Yes, I know we are already over halfway through January... but I swear I will post this Christmas wrap-up if it is the last thing I do!!! We had a great Christmas this year and were fortunate enough to have almost our entire family here to enjoy it with us. This being the first Christmas without my dad was a little more stressful than normal, but I think we all knew he would want us to enjoy our day even though he was no longer here with us. 

Okay so I know I promised to share on Facebook and Twitter all the fun that our little Elf on the Shelf, Finn, was up to this holiday season... and while I started off great the holiday hustle and bustle (and sick kiddos) got the best of me and I just couldn't find the time to keep up with it. So.... here is a recap of Finn and all the fun he had! 

Day 1:  Finn Returns!!! I don't think they could have been more excited! 

Day 2: That silly elf wrapped the toilet:) 

Day 3: Finn arrives with a special note for the kiddos and a bag of "magic Christmas dust"

Day 5: Snowball Fight- We did this one last year as well and the kids LOVED it! 

Day 6: Smores by the Fire

Day 7: Up, Up, and Away - My kiddos love the movie UP and were so happy to see this in the AM! They were certain Finn flew all the way to the North Pole and back in the house:)

Day 8: The kids slept over at Grandma's house and Finn was waiting patiently for them to come home.

Day 10: Super Finn:) flying through the kitchen

Day 14:  Taking a bath.

Day 15: Super Finn Returns to zip line through the kitchen

Day 17:  Working on his Christmas list

Day 18: Naughty Finn toilet papered the Christmas tree

We filled up the rest of the days with  a few favorites from last year as well.

Day 25: Merry Christmas:) 

Well I hope you all enjoyed your holidays as much as we did. :) I can't wait to see what our little elf friend is up to next year!!! Better start planning! :) haha

Okay, so I have to admit... I have been slacking a bit on the blog. I fell behind on making my Christmas gifts, then was busy over the holidays, and after that the whole family ended up sick for a few weeks, so I am slowly starting to get caught up! Anyway I realized over my "holiday break" that I never mentioned on the blog that my sweet little Bella turned 4 years old on November 14!
 Isn't she a princess? Gorgeous, right??? She gets it from her Mommy:) 

This year she was very "anti- birthday party" which is pretty rare for her!!! She loves being the center of attention:) We had a pretty rough couple of months after my dad passed away and I think Bella was really just needing a little break in the chaos. We let her pick what she wanted to do for her special day and her choice, of course, was a date with her Daddy:) So he decided to take her to the Build-A-Bear Workshop.

We also had my Mom, and niece and nephew, over for cake and ice cream in the evening. Nothing to fancy, but Bella couldn't have been more excited! and totally loved all her new goodies!!!
 She is such a sweetheart! 

So she is the BIG 4 now!!!! and it seemed liked the perfect time for a MUCH needed new bed!!!! Up until now Bella had only slept in her crib and then her toddler bed. She is VERY tall for her age and has been ready for an upgrade for quite some time. Here are a few "before" shots of Bella's room. It is very SMALL and has absolutely NO storage! It has been in need of a makeover for some time, so the bed was the BEST place to start. 

Very Special thanks to Grandma (my mama) for Bella's gorgeous new bed! We found it here on Amazon. It arrived pretty quickly and we  my mom got to work right away on putting it together...with a little help from her beautiful helper! It took about an hour and a half to assemble. I was actually surprised at how easy it was. I couldn't be more happy with the quality of the bed and the extra storage is awesome! 

I have some MAJOR plans for Bella's new big girl room  (starting with some bedding) and I can't wait to get started! I promise to be back soon with an update:) 

I spent most of my life as a girl without a dad! It was normal to me. I never felt sorry for myself or felt like I was missing out. I actually felt pretty lucky. I had a great mom who would do anything for me. She was our provider, our protector, and my best friend.

 

When I was 14 years old my mom got married to an amazing man and I learned what it was like to have a father. 6 years and 5 months later I held my own wedding reception in the exact same spot where my parents said I do and the amazing man that had become my dad walked me down the aisle and gave me to my husband.  I wore the same dress as my mom, I danced on the same dance floor, and I had my very first and very last father daughter dance.
 

 

Three months and one day after my wedding we got a terrible phone call that my dad had been in an accident at work. They had flown him to a hospital in Philadelphia and we all rushed to be at his side. I still remember walking into his the emergency room and seeing him lying there. I remember how scared I was that we could lose him and the relief I felt when we walked into the room and he was awake and able to talk. We learned fairly quickly that my dad was paralyzed. He spent months and months and months in the hospital and a rehabilitation center. There were many complications that first year and many times when we weren't sure if he was going to make it, but thankfully he did.

 

The past 7 years since my dad's accident have been a rough road. My mom quit working to stay home and be with him. My dad struggled with severe pain. He was hospitalized many times with pneumonia and shortness of breath. He has had more surgeries and procedures then most people have in there lifetime and did it all with a smile on his face. My dad was a fighter. He never gave up and he never quit. There were definitely challenges along the way but he always fought harder and did everything he could to do everything he put his mind to.

 

My dad and I became closer then ever after his accident. We spent every day together. He taught me what it was like to fight for your family. He taught me about a love that was unconditional. A love that was so strong that it could help you fight through anything that came before you. My dad became one of my best friends. He embodied everything that was good in the world and was an example of a great man and a great father. I feel blessed for each and every moment that I spent with him. For every memory I have of him; for ever conversation, for every hug, and every phone call.

 

Both of my kiddos loved my dad. They had a relationship with him that most children don't get with there grandparents. They were fortunate enough to be able to spend almost every day with him. My son and my dad had a relationship that was like no other. They were best friends and partners in crime. Jonathon taught my dad everything he knew about hockey.  Dad taught Jonathon all about tools and how to take everything apart:) He taught him about trains, airplanes, building things, and most importantly how to be a great man. Jonathon only ever knew my dad in a wheelchair. To him his Papa was healthy, his Papa was his hero, his best friend, and his entire world. He would run in through my parent's garage, run down the hall, into there room and jump right up into my dad's bed. He would snuggle up close. They would share a blankie, watch cartoons or ESPN, and chat about anything and everything...even when Dad couldn't understand most of what Jonathon was saying!  They were best friends.

 

 

One month ago today my dad lost his fight. It was very unexpected. He went into the hospital with another case of pneumonia. This wasn't anything out of the ordinary. It was a road we had traveled many times before. He would usually be released 4 or 5 days later after the antibiotics and breathing treatments cleared up his lungs. This time we were not as fortunate. This time his right lung was full and there was nothing they could do to help. Just 2 days later my dad passed away at home, in his bed, with his friends and family around him.

 

It has been a hard month. It still feels very surreal. I still expect him to come home some days. I spend most of my time thinking about him. Most of my alone time is spent crying. The hardest part is not my own pain, but the pain of my mom and my children. It is hard to see the people you love so upset and to know there is nothing you can do to help them. I struggle to stay strong, but I do my best because I know it is what my dad would want.

 

I miss my dad everyday. Some days the pain is unbearable. I realize now more then ever how special he was. He never made me feel like anything less then his daughter and his friend. So after spending most of my life as a girl without a dad... today I am a woman with a hero. I love you Dad!!!!