These are a Few of My Favorite Things

I am watching Sound of Music Live right now, the beginning with all the nuns. Carrie Underwood should stick to singing, not acting. But I love musicals. And I'm excited to watch again tomorrow with Amelia. She is my sidekick in all things musicals, holiday specials, every tradition that goes along with Christmas.

Here are my favorite things right now:

The Book Thief I got together with a few friends for a girls night out to see The Book Thief. It has been my favorite book since I read it maybe 5 years ago. And the movie was spectacular. The characters were spot on, and they developed the characters so well and made them so easy to fall in love with, just like in the book. And Liesel and her eyes, those are my Maya's eyes. I had a little glimpse of what Maya might look like at 13 years old.

(Random picture from IMDB, she is beautiful in the movie. But her eyes really look like Maya's in this picture. She's maybe 8 here?)

Christmas Shopping Juan and I don't agree on Christmas gifts. He thinks they should have 3 gifts each, ones they really love. I remember opening a lot of presents on Christmas and I loved it, like 8+, but not expensive, just really simple gifts. I find myself going a bit overboard this Christmas and spending too much money and next year I need to find a happy medium between Juan and me.

Amelia's new coat From Old Navy. I am obsessed. It is a light coat which is all we need in Texas and big on her which means it should last through next year. It is the most adorable piece of clothing I have ever purchased for her.

Hands in pockets. It is just adorable. It is a super soft denim. The lining of the hood is polka dotted.

The Mindy Project I just started watching this season. And it doesn't get great ratings so maybe it won't last past this season, but I laugh out loud every time. I love Mindy Kaling, she has the best humor. And this last episode where Danny made up a dance for his secret santa gift so he didn't have to spend money, best ever. 

Girls Nights Out I have the best friends. They even keep moving away on me, Andrea, Steph, Lindsey, Jaymie. And even still, I have a great group of friends, really solid girl friends that I have the best time with. I love our movie nights or dinners out. They are the best.

Juanuary This is for real people. The new Bachelor is Juan Pablo, and being a long time Bachelor fan (tv show for those of you not following) I am of course going to watch. But I also have a husband named Juan, and Bachelor is pulling all the stops and promoting their January premiere by calling it Juanuary. I love it. We are going to celebrate my Juan all January too, it is only meant to be. And he is pretty great.

Juan Pablo. Who's watching with me?

And my husband. Look how proud he is of his 3rd annual turkey masterpiece.

And now for a picture dump:

For Thanksgiving we hosted 6 couple friends. We loved it.

Texas Santa!

Maya in a hair bow!

Group Tummy Time.

The love of my life. 

Along with these girls too.

And yes this post is getting ridiculously long, but you have to watch this video of Maya singing Jingle Bells. Right in the middle, she says my favorite thing ever: Let me sing it! in perfect Maya fashion. She is hilarious.

It's the Holiday Season

Two things are making me feel very grown up this year (none of which are that I have 3 children, that has yet to sink in):

#1 We have a big, full, pre-lit tree this year! After squeezing 7 years out of our $14 tree from Walmart, we got a new Christmas tree for our house. I am in love with it.

#2 I bit the bullet and bought stocking holders. They are expensive! Especially when Juan says we could just go grab some rocks from outside instead. I love how they look on my mantle.

These girls play with these snowmen like they are the 4 musketeers. They're not meant to be played with, but why not?

 We spend most our days in pjs over here. Getting dressed and ready around 4 pm. Amelia got this picture of Maya.

 Oscar chilled while we set up the tree.

 

We've had a few days of cold-for-Texas weather (39 was the high, say what?). So we have been inside a lot. But Christmas has livened home up for us! Christmas movies, books, music, cookies. Love.

And for those who missed it on Facebook, my friend Kasee took some fun pictures of Oscar and the fam on Saturday. I love them.

Stepping Out

I have had an awesome recovery so far and have been getting out of the house a lot! And I think getting out has been what has kept me so happy and upbeat. With the girls, I was very weepy and cried over everything. I discovered with Amelia that if I got out of the house each day, even if it was just to walk around Target for 15 minutes, then I wouldn't feel so down and wouldn't cry every second. 

I went to cooking club last week, then on Friday we took a family trip to Austin's very own Wildlife Preserve. This was really really awesome. We drove through the property and animals would come right up to the car and we could feed them. We saw Zebras and Deer and Wildebeests and Ostriches. Right up in our faces! They also had giraffes and monkeys and a petting zoo with all these goats. It was an awesome experience, even if it ended up being a 10 hour day when Oscar was only 8 days old. Yikes.

Sunday we got out to a work party and left the girls at home with my parents. And tomorrow I am going out to a girl's night! I am glad I am feeling so good, I wouldn't want to miss all these fun things. Tomorrow will be a little sad, it is a farewell dinner for my dear friend Steph who is moving to Utah. We are really going to miss Steph and Cam, and the girls are really going to miss their best friend Andy. Boo. I don't want to think about it. 

Onto pictures.

 The girls loving their brother. Maya has really warmed up to him and it's almost like she forgets about him, then she'll see him lying on the couch and gasp and say Oscar! and run over to hug him.

 I take a hundred pictures a day. All for this money shot. Can you believe the cuteness?

 The girls helping grandpa make Apple Pie. Amelia has been talking about baking a pie with grandma and grandpa ever since we read an Amelia Bedelia book about it a few months ago. She loved it.

 And our trip to the Wildlife Preserves. Oscar was a champ in the car, they all were.

 Maya's excitement, and what she was looking at (below).

 First family picture. 

 Petting zoo. Maya was obsessed. Amelia quickly learned that the black one was mean, and therefore spent most the time watching from behind the gate.

Oscar is spending more and more time awake! The first 10 days of his life, he had maybe 2 hours of wake time total outside of eating.

And tomorrow we say good bye to Grandma and Grandpa. They have been so much help and who knows how I'll survive without them! I spend all my time taking care of 3 kids, who has time to make dinner and do dishes and clean? Yikes.