VDay 2012

Hmmm, I just realized that none of these pictures involve Vday for me & Matt... ya know, the couple -- but lets face it, we know what everyone really wants to see: the boys! We had a lovely Valentines, complete with pink heart pancakes, a playdate, visitors, service, gyros for dinner, a giant warm cookie with Blue Bell ice cream on top for dessert, a pink bath before bed for the boys, finished off by a romantic evening of finishing an espionage TV series we've been watching for months (netflix is spoiling/ruining us...). I got a large pot of white/pink/red tulips and Matt got a ginormous bag of peanut M&Ms <3
There have been lots of reports of sickness, often serious, from friends and acquaintances lately and we find ourselves filled with gratitude for our family and our health - and an acknowledgment of how fragile life can be. Hug your loved ones! Hope you had a love-filled Valentines!

Cat Herding

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Sneaking Spinach

(the blueberries make it really dark)

I've started making smoothies regularly as a way to sneak some more 'good stuff' into my life - and, enjoyably, the boys like the smoothies also. "More spinach please!"

The many faces of Mason

Mason, as of January, is now a Sunbeam at church, the name of the 3 year old class in the Primary. I am the teacher and thought it'd be cute to take "first day of class" pictures of the kids so we can compare how they grow over the course of the year. Without further adieu, here are Mason's... heh heh

CHRISTMAS 2011

This year was SO fun seeing the boys eyes light up with excitement! Mason exclaimed "WOW!" when he walked out of his room to see the presents. Lincoln, who we eventually woke up at 8:10, saw his cozy coupe car and went no further! In and out, in and out of the car he went! Mason ended up opening Lincoln's presents for him... I dont think he minded.

We had such a wonderful, blessed Christmas with so much family and the opportunity to have Christmas morning in our own home for the first time. I loved teaching the boys about Christ's birth (thank you Little People Nativity!) and teaching them the 'why' of Christmas. In a season that is often rushed, stressed, and money-driven, I am so grateful for the boys who reminded me and provided me the opportunity to teach the 'whys' so I too could focus on those whys and forget some of the other stuff.

Along with it being the holiday season, this also marked our 1 year anniversary of moving to TN. WOW! It is marvelous to reflect on the last year and all that has occurred in our lives - and how FAST it has gone! A crazy move, jobless and 'homelessness', a new job, a 'new' home, remodeling, settling into life here, buying another car, along with birthdays, anniversaries, etc. It is really humbling. A lot has changed, and a lot hasn't. Life is so good & we owe all our gratitude to God.

Hope you had a lovely holiday season!!

Baaaaaa

Sweet Mason was a sheep in our manger scene the children put on at the church Christmas party. His costume was a joint-last-minute idea that I will mostly credit Matt's imagination for ---- he was a cute little sheep. :)

Happy (December) Birthday Daddy!