New Year...New Blog

Welcome 2011! 

We've waited 365 days for you!

I started a new blog because apparently, I've ran out of room to post more pics on our old blog...

I don't feel like PAYING for more storage.

Afterall, my blog is not a business tool for me.

It's for nosy family and friends to keep up with our little family :-)

I've had that old blog since I was pregnant with Dannika, and seeing how she is now a year and half old...I figured it was a good time to start fresh.

So here is our first post of the New Year and our New Blog!!!

2010 was definitely a challenging year for me!

With Nick's deployment to Afghanistan,

Being a new "single" mom,

and struggles at work...

I can't believe the year is finally over.

HOWEVER...2010 definitely had some highlights...

Nick coming home safely from Afghanistan,

Our wonderful vacation to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, 

Thanksgiving with Dannika's Uncle Sully,

and making some fabulous new friends!

I have a lot to catch up on so get your glass of wine, and get ready to do some reading!

So let's start with Dannika's SECOND Christmas.

It's hard to believe that this is her second one! 

Last year she was so helpless, and could barely sit up on her own...

and THIS year...

She was ripping open her own presents and going crazy!

We spent Christmas at our home just as a family of 3 this year.

After an extremely rainy week here in SoCal, it was nice to have a DRY Christmas!

We woke up bright and early against the will of my DH, Nick at 6AM!

I couldn't wait to open presents with Dannika!

We had to drag her out of her crib too!

She was a little crabby, but after she figured out how to rip open the wrapping paper, she was having a blast.

Santa was very good to her this year!

After we opened all of our gifts, we decided to go out for a pancake breakfast at Denny's...the only place open on Christmas Day!

The rest of the day we spent putting Dannika's toys together and just relaxing.

We were invited to Christmas dinner at our second family's home, the Gilberts!

It was so fun, and the food was FABULOUS...as always!

We finally got to meet the "5th Gilbert"...Marty.

He flew down from New York to visit his family!

It was truly an awesome, wonderful Christmas, and I couldn't have spent it with better people!

This is how our morning started...she was cranky that mommy made her wake up so early

Much better!

Her new playhouse!

So Spoiled

The one way to please my husband...new power tools!...and yes, that is a Snuggie he is wearing...I got him that for Christmas!

Christmas morning with the Romer's

Passed out after spending the day putting together Dannika's toys

We spent the next week after Christmas just spending time as a family.

Nick and I purchased an XBox Kinects and spent considerable amount of time playing that!

Nick also got me a DSLR camera for Christmas, so I spent a lot of my vacation reading up on photography blogs trying to figure out how to shoot on "M" mode.

I am so totally impressed at the quality of photos that my camera takes!

New Year's Eve was spent at the Digirolomo's house for a dinner, Kinects, board games, and wine!

We always have a blast with them.

Every year, I always make New Years resolutions, but this year, I decided against it!!

I always forget about what I promise to do every year by the second week of January...

I just don't see the point.

This year, I just plan on focusing on family and transitioning back to the fleet away from recruiting duty (Thank the Lord).

I'll also start thinking about what I want to do after I get out of the Marine Corps in a few years.

Lots of exciting things about to happen!

she refuses to let us feed her now!

She rides this zebra EVERYWHERE!

Nick's battle scars...from playing volleyball on Kinects.