Getting ready for the holidays

Four out of five of the work days Tobin hasn't been home until 9pm or midnight! It sucks!! Tonight is one of the midnight nights so I told him I was taking him to work and Ella and I were going shopping and having a night out on the town :) Real exciting with a 4 month old hah.

Ella and I dropped daddy off for work around 4pm and headed to Target. I had decided I wanted to decorate the house up just a bit for the holiday seasons. It is so bland I had to do something to make it bearable... this apartment is getting very old! So we did a little shopping, came home and listened to Baby Einstein Christmas Music that I just bought Ella (I love those CD/DVD's). We danced around a little and decorated :) AND I bought some yummy smelly candles that smell like gingerbread cookies so the house smells like Christmas time. We, meaning I, set up our little christmas tree I bought, wrapped presents, hung Ella's Stocking and hung some lights in the house!! I have got a lot done the past 2 nights (since Tobin doesn't come home until midnight)... last night I rearranged the living room and made it so all of Ella's Toys were in one corner (we just bought her an exersaucer that allows her to jump up and down) rather then consuming the entire living room. So it feels a little more homey, which is really nice... nothing specail but it work for now :)

Now I know what some of you are thinking... WHY IS SHE DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS BEFORE THANKSGIVING. Am I right? Well to be honest with you next week is going to be a little crazy since I have a lot of work to get done, Tobin is working, Ella gets her 4 months shots and check up AND we are going to Beaumont for Thanksgiving. Also I sort of just got in the mood for the holidays, which in not normal at all for me. To be completely honest... the Holidays haven't been the same for me since, well... my dad died, which was now over 9 years ago. Since that I just haven't really enjoyed them like I use to. I use to LOVE the holidays and for some reason it seemed more like a pain in the butt then anything. Don't get me wrong I enjoy spending time with family and friends and love you all so much, just didn't care as much about them (holidays) like I use to... UNTIL NOW! I loved that Ella and I were decorating and dancing around listening to Christmas music. We have been able to buy her christmas outfit(s) :) for when we come home. It's completely different now that we have Ella... we have started OUR FAMILY and I am so excited to make our traditions for the holidays... a fresh NEW beginning for the holiday seasons. I know it may seem silly to some of you that holidays haven't been the same for me since my dad past because it was 9 years ago, I know that is a long time, but I am not saying that I sit and sob about my dad during the holidays (like I use to the first few years after he past) it's just... well it's hard to explain. I have gone from enjoying the holidays to actually being excited for the holidays to come :) YAH! Let's just leave it at that.

Here are a few pictures of our apartment, I don't think I ever put ones up (because there was nothing to see hah) and our little Christmas decorating experience :)

And Yes it is a Friday night, I am blogging listening to the Country channel on TV and relaxing wihile Ella is peacefully sleeping while my house smells like gingerbread cookies. It's wonderful!

this is what Ella and I listened to while decorating (I love it). We should buy stock in Baby Einstein (we have a lot of there products).
Our little Christmas tree... I decided to buy a decorative one instead so I can use it next year as a center piece or something. We already have a small tree but it is in storage. I plan on hanging all the christmas cards we get above all of this.

Kind of ghetto but I was using what I had around the house so I wrapped a blanket around a box and used it as a stand for the tree and gifts (so the dogs aren't tempted to get into them as much)

Pretty lights :) Kind of look dorky but who cares hah.

These bookshelves are sooo nice to have especially because we didn't bring much to TX

this is the living room and Ella's corner with all her toys (playmat and exersaucer both made by Baby Einstein)
This is the main part of our house, there is not much more to see. That little card table in the back there is were we eat and the kitchen is behind those bookshelves and our bedroom and bathroom are to the left (down the hall and it's the 3rd door on the right... haha that is Tobin's joke when ever anyone comes to our house).

So there you have it where we have been living for the past 1.5 months and where we will be until the end of January or beginning of February!