Countdown to Disney!

Every year we tend to "go all out" for SJ's birthday. Knowing what it is like to grow up with a birthday so close to Christmas, I have made it a point since she was born to make a distinct difference between her birthday and Christmas.

Through the years, we have done it all --

For her first birthday we had a Princess Party, complete with pink EVERYTHING.

For her second birthday we had a "T" party.

(But not your typical Tea party... Rather, the Letter "T" -- T is for Two. Guests brought their favorite teddy bear, wore their favorite T shirt, and munched on yummies that all started with the letter T!)

For her Third Birthday we had a party at LaLa's Bear Factory and it was a BLAST!

Her Fourth Birthday Party was an Island Princess swimming party at the YMCA in the middle of December.

and Sarah Jane's fifth birthday party was a COWGIRL party, complete with line dancing...

and This year... DISNEYWORLD!

I can't believe that I am planning a Birthday trip for my SIX year old. Now, don't read that wrong. I CAN believe that I am planning a trip for her, what I can't believe is that she is SIX.

It really does feel like she should still be 2... dancing around to Disney Princess songs and playing dress up. Instead, she's more into The Disney Channel and playing in Make-up.... I am excited about taking her to a place "where a kid can be a kid" --- even in Kindergarten, there is so much pressure for her to be more grown than she really is.

Now, Before you people get all judgy and think that I am an extremist... let me tell you that this will be the most inexpensive birthday celebration to date! Some good friends of ours that are in the military got us military friends and family passes in January that were good all year --- we only used 3 days on them when we went for the Disney Marathon, so there are 2 days left on them. Also, my sweet sister in law bought a vacation club package from the bank that she works for and she can't use it before it expires, so she is letting us use that for our hotel! So aside from gas/food --- we are ALL set!

Sarah Jane is so excited! We absolutely LOVE Disneyworld--- there really is NO place like it. I've never been at Christmas-time either, so I am pretty pumped about that.

We leave ONE MONTH from today! The count-down is ON!

I have no idea how we are going to top this next year... Paris? (kidding...)

We're Number one.. We can't be #2... We're gonna knock the WHOOPSEE outta you...

A few months ago (pre-baby knowledge) I signed up to Coach our County's rec department cheerleaders with a friend of mine... My friend had done it last year, but I didn't really know what I was getting into.

Two nights a week for the last few months has been quite the job, but I have loved it. There were 13 girls on our Squad--- all 13 of them were very different from each other. But, it was such a rewarding experience to get to watch them come together and become a team.

Last night we had our "End of the Year Celebration" and traphy presentation -- it was nothing spectacular, we had it a local pizza place and invited all the families. Everyone was there and we got to tell our girls how great of a job they did and how proud we were of them.

Sarah Jane was the youngest on our team... and to be honest, I wasn't sure how she was going to do at first. But, boy did she suprise me?! She was great... She has always been a rhythmic child, but this was right up her alley. She picked up on all of the cheers and was even making up her own halfway through the season. She had the motions down almost instantaneously and of course... yelling was no problem for her. Most of the time, she was the loudest one! Needless to say I was very very proud of her, and if she wants to --- I hope that this is something that she continues to do for a long time to come.

Last night was SJ's first time ever getting a trophy. She was SO proud of it. I wish that I would have gotten a picture of her getting it, but I was handing them out... so that wouldn't have been too good, "etiquettely speaking". :)

Here is SJ's trophy and a few pictures of the Season:
All of our girls being silly:

The up-side-down megaphones on these uniforms nearly drove me insane...

On the way to breakfast... AFTER cheering!:
Our Team picture:


The Boys Got the Muscles...The Teachers got the Brains:
"My Name is Janey and I know what I got, I've got a team that is hotter than hot":
...and Just for fun, here are a few old pictures from my younger Cheerleading days:

Why not?

Since we already decorated the outside of our house... we figured, why not do the inside too?

And that is exactly what we did!

Here is the Houston family Christmas Tree, 2009:

I had so much fun going through all of these ornaments with Sarah Jane --- each one is SO special to us. When Sarah Jane was done with them, I saved a few of her rattles and made ornaments out of them. I have the classic "Our first Christmas together" and "baby's first Christmas." We took trips down memory lane going through ornaments that we have picked up on different trips that we have been on. I'm also that Mom that saves the ornaments that Sarah Jane makes --- it was special to pull them out and find them a special place on our tree.

When baby bean comes along, we are going to have to get a bigger tree to put all the ornaments on it, because I know that I just can't part with any of these. And as you can see, we are out of ornament room!

SO, now that all of this is taken care of --- we can really get ready for the Holidays, the last holiday season we will have with our family of 3.

Sarah Jane's list is already growing... and Toys R Us has already started with the sales. We're ready to get this thing started!

Happy Holidays Everybody!!

and don't worry, I won't mail you any Christmas cards... at least until Thanksgiving.

Noah Biorkman

This morning I was awake way too early. After playing a few rounds of Bejeweled, I checked some facebook updates and saw this:

"A five year old little boy named Noah is in the last stages of a 2 1/2 yr battle with neuroblastoma cancer. His family is celebrating Christmas next week. His request was "LOTS OF CHRISTMAS CARDS" . Please send cards to: Noah Biorkman 1141 Fountain View Circle South Lyon MI 48178. Let's give Noah one last GREAT Christmas!"

Now, being the skeptic that I am -- I had to go to www. SNOPES.com to make sure that this was true. I've read all kinds of updates on fb about missing children and people whose homes have burned to the ground -- only to go to snopes to read that they aren't true. SO sad to me that someone would send something like that around to play on people's emotions. BUT, when I checked this one this morning, it is true.

You can see for yourself HERE.

He's five... like My Janey Girl.

This is Noah Biorkman:

You can Meet him yourself HERE.

And then you can send your cards Here:

Noah Biorkman
1141 Fountain View Circle
South Lyon MI 48178

15 weeks

15 weeks doesn't seem like very long... but my tummy sure has been growing!

Maternity clothes are a MUST as of lately... which is sad b/c my jeans will no longer button.

I'm coming to grips with the idea of a new little one running around here. I've been going through Sarah Jane's old albums and looking at her pictures, I miss those special little baby moments wth her and I'm really looking forward to the ones that are on the way.

As for baby equipment progress, we've slowly been accumulating things. George suprised me the other day with a carseat that I have been eyeing -- I was SUPER excited!

Here it is: (ours is grey, not black, but I can't find a picture of it)

In a month, we can find out what the baby is... when that happens, I will be SO ready to get this ball rolling. I have names, I have nursery ideas, I have it all figured out --- but I can't do anything until I know. I need to SHOP! I need to Prepare! Patience is not something that I possess, obviously.

______________________________________

Yes, this is our Home.

Yes, it is November 4th.

Yes, the very next post on my blog is about Halloween.

Yes, I know that was last week.

Yes, I am married to a grown up 10 year old.

Yes, I love it.

George came home yesterday and said... I think that I am going to hang Christmas lights on our house this year. We NEVER do things like that --- I am usually in the yard sometime around Thanksgiving hanging wreaths on the windows and a bow on the mailbox and calling our yard decorated. Well... this year, that apparently wasn't enough --- and I was SO excited!

SO... while he had the wild hair, I went with it. We went to town, got the goods... and George went to work. He Climbed up the ladder, and WITHOUT FALLING, hung all of those lights!! I was very impressed... considering the fact that he is, well, not typically a handy-man.

We had the best time hanging out in the yard while SJ and her friend from next door played hide and go seek with flashlights. We had several people honk their horns, several people slow down to see what was going on, and even one person to turn around and drive back by!

We are in the Christmas spirit around here...

Now, I guess I need to get to work on some Christmas Cards!

Wordless Wednesday

BOO!

This year for Halloween, George and his Brother had tickets to the "World's Largest Cocktail Party" a.k.a. the GA/FL game.

Being that Halloween is one of my VERY favorite days of the year, I was pretty sad that he was going to miss it (especially since this was out last Halloween with just our Janey Girl)--- but since he willingly let me host my bestie's 30th b-day party at our house a few months back, I was okay with it. I thought it was a fair trade.

However, when the plans were made -- I am sure that neither one of them were taking into account the fact that Houston baby #4 was going to be born right around that time... SO, when Max made his grand entrance to the world, the trip to the game was postponed until further notice.

: )

Needless to say, George was home for all of our Halloween festivities and we had a GREAT time. Plus, with the outcome of that game --- I am pretty sure that he isn't sad about missing it.

Here are some pics of all the fun:

Carving Pumpkins:

The Fam:

The Finished Products:

A Little "scary" Girl:

On Friday night before Halloween, we got to go to a fun Halloween party at a Friend and Co-worker's house...

Don't ask what my costume was, I am not really sure. It's pretty hard to come up with a costume when you are preggers. George was a Vampire, He Bit me.. That's all.

Although, in my head I like to think of it as our Edward/Bella costume... he will disagree. But it is very coincidental that I am preggers and he is Hot like Edward... I'm just sayin'.

My Costume idea was for George to go as a Priest and me go as a Pregnant Nun... he thought that it was inappropriate... Oh well. We had a fun time --- and with the money that we saved on buying the costumes, we went to Mikata for dinner.... and you can't beat that!

Here is Sarah Jane as Hannah Montana with Superwoman, Alex Russo and Pebbles!

Me and Catwoman:

Hannah Montana..

(Don't judge me. Sarah Jane loves HM and to be prefectly honest, so do I)

Every Year at Halloween a few of our friends get together on Halloween Night at a friend's house and load up for a Trick or Treat Hayride through her neighborhood:

The Whole Gang:

SJ and Rock Star, Katie Beth:

Hannah Montana and Robby Ray:

George looks so creepy in this picture:

We also went to a GREAT Fall Festival, but like a Dum-Dum I forgot my camera. There were tons of games set up, lots of great food and plenty of good friends. It was a blast! I'm really sad that I didn't get any pictures!

We had a great time this year! I'm so glad that my hubby was home to enjoy it with us. It wouldn't have been the same if he was out of town.

SJ has already told us that next year she wants to be a Vampire! Maybe I can change her mind by then...

Speaking of vampires... 16 more days!!!!!!!