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New Holiday Background

I am a proud participant in the Black Friday spree! It has been tradition with the girls in my family for years. I think it all began when I was in seventh grade and we found out the JCPenny was giving away a Mickey Mouse snow globe ornament to the first 500 customers. Who would want to miss out on a Mickey Mouse snow globe ornament? Needless to say, my mom, sister and I were waiting in line at 5am. While we aren't crazy enough to get up THAT early, we did discover that IKEA had free bacon, egg and potato breakfast with coffee on Black Friday. Now, we sleep in a bit (a blessing after all that turkey) and take our time and set a leisurely pace arriving at IKEA at 9:30 and then off to the Mall of America. As a Minnesotan, I often get "ooo's and awe's" about living in the same place as Mall of America. I hate to burst your bubble, but it's not that big of a deal. I avoid it because of the stressful crowds, and the overwhelming amount of stores. I go once a year... on Black Friday. I know! I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree. That's like the craziest day. Oh well. I forgot my camera this year. I took some iphone pics of my sister and I and our free breakfast and the free see's candy we got (yum!) but it was nothing blog worthy.

After a day of stressful shopping (which was semi successful in that I was able to cross 2 people off my list), we came home and watched Miracle on 34th Street and had cocoa. Yesterday we began decorating for Christmas. I'm a bit holiday obsessed and EVERYthing must be decorated. Hence the new holiday blog background. Bluejay calls me his little Elf at Christmas time. I think it's a jab at my height and my affinity to the season. I call him a grinch. We're a perfect match. The decorating isn't quite done. In fact, everything's about half done. I think I'll get more finished when Bluejay goes back to work tomorrow (tear). And of course, there will be pics! Also, stay tuned for the giveaway that will occur on Dec. 1! Make sure to comment on that day! Here's a pic of me & my Bluejay!


T-giving

Thanksgiving. A time to remember all the reasons we are thankful for the past year. But that shouldn't be a one time a year thing. We should be thankful every day! Today Bluejay and I spent the day at my brothers house in Minneapolis with my sister, sister-in-law and niece and nephew. These are pictures from our day of fun. There are many photos because I know that my parents and aunt and uncle and cousin and grandma in Sunnyvale, Ca will enjoy them! It's hard to be away from family on the holidays. It makes it all the more exciting when they get to visit!


Olivier and Aunt stacey



Bluejay loves Eliot and Olivier! They were in his lap ALL DAY!


Haha, Olivier wasn't so sure about this hug from mommy! 


My brother Ryan and our yummy turkey!


Our feast! That pumpkin was roasted and then filled with a sage and onion cheese dip. It was FABULOUS! Bluejay might have eaten half of it!


Family photo. Oops! Forgot to change the depth of field on the camera.



Daddy and daughter watching football.


Playing the Wii- and proof that I was really there.


Gotta love a baby in only a diaper and socks! I wanna squish that belly!

Silly Olivier!


My contribution: glühwien- hot spiced german wine.

 
Yuumy pumpkin & butternut squash pie and glühwien. Cheers!


Talking to Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Teri, Uncle Al and Julie, and Grandma Ruth on Skype.


Goof ball


Silly boy kept turning the volume up really load and would then get really scared and hide behind the chair! Silly boy!


Not the best pic, but at least proof that I was there. I love my nephew! We had such a good time and ate such wonderful food. I really love my family and I am so thankful for them. Happy thanksgiving!


P.S. Since you made it to the end of this post, I'll let you in on a little secret. On Dec. 1 I will run a giveaway in which I will choose a commenter at random to win. So make sure you comment on Dec. 1! Stay tuned!


Eliot & Olivier

I LOVE my niece and nephew. They are the cutest kiddos I have ever seen. Maybe I'm biased? I doubt it. They are part of the reason I got into photography. Besides the fact that I have ALWAYS loved taking photos, I took these photos of my niece, Eliot, last fall and I just knew this would become more than a hobby.








Told you my niece is adorable! Well, I went out this week to take some pictures of the kids and my brother Ryan and his wife Bethany. We had lots of fun, but being childless myself (so thankful...for now) I totally forget how fast kids are once they are mobil and how much they want to be on the ground running around! Well, Olivier is like that for sure. I'm lucky I got any pictures of that little monkey! These kids really are some of my favorite subjects. Although, they will probably think that their Auntie Mindy has a camera attached to her right eye at all times. *Note to self: take pictures at Thanksgiving (obviously), but remember to put the camera away and enjoy the day with family! Can't wait to eat smoked turkey and the other goodies on thanksgiving with this family! Did I mention that Ryan & Bethany are AMAZING cooks? Yep, my mouth is already watering as I think about the thanksgiving delicacies awaiting me! Less than a week...hooray! Love you guys!

(see... FAST runner haha)