Brynlee's First Christmas and Such!

Now that I've had a nap from my last post...I can write about happy things! :) We are such an awesome Christmas this year! It was so much fun to have Brynlee here!! She LOVED all the wrapping paper...lol! Actually she really does love all her new toys! We really got spoiled this year and Brynlee definitely got spoiled by not only us, but both Grandparents really went overboard! We are so blessed to have such awesome families! We had 3 Christmas's this year! One at home with our little family...then we went to the Murphy's...and ended at the Packer's for dinner...Traveling in the snow wasn't my favorite but it was awesome to be with the people we love most! A few favorite Chirtsmas memories so I don't forget...Dressing Brynlee in "holiday" attire! One of my favorite onsies said,"All mommy wants for Christmas is a silent night!" Spending time with my husband...he never takes time off, but we got to spend 5 awesome days together! Teaching in young womens the Sunday before Christmas, feeling the spirit of Christ so strong all the girls were touched and truly feeling the real meaning of Christmas! Getting stuck in the snow in front of one of my Mia Maids house while dropping off treats to her. Being pushed out by her dad! lol! We really did have a wonderful Christmas, and are so blessed!!

Brynlee also turned 5 months old officially on the 20th....wanted to document a few things she now does!

*Rolls over from Tummy to Back
*Laughs hysterically...especially if everyone is laughing she thinks she needs to be laughing too!
*Understand Peek-A-Boo and loves it!
*Thinks the dog is hilarious! Wants to grab at her any chance she gets!
*Sleeps in her Crib
*Grabs your face, glasses, hair, phone, anything she can get her hands on!
*Loves rise cereal, and Oatmeal, applesauce, and bananas.
*Walks herself around in her walker in Grandma Packer's kitchen!
*Can almost sit up by herself
*She's very happy (when she doesn't have an ear infection!), loves to scream, laugh, and be were the action is!!
*Loves to go to the Mall and stroll around in her stroller looking at all the stuff!! :)
We love you Brynlee!!

Onto my last subject...my hair! I DID IT!! I went dark!! I'm actually LOVING it! It was quite the process of formulating things just right so it didn't turn out some funky color!! But in the end it turned out great! I don't know if I will go back blonde...this is SO much less maintenance!! Joe loves it and the funniest thing he said was one night while we were laying in bed was, "I feel like I"m having a affair sleeping in the same bed as a brunette!"lol At first Brynlee would Cry every time she looked at me, then I fed her, and she realized I still have the "goods" she's been fine ever since!! Anyways...Hope everyone has a very Happy New Year!! Goodbye 2008!!!

Brynlee's Presents from Santa and her Mom & Dad

Brynlee & Dad Laying in all the Wrapping Paper

She was so excited about the paper!!

Christmas Smiles!

This was the first step...had to "fill" my hair so I wouldn't turn green!! I don't think the carrot top orange look works for me!!haha

Not the greatest of pictures, but here is the end result!!! My camera sucks, and the lighting is horrible. It's not green looking like it looks here I promise!! :)

Need to Vent....

I really hate getting on here and complaining...but right now if I don't vent I'm afraid I might break down into uncontrollable tears!! I vent to the dog all the time...sure wish some days she would talk back! lol Brynlee has had an ear infection now for almost 2 weeks!! Took her in, ear infection, they gave me a prescription for it. 4 days later she seemed like it was getting worse. Took her back in and to no avail double ear infection the prescription wasn't even working!! Now she had to have shots. So we made a visit to the doctor every day but Christmas. As of Friday it was cleared up. Now it is Wednesday again and we were back to the doctor this morning with yet again ANOTHER ear infection!!! I feel so bad for the poor baby...but I also feel bad for myself. I haven't slept in 2 weeks and especially the last 3 nights I've been up every hour to every two hours with a crying baby. I seriously think I turn into this crazy emotional zombie when I get like this! It's amazing what not sleeping does to your body!! Is it too much to ask for a good night's sleep?? Man, being a mom can be really hard!! It's always worth it, but sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just want tubes put in her ears and I want to be done with this nonsence!! Sorry to just get on here and whine about my life right now! I will post happier things like Christmas and my hair when I'm not in such a rotten mood! :)

Christmas Card

Now that I have most my Christmas cards out I thought I would post how my Christmas card turned out! I did create it myself...so it turned out okay considering that! :) Also thought I would post some updated family pictures of my family. Our family just keeps getting bigger and bigger I love it!

Packer, Murphy, Stultz Family! :)

The Siblings! Look how out of place I look! haha I think I need to go dark to match!! They all use to be blonde...now I'm the outcast!

Tired of being blonde...what do you think?

Joe thinks I've lost my mind...but I am so tired of being blonde...I'm thinking of going dark!! I know, I never ever in a million years thought I would ever go dark, but I really need a change...and It is much easier for me to have one solid all over color and the blonde is way too high maintenance!! I'm doing it ever 3 weeks! Plus my hair would be healthier and GROW long again if it weren't so damaged... So take a look at this picture and tell my what you think..BE HONEST though! Don't so much look at the cut, but look at the color and my skin tone and everything... I think it makes me look more tan! Hmmmm....that would be pretty dramatic....but, I've been blonde for at least the past 3 years with really no change!!! It's TIME!!! :) Let me know what you all think!!

First Roll

So the other night Brynlee finally did it, she rolled over for her first time! She's not a huge tummy baby so now that she knows how to roll over I don't think she'll ever spend any time on her tummy! Unfortunately now that she does know how to roll over I think today she figured out how to roll out of her swing!!! I definitely get the worst mom award for that one!! I left there just for like 5 seconds so I could grab something in the kitchen and I didn't strap her in knowing I wouldn't be long and I hear this horrible screaming and find her on the floor under her swing! Scared me to death and I think it mostly just scared her too! Anyway, she is loving the fact she doesn't have to be on her tummy anymore...she just rolls herself over!! :)

Pretzel Tradition

It is becoming a yearly tradition to make chocolate covered pretzels with my best friend Amy! This year was no exception! :) We dipped pretzels for about 6 hours with the exception of taking breaks to feed Brynlee, change her, play with her etc... Towards the end I realized I could just hold her and use my "one handed mom abilities" to do two things at once! lol Brynlee did awesome and we dipped the whole 6lb. bag of pretzels. Not only did we dip them, we decorated them with sprinkles, drizzled other chocolate on top etc...so these are no ordinary chocolate covered pretzels!! It was alot of fun and I was proud of us...we really didn't eat that many during the process!! haha Now I have neighbor treats, co-workers, etc... Bring on Christmas!! I'm ready!! :)

Our Finished Product!

The Empty bag as proof, and Brynlee sacked out from the long day!

Sorry Amy, I know you weren't ready for the day and you'll hate this picture but I think it's cute!! :)

Why is my life so crazy??

Lately I don't know why my life has been SO crazy!! I never have time to sit and my computer and blog!! lol Joe thinks I'm addicted, but really, I just think it's fun, and it's kinda a stress relief for me! So since my life has been crazy this will be an update on the past week or so....to start off...

I SAW TWILIGHT!!! But, I have to say....I wasn't a huge fan!! It was good, but it wasn't great! I definitely like my version in my head WAY better than the movie! I have to say to, I think Edward is NOT hot in the movie....sorry, not my type! lol It was good though and I'm glad I saw it. Joe went with me and he said he liked it, he was actually asking what happens next??? I keep telling him we should read the books together becuase I would love to read them again...but no such luck!

On to Thanksgiving...we went to my parents house this year. We always alternate years between the families. We also do Thanksgiving with the Studebaker family who have been our close friends since before I was born. It was SO yummy! There was so much to choose from and everything was delicious!! I especially enjoyed this year becuase last year I was pregnant and throwing up so it wasn't very fun!! Thanks to my mom who cooked ALOT of the food, she did an awesome job!! Joe's favorite part of Thanksgiving was eating leftover pie for the past 5 days for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night snack!! haha What a werido, but I love him!

I was also able to go Black Friday shopping for the first time in a couple of years! Definitely one of my FAVORITE things!! I've always been in school so I was finally able to go with my mom again who loves to go also. I was up at 4 and in lineby 5!! My mom cracks me up because while we wait in line she makes friends with everyone. Knows their name, knows what they want to buy etc...it is hilarious! My favorite part is when they open the doors and people seriously run to wherever they want to go! Such an adrinaline rush! lol I did get a couple really good deals so it was totally worth being a zombie the rest of the day! I also found some awesome deals on "Cyber Monday"...I think Joe should take away all my cards becuase I am having WAY too much fun Christmas shopping this year!!

Brynlee's update is she no longer has her ear infection. But she is still not sleeping at night very well. We have also been trying to get her to sleep in her crib which is very sad for me...I'm such an emotional mom haha....we haven't had great success. I think the longest she has slept in her crib is 3 hours...I just hope by the time she is 5 months she will be able to sleep in her own room!! I'm really looking forward to the night when I can sleep longer than 3 hours at a time, I don't know how much longer I can survive on no sleep!! The things we do for our little ones....:)

Lastly....I promised Joe I wouldn't do pictures of Brynlee for Christmas. Okay...well actually I promised him I wouldn't buy a huge package. So I took her with the intensions of only using a coupon I had...but to no avail, I am a picture addict and I totally got suckered in by my adorable little baby!! How can you just choose ONE??? They are all way too cute!! I even didn't bring a second outfit becuase that of course would make me buy more. But Brynlee smiled in EVERY picture and I just could not resist!!! I really don't know what I will ever do with all the pictures I have. I try to scrapbook, but let's be honest....I do not have the time, especially when Brynlee wants to be held all the time!! She is such a mommy's girl!! But seriously I think the pictures turned out AWESOME and I tried a new place which I totally love and I am deifnitely going back, but I did promise my husband not until the end of Febuary!! haha He was mad at first, but then when he saw the pictures of course he melted and said he wouldn't have been able to choose one either!! She totally has both of us wrapped around her fingers!! I love her so much!!

Joe & I at Thanksgiving Dinner

Joe & Bryn

My Mom, the Thanksgiving Cook

First Tummy Picture I've got where she wasn't crying! :)

My absolute favorite picture....could you choose just one??? :)