What day is it?

I haven't posted in nearly a month, although my intention was to post something at the start of the New Year-a resolution of sorts, to be a better blogger BUT here I am on the 16th instead! Tampa has kept us pretty busy-Christmas, my birthday (27 eek!), family fun of all sorts that I will share with you now;some of the highlights anyways!

 Those two cleaned up this year! Which is why I am only posting a few pictures-otherwise it might take me a lifetime! :)

Hey girl waz' up?!

Leah and Lily (I barely have any pictures of the family dinner, bummer!)

Tampa Bay Light

This was so AMAZING..this flag went all around the stadium, each person working together carefully to make it happen during the anthem! It was beautiful!!

= 

                                                                 We won 5-1 :)

Loving the new tire swing! Has she gotten big or what!? My little love is now a bonafide toddler! :(

Mike and Meagan's wedding!

Where my handsome man was a groomsmen! He is third from the left, and I put this one up so that I could point out that he does NOT normally dance..but he totally got down with some Blue's Brothers and what can I say? I'm proud! :)

Oh and I caught the bouquet!

I've been pumping iron..seriously how else could I explain those massive forearms! ;)

Play date at the park with Danielle, John Jr. Macie-Lynn,Tara and Scarlett :)

Scarlett is such a little sweetie, she brought stuffed animals for everyone!

Chuck E Cheese fun & the new face she has been making!

<3

Pinterest craft night with the girls

My scarves :)

I will post part 2 tomorrow because well, like I said we've been busy! :)

Dashing through the mall with no alcohol..

-I swear I heard that on the mall speaker today..or maybe I just made up in my head either way, it seems fitting! :)


I would really like to go on a vacation; people always roll their eyes when I say that considering the assumption is that Chad and I are constantly on one but, seriously...as blessed as our life is (especially because of how many awesome places we've been too) I would still love to lie in a hammock somewhere on a secluded beach, drink in hand, and just relax! I think it has to do with the rush of the holiday season, it seems that no matter how hard you try not to get overwhelmed..you just do sometimes. Between shopping(which by the way I am still not done despite my best efforts to start early! I even went on Black Friday, dang it!) Christmas,birthday,work, friend parties (throw in the occasional wedding or engagement shindig and you hit the December mother load)shopping again, cooking, cleaning, family obligations, it's just go, go, go!! I don't want to sound as if I am complaining because to be honest I LOVE this time of year, I even love the craziness of it and I REALLY love being home in Tampa(although I miss my Winston fam too!)..where I get overwhelmed is in my attempts to make this Christmas perfect for Lily. As a parent it truly takes on a whole new meaning and Chad and I have both strived to really make sure we create traditions, memories for her to the best of our ability. And, you know what? I really think it will be, perfect I mean..because in six days we will get to watch our little girl as she opens up her gifts, and I will more than likely cry/smile/laugh/cry the entire time and I cannot wait; her face will certainly make up for all the crazy this month brings!

But seriously..who wouldn't want to be someplace like this?

I need to picture this the next time I have to wait in an hour long line just to leave the mall~


6 days till Christmas!!

To get ya in the spirit, another one of my favorite Christmas songs...

Things I love Thursday!

I love Tampa by way of Thonotosassa of course! :)

I took this on my run today-I love looking at the lake but despite living near it my whole life I refuse to get in (one word-alligators!) Tampa is full of my favorite people(the other half of them anyway) and I am so excited to be home,as I stated before it has been almost 6months!!

I love little Barbie sized champagnes!
Especially this one:

I feel like nothing symbolizes the upcoming holidays more then champagne-but maybe that is the drunk girl in me talking..or the fact that my birthday is on New Years Day..you pick!

I love The Help and Crazy Stupid Love

I honestly could not choose which one to put on here over the other, because I literally just watched both in the last two days(we did a lot of driving!) They are both pretty great but The Help ranks slightly ahead of CSL in my opinion.. definitely worth checking out though-especially for those of you(like myself) that did not get to seem them in the theatres! Plus I REALLY love Emma Stone & this man of course

Because well..he is Ryan Gosling! :)

Goodbye Virginia, Hello TAmPA!!

Another job has come to an end and we are off to the next place-Hattiesburg, Mississippi! We were first told Boston which would have been so much fun since it is close to both Maine and Vermont(where some of my family lives) BUT oh well, Hattiesburg doesn't look too bad-is it sad that I base my excitement for a city by what restaurants are in town? I just love food what can I say, and Hattiesburg is home to The Shed the exact AWESOME BBQ joint located in Destin-excited much! :) Plus, there are like a gazillion roller skating rinks there(I'm not joking, when I looked it up earlier 15  were on the list!)-couple skate what?! ;) Anyways BEFORE we head to Mississippi(I totally say Mi-Double S i Double P i in my head btw!) we are going to TAMPA!!! I cannot contain my excitement since it has been almost 6months since the last time we were there! I am very excited to see my family and friends and partake in all the Christmasy festivities!


On another note, I do not have a lot of wrap up things to talk about as far as DC goes other than I freaking love it(but that is my nerdy history lovin self talking)..if I could recommend a few places though they would be:

• Mount Vernon: One of the prettiest places I have ever been too (& that is saying a lot considering I spent 10 days in Greece!) you can check it out here http://www.mountvernon.org/ but the pictures will NOT do it justice! Truly exquisite, and the historical value alone is worth a trip! :)
• Aquia Pines RV resort: This is where we stayed while we were in town and the place is just beautiful! Peaceful, friendly, comfy, close to restaurants etc etc we really enjoyed our stay! There are cabins, RV sites and tent sites as well so there is something for everyone-plus they are opening up a lodge/hotel sometime next year on the property so REALLY something for everyone!  
• Micks: Right up the street from the campground this place has awesome food(the wings-dry rub get them!) and a really cool lounge feel
• Pancho Villa Mexican: is also up the street from the campground, pretty fresh, good Mexican food( & you know I'm picky about my favorite food!) kind of pricey but overall a good place! P.s try the Mexican Bulldog :)
• All of DC really!

I really enjoyed it here, plus it was kind of the perfect time too(Fall) but I am ready for our next adventure and for Christmas in Tampa! :

Things I love Thursday!

I have a confession to make, I am a bad blogger...like in I take 3 week breaks sometimes bad..I try not too, but this last time I couldn't help myself thanks to school, a visit from family and friends, trips back to Winston, Thanksgiving, oh and of course there is that little thing called PINTEREST that has completely consumed my life(there I said it out loud, I am addicted) BUT I am back and it IS the first of December ONE of my favorite months by the way..so this things I love Thursday is all about December!!! :)

I LOVE the TRUE meaning of the season: JESUS

I grew up in an Irish/Sicilian Catholic family where the meaning of Christmas was never lost especially at Grandma Irene's (who was born on the 24th I might add)! It meant celebrating St. Nicholas Day, Advent, an empty manger until Christmas Day, giving thanks before the meal, attending church Christmas Eve for midnight mass(a tradition I have never missed, despite rarely going to church otherwise these days) and you could only open one present the night before if you went!  It meant celebrating with family, Kris Kringle's, lots of laughter, hugging, snowball fights(which in Florida simply means balled up wrapping paper) McDonald's gift cards, enough food to feed an Army, and truly realizing that our family was together because Christ made it possible, gave us a reason...I'm grateful for those memories and I cannot wait to create some with my own little family-I even found the same Advent calender that my Grandparents kept in their house for Lily to take part in! I'm just excited this year period. I can't wait to watch Lily open up presents and  continue the traditions started by generations earlier-I just know my Grandparents would be proud!

I LOVE Christmas music!!

I try not to be one of those obnoxious people that start a holiday two months in advance but man once December hits that is truly all I want to listen too! In particular, there are two songs that have always been my all time favorites...one is obvious because well, it is Bing freaking Crosby and the other is Josh Groban! Enjoy!

I LOVE Christmas Movies!!

My ABSOLUTE favorite is drum roll...White Christmas(which again should have been obvious! ) however, ELF is a close second and this is why!!

 I also love the classics Rudolph the Reindeer, Frosty etc, The Nightmare before Christmas and anything that comes on ABC family's 25 days of Christmas...actually I guess any Christmas movie will do! :)

I LOVE DECEMBER because:

It means Christmas is right around the corner, it means Birthday and Christmas parties, decorating/lighting Christmas trees, another batch of yummy food, gift-giving, the look on children's faces as they open those gifts!,Santa, cookies, FAMILY, friends and well the list could go on and on...I am just excited about this holiday because I have a daughter and a wonderful man in my life to start traditions with, create memories with and to me that is what makes December/Christmas so beautiful-the memories!

Things I love Thursday!!

While I did not get to watch the CMA's last night-damn campground and their lack of ABC...I did watch all the performances this morning and while they were all pretty great(minus Taylor Swift, I do love her songs but her live shows..the jury is out!) I have to give props to my favorite girls Miranda and Carrie!!

Oh and another Miranda video because I love this song(off her new album Four the Record=amazing btw)!

How is it that TSwift wins Entertainer of the Year over these two ridiculously talented females(not to mention the males in the category?) I do not get it..

I guess I will make this an all out CMA performance post

I love that the CMA's and the country music world bring all genres of music together..this year is no exception as Lionel Richie joined Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, and Rascal Flatts!! This was so awesome!



You will have to jump to 10:33 seconds to see it though! :)

Last but not least..I can not forget that it is almost the weekend and we have some pretty awesome guests coming to visit-Meg and Mickey!! YAY! -pictures to come shortly!!

-Enjoy your weekend!

Well hello, Monday!

We are back in Springfield after a little mini break last week-Chad flew to San Fran for a Men's Wearhouse/MRS business meeting, and Lily and I spent the week in Winston catching up with friends and fam! :) While I would normally be pretty jealous that Chad got to fly to San Fran-this time was all business...or mostly business, he did get to see NAPA(& fly first class)!! :( But don't you worry, I sent him out on a honeymoon scavenger hunt..you know for when we have one of those! lol

Anyways-I don't have much for today so I'll leave you with some of our little trick or treater..who at first was a little scared but as soon as she got the hang of it, watch out! :)

-From day to night..I think she was showing me a big stick or something! lol

                         

                   She was more scared of the pumpkin then the guy in the costume-too funny!

                                                             Getting the hang of it!

With Meme and Boppa

We had such a great time watching her, I can't believe how big she has gotten..my little/big 18month old! This holiday was so much fun-I can't imagine how much fun Christmas will be this year!! :)

Hope everyone has a great week!