Ho, Ho, Ho

<<<<<< Because I've had a few of you ask, Josie's link to her Amazon.com Christmas wishlist is over on the left.

Shutterfly Updates

LOL - Even though I'll be behind again the second that the clock strikes midnight, at this moment I'm all caught up on Josie's shutterfly collection and just got her September & October albums posted.  (I'll try to get November done in the next for days since this month ends in a few hours.)  Her Shutterfly collection is:   www.josiemarie.shutterfly.com

Polar Explosion

On Saturday we came back to Cincinnati so we could go to the kick-off of Fountain Square's holiday season - called the "Polar Explosion."  We're having SO much fun doing all of this fun holiday stuff with J and it's not even December yet!  Here are some photos from Saturday (which also served the purpose to trying to get her less freaked-out about fireworks since they'll be exploding in our backyard for the next five weekends).

Dinner at McCormick and Schmicks before hand - we were so proud of Josie who wanted the crabcake instead of the grilled cheese:

 

The view from our table. We really do love our city!

 

Josie's "get down girl" pose -

 

 Nervously watching the fireworks -

Getting more anxious, she turned to me and asked "Is this going to be over any second?!" - 

 

And that's when we went and hid inside of Graeters so we could see all the fun without hearing it. 


Now, for your viewing pleasure... here is Josie entertaining the crowd before the show. Enjoy!

"She's crafty"

Playing with Josie is always a blast, but it's also so much fun to sit back and watch her get involved in something all on her own.  These are a couple of photos a while after we finished a little homemade Christmas tree project. Josie went back to the table and got back to work with the ribbon.  90% of the time I have no idea what her little brain is thinking, but I love that it keeps her so busy.

Posin' & Phishin'

We've got some catching up to do before we get to Thanksgiving. Here is Josie posing for the camera in her phishy-best the week that Louie & I went to the Phish shows here in Cincy. (And a big special thanks to her Granddaddy who bought her a Phish t-shirt at "their last show" back in Vermont all those years ago before we were even pregnant, because he knew one day he'd have a little "grand-be-bep" who would wear it!)

And just for fun, here is Louie & I at Saturday's show (whew, still recovering from that exhausting but incredibly fun weekend)!

Quick Quote

We have lots of catching up to do after Thanksgiving weekend in Xenia, but I had to share this quick quote from Josie last night. We had no idea she would catch on so quickly that you tell Santa really important things.

Josie...before walking out the door to Fountain Square's holiday season kick-off:   "When I see Santa, I will tell him...Hey Santa...look...I have tights on under my jeans!"

Josie's first words to me this morning, rolling over, putting her forehead against mine & wrapping her arms completely wrapped around my neck...

"You are my beauty, Mommy."

Fingerpainting Fun

Here are some photos from a recent afternoon with Fingerpaints. We've come a looooong way since she thought even a dot of paint on her fingertip was gross (hence I did nothing to discourage this gigantic mess). Enjoy!

And a quick video capturing the fun -

We heart Madison (Part Three)

The weekend in Madison was quickly coming to a close and it was time for us to all say goodbye and hit the road back to Cincinnati. We all wandered down to the beach and that ten minutes or so yielded my favorite photos of the whole weekend. Follow along & enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Yes, they did decide to make a run for it!)

 

 

We heart Madison (Part Two)

Here are the photos from our trip to Governor Nelson park just outside of Madison.  I think Josie's quote says it best - "A lake and a forest and a park- what?!"  Yep, this park had it all & really made for a beautiful day! We all played, and explored, and hiked, and talked and enjoyed just catching up and being together!

 

 

 

 

Josie definitely followed Ronan's lead right into the trees (and only said "ewww" once)...

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Our little treehuggers...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love at first sight? I think so.  

(Although not sure who was more fun to watch - Josie & Ronan or Molly & Dave.)