All I want for Christmas is a pair of pants that fit....

Ok- technically, Christmas is over... and no, I didn't hit the fudge too hard this year. Most of you already know- but Nick and I are expecting a baby at the end of June! This is exciting news that I'm glad I'm finally allowed to share!
I really don't have any complaints about pregnancy. I haven't been sick and now that I've moved onto the second trimester, I'm not as tired. That was my first clue that something was awry...when bedtime shifted from 10pm to about 7:30pm. I've always gone to bed a little on the early side, but usually I could stay awake through Wheel of Fortune.
My biggest complaint about the current stage is the lack of pants that fit. My regular pants are too tight. As in, leave indents from the button on my belly tight. Maternity pants are still a little big and equally as annoying as button indents is having to hike my too big pants every 3 minutes. Nick finds it all rather funny. We were watching tv the other night when the Subway commercial came on - you know the one where the lady sits down to eat her hamburger and the button flies off her pants and several others have related problems- and my loving husband starts to snicker. Yes, he was laughing at me...
Now, I realize that this won't be the problem for long. I'm sure in a few weeks, I'll remember this time fondly as a time when I could still see my feet (sort of). And the end result will be worth it... but it would really help me out if Purdue would allow me to wear sweatpants or pajama pants to work for the next couple weeks.

Christmas in Santa Claus

For our second year in Santa Claus and our first in our new home, Nick and I decided to host Christmas. It was a chance to share our new home with our family and also avoid driving north...in the snow...and traffic. We were very blessed to have a house full of the Kenzie/Oshinski clan join us.

Nick spent several days getting the decorations just right. While I did help with the decorating, Nick is the master Christmas decoration coordinator- all credit goes to him for how wonderful everything looked! He also impressed my family with his skills in the kitchen...from herbed bread to stuffing to turkey Nick can do it all. I may be biased, but he makes the BEST egg nog from scratch (thanks to Grandma Held's recipe). Yes, I am spoiled and lucky and I know it...and I'm going to keep him forever and ever.

No holiday would be complete without a game or two and many hours of Christmas Eve were spent at the kitchen table with Granny and Grandpa's custom Sequence game board. If you haven't played Sequence, I must caution you, it's addicting!!

Another note to brag on my husband...
We took my Aunt Chris to the Christmas Store (also addicting) and while I was there, I found this cute log centerpiece (fake). It was only $15 and I was going to buy it...but Nick promised he'd make me one. So I didn't buy the one at the Christmas store, and reminded him at lunch on Christmas Eve that he'd promised me a centerpiece. While the Sequence tourney was underway, Nick slipped outdoors and went to work. Christmas eve, after mass, I came home to find this waiting for me.

It was perfect- and way better than the one in the Christmas Store!!

Thanks everyone for joining us for Christmas in our home! It was a wonderful week filled with happy memories! We hope you'll come visit us again!!

Way Behind

I'm WAY behind in my blogging...I promise I have a good excuse...but for now, I'm going to attempt to catch up! Hope the internet can keep up! :)

Christmas Can-Can

Heard this on the radio this morning...thought it was really cute!

Poor Boots

Boots is our newly adopted kitty. He showed up a few weeks ago and decided that our house suitable for his needs. He's a very sweet cat who loves attention- but not the dog. We've set up a space for him in the cubby on our deck just outside our bedroom. He has a box- complete with towels and new bowls that are just for him. Did I mention how sweet he is? I tried getting a picture- this was the best I can do because if you go outside, he immediately comes over to say hello. For the most part, it's a peaceful life that Boots leads...but last night- or this morning rather, about 4 am, we awoke to cat growls and banging. I think one of the barn cats decided that Boots had plenty of chow to share and a disagreement ensued. Boots was no where to be found, his box empty and disheveled. When I found him, he was hiding under the grill (in the rain). Poor Boots- he's a lover not a fighter.

Nikki's Christmas Tea

Saturday was an event I've been looking forward to for weeks, maybe even months!! It was the annual Christmas Tea at Lincoln Hills Christian Church in Corydon. My dear friend Nikki has invited me every year for the last several years and it has become one of my favorite highlights of the Christmas season. Not only do I get to spend the morning with Nikki (who I don't get to see nearly as often these days), but the church is transformed into a sparkling display of Christmas lights, decorations, and beauty that rivals anything I've ever seen. This year, Nikki's table was decked out in silver and sparkles. I loved it! The picture doesn't even do it a little bit of justice...but suffice it to say that her mission of making us feel special and loved was accomplished when I sat at her table!

I love anything that sparkles...and her table had it all!

If the table doesn't have you in awe...the program always gets you in the Christmas spirit!! A keynote speaker helps remind us of the reason why we are all celebrating (it's not the gifts), and this year's Charles Dickens themed program filled with Christmas carols sung by characters in hoop skirts and top hats was wonderful!

I had a great time at the tea with my dear Corydon friends!! I miss you more than you know!

A, Nikki, and Carolyn - decked out in our Christmas sparkles.

Sarah and Nancy also joined me but won't let me post the picture... Although it's a very lovely picture of the Held ladies and I'm incredibly tempted to include it anyways, I don't want coal for Christmas.

Who, Who, Who Goes There?

Despite the fact that I've spent a lot of time in the country, this is the first time that I've actually LIVED in the country. And I love it...because you just never know what type of wildlife you will hear or see. So far, I've been awoken in the middle of the night by a coyote howling what sounded like right underneath my window (a little too close, in my opinion). I've seen a variety of birds around the farm. A new experience, though, is hearing the owl in the woods behind our house. He usually gives his greeting about 2:30 or 3:00 am. I've heard him twice now and last night he was vocal enough that I got a really good listen to his call. Hosting the Master Naturalist classes, I knew what owls were common in our area, so I got online and we have a great horned owl. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id I'm very glad we don't have a screetch owl...their call isn't quite so welcoming.
Then, this morning, when I let Pepper out before I left for work...a red-tail hawk flew from the tree next to the barn and ambushed a flock of unsuspecting sparrows in one of our bushes. I just stood there and watched with my mouth hanging open as the birds went nuts trying to flee. I'm not sure if he got a bird or not- he eventually flew back up into the tree. Pepper, busy with other things, was completely oblivious to the mayhem taking place right behind her. One of the barn cats was laying in our driveway just feet from the scene and seemed frozen in place, sort of like I was.
Wonder what tonight will bring? (Hopefully no more coyotes!)