; I'm convinced that she thought the recipes were as bad as I did but had to force us to eat them on principle alone.  Needless to say, I don't think we'll be having a Chipped Beef on Toast night at the Hovannisian house anytime soon. :)

Always up to the task in the kitchen....

Festive Weekend

What a weekend!  Between gift wrapping, online shopping and normal weekend activities, it was a whirlwind weekend.

On Saturday night, Jenny and I took the girls out for a holiday celebration - toy shopping for Phoenix Children's Hospital, a visit to the train park for its holiday lights event and dinner.  Apparently everyone in the metro Phoenix area had the same idea for the train park, as it was packed!  The wait for the train was significantly longer than we ever expected - - we stood in line for over an hour and a half to board (my estimate of a 20 minute wait was way off!).  Understandably the girls were a tired, hungry and a little cranky by the time we made our way through the line, but once they saw the light display, the ninety minute wait was a distant memory....they claimed the display was "the best thing EVER!"  We bypassed the carousel ride and went straight to the restaurant for dinner; I've never seen them eat so well!  Needless to say, we were all exhausted after the long night, and both girls were sound asleep just a couple of minutes into the drive home.

Damon had the day off on Sunday, his first day at home since before Thanksgiving.  Knowing he would be home, I made sure the Elf left a special surprise for Alexa on Sunday morning - a gingerbread tree.  Initially I was looking for a traditional gingerbread house to accompany the house she decorate for Halloween, but Michaels didn't have any pre-constructed houses, so I opted for the easier tree of stacked star-shaped cookies.  Needless to say, Alexa was excited to have the ability to practice her decorating skills (I had to talk her out of decorating it at 7am).  I left Damon and Alexa to fulfill their 'Cake Boss' dreams, as I headed out to complete some errands.  I came home to find a 'beautiful' masterpiece.

As lovely as the cookie tree is, I don't think Damon nor Alexa will be soliciting any phone calls from Buddy Valastro....

Ready to begin her decorating project!

The finished project - under close supervision from Alstott.
(Slightly different than the picture on the box.... :)

Waning Excitement

Since Alexa and I struck out on our quest for an artificial tree last weekend, the task of picking up a Christmas tree had to wait until Damon returned from Las Vegas.  Apparently I've given Alexa the impression that I can do anything, as she was in disbelief that I couldn't unload the tree from the top of my car, bring it into the house and align it in the tree stand without any assistance....for the record, if I weren't eight-months pregnant, I would have attempted the feat on my own. :)

Damon could not get home soon enough for Alexa, so he borrowed one of his manager's trucks and drove to Costco on Tuesday to pick up the Christmas tree - an 8-foot fir.  Alexa was ecstatic when she woke up on Wednesday morning and saw the tree.  I convinced her that decorating the tree at 6am was not feasible, but I ensured her we would decorate it as soon as I picked her up from school.  She held me to my word, postponing dinner so we could begin decorating the tree.  I thought she was going to have a conniption when I told her I had to hang the lights on the tree before the ornaments could be hung.  However, she did show some concern for me, after I was done standing on the ladder and hurriedly wrapping the lights.  As I climbed off the ladder, she rubbed my stomach and said, "I know you're not supposed to climb a ladder, but I think the baby's okay."  Alright - - it was finally time to turn the decorator loose.

I'm not sure if it was the time lag, fatigue or the process of hooking the ornaments onto the tree, but the excitement that had been building for weeks quickly waned.....she hung a whopping six ornaments on the tree before she decided she was over it.  I would have picked up a Charlie Brown Christmas tree if I would have known that!

I asked her tonight if she wanted to finished decorating the tree, but she passed up the opportunity in favor of reading books and applying stickers to one of her dolls.  It looks like I'll be decorating a tree this weekend....

A very sparsely decorated tree.....

Dose of Reality

Getting past November 25th was a huge hurdle, but the upcoming holiday reiterates Granty's absence.  It's impossible not to miss the little guy.

Today my father-in-law went to view the headstone before it is laid into the ground.  As eager as we have been to get Granty's headstone in-place at the cemetery, when he texted the picture of it this afternoon, I couldn't help but breakdown.  It was a good thing I was working from home today (fetal monitoring and doctor's appointment this afternoon), as no one except the dog had to witness my cry-fest.  Seeing the images of the headstone provided a crushing blow of reality and an odd sense of finality.  It seems intrinsically wrong to see a headstone for a child, much less one adorned with a picture of my son.  However, I think both Damon and I will take resolve in knowing that he finally has a proper monument and resting place.

I know Alexa will be thrilled to see Granty's headstone when she and Damon visit the cemetery on Christmas.  It's like a blank canvas for her carefully selected dollar store decorations... :)

Limited Magic

I've quickly discovered one major downfall to my creativeness with Granty the Elf...Alexa is waking up earlier than ever simply to see where her elf sits and what mischief he's created.  This morning Alexa crept into my room around 5:45, excited to tell me that her elf had written "ALEXA" using the fake snow we had found in the box of Christmas decorations.  As much as I appreciate her enthusiasm, I think the elf is going to have to buy Alexa an alarm clock before the end of this holiday season....

As Alexa and I read "The Night Before Christmas" today, she began to ask about the celebration of Christmas in heaven.  Ooof...these are always tough conversations.  Alexa was very concerned about Santa's ability to get to heaven to bring toys to Granty.  Moreover, she was eager to find out if Santa gets to see Grant, because if he's able to see him, she assumed that Santa would be able to take us to see him.  I love her sense of logic and truly wish her ideas could come to fruition.  However, I had to let her know that Santa doesn't bring toys to heaven, but rather people in heaven celebrate in a different way.  I reminded her that decorating for Granty at the cemetery would be her special way to celebrate the holiday with her baby brother.

I could tell by the look on her face that my answer sufficed, but it was far from the answer she hoped to hear.  She did perk up when I reminded her that we will be shopping for toys that Granty would like and donating them in his memory to Phoenix Children's Hospital.  Sometimes retail therapy can do wonders....especially when it's for a good cause.

Fast asleep on the couch by 7pm....
flanked by a loyal (and equally tired) Alstott.

Unexpected Twist

Apparently December is way too late to buy an artificial Christmas tree, as Alexa and I discovered when we attempted to buy a tree today.  Costco was sold out of the 9-ft tree I had seen on their website (nothing online either), so we headed down the street to Home Depot.  Unfortunately Home Depot's selection of trees was pretty sparse, but our trip there provided some unexpected excitement for the day....

I have always been one of those people who never searches for the 'dream spot' in a parking lot - I usually park wherever is convenient and have no issue with a few extra yards of walking to get into the store.  Between the crowds and on-site Christmas tree lot, the Home Depot parking lot was pretty full this afternoon, so I parked on the site of the store by the garden center.  As I got out of the car, I noticed two people sitting in the car next to us, but didn't think much of it was I walked around to the passenger side to get Alexa from her car seat.  Suddenly, I heard the alarm on the store's emergency exit blaring, and a man was dashing our direction with his arms full of tools.  I made Alexa get back into the car, and I watched as the car next to us - apparently the getaway car - peeled off.  Holy cow!  Thankfully I was able to get the license plate number, so Alexa and I found ourselves in the offices of Home Depot as I wrote down the description of the car, stolen merchandise and perpetrators for the manager and police.  No success with a tree (looks like Alexa will get a real tree this year!), but at least we did our good deed for the day and Alexa learned a pretty valuable lesson.

Alexa was incredulous that someone would steal something - I think this was her first realization that not all people are "good."  I must have answered fifteen questions over the course of the day about why someone would steal and whether our neighbors are good (I'm not sure why she honed in on our neighbors).  One thing was certain in Alexa's mind - those three people are definitely getting coal from Santa!

Proud of her good deed for the day....
no coal for Alexa this year! :)

Decorative Touch

Last night I attended a holiday party with girlfriends - it was a very welcome night out, complete with a fun gift exchange and white elephant gift.  I really need to do nights like that more often - - Alexa was trying to guilt me into not attending, claiming I never spend time with her.  I had to laugh at that notion, and I dashed out the door without an ounce of guilt ;).  Alexa wasn't complaining about my attendance this morning when she saw the mini cupcake (I purposely picked the one decorated for Hanukkah) that my friend Jenny made sure I brought home for her....  Besides, I think Alexa and Damon had an enjoyable night together, complete with Chipotle for dinner - Alexa was very proud to tell me that she tried pork - and a Portillo's strawberry shortcake for dessert.  Not a bad night for the Hovey fam!

After I picked Alexa up from school today, we had some very important shopping to do....we went to the dollar store to buy decorations so that Alexa can decorate Granty's headstone when she travels to Fresno on Christmas.  Alexa loves to "decorate," so I figure this will be a perfect tribute to her beloved baby brother on the holiday.  I turned Alexa loose in the dollar store, abandoning my normal hang-ups about color coordination and mixing silver and gold, and she took full-advantage of the artistic freedom.
She definitely employs the "more is more" philosophy and took no time at all to fill the basket with glittery and sparkly decor.  When the fourth package of garland was tossed into the basket, I had to force her to regroup and be a little more selective about her decorating choices (I know, I couldn't help myself...).  By the time we were done perusing the holiday department, Alexa had amassed quite the collection of decorations.  Granty's headstone will be very well-decorated on Christmas - - definitely gaudy, but adorned with love.

Showing off the dollar store haul
(including an elf hat she conned me into buying).

Weighing the Options

Alexa is really getting into the holiday spirit this year.  As we drove home from gymnastics tonight, she asked me if we could celebrate Hanukkah this year....Oy vey!

The late Thanksgiving holiday has really condensed this holiday season; it's hard to believe Christmas is just three weeks away.  I have already promised Alexa that we will spend this weekend decorating the house for Christmas - apparently the inflatable Snoopy and vases of ornaments aren't enough this year :). 

Tonight Alexa and I had a lengthy discussion/debate about the Christmas tree.  I have never been a huge fan of real trees, as the watering, set-up and constant clean-up of pine needles is a bigger hassle than I would prefer to undertake.  I had intentions of buying an artificial tree during the post-Christmas clearance sales last year, but my intent never materialized.  I am willing to bite the bullet this year and pay pre-Christmas prices for the tree, simply to avoid another year of a real tree.  Alexa, on the other hand, was really pulling for a real tree, so I had to perform my best sales pitch to convince her of the reasons an artificial tree is better for us than a real tree.  After showing her a picture of the tree on the Costco website, I finally swayed her opinion, and she's excited to set up an artificial tree this weekend.  Whew!

Maybe I should have accepted her idea to celebrate Hanukkah....a menorah is a lot less complicated than a Christmas tree!

One ornament guaranteed to make the tree this year....
even though it doesn't match my purple-silver theme ;)

The Elf Returns

Last year I struggled to get into the holiday spirit (for obvious reasons), but thankfully my friend Linda made sure that Alexa didn't miss out on the Christmas experience.  She sent Alexa a multitude of holiday decorations, including the 'Elf on the Shelf' set, and Alexa immediately embraced the concept of the elf and the 'magical' powers it holds.  December could not come soon enough for Alexa this year, as it meant the return of her beloved elf.  Her enthusiasm is contagious, and I am making sure to go all-out this year to embrace the magic of the holiday season.

I'm not quite sure of the gender and name of our elf....last year she named him Granty, but this year she has decided the elf is a girl named (of course) Elizabeth.  However, she continues to call the elf Granty, so I've given up referring to the elf by name and let her decide as the mood strikes.

Today was the first morning that Granty/Elizabeth made an appearance, and Alexa awoke bright and early at 6:15 to find her beloved elf.  She squealed with excitement when she saw the elf on the island in the kitchen, running to wake up Damon to show him what her silly elf had done.  I never knew a cup of flour could evoke so much excitement....

If this morning was any indication, I think this will be a very fun holiday season.  There's nothing like the enthusiasm of a four year-old to help get me in the holiday spirit!

The mischievous elf decided to play in the "snow" (flour)
and bring a little bit of the North Pole to Arizona.

Catch-Up

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

Damon, Alexa and I enjoyed a great Thanksgiving at my sister's house in Milwaukee.  The frigid temperatures were a bit jarring (we were definitely not in Arizona), but thankfully we were able to spend most of the time indoors.  Alexa, however, seemed unaffected by the freezing temperatures and was ecstatic to see snow (maybe 1") on the ground.  She happily donned winter clothes, brought by my parents from St. Louis and borrowed from her cousins, and played outside until her cousins were ready to come back inside.  Her excitement over 1" of snow definitely reflects her upbringing in the desert!  She's been begging to learn how to ski, so I think a ski trip is a must-do this winter.

My sister and brother-in-law were quite the hosts, preparing an impressive Thanksgiving feast - with plenty of leftovers to enjoy on Friday.  I am dreading my Tuesday doctor's appointment this week....I am sure the scale will reflect my carbo-loading, not to mention the pieces of homemade pumpkin and apple pie that I enjoyed.  Terri and I did make it to the gym on Friday evening, but I don't think I did enough to offset the caloric damage ;)

The weekend festivities did not end when Alexa and I flew home late last night.  The Ritz-Carlton in Phoenix hosts a holiday Teddy Bear Tea, so Alexa and I enjoyed a holiday-themed tea party with our girlfriends.  This was our first time attending Teddy Bear Tea, and the event warrants making it an annual tradition.  Our group of ten (five moms and five daughters) enjoyed a great afternoon at this well-orchestrated event.  The girls enjoyed tiny ham and cheese and pb&j sandwiches, hot chocolate (or I should say mini-marshmallows with a dash of hot chocolate) and plenty of desserts (the 'one sweet a day' rule was abandoned today), while the moms partook in slightly more grown-up fare...although I did have to pass on the unlimited champagne today.  The event was highlighted by an appearance of a life-sized teddy bear, parade through the lobby and a story read by the party's host.  Alexa was happy to take home the teddy bear of her choice, although the long weekend and lack of sleep seemed to catch up with her on the drive home.  I was glad she made it through the tea party, so I didn't mind dealing with a cranky girl for the rest of the afternoon.  

Something tells me the next few weeks will fly by, as we have a lot of holiday activities planned!

The snow bunny....happy to partake in some winter fun.

On our way to tea this afternoon....