White Christmas 12/25/10

I only remember some white Christmases growing up in Ohio. Alex's first trip to Ohio delivered a white Christmas. Alex had fun opening presents, playing with family, and checking out the snow. Alex is having fun with his new toys and playing with old toys that belonged to his dad, aunt, and uncles.

Traveling

Traveling with a toddler is an adventure, but our flights to Ohio went well. We made is smoothly through security, and then Alex enjoyed some rice and beans for lunch.

We were serenaded with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by one of the flight attendants when we landed in Dayton.

We had not been back in two years, so things are familiar and different all at once. We are staying with my brother who has a unique approach to baby-proofing.

We will see how the return trip goes!

Warm Christmas (Christmas Round 1)

I uploaded the pictures that I took on my brother's camera at our first Christmas celebration in San Antonio on December 19th. I was impressed with the photos from his Nikon (COOLPIX S360) camera.

Christmas Round 1

We had "Christmas Round 1" over the weekend with my family since my brother was in town. I have a few photos to share, but the rest are on my brother's camera. (I was having trouble with our camera while we opened presents, but it is fine now.)

We kept the decorations and dinner simple this year. The dogs begged for some ham, and Alex enjoyed the "scalloped" corn. Alex is enjoying new toys and books, and I have some new crafty toys. I am looking forward to the rest of our Christmas celebrations!

Daycare Confession

I was able to take 12 weeks off from work when I had Alex. Since I work at a university, people ask me if I have summers off. (No!) My office works with most of the new freshmen on campus, so summer is actually our busiest time of the year. June and July are busy but August is a blur. I went back to work at the end of May, and my goal was just to make it through that first summer of working and motherhood.

The good thing about summer is that we have the option to work a flex schedule with Friday afternoons off. I was so excited to pick up Alex early on my first Friday afternoon off. It was going to be great mommy and baby bonding time! Instead Alex slept the whole afternoon.

I found it difficult to have Alex in daycare the first year, even though he attends a wonderful on-campus center. Over time, it has become easier because of all he is learning. He really enjoys going to "school" most days.

As I type this post, I am off work and Alex is at daycare. The good thing is that I accomplished a lot around the house today, and I do not feel guilty.

Alex's Artwork

We recently received a bunch of Alex's artwork from daycare. I photographed things, and some items will make it into his scrapbook. Alex seems to enjoy coloring and art time. I was impressed with his stamping!

Meatballs

After moving to Texas, I discovered that I like the flavor combination of sweet and spicy (mmm... mole sauce). This worked in my favor when I needed a quick dish to take to the office Christmas potluck. I put about 30 pre-made turkey meatballs (yay Costco), 1 can of cranberry sauce and 1 jar of "Grilled Pineapple and Candied Jalapeno" sauce into the crock pot. It turned out better than I expected, and my co-workers and family enjoy the results of my experiment. I started with the recipe on the back on the cranberry sauce can but changed it up a bit.

Love This!

Kari Byron's Affirmations for a Working Mom
This is good to read since it is one of those weeks when both work and home feel like a mess.

Weekend Update

I did not take any picture this weekend... Things have been busy, and I was sick on Sunday. It is turning into a busy week, and I am looking forward to some time off later this month!

Edited: It turned out that I had bronchitis and was sick for a week! I am glad that I went to the doctor...