Mother's Day - Part 1

I have the most amazing mother. That pretty much says it all...don't need many more details or descriptions...I simply have the most amazing mother. She is talented and kind and generous...just so wonderful. I am blessed to have her as a mother, a friend, a confidant and now, a really awesome Gramma!


We spent the day before Mother's day together, sans the boys and the baby. Just the two of us. We sat in traffic for an extra hour or so (thanks to the GPS) and then we got to the gardens and wandered around and  had lunch and just a really nice day out in the beautiful weather.

Bunny Day!--Part 1

Our first Easter in our new home, with our baby girl and my parents and the pugs, well it was really, really nice.

As an FYI, I am missing some photos because, Colorado being Colorado, it rained on Easter Sunday and I wasn't able to take Eva's pics in her Easter dress outside. I think this weekend will be nicer so I will do it then and update in "Part 2".

We woke up,  gave Eva her Easter gift from the bunny and then we got started preparing for our brunch.

Daddy and Eva...just waking up, bit are still sleepy!

Easter goodies...Eva can't eat chocolate, but apparently she needed a big ol' duckie!

I tried to dress up the pugs...Mot didn't care, but as you can see...when I tried to put the bunny ears on Peanut, it just wasn't gonna happen. 

This was attempt #1

And attempt #2

Then my parents got here and of course, they spoiled Eva rotten with all sorts of goodies...including a handmade dress and bonnet (of which I do not have a good picture of-of course)!!

 

We ate and ate and ate and then we went for a nice long walk and then we watched a movie while Eva napped, but we really just fell asleep. 

My Martha Stewart table that didn't look near as cool as Martha's magazine.

Bunny napkins. 

Coconut Macaroons

The buffet

Potatoes au Gratin 

Roasted Tomatoes 

Roasted Asparagus

Brown Sugar Basted Ham 

Huge A$$ cinnamon roll courtesy of my mother! 

DELICIOUS fruit salad...compliments of my father!

Even the pugs were worn out!!!

We hope everyone else had as wonderful and special of a day that we had!!! Happy Easter (belated)! 

St. Patrick's Day...my favorite day of the year...

...I love, love, love St. Patrick's day! I am not 100% Irish, but I fully embrace what little Irish blood I do have. My name is Erin afterall -- which means "Ireland" of course. It has forever been my dream to go to Ireland. I am still dreaming!!

This past weekend we had a little taste of the Emerald Isle when we took Eva to the St. Patrick's Day parade in Downtown Denver. We dolled up the baby in her best green attire and headed downtown, found a great spot near Coors Field and enjoyed the sights. Granted, it was 10 am and there were drunken folks wandering around the streets ...must have been tapping into the green beer already, but for the most part, it was good clean fun--a beautiful day, some bagpipes and Celtic dancers! So much fun!!!

It ain't a parade without a pug!

...and for all inquiring minds, next year for St. Patrick's Day, instead of going to the parade, we will be getting MARRIED!!!

An Amazing Holiday...

I am so blessed to say that we really had a wonderful and special 1st Christmas with Eva. I can't believe the holiday has come and gone so quickly! I love Christmas and I am very tempted to keep the holiday alive for several weeks to come. But it might be odd to decorate our Christmas tree with Valentine's Hearts!

Our Christmas started on Christmas Eve (which Drew has decided to rename "Christmas Eva"). Our little family spent the day together preparing for our yummy Christmas Eve dinner. One of the traditions that Drew had growing up was having a fondue dinner the night before Christmas. So we decided to do the same.

First though, we went to Christmas Eve mass with my parents and brother. My mom surprised us with a beautiful red and sparkly dress for Eva that she hand made. It was so pretty that Eva didn't even need a big red bow on her head to go with it! I just had to take her out in public with it on! And church seemed like a pretty good place to do it. Granted, by the time we got to the church, it was too full for us...we ended up in the church basement with all of the other late-comers, watching mass on a big screen--kind of weird if I do say so myself.

My pretty girl, in her pretty dress. She was done with the shoes!

Eva was getting tired here! Christmas is a lot of work!

After mass, my parents and brother came over. We enjoyed a huge meal-cheese and bread and veggies and fruit and ham and wine--all sorts of goodies. I was soooo full. We started a new tradition of reading a letter to Santa and then hanging a key on the tree so Santa can use the door instead of the chimney--apparently it is cleaner and there is a greater chance of getting more gifts!

Then, Eva was all tuckered out...we opened her 1st Christmas present, new Christmas pjs and put her to bed. Down she went without a problem!

The rest of us stayed up with some hot coffee and watched Elf..."I love syrup!!!" Then we opened our 1st gifts...Christmas pjs...and everyone went home, I went to bed and Drew stayed up, preparing my surprise!

Christmas morning was spent opening gifts...we gave Eva a couple, but she was really more excited about the wrapping paper. Then I opened my jewelry box. One that I have been wanting for awhile! It is a cabinet kind that you hang up, with places for pictures on the front. Drew had written me a letter on the front in all of the different openings. And at the bottom, it told me to open the door...

...I was thinking, "oh my God, this is it..." but when I opened the door, there wasn't a ring, there was a card. I was already crying because Drew has a way with words, I opened the card and read his letter...more tears. At the bottom of the letter it said "I've heard somewhere that for good luck you should try kissing the bare baby Buddha belly," which is what we call Eva's belly. I knew right then what was happening...more tears! Drew was holding Eva, I unsnapped her Christmas pjs and tied around her neck on a red ribbon, was a diamond ring and a little white note that simply said "Will you marry my Daddy?"...yes, more tears! It was so awesome.

So with all of the teasing that Drew has endured, he held up his end of the bargain that he had with Michelle...one of my oldest and closet friends. They said, if she got pregnant, he would ask me to marry him. Well she got pregnant (I am sooooo excited) and he asked me to marry him.

We didn't tell anyone until we headed up to my parents for the rest of the day. Mom cried, Dad hugged...it was an around special moment. Then we made all of the calls to the rest of our friends and family!

We spent the rest of the day opening presents, enjoying the Christmas tree and big feast that Dad prepared for dinner. We were all spoiled rotten! Eva was a trooper...was cheerful, smiley and happy...in between her long naps! The only thing we were missing was the rest of the family...Drew's dad and sisters, and Jen, Brian and Sam, but they were with us in spirit!

All 3 boys in their new shirts!

Peanut is investigating the presents.

Eva's 1st candy cane.

This is the really, really great blanket that Auntie Jen knitted for Eva, (she was napping when we opened it.)

Gramma opening her picture of Eva.

Eva and Daddy in their matching Sock Monkey hats.

Motley is helping Grampa make dinner.

What a wonderful and memorable holiday. We have so much to be thankful for! Thank you to everyone for making this holiday so SPECIAL. I hope everyone enjoyed their day as much as we did!!!