Did I Tell Y'all We Went to Panama City??

So, yeah...I'm just a little behind on blogging.  My life has been a whirlwind since this past May.  We moved back to Alabama, I started a new job, we bought a house...the list goes on and on and on...

My family usually always vacations together.  Our favorite thing to do is to vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida.  We are familiar with the area, the beaches are absolutely beautiful, and we have a wonderful resort that we love to stay at.  We almost always go the week of mine and Josh's anniversary and Josh's birthday.

We loaded up and took all three of our munchkins.   My extended family got to go with us this year.  My Aunt, Uncle, 3 of my cousins and their kids all came along for the trip.  It was so much fun.  I wish we could travel together every year!  The more the merrier!

Eli absolutely loved the huge pool there.  I was afraid he would be less than thrilled since we have a pool, but he loved the steps at the entrance of the pool.  He would step off and kind of roll around in the water.  His little giggle just cracks me up.  We attempted to try the ocean and Eli was not having it.  He hated the ocean, he hated the sand, he hated everything about it.  Maybe next time...

One of the highlights of the trip was going to Pier Park and visiting the shops and restaurants there.  It is such a pretty place.  So much to do and see.  We love the Miracle Strip Amusement Park.  They have a huge Ferris Wheel, a Scrambler, Sea Dragon ride and much more!  I always feel like a kid when I go there!  I run to get in line and get sad when it's time to leave!  I'm really a kid at heart...not a 30 year old!

We spent most days just lounging by the pool.  The kids were really good.  We took shifts staying in the room with them at nap time or either they would nap in the strollers under an umbrella with that awesome ocean breeze blowing.  I can just smell that salty air now.  Nothing like it.  At night, we either went out to eat or hung around the condo.  Actually, I love hanging at the condo the best.  One of the nights, all the girls gathered at our place and we had wine and played board games.  It was quite hilarious!  My husband was just shaking his head at all of us!  He just doesn't understand what fun really is!  Ha!

My Mom watched Eli on the night of our 7 year wedding anniversary.  That was really our first night out alone since Eli was born.  We ate at Montego Bay Seafood Restaurant and then went to the arcade (again, we are kids at heart!)  It was just nice to have a night out alone.  2 days later, we celebrated Josh's 33rd birthday!  I picked up a Publix Cheesecake (yum) and we celebrated before hitting up the pool for some sun bathing.

Can't wait to get back to the beach this summer!  Always lots of fun memories made!

Peyton (niece) Ella (Cousin) Eli (my baby) Elise (Cousin) Ezra (Nephew)

Ezra was teething just a little!  LOL!

Ezra and GaGa

Elise

Unc Daddy's 33rd Birthday!

Check Josh and Lorrie on the third row from the top!

My sweet baby sister, Lorrie

Peyton's apron from Aunt Sherry!

Ella

Love my boys!

Love my family!

My first baby!

How About Another Christmas Recap?

This Christmas was just wonderful!  For the past several years, we have lived out of state and getting home for the holidays was always an adventure.  Christmas of 2012, we got bumped about 4 times from our flight.  My Mom had to come and get us from Birmingham airport because we were on stand-by and didn't make the cut.  The next morning, we were on stand-by again.   We finally made it to Atlanta and we got bumped 2 more times.  After spending all day in airports with a 6 month old, we finally got a flight to Fayetteville, Arkansas and rented a car to drive the rest of the way home to Tulsa.  It was stressful and crazy and NOT a whole lot of fun!

This year, we hosted Christmas with my family the weekend before Christmas.  We didn't have to drive 12 hours to attend.  We didn't have to fight lines in an airport.  It was fantastic!  I did not stress about the party.  My decorating was done back in November, so I really had nothing to do besides clean a little and do a few last minute things.  Not all of our family was able to attend, but we still had a great time.  Lots of laughter, eating and fellowship.  Sounds like the perfect party to me!

Christmas Morning was so much fun.  Eli didn't really know what was going on, but he did say, "Ho Ho Ho" a lot!  When he woke up, we told him that Santa had brought him prizes...his little eyes lit up and he had the biggest grin on his face!  Daddy led him to the living room and the first thing he did was go for the tool bench!  Like father, like son!  He definitely loves tools like his daddy!  He picked up the drill and went to his tricycle and started drilling the screws in the seat.  The boy is a genius, I tell you!

Santa brought him the tool bench, a basketball goal, a T-Ball set, a Radio Flyer tricycle, a lego table, wooden blocks, lots of books and movies.  We enjoyed getting to stay at home and play with all his new toys. No traveling on Christmas Day.  Just us in our PJ's enjoying the day napping and watching movies!  My family came by for a while to check out what Santa brought Eli and we cooked pigs in a blanket and cinnamon rolls.  It was so yummy.  I could eat my weight in pigs in a blanket!

Santa brought Daddy a new Xbox One console and he brought Mommy a new Mac Computer.  I was very shocked and so excited for my new computer!  It was very much needed!  I can actually blog now!

Christmas 2014 is one to be remembered.  It was our first year back home.  Our first year in our new house.  Our 2nd Christmas with our precious Eli.  Many precious memories were made.  Such a fantastic Christmas!

Sweet Ella 

Sweet Cousins!  Peyton is their "Mommy"

Christmas Recap (only a month late)

Christmas was awesome this year.  Eli was in his first Christmas Play at daycare.  It was precious.  He basically stood on stage like a deer in headlights...no movement, no singing, he just stared.  It was quite hilarious!  After we got him off stage, he danced, twirled and sang...go figure!

We celebrated Christmas with my Mom's side of the family the Saturday before Christmas.  I actually hosted this year and it was so much fun!  Santa stopped by and we had food for days.  We celebrated with Josh's family Monday night before Christmas.  We had so much fun with both families.  We opted to stay home on Christmas Day.  I always hated having to go out and leave my new toys when I was younger.  My family came by to check out what Santa brought for Eli and we had a nice little breakfast of cinnamon rolls and pigs in a blanket.  So good!

Eli is on the far right...he didn't change positions the whole time!  

After we got him off stage...he was showing out!

Beautiful Peyton came to watch her cousin's play

Eli and GaGa (my mom)

Eli and Hayden (Eli's girlfriend!) lol

T and Ezra

My house was a complete wreck after all the partying, but I wouldn't have it any other way!  It was so much fun and actually, I didn't stress about hosting the party.  It was just a fun gathering of all the people that I love.  Looking forward to all the future Christmas memories that we will make.  It's a Beautiful Life!

I'm Jumping on the Advocare Train

Well, I've decided to jump start my weight loss by giving advocare herbal cleanse a try. I've seen a lot of people have great results from it.  I just ordered and it should be here the 24th for a tentative start date of January 27th. Anyone want to do it with me!  It's always better to have support :)

I also joined something called The Fresh 20. I'm very excited about this!  Basically, they email you 5 days worth of meals that are clean/ healthy. They all use only 20 ingredients all together. They email you a shopping list. It's a no brainer!  No excuses to not eat healthy. They make it so easy to follow. I will do a complete review after I begin.  It's super cheap too. I signed up for 3 months and it was $18. Totally doable for most any income!  I really want to teach Eli healthy eating habits. After all, we should eat to live not live to eat!!  Tired of being tired and feeling bloated and swollen. It's time to get healthy again!  Summer is coming ;)

Anyone want to join the herbal cleanse fun???

Anyone want more info on the fresh 20?  

Have a Happy Monday!