Family Photo
About Us
- Marijanna and Shaun
- We met over 8 years ago at church as Shaun was walking in and I was walking out. The few words exchanged sparked an interst that kept Shaun coming back. When we FINALLY began dating 4 years later we soon knew there was something special here. Our first year quickly flew by and we both decided we never wanted to spend another year with anyone else or without each other. We married in the place where it all began on January 1, 2011 (1/1/11) and gave birth to our beautiful daughter Ava Marie on September 22, 2011 our next little one, Clara Rose came 16 months later on February 11, 2013. This blog began with our preparation with our wedding and has entered into recording the days and events of our newlywed life and new motherhood.
The Happy Couple...
Ava Marie
Clara Rose
Gabriel's ticker
Twins ticker
Monday, December 24, 2012
More gifts...
Ava also recieved this super cute outfit from her Grama yesterday and this cool "Zoo" toy. She is SOooo into "Zoo Animal" noises right now and as you can see is excited and dancing and making Elephant and Lion noises (& hippo faces). She's been playing with it all day (in her new duds). Thank you Grama, Uncle Paul and Auntie Crystal (& cousins). She's having a blast with it!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Christmas at Grama's!
Today we headed after Mass over the river and through the woods to Grama's house (Shaun's Mum) for her annual pre-Christmas "Christmas Celebration".
It was lovely as always. Shaun's Mum is such an amazing woman and boy am I telling you... I totally lucked out in the Mother in Law area! She has welcomed me into the family with such open arms and heart from the very beginning and has been a gift ever since.
She put out an amazing spread with tons of homemade hors d' oeuvres, delicious desserts and a scrumptious belly busting main meal. I was SO full by the end of it (and so was Ava who could not get enough of what was on my plate!)
It was wonderful to see cousins and sisters and brothers and aunts and uncles. Ava just loves visiting and spending time with everyone. The family splits up the gifts for the littles and I don't know who was more excited about her gift, Ava or her godmother "Auntie Mary". She recieved great gifts from everyone and will be getting tons of use out of them, but this one in particular she was glued to.
Her pink Minnie mouse shopping cart.
Wouldn't even take a picture without it!
Came home and trucked it around the house collecting toys and littering them everywhere and collecting them again. She LOVES it!
I took actually very few photos for me, but enjoyed every moment with the family before we had to head home. Thank you so much, Mum for a wonderful day! We loved it!
It was lovely as always. Shaun's Mum is such an amazing woman and boy am I telling you... I totally lucked out in the Mother in Law area! She has welcomed me into the family with such open arms and heart from the very beginning and has been a gift ever since.
She put out an amazing spread with tons of homemade hors d' oeuvres, delicious desserts and a scrumptious belly busting main meal. I was SO full by the end of it (and so was Ava who could not get enough of what was on my plate!)
It was wonderful to see cousins and sisters and brothers and aunts and uncles. Ava just loves visiting and spending time with everyone. The family splits up the gifts for the littles and I don't know who was more excited about her gift, Ava or her godmother "Auntie Mary". She recieved great gifts from everyone and will be getting tons of use out of them, but this one in particular she was glued to.
Her pink Minnie mouse shopping cart.
Wouldn't even take a picture without it!
Came home and trucked it around the house collecting toys and littering them everywhere and collecting them again. She LOVES it!
I took actually very few photos for me, but enjoyed every moment with the family before we had to head home. Thank you so much, Mum for a wonderful day! We loved it!
Saturday, December 22, 2012
7 Quick Takes Friday ...er Saturday (Late Saturday)
Ok, you know me... I try, but there's never anything "Quick" about these. They should be called "7 Catch-up takes Friday". If you want to, read on...
1. Here are some of the photos the amazing Miss Kelly took and even though there were quite a few that captured how out of sorts and uncooperative we all were that night, there were still somer great ones an these are the ones I whittled down to include in our family Christmas card...
These are from Thanksgiving...
2. This is what's been happening with our Autumn pumpkins lately! Ava LOVES to watch this little guy from the kitchen window, which is low enough for her to peek out and catch him
3. Speaking of rodents... Welcome to our fully renovated, absolutely beautiful, 100 year old home full of charm and character and unfortunately during this time of year, the occasional mouse.
EVERY time we think we've caught the last "mouse in the house". Weeks will go by with not a one and then... *Squeak!* I'll hear in the middle of the night (when everyone else is sleeping and I'mwatching Christmas movies on T.V. and too tired to pick my pregnant body up and drag it to bed... uh "Getting things done for Christmas") and see a teeny tiny shape skitter across my floor. I don't allow myself to freak out. And I don't allow myself to think "Oh, it's so super tiny and actually kind of cute really", but instead think, "Ugh... that thing does NOT belong INSIDE my house and around a baby (and almost two babies).
Now, honestly, I HATE the thought of harming a living creature, but something has to be done. What do we do? We've tried mouse traps and sticky traps (both of which have worked, but only if baited with chocolate.
Our mice are chocolate lovers... which is why they come here... because we are too) but sometimes the mice are honestly SO tiny that they won't even set off the traps (they're too LIGHT). We've tried those electric things you plug into the wall that supposedly make a noise mice can't stand, but we can't hear. We've tried these mouse repellant "bags" of cedary smelling stuff down in the basement (where we think they might be coming in near some teeny tiny hole in the old granite foundation. ...but they're honestly SO teeny they could probably squeeze through anywhere.
I have to get rid of them... any suggestions???
4. Talk about a close call! We finally got the loan to begin work on the new "old" house, BUT the day before we were supposed to sign the contract with the contractor we had chosen to the best of our abilities... he had put his sign up in our yard (before we granted permission) and it's funny how things work because after he did that, we recieved a phone call from a friend in which they mentioned that they had hired him in the past to do a bit of work for them and now were in the middle of a litagation case with him over it!
We went to go see the work he did (along with all the references he gave us) and were so appalled that we could simply not hire him to do work on our house. So... all those prayers for God to help us make the right decision when choosing contractors? Thank GOD my friend drove by our house and saw the sign that he didn't wait for permission to post on our lawn and ended up calling to warn us! It was literally the NEXT morning we were supposed to sign a contract with him. Things are funny sometimes... Glad we didn't go with him or we may have needed "Mike" afterwards!
5. I'm so grateful that I was able to sell these today:
and a bunch more wine charms this past week. It's so nice as a stay at home mom with no source of income to be able to purchase a few small gifts for my family and hubby without having to use HIS money to pay for HIS gifts. I know... I know it's really "ours" but you know what I mean. Thank you to all who supported this stay at home mom with her little business of making handcrafted wine charms. "Like" me on Facebook to see more! Everyone who supported me this year helped me to cover my costs and get a few surprise gifts for those I love.
6. Ava turns 15 months TODAY! CRAZY! She's so funny and sweet. I want to make a list of SOME of the things she does that I dont' want to forget about. Like:
7. My labs came back last week and all checked out ok, so thank God the high bloodpressure was just a fluke thing and not beginning signs of preeclampsia again! Thanks for the prayers. This little one has dropped and is now directly on my bladder, which she seems to like to punch with her hands. She's pretty quiet most of the day, but gives a few good kicks when she's not sleeping, just to let me know shes' ok. (Like just now as I'm typing this)
Though I have to say that this has been a GREAT pregnancy, I definitely feel more pregnant as of late and have a heck of a time getting UP from my seat or the couch or bending over to pick up something I've dropped or loading the dishwasher without a gutteral "Ungh" exuding from my lips. It seems all of a sudden my belly feels really really ...big.
Miss Ava loves to be carried around on my "built in seat", but when I think of how much weight I'm carrying with both her and her sister propped on my front I'm like, "Ugh" can someone help me, please?" Those are usually the times she doesn't want anyone else and wraps those legs firmly around Mommy. Sometimes the belly really gets sore from all that work, but even then, I still feel "doubly" blessed with these two girls.
I try to remind Shaun it would be as if he strapped a 40lb dogfood bag to the front of his body and tried to do all his regular "things" with it there. Bend over to pick something up, shower, pick up the baby, get up from your seat, SLEEP, etc... He so so wonderful in so many ways, but was not called to be a nurse or caregiver of any sort and therefore doesn't give me a ton of sympathy (though he IS patient), but I suppose that keeps me from throwing much of a pity party. And in some ways it's probably better that way.
I don't know how much she understands when we tell her she's going to be a big sister, but she does randomly come up and kiss me throughout the day directly on my belly. If I say "where's your baby sister" she'll pucker up and give a big one right on the belly. ...except today she missed and got my boobie. ...and once she was confused and got my foot ...close enough I guess.
8. (because I can add an extra if I want to) Just a request to continue to pray for both baby Dominic and baby Simeon who both underwent surgery again this week. Click on their names to read how they're doing. It's really inspiring to see how these families are pulling together and how much they are witnessing to life and love and faith through their suffering.
1. Here are some of the photos the amazing Miss Kelly took and even though there were quite a few that captured how out of sorts and uncooperative we all were that night, there were still somer great ones an these are the ones I whittled down to include in our family Christmas card...
And my Mum randomly took this one (good job Mum!)
and since we couldn't decide, we went 50/50 and our cards look like these... but you can't see them because I don't know how to copy a larger picture from the Walmart site... *squint* and maybe you'll "get the picture"
2. This is what's been happening with our Autumn pumpkins lately! Ava LOVES to watch this little guy from the kitchen window, which is low enough for her to peek out and catch him
3. Speaking of rodents... Welcome to our fully renovated, absolutely beautiful, 100 year old home full of charm and character and unfortunately during this time of year, the occasional mouse.
EVERY time we think we've caught the last "mouse in the house". Weeks will go by with not a one and then... *Squeak!* I'll hear in the middle of the night (when everyone else is sleeping and I'm
Now, honestly, I HATE the thought of harming a living creature, but something has to be done. What do we do? We've tried mouse traps and sticky traps (both of which have worked, but only if baited with chocolate.
Our mice are chocolate lovers... which is why they come here... because we are too) but sometimes the mice are honestly SO tiny that they won't even set off the traps (they're too LIGHT). We've tried those electric things you plug into the wall that supposedly make a noise mice can't stand, but we can't hear. We've tried these mouse repellant "bags" of cedary smelling stuff down in the basement (where we think they might be coming in near some teeny tiny hole in the old granite foundation. ...but they're honestly SO teeny they could probably squeeze through anywhere.
I have to get rid of them... any suggestions???
4. Talk about a close call! We finally got the loan to begin work on the new "old" house, BUT the day before we were supposed to sign the contract with the contractor we had chosen to the best of our abilities... he had put his sign up in our yard (before we granted permission) and it's funny how things work because after he did that, we recieved a phone call from a friend in which they mentioned that they had hired him in the past to do a bit of work for them and now were in the middle of a litagation case with him over it!
We went to go see the work he did (along with all the references he gave us) and were so appalled that we could simply not hire him to do work on our house. So... all those prayers for God to help us make the right decision when choosing contractors? Thank GOD my friend drove by our house and saw the sign that he didn't wait for permission to post on our lawn and ended up calling to warn us! It was literally the NEXT morning we were supposed to sign a contract with him. Things are funny sometimes... Glad we didn't go with him or we may have needed "Mike" afterwards!
5. I'm so grateful that I was able to sell these today:
and a bunch more wine charms this past week. It's so nice as a stay at home mom with no source of income to be able to purchase a few small gifts for my family and hubby without having to use HIS money to pay for HIS gifts. I know... I know it's really "ours" but you know what I mean. Thank you to all who supported this stay at home mom with her little business of making handcrafted wine charms. "Like" me on Facebook to see more! Everyone who supported me this year helped me to cover my costs and get a few surprise gifts for those I love.
6. Ava turns 15 months TODAY! CRAZY! She's so funny and sweet. I want to make a list of SOME of the things she does that I dont' want to forget about. Like:
- How she tries to crawl up on the couch with her blankie and bunnies to watch her baby einstein movie with me before her nap.
- How she climbs up the stairs and thumps the stair and looks at me through the bars till I come get her to say "I'm ready for bed, Ma-Ma"
- How she runs to the corner between her crib and the changing table and hides when she has to go "poop" (We call it her poopy corner)
- How she cuddles up with her blanket when I rock her to sleep and starts to hum the beginning notes to the lullabies I sing to her to to tell me "start singing, Mommy"
- The way she says "Ma-ma" lately and calls to me from wherever in the house
- How she runs around the house and knows to "duck" and walk really low when she's going under the dining room table
- The way she roars like a lion, raises her arm and toots like an elephant, "oooohs" like an owl and opens her mouth REALLY wide like a hippo ..and just laughs when I say "What does the doggie say?"
- How she tries to do head shoulders knees and toes by putting her hands on her head and bending down to touch her toes.
- How she feeds and kisses her baby like such a good mommy and puts her to "sleep" when she goes down for her nap
- How she waves hello to everyone in the store or anywhere we go. She's super social.
- How she says "Na-na" for my mom and absolutely makes her day
- How she's finally learned to put her cup on the table when she's done instead of throwing it on the floor (and how she puts it back in the cupholder in the carriage at our grocery store when she's done drinking)
- How she "cleans" everything in sight with a paper towel like my mom (not like me... like my mom)
- How she gets down on her belly and slides around to scope out under the couches for toys
- How she sings and dances all day long
- How she walks around on her tippy toes to pretend she's a ballerina
- How she "brushes" her hair with the opposite side of the hairbrush
- How excited she gets to take a bath ...and brush her teeth
- How she kisses Jesus and Mary a gazillion times a day! She just loves them SO much
- How she still sucks on her bottom lip like a built in pacifier when she's tired
- How cute she looks in these pictures (even though we didn't use them in our card)
And SO many other little things that I hope I never forget...
7. My labs came back last week and all checked out ok, so thank God the high bloodpressure was just a fluke thing and not beginning signs of preeclampsia again! Thanks for the prayers. This little one has dropped and is now directly on my bladder, which she seems to like to punch with her hands. She's pretty quiet most of the day, but gives a few good kicks when she's not sleeping, just to let me know shes' ok. (Like just now as I'm typing this)
Though I have to say that this has been a GREAT pregnancy, I definitely feel more pregnant as of late and have a heck of a time getting UP from my seat or the couch or bending over to pick up something I've dropped or loading the dishwasher without a gutteral "Ungh" exuding from my lips. It seems all of a sudden my belly feels really really ...big.
Miss Ava loves to be carried around on my "built in seat", but when I think of how much weight I'm carrying with both her and her sister propped on my front I'm like, "Ugh" can someone help me, please?" Those are usually the times she doesn't want anyone else and wraps those legs firmly around Mommy. Sometimes the belly really gets sore from all that work, but even then, I still feel "doubly" blessed with these two girls.
I try to remind Shaun it would be as if he strapped a 40lb dogfood bag to the front of his body and tried to do all his regular "things" with it there. Bend over to pick something up, shower, pick up the baby, get up from your seat, SLEEP, etc... He so so wonderful in so many ways, but was not called to be a nurse or caregiver of any sort and therefore doesn't give me a ton of sympathy (though he IS patient), but I suppose that keeps me from throwing much of a pity party. And in some ways it's probably better that way.
I don't know how much she understands when we tell her she's going to be a big sister, but she does randomly come up and kiss me throughout the day directly on my belly. If I say "where's your baby sister" she'll pucker up and give a big one right on the belly. ...except today she missed and got my boobie. ...and once she was confused and got my foot ...close enough I guess.
8. (because I can add an extra if I want to) Just a request to continue to pray for both baby Dominic and baby Simeon who both underwent surgery again this week. Click on their names to read how they're doing. It's really inspiring to see how these families are pulling together and how much they are witnessing to life and love and faith through their suffering.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
7 Quick Takes Friday
1. We are so excited that we FINALLY closed on the loan we've been working for 6 months to get on the new house. After actually being rejected by this same bank (which I questioned) our request was reassessed and finally granted on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception! Tonight we just resign the paperwork (they have to give you a week to change your mind) and will recieve the checks to finally get started on the work that desperately needs to be done to the new house. This is what it looks like right now...
...with this 1st loan we hope to:
When our house sells we can use some of the money from that to keep working on the inside, maybe have to move in with my Mum for a little while (she only lives 3 streets away) and take out another loan to finish the work.
In the end our mortgage will pretty much equal the one we have now, but we will have a house almost twice the size, with room to grow, brand new after renovation retaining it's old house character and charm on 5 times the property size that we have now ...in a better/safer neighborhood. We just need to be patient as we're getting there.
2. I went to my midwife appt yesterday and have actually been feeling very well with this pregnancy (other than taking quite a while to heal from this silly sprain) ...just a bit more tired lately. I chalk it up to hitting my 3rd trimester. (I can't believe I have only 50 days left!) Yet, as we were chatting, she mentioned she wanted to run a protein test for my urine again. I looked at her and said, "Why, was my bloodpressure high?". She calmly responded "A little high". For those who know my midwife, you know she's not an alarmist... but IS always "on top of things". Today I'll find out if everything checks out with my labs. I hope they do as I don't want to be showing signs of developing preeclampsia again. The end of Ava's pregnancy was a bit hairy with a 10 day hospital stay. Hopefully nothing's wrong.
3. I think I've decided on which photo(s) to use for this year's family "Christmas Card". I always overthink these "little" things. Are you like that? I just feel like it's the only time of year that I deliberately touch base with friends and family members that I haven't seen in a while and want to put a lot of thought into it. I get so overstimulated trying to choose, though! Thank you all for your input. When I'm finished, I'll try to post here if I can figure out how!
These are the ones I choose between to use (cause they match)... I "think"...
4. Even with my Christmas Card dilemma, I feel like this Advent has been far less "harried". I've been chipping away at little things every day (gifts, wrapping, decorating, etc...) and it's been rather enjoyable so far. Hopefully yours is not too stressful!
I do love that we as Catholics get to celebrate the whole "Advent Season" of anticipation... and then get to still celebrate the "Christmas Season" when most others think "its all over" and are taking down their trees. This year we're working on new family traditions. Hopefully all will work out and we can build upon them each year!
5. I found this page on PINTREST and it has a bunch of cute ideas for things to do with kids for Christmas. Check it out! I can't wait to do the salt handprint mittens with Ava!
...and these name tags. HOW CUTE? ...and EASY! If I had a bunch of people over, I'd definitely make them!
6. I found THIS super cute sleeper for Ava for the Christmas season after looking for something for to wake up on Christmas morning to. Found it for 1/2 the price on sale and she looks adorable padding around in it. ...and the picture doesn't show it, but it actually has little reindeer on the feet.
...and I found THIS one for her older sister after Shaun asked me to go searching for a footie pair for his 14 year old "baby"!
How cute will they look together when she comes to visit???
7. Please continue to pray for little Dominic and his family. This is such a difficult time for them right now. So many of us are happily enjoying the preparation of the holidays and they are stuck in "wait" mode... just waiting for their little boy to slowly improve. If you feel inspired to send them something for Christmas and 'adopt" them... please check out their blog page here for the address at the hospital to send something encouraging to.
...with this 1st loan we hope to:
- Put a new roof on
- Replace all the rotted gutters/fachia
- Put all new construction windows in (including on the front porch/3 season room)
- Vinyl side the whole exterior (so Shaun never has to worry about painting in his "spare" time)
- Create a walk in entrance to the basement (so a deck can eventually be built above it all the way across the back of the house)
When our house sells we can use some of the money from that to keep working on the inside, maybe have to move in with my Mum for a little while (she only lives 3 streets away) and take out another loan to finish the work.
In the end our mortgage will pretty much equal the one we have now, but we will have a house almost twice the size, with room to grow, brand new after renovation retaining it's old house character and charm on 5 times the property size that we have now ...in a better/safer neighborhood. We just need to be patient as we're getting there.
2. I went to my midwife appt yesterday and have actually been feeling very well with this pregnancy (other than taking quite a while to heal from this silly sprain) ...just a bit more tired lately. I chalk it up to hitting my 3rd trimester. (I can't believe I have only 50 days left!) Yet, as we were chatting, she mentioned she wanted to run a protein test for my urine again. I looked at her and said, "Why, was my bloodpressure high?". She calmly responded "A little high". For those who know my midwife, you know she's not an alarmist... but IS always "on top of things". Today I'll find out if everything checks out with my labs. I hope they do as I don't want to be showing signs of developing preeclampsia again. The end of Ava's pregnancy was a bit hairy with a 10 day hospital stay. Hopefully nothing's wrong.
(these are actually from almost 2 weeks ago. I meant to post them on the What I wore on Sunday feed, but am just not that organized. I'm busting out even MORE now!)
3. I think I've decided on which photo(s) to use for this year's family "Christmas Card". I always overthink these "little" things. Are you like that? I just feel like it's the only time of year that I deliberately touch base with friends and family members that I haven't seen in a while and want to put a lot of thought into it. I get so overstimulated trying to choose, though! Thank you all for your input. When I'm finished, I'll try to post here if I can figure out how!
These are the ones I choose between to use (cause they match)... I "think"...
This would be the family one
...and if it's a "multiple photo card" I'd crop and edit one of these of the little "Miss" as these ones have not been touched up at all... not that she really needs it.
(which one do you like?)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
And maybe this one...
Or this one...
And I'd love to get this one in. This is a beautiful one of Shaun & his "girls" from Thanksgiving.
Ugh... *exasperated with head in hands* I don't know. I guess I'm not as close as I thought.
4. Even with my Christmas Card dilemma, I feel like this Advent has been far less "harried". I've been chipping away at little things every day (gifts, wrapping, decorating, etc...) and it's been rather enjoyable so far. Hopefully yours is not too stressful!
I do love that we as Catholics get to celebrate the whole "Advent Season" of anticipation... and then get to still celebrate the "Christmas Season" when most others think "its all over" and are taking down their trees. This year we're working on new family traditions. Hopefully all will work out and we can build upon them each year!
5. I found this page on PINTREST and it has a bunch of cute ideas for things to do with kids for Christmas. Check it out! I can't wait to do the salt handprint mittens with Ava!
...and these name tags. HOW CUTE? ...and EASY! If I had a bunch of people over, I'd definitely make them!
6. I found THIS super cute sleeper for Ava for the Christmas season after looking for something for to wake up on Christmas morning to. Found it for 1/2 the price on sale and she looks adorable padding around in it. ...and the picture doesn't show it, but it actually has little reindeer on the feet.
...and I found THIS one for her older sister after Shaun asked me to go searching for a footie pair for his 14 year old "baby"!
Over chest area...
Feet...
How cute will they look together when she comes to visit???
7. Please continue to pray for little Dominic and his family. This is such a difficult time for them right now. So many of us are happily enjoying the preparation of the holidays and they are stuck in "wait" mode... just waiting for their little boy to slowly improve. If you feel inspired to send them something for Christmas and 'adopt" them... please check out their blog page here for the address at the hospital to send something encouraging to.
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