Katie Visiting Santa

Katie was very excited to see Santa this year and tell him what's on her list. It's a good thing she didn't tell him everything she has said she wants or we'd be there a week! Gotta love the inundation of toy commercials that follows Dora and Diego shows. She asks me at least 10 times a day if she can put some new item on her Christmas list. I keep telling her she can put anything on the list that she wants but that Santa will only be able to bring her some of the stuff, not all of it. She said "oh, I know... he'll just bring me all of the things I want!", which to her is everything on the list!

Last year, for comparison.

'Tis the Season

We decided since it was a nice day today that we'd get the Christmas decorations put up outside. Maddie was here too so she was a great help getting the decorations up and keeping Katie entertained while Joseph and I took care of the "adult assembly required" parts. Katie took a bunch of pics of us decorating and of the decorations too.

Katie and Maddie holding the tether strings while Joseph gets the stakes ready.

Katie going at it alone. Looks like Frosty's about to take her out!

Maddie out for a ride

Looking cute with 'her' scarf and hat

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Joseph's favorite decoration!

Frosty standing tall and proud, and straight now too.

Our Lighting Tech"Johnny & the Sprites Lights"
(Don't ask! That's what Katie keeps calling them for some reason!
It's a show on Disney Playhouse.)

After a little inside break to warm up, and a wardrobe change, Katie was ready to go back outside.

And take one last picture... Our newest blow-up!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well really, happy birthday Steve since that's the only 2 pictures I took from the day. Surprising since we were at three different houses that day! He should feel so special, LOL.

A cake for MEEEEEEE????

Making a wish

You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here...

Said the dry dock company to the Miriam! Finally after just shy of 6 weeks in dry dock, the boat was ready to hit the water again and was sent on her merry way.

Finishing Touches

Letting the lines go

Almost free

A little help from Cadell's mini-tug

See ya in a few years!

Happy Birthday, Poppy!

We went to Poppy and Rudy's house tonight for dinner and to celebrate Poppy's birthday, and Amy's (belated) birthday too! I forgot the candles, oops!, so wait until you see the candle we had! LOL

The itsy bitsy candle!

Blowing out the candle. It took that many people to blow out that monster, LOL

Katie took this pic of me. I like the 'halo' around my head! I'm such an angel, :-)Katie enjoying the yummy cake and some ice cream

Katie and Maddie's Christmas Pics

Continuing our tradition of getting the girls pictures taken every year in their Christmas morning PJs, we went to Portrait Innovations today and THREE hours later, we were FINALLY finished. It was a big hectic mess there but Katie and Maddie hung in and were good sports about the waiting and confusion.

These are the unedited files from the studio. Just a sampling of the ones I like though, don't think you want to be bored with all 128 pictures, LOL. However if you do want to see them all, click here.

Two New Posts on 11/8

Look below Bubba's ultrasound on 11/10 for 2 new posts. :-)

Dry Dock

Joseph's boat has been in dry dock for 6 weeks now getting repaired and refurbished. Every couple of years each boat in the fleet goes out of the water for an overhaul and 'freshening up'. Apparently this time the Miriam was in dire need of her make-over because she's been out for longer than expected. The end is near though... Joseph thinks they'll be back in the water on Monday.

At first it was a nice change of pace from their usual schedule but now Joseph is bored out of his mind because it's been cold and they haven't been able to do much work outside. He has officially 'reached the end of the internet'. The nice thing though is that since they are only working days, we've been able to have a few bonus nights with Joseph home and a couple of times we met 1/2 way for a dinner rendezvous with Daddy, which Katie really enjoyed, :-)

The other day his crew took some pictures under the hull of the boat and it's pretty cool to see just how big it really is. When the boat's in the water, you can't really appreciate the full size!

The Crew: Vinnie, Joseph, Brad, Carl, and Kevin
(Hope they don't mind being blogged!)

What you usually see from the surface

What the fishies see, LOL

Hanging out down below

Joseph under one of the propellers

The underside view from the front

Taking care of repairs
(Dry dock workers, not Joseph's crew)

Carl and Kevin

We're still working on the dining room but it's very close to being finished. Joseph put up the insulation before Disney and filled in all of the cracks with foam last time he was home. Last week Poppy came and put up the drywall to seal everything up so all that's left is to tape, sand, and paint. It probably won't be completely finished until after the holidays though because once I put up the Christmas tree and decorations, no sanding! It'd take forever to get the drywall dust out of the artificial tree!

I definitely want to get the living room and dining room painted before the baby gets here but I think the floor refinishing will have to wait until after the kitchen is finished (now slated for the spring). After that, we'll take a little remodeling break because it seems like we've had back to back to back projects over the past 4-5 years. Ok, I say that now but I'm sure it won't be long until we've moved on to the next project!

23 Week Ultrasound

Everything looks great! Bubba is still definitely a boy and he's measuring a couple of days ahead.

You want a knuckle sandwich?

Profile, head on left

Joseph said it looked like he was doing the 'can can' dance in there!

Profile, head on right and leg/knee bent on left

Foot from the bottom