A Trip to Texas!

I traveled to Texas recently for a number of reasons, to include attending my first baby shower hosted by my mom and sisters!  Although it was a long 12 hour drive (don't worry, I stopped and stretched my legs often), it was worth it to see my family and friends.  They did a great job and it was awesome to see so many friends and family, including my sister-in-law, Jill, who flew all the way from California!

This is the photo my mom included in her Christmas cards this year...to break the news that BOTH my sister, Andie, and I are expecting!  She's due in June.  :)

Guests signed the inside cover of a Christmas classic, "The Night Before Christmas".  We plan to start a Baker family tradition and read this book to Samantha each Christmas Eve.  

The shower theme was "Baby It's Cold Outside!", but the Texas weather didn't cooperate and it was actually closer to 80 degrees that day.  Sigh...

Yummy cupcakes from Lone Star Bakery...so good!

Andie made this adorable burlap bunting!  And we had a baby photo guessing game (an idea we used at another shower that I LOVED!)

Hot chocolate bar goodies!

The food was great and made such a pretty display!

Guests playing the photo guessing game!

My friend, Tammy, had this cute caddy made and filled it with adorable gifts!

Opening gifts...one of many sweet outfits we received!

Baby Sam's first monogrammed outfit!  :)

The Sutton girls...Cassandra, me, Mom, and Andie.  Thank y'all for a beautiful and memorable shower!

So I mentioned that I traveled to Texas for a number of reasons...besides attending my shower, I drove there to celebrate an early Christmas with family and I took our dogs there so that my parents could watch them over the next two weeks.  Why, you may ask??  Blaine and I are leaving for Germany tomorrow!!  I can't believe we are actually going and I am beyond excited!  Our dear friends and old neighbors from Hawaii, the Knapps, moved there when we moved to Alabama.  Thankfully they were serious when they invited us for Christmas because we accepted the invitation!  We will spend nine glorious days touring the Christmas markets and castles in Germany, spending Christmas with our friends in their home, and enjoying Paris for a few days, too!  I'm sure I will have plenty of pictures to post and adventures to blog about when we return.  :)

Since we will be leaving tomorrow, Blaine and I celebrated Christmas at home last night.  We went out for dinner, exchanged gifts, and watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  We also reflected on the thought that this will be the last Christmas with just the two of us...and for that, we are thankful and feel so blessed!  

This card was in my stocking and was addressed "to the family".  Blaine found a card with characters that he could name all three of my babies.  It made me cry.  :)

I got Blaine a new scarf and gloves to keep him warm while we're in Europe.

Blaine got a pull up bar, something he's been wanting since joining the local Crossfit gym.  He is also getting new golf shoes, but they have yet to arrive.

I got a new toaster (ours has been acting up lately).  And then Blaine led me to believe that we were done with gifts, until he returned from the garage with this...

A new sewing machine!  This is what I asked for and I was thrilled to see him carrying it inside!  Of course, I don't even know how to turn the thing on, but I am planning to learn.  I figure I should learn so I can teach Samantha how to sew...and so that I can sew all those cute things I keep pinning on Pinterest.  ;)

Stay tuned for a post on our Christmas vacation in Germany!!