Christmas 2011

This Christmas was so special, it was really the first year that Lauren understood what was going on. She was utterly adorable, and so amazed by everything. Dylan was so excited he couldn't get to sleep on Christmas Eve, he kept calling me and asking me how to fall asleep, it was the cutest thing. We went down to my parents for two nights and we had a great time, and a little mini holiday for Mommy and Daddy, as we had two lovely lie ins! We really enjoyed our Christmas and we were so blessed...

Christmas Eve

We laid out our stockings and our snack for Santa

Christmas Morning

We couldn't believe how lucky we were that Santa had brought us such wonderful gifts

Christmas Day

Then we got dressed to go to Nanna & Grandad's house in Waterford for Christmas dinner

We were so happy to see our Granny and Grandad for a visit, and to go to Mass.

We got such lovely gifts from all our family

When we got home we tried out our new flickers!

Dylan had to help Lauren as she hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet. Then we played with some more of our toys together...

We were all spoiled rotten! and it was a wonderful time..

Merry Christmas

Dylan's Christmas Concert 2011

The Christmas festivities started off with Dylan's annual school concert. They were adorable, there is something so wonderful sitting in a Church with fairy lights, and the children singing Christmas carols. It was so wonderful, and we were so proud of him.

Here's my two cuties all ready to go...

What a special night...

Our little Amber

We went yesterday to meet the newest addition to our family. She is the most adorable, cute and dainty ginger coloured kitten. I think we are in love. She was born on the 2.11.11 so she's 7 weeks old, and her name will be Amber. The kids were so happy to meet her, and I think she is going to to be a lovely addition to our family.

The family that we are getting her from are so lovely, they have the Mommy cat and her sister from a previous litter, and she kindly sent me lots of pictures for us to have. We brought her a little blanket and a new cuddly toy, we figured if her Mommy sleeps on the blanket then her smell will be there, and it will help Amber settle in to our home better!

Here is our little Amber over the last few weeks...

 With her Mommy Puss and her sister Boots

Amber & Boots - 7 Weeks

Amber with her new blanket and bunny toy

Our Amber

We can't wait for you to come home, Dylan says you will be the best Christmas present to get.... but you aren't really for Christmas, we just really want you to join our little family!

Our new family member

Derek and I have been discussing a new addition to our family since our beautiful doggie Charlie (we rescued him from the pound) got out one day and got lost. He roamed away and we never saw him again. Dylan was devastated and unfortunately we aren't in a position to get another dog at the moment now that I'm working full time, we just don't have the time to dedicate to a dog.

So Derek and I decided a little kitten would be the perfect addition to our family. They are more self sufficient, easier to train, and I love cats, My parents have the most beautiful black cat with a white bib called Bonnie, she is so independent and lovely, and I am so happy to get a kitten!

We have been searching high and low, and found a wonderful family who have a beautiful ginger and white little kitten with big blue eyes.  She is 6 weeks old and is just being weaned from her mother, she will be ready to come to her forever home just after Christmas day! So when we come back from my parents at Christmas she will be all ready! We will also have a week at home to get her settled into her new home and take her to the vet.

We had hoped to adopt a little chihuahua cross from the animal shelter last year just after Charlie got lost, but when we enquired he had already been rehomed so we decided to wait another while. So now the time is right.

Dylan is so excited and Lauren is giddy to see her! We are going to meet her in the morning and see if the family are happy for her to move to our home! I'm sure they will!

I'm happy with our decision and I'm glad we waited until we found the perfect cat for us. We are currently leaning towards the name 'Amber' or 'Daisy' I like Amber, as its the exact colour of her orange patches on her coat!

I hope getting the children a pet will teach them patience and responsibility, it will also show them how to love and care for a little creature! I think it will benefit them greatly!

I can't wait! Life is so great right now and we are all so happy. We are looking forward to a great Christmas with our family, and then adding our beautiful kitten to our family after that!

Here are the pictures from the ad for the kitten on the pet website...

my goodness look at those big blue eyes and beautiful red coat. I think she looks like an Amber! We will wait and see, I hope she can come to live with us! so cute...

We love Christmas

Today I had a day off, so Lauren and I had a lovely morning together, unfortunately Dylan couldn't join in because he had to go to school, but he said he had a great day at school! and he joined in when he got home!

Here's Lauren very busy with her painting, she loves to draw and paint and will spend twice as long doing it than Dylan ever did. Dylan enjoys it, but I can see that Lauren REALLY loves it!

Then we had a nice lunch.... in our Jammies!

When Dylan got home he got into his jammies too, and we watched movies and had snacks... It is freezing and miserable outside today. The only place to be was inside our cosy house!

We took some photos in front of the Christmas tree, I can't believe how much they've grown this last year.

We love Christmas

Christmas shopping

Today was both fabulous and awful! Derek was away with a work do and I decided in my wisdom to go do some Christmas shopping. The shops were packed! there were people EVERYWHERE!! from now on I am going Christmas shopping on my own! Kids definitely don't like shopping! Although they did have a nice day with Mummy. We had ice-cream and we went to Star.bucks to meet my friend for coffee....

Dylan enjoying his hot chocolate, after a very hard morning Christmas shopping, I don't think there is anything cuter than my little guy with his Star.bucks mug! Adorable...

Lauren before we left, wearing her new Christmas coat and hat.... oh the cuteness!

Just cos he's cute...

The kiddies looking at the beautiful Christmas lights in Dun.drum shopping Centre, they have the most beautiful Christmas display!

I picked up Dylan's outfit for Christmas day, I have Lauren's has her outfit, and I am almost done with my Christmas shopping. We are keeping our Christmas list down this year, and remembering what Christmas is all about. With my friends we have all decided to do things together rather than buy each other gifts, I think it's a great idea. The best news for this  year.... We are all finished our shopping for the kiddies forSanta!

With my friends from work we did a Kris Kringle and went out for dinner together last night. It was really nice to have a nice meal with nice company, and enjoy some wine and chats!

I am really looking forward to my holidays from work, Derek and I are off the same time this year. This is the first year that I am off for Christmas (while working) It will be absolutely amazing to spend some quality time with all our family. We are driving down to my Parent's house on Christmas morning and spending a few nights there!

I just love this time of year, I love sitting together enjoying the Christmas movies and the Christmas lights, and looking forward to spending time together!

I love it....

Christmas Magic & Our letters to Santa

Last night we put up our Christmas tree, lit the fire and snuggled up and watched 'The Santa Clause' I'm happy with how the decorations turned out. I love our tree, I'm so glad we have an artificial one that we love!

Here is our tree this year

Dylan & Lauren's stockings all ready by the fire with our mantle garland.

I really really love our stair garland, I am so happy with how it turned out this year. 

Here are my favourite Christmas decorations, these are the ones Derek and I brought back from Belfast for the kids, a little handpainted angel and snowman.

This is the ornament Derek's parents bought us last year

Nanna & Grandad bought these adorable snowmen for the kids last year.

This is one of our Newbridge silver ornaments, I changed the photo last year to one of both of our children!

I love this decoration that we bought last year for our tree

This is our hall display this year, with our little snowman family, and our family Christmas stocking!

Christmas hugs and kisses, and showing off the Christmas decorations we made from our decoration kit.

 

Tonight we wrote our letters to Santa. Dylan asked for a flickr, laser stunt cars, and a surprise. Lauren asked for a baby flickr, a doll's house and a surprise. Then they put their letters on the hearth of the fire and went off to bed...

I absolutely love our house all dressed up and decorated for Christmas, it is the most wonderful and special time of year. I am so excited!

 I am off the day before Christmas Eve, and I'm not back until the third of January. I'm really looking forward to my time off, and enjoying some really special quality time with my children and my hubby. We are going down to visit my parent's for a few nights and we will visit Derek's family. It is going to be so brilliant. The photos are from my phone, so they aren't great!

Merry Christmas