Wait a Minute....

Where did Christmas go?!  I have never much cared for the week between Christmas and the New Year.  It's so sad to put away all of my holiday decorations, although this year even those were scarce, due to a certain baby lovingly known as EK.  It never seems like I get everything done that I wanted to do, and it just puts me in a real funk.  Add Pinterest into the mix, and I am sure I will always be left with this feeling. There is just entirely too much to do, and not enough time!

Anyway, enough with the blues. I was inspired by Ella Kate's future mother-in-law, Molly, to point out all of the things I totally meant to do this Holiday season.  Then, I'll show you a few of the highlights from the McCasland Family Christmas!

My "Meant to Do" project #1  was a set of trees for the front porch. These are made out of tomato cages, which are turned upside down and decorated with plain garland and lights. It's hard to find tomato cages in the winter, so the dead mums remain in my planters. 

Meant to Do #2:  I wanted to make a stocking holder similar to this one for our living room. We do not have a fireplace or mantle in our shop house, so I really -really- need to do this next year. 

Meant to Do #3:  I meant to frame this picture. It would be so adorable on the shelf over our TV.

So, there you have it. The few things that did not get accomplished, leaving me feeling like a Christmas failure. 

Despite the few things I didn't do- I DID take a lot of great pictures on Christmas. 

This is my favorite picture from Christmas Eve.

This  little girl got a huge new wagon !

Ryan, EK and I also became the proud parents of two unbelievably cute, fluffy, spoiled Golden Retriever puppies.  We have learned that we are totally not Dachshund people, and will probably forever be Golden people.

I plan to be a lot better at getting things done in 2012. Now I just have to figure out a plan.

Happy 11 Months, EK!!

I can't believe that we will be celebrating this little booger's 1st birthday in only one short month. Where has time gone?

We've definitely had a fun time getting to this point. I've seen more personality out of that baby in the last month than I've probably ever seen in another baby. She is a nut, and I say that as lovingly as possible.

She finally said "Mama". It was totally time, my feelings were beginning to be hurt that she adored her daddy so, and I was left in the nameless cold. Just the other day, EK *almost* said "I love you."  It's more of "Iblbubu", but it's close enough to be incredibly sweet.

I hope that she knows I am not always a crazy woman, flying by the seat of my pants. I really hope she hasn't noticed how off I have been lately with the dogs being gone. I need to snap out of it, before she does realize it!

We are up to 8 teeth, and finally made it to our 9 month check up with Dr. Porter. It's better late than never, right?  She had her blood draw out of her arm like a grownup, and didn't even cry. That's right, not a single tear. She knows her mom is a bad-ass nurse and doesn't stand for such things... right?... Oh yeah, she also got her first real scar. It's awesome, and caused by her very own fingernail.

EK has  a lot coming up in the next month- Santa Claus, Christmas, birthday planning, and a few days off with me. I can't wait to see her on her very first Christmas.

Happy 11 months, sweet girl.

Taking the Words Right Out of My Mouth (or head).

Do you ever have one of those feelings that you just can't quite explain, only to find the perfect explanation was written by someone else?

I have a friend/ fellow mom  to a 10 month old little girl, Kayse, who, just today, posted on her blog about how she has been dealing with hard times. I just thought to myself, "Oh my gosh- this is what I needed".  

I think it is totally normal to get down on yourself. My house is rarely spotless, and there never fails to be a dirty dish lying around in the sink. I never feel quite as cute as I did before the whole pregnancy/birth thing. It's easy to think of what I would be able to accomplish if I did not have to leave EK with my mother in law and grandmother in law every day, the things I could accomplish if I just stayed home with her. In my head, we would cook a gourmet dinner every day, make crafts and have the perfectly decorated house.
 
In all reality, I wouldn't accomplish crap. We would probably struggle to get by.  I can't cook to save my life. We wouldn't be able to enjoy things that we do now. I wouldn't be able to make things for a clingy baby hanging onto my leg. I would be bored, and probably ready to hand EK off to anyone who showed up.

Despite the dogs being gone, and feeling like I don't have time to enjoy the gorgeous Christmas season, I have a precious husband who tries his hardest to keep me happy. That's a tricky task from time to time. And even though she drives me absolutely insane with her needy crying, EK cries because she loves me, and wants to be with me every.single.minute.

Kayse hit me with this in her blog post:

" I have to make a choice.  Let the little blessings get overshadowed by the hard, or see them for what they are: gifts from a Father who sees my struggle and loves me through it.  They are subtle messages that remind me that He is here, even when I am too overwhelmed and sidetracked to feel Him."


So, we carry on with our picture perfect life as a family, even if it isn't always what we picture. 


Thanks for saying what I needed to say, Kayse! 


Please visit Finding Hope blog!

If you just really wanted to shop for me...

I have the hardest time finding an answer when someone says "What do you want for... (birthday, Christmas, anniversary)?" I'm not sure what I find so difficult about answering, but my usual reply is "I don't need anything."

The good part is that statement is so true. There is nothing in this world that I need, other than my family, my job, the roof over my head and the food I eat. 

It is fun to do a little "me" shopping from time to time- I never go anywhere anymore without picking up a cute outfit, hairbow, or little something for EK. I compiled my list of pure wants, and here they are for your enjoyment. (Maybe Ryan will see this, too.)

1- Vera Bradley "Go Round" Tote - Would be a great bag for EK! -Fan Fare Gifts

2.Nissan "Z" Coupe (a girl can dream, right?)

3. Sanuk "I'm Game" Slip Ons- Dillards

4. Birthday Blooms Turquoise Charm ( I don't care that my birthday isn't in December… it's cute!)

5. Long, striped boot socks. I don't have a clue where these came from, but I like them.

6. Hoover WindTunnel T-SeriesPet Rewind Plus  (Thank you Granny for my early gift!)


7. Conair Infinity "YouCurl"- Maybe, just maybe, my hair would look decent... I could only hope!






                I want to know, if you could have anything- What would you want for Christmas?

I PROMISE I never cried like this.

I've been a complete, senseless, emotional wreck lately. I cry over the smallest things. Yesterday, though, I cried over a huge thing!
My very best friend had her little girl, Lilly, who I am certain will be Ella Kate's very best friend.  We have all been anxiously awaiting this little girl's arrival. And boy, did she take her time! I didn't think she would ever show up. The minute I got the text that she was here, I cried. Like a big baby. I didn't even cry when EK was born  (ok, maybe just a little when the boob Nazi attacked me for starving my kid), so I really don't know what's up.  It's for sure, 100% not baby fever. Been there, done that, got the (20) t-shirts.

I just know that I am beyond excited for that baby to be here, and I can not contain it!

The Big Empty

Ummm.... so I didn't really plan to be away from my blog for a few weeks. I haven't been on any spectacular vacation, no new babies, no awesome new projects nothing very exciting at all.

I just haven't been in the mood.

I haven't been in the mood for friends, I haven't been in the mood to look at retarded Facebook messages about things that are better left for private life, and I haven't been in the mood to do much of anything but hang out with Ryan , EK and the rest of my family.

Oh, and look for our lost puppies.

Hank and Wylie are missing... they've been gone for 9 days. They were home when I left for work on Black Friday... when I came home, Ryan said he hadn't seen them all day. Charlie was still home. We are unsure if they were taken, shot, or killed by another animals. 

What we are sure of is that we miss those dogs with every ounce of human that we are. 

I've driven every mile of county road in our area. I've called all the local shelters. I've talked to strangers, neighbors, and people from 50 miles away who think they may have my missing babies. I've advertised in 3 papers, online, on Facebook, my mother in law has called the radio to have it broadcast. Yesterday, Ryan, my mother and sister in law, and I drove almost 3 hours to see if they had been carried to Canton for sale. 

Hank and Wylie were nowhere to be found.

I cannot explain the hole in my heart. I miss looking into the big brown eyes of Wylie and telling him all about my day... I miss how he loved EK and how he would let her "pet" him with only her index finger. I miss having my Hank there, always ready for a big hug or a ball to be tossed. 

I know that things could be a lot worse.

I am so thankful for a healthy, happy family. My husband and little girl keep me entertained, and I know this will get better. We adopted a new little dog, Shelby, yesterday. We really thought Charlie would like to have a new companion. He has been so lonely without his buddies. We are all still in the process of getting acquainted, but I think things are going well so far. Ryan and I are not giving up hope on finding our boys.

I really just wanted to say that I am still here.

"You think dogs will not be in Heaven? I tell you, they'll be there before any of us." -Robert Louis