Ho-Ho-Ho-Ho!!!!

Merrrrrrry Christmas!




or as the kids would say: "Happy Birthday, Jesus!"



Blessings,

Gig 'Em, Uncle Ed!

Congratulations Eddy!!! Fightin' Texas Aggie Class '09, Engineering-Industrial Distribution (just like his bro/my hubby!)



We spent last weekend in College Station for Ed's graduation from Texas A&M University (WHOOP!). We split the quads up between Granna & Papa and Chris & Liz. The twinks played in Waco while Ben & Sav played with Liz's twin girls all weekend long! (and yes--Liz is BRAVE! She offered and really wanted to keep all 4 of them! What an incredible friend!..seriously) Thank you- Mom & Dad and Chris & Liz- SOOOOO much for making it possible to celebrate with Ed! LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW!

Here are pics from our fun-filled weekend without kids! ;)

"Dids", Joe & Kate



Jess, Ed, me & Dan



I love this picture of "Mom & Dad" walking up to the arena to watch their youngest son graduate from college (and graduate from their payroll! lol)



Aggie graduations are HUGE! This was the 3rd of the weekend and the rows went on and on. It lasted approximately 3 hours. Hilarious to look around and see everyone (including the graduates down below) playing games/texting on their iphones! This is a pic of the service men and women who were graduating.



Eddy crossing the stage with honors! (Cum Laude) WOO HOO! So proud of you, Uncle Ed!



Sweet family! Paul, Dan, Ed, Joe, Kate---the STEECES!



Dinner that night was AMAZING! We went to Christopher's World Grille--hadn't been in forever! So classy and SOOOOO good!



(Have you noticed all of my new LOFT duds in these pics? I LOVE them! Remember--you have until December 25th to enter for your chance to win the $200 gift certificate!) Lovin' the date night!



What a great weekend spent laughing & loving with family & friends! Paul and Kate--thank you so much for everything...and congrats again, Uncle Ed! (Joe and I are secretly hoping you find a job up here in DFW!!!)


I plan on posting our Christmas cards soon!!! Hope you are all having a WONDERFUL holiday! (and thanks SO much for all of the ridiculously sweet comments about my new hair! You guys had me blushing for sure!)

Alright, Alriiiight!!!

(LOL~ I must admit, I had a lot of fun teasing you guys! Nothin' but love for ya...honored that you would even care!) I actually went out and mastered all of our Christmas shopping for the quads in ONE EVENING! GOOD HEAVENS!....IT...WAS...FIERCE!!!!!!!! but what an accomplishment, right?!--didn't have time to upload pics before I left...but, here is the finished product: (who am I kidding, you aren't even reading this part---you're skipping down to the pics...but I don't blame you because I'd be doing the same thing!)

Tah-dah!!!








Answers to questions:


Do you like it?

YES! I LOVE it!!! I get bored with the same hair cut after about 2-3 months and I am always changing it...whether it be color, highlights, or cut. In my lifespan, I have had every trendy short hair cut you could ever think of. You name it, I've done it. I cannot "do" long hair "well". (Did you follow that?) My face seems to get lost in all of that hair---just does nothing for me. I feel "skinnier" with short hair--like I've lost 10 pounds! (wishful thinking, I know)

Needless to say, I was bored with the same 'ole same 'ole. I usually grow my hair out during the fall/winter, and then do something fun & feisty during the spring/summer. Well, I wanted to break that cycle and start the new year with a new, fresh do! And yes, I am fearless when it comes to cutting my hair! Makes me feel like a new person. Gives me energy. Those of you who are feeling "blah" and need a pick-me-up...I highly suggest a fun & fresh new do!

Does Joe like it? What was his reaction?

I warned Joe that he wouldn't like it at first (even before I cut it!---because I knew exactly what I wanted--I told him repeatedly that it was going to be SHORT, but that he needed to trust me! ha). At first, he was in shock and kept laughing---saying: "Suz! Its SO short!"...but by the end of the night he was loving it...just has to get used to seeing me bald! lol (Joe LOVES when I change up my hair and LOVES my hair short, but he is also not good with ANY type of change whatsoever) Fun fact: this is similar to the hairstyle I had when I first met Joe---when he fell in love with me. awwwwwwwwww


Where do you go?

I get my hair styled by Adil at Instinktive Hair Couture in Grand Prairie, TX. He is awesome! He gives the BEST shampoo with head massage, cuts my hair while it is wet, blow drys it, flat irons it, and then cuts it again when it is dry (texturizes it with lots of layers). AMAZING. Got my buddy Liz to start going to him as well. You definitely need to give him a try if you are in the area! Oh, and met a fellow blog reader today while getting my hair "did"---Hi Shelly! Nice to meet you! Crazy small world cracks me up!

I know some of you are out there looking for encouragement...stuck in a rut...feeling the holiday blues...but I tell ya: "Chop away, sweet friends!"---its good therapy for your soul! ;) And let me know if you take the plunge cause I'd love to see it!

CHOP CHOP

I chopped all of my hair off...like, the shortest its EVER been! ;)

Your Typical Steece Mornin'

I thought I would document what our typical mornings look like these days...

Sav raids the dress-up clothes chest and parades around for all to see...(and yes, part of their Christmas is just sitting in our entry way and they have no idea!)



The fashionista in training loves playing dress up--just like her Mama! Check me out here in my new clothes from LOFT! You can also print out your very own 20% discount--exclusively for MY BLOGGER BUDDIES!!! My cute little princess (with her one heel) is always fully accessorized.



Minutes later, she removes all articles of clothing (I can't tell you the last time Joe came home to find Sav WITH clothes on!). Here she is, working on her fairy wings.



She comes running in shouting: "Mama...butterfwyii"--SO proud of herself!




Ben checking out Sav's wings---usually the poor guy is subject to whatever Sav wants to dress him in---(the sister Sav never had). Ben will pretty much do anything and everything that Savannah does or tells him to do...her little puppet.



Minutes later (and I mean minutes---these photos were taken within a time span of approximately 1 hour)...Sav is sporting nothing but her super chic brown coat...collar popped and everything.



A little mid-morning hug...so sweet!



Kids running back and forth on the couch (Andrew & Sav with her beloved "baby")



Ben practicing his drumming skills on anything and everything



Drew's sweet smile



Feisty Miss Priss---up to no good.



Ethan laughing



Little E-bud (my hoarder) walks around with his Halloween pumpkin and fills it to the brim with as many cars as he can fit in there. He also likes to line them all up and count them one-by-one.



Benny and his drum stick



Here she goes again...Sav in another outfit...


Its been said over and over---but it really is SO TRUE: there is never a dull moment in the Steece house! It has been a blast lately to watch the kids get into the spirit of Christmas and the birth of Jesus. We read Christmas books all day long---such a magical time of year. I LOOOOOVE it! Hope you guys are enjoying this amazing/busy/wonderful/stressful/magical holiday season as well! Blessings to you!

(I'll post our Christmas cards soon--just want to make sure they all go out first! Excited to FINALLY get my act together and make cards---the 1st we have ever sent out!)

My NEW FAVORITE Clothing Store!!!

I just finished one of my all-time FAVORITE BlogHer reviews---it involves ME, a professional stylist, and a professional photographer...

...and did I mention that I have recently fallen in LOVE with my NEW favorite store?!?!

"Suz, please tell us what store has amazing tops, perfect jeans, awesome coats/sweaters, irresistible accessories (and so much more)?!!"...

Go to my review blog and check it out!: http://www.reviewsbysuz.blogspot.com/

You have 15 chances to win a $200 gift certificate!!! AND you can also grab an exclusive coupon off of my review--just for you, my favorite blogger buddies!

Happy holidays and happy shopping!

(p.s. if you commented on my review blog last night, please leave me another comment---as the contest officially starts TODAY!)

Mommy & Me Date with Sav: The Nutcracker

I was SO excited to take Savannah to her very first Nutcracker ballet this past Sunday. It was a very small reward considering what she's been through lately. And like many of you, I LOOOOVE the Nutcracker and look forward to the production every year around Christmastime- something my Mommy would always take me to...so it was beyond special to get to share this with my only daughter.

Sav loves playing dress up and twirls around in her tutus every single day (she even has a ballerina on her Christmas stocking). Before I put her down to nap, I explained that we were going to go see the "Nutcracker" as soon as she woke up---with beautiful girls, dressed up in tutus, dancing & twirling across the stage.

After a while, I quietly tip-toed into the nursery and pulled Savannah out without waking her brothers...the first words uttered out of her sweet little mouth was: "Mama...Nutcracker?" SO excited! She must have been dreaming about it!


OK, again---it is night and day with Sav. She completely clams up in social situations and any time she is outside of her comfort zone. She will not talk, she will not smile--especially if there are other children around. It takes a LONG while for her to loosen up. You will see the difference in these pics.

We met up with some buddies including my childhood friend, Lacy, and her darling daughter. (Our fathers are BFFs)



I just LOVE this picture of all the precious little dearies and their adorable outfits. Also cracks me up that Sav is a good 2-3 years younger than most of these ladies (all of the kids her age at church are boys, btw...go figure!). She's a tiny lil' thang. I was nervous about how she would sit through the entire performance.



Love how Lacy pointed out that the girls are the same number of years apart as we are! Its like looking at a younger Lacy and Suzanne back in the day!



Did I mention that we were 4 rows from the stage?! I spent a long time trying to prep Sav that the lights were going to go off and then children would begin dancing on stage. Even still, Sav almost lost it when the lights went down...a couple of "Mamaaa?....MAMMMAAA!!"'s and then she was fine. She actually sat through the entire show! I couldn't help but tear up, thinking about how special it was to share this with her...one of those surreal life moments (cheezy, but true).



She did so well at the performance, that I promised her a trip to Target for her very own special Nutcracker! I let Sav pick it out all by herself. She ended up with a lovely ice princess and couldn't have been happier. (Didn't mean to cut you off, Boo-Bear!)



Just in case you needed more proof (she wouldn't let the princess out of her sight for the rest of the night)--click on the collage for a closer look:

See? She DOES smile! (Why do you think she is completely opposite away from the home? Is there anything I can do to help?)


Here are some more sweet smiles from the Steecieeees

Ethan Joseph


Andrew Paul (his fake smile on command)


Savannah Leigh


Benjamin Stephen