Good stuff this week

Abi being upset that someone at school called her bossy (laughing out loud but holding it in for her sake).

Picking Abi up from school and seeing a hundred snowmen and giant rolled snow balls in the play field, made me smile from ear to ear.

Laying in bed reading a new book on my new Kindle.

Ben's traumatized look post hair cut. He looks so handsome after a hair cut.

Fun playing in the snow and helping daddy shovel the driveway.

A quiet snowy night in the hood.

Only complaint this week is that Ben is having horrible growing pains. He wakes up at night screaming and crying because his legs hurt. I was worried something was really wrong but I've heard it's a common thing especially with boys to have growing pains in the upper legs at night. If you know anything that helps let me know!

Next project

I'm going to put my crafting skills to work to make a rail road crossing sign for little buddy's room.

Pinterest inspiration-

An Ode to my Postpartum Body

(from blog- http://weseekjoy.blogspot.com/2013/12/babies-ruin-bodies.html?m=1 I borrowed it so you can love it too!)




Before I became pregnant, someone told me, "don't have a baby, babies ruin your body."

It has been over a year since Anabel began her life. This time last year she was a microscopic speck in my stomach, and we were announcing our pregnancy. Between then and now, I have gained and lost fifty pounds. Four months after her birth, and my body still carries proof of her existence. 



I have dark pools under my eyes. A valley where my belly button once was. Hips with a new amplitude that my teenage self wouldn't recognize. I have lines mapped across the mountains of stretched skin left over on my midsection. Lightening bolts on my sides proving I once was too small to contain all of the love that filled me. Lines indicating that my daughter once lived inside of me. 

Do you realize the significance in that? Every limb, finger, toe...her heart, even, developed near the very place my own heart beats inside of my chest. Those mountains of skin are all I have left to prove that we were once one and not two. 

How can I be ashamed of that? 
I have so much to say about seeing my grandfather's eyes embedded into the sockets, and under the brows and lashes of her father's. I see the seventeen year old boy I fell in love with, and my grandpa as a child all at once every time she looks up at me. She even wears my ears and my chin. The two very things I cursed having the most growing up. Not much makes me feel more beautiful than seeing tiny renditions of those same features on Anabel, and realizing just how special they are. 

My body grew that. 
Not everybody has that privilege. 



 Sure my belly is a bit softer nowadays, but the way it moves when I jump up and down sends my girl into fits of giggles. And yeah, my hips are hardly as narrow as they used to be, but they sure know the perfect figure-8 motion to sway her to sleep. My twenty-one year old hair is even beginning to gray, but not much soothes her more than my hair between her tiny fingers.

I am not something flawless in the eyes of society, or even close to what I once was physically, but my perfect girl sees me for who I am. To her, I hang the moon. She knows my heart. She knew it long before we met.

And she loves me for it.

I cannot tell you how much worth and validation I feel because of that truth. 

My body is only a vessel for my spirit. An incredible vessel. It is strong, well, abled, and undefeated. 

My body is full of life. 
My body is powerful. 
My body made me a mother. 

 

 If anything, I was ruined by the world before I knew her & she made me whole again.

My sister's commercial

Love it, makes me cry. Kaiser Permanente had it on their website.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdnN_iNVwQ4

Perfection

Out with the old, in with the new

Happy new year! 2013 was a great year for us and a stressful year. Moving was great, but hard! Who knew changing everything could be so wonderful and scary. It was the first full year without my mom, tear. And it was a completely sober year for my Dad! My sister won a voting competition to get to run the Boston marathon in 2014 VIP style following open heart surgery. We had many great times with family and friends over the past year and too many blessing to count. The lake was just awesome for us this year, it feels like home, my heart just loves it there and we can't wait for summer to go back. If only our damn house had sold before the year was over, then it would of been close to perfect! 

 

The new years tradition continues. Decades theme.

Low key this year compared to last but still a great night with friends.

 90's grunge

20's



 

 

 

 

1000 BC

 

 

Last selfies of 2013

 

 Jermery and Larissa were the 70's but Laris was sick and Jerm came late.

The dudes-

 

Wish you all a wonderful year!

 

Goodbye Christmas!

I was kind of sad to take down Christmas this year. I heart Christmas decorations! I meant to blog about all the things I made for Christmas and completely ran out of time. I made this banner out of burlap and felt for our mantel.

 

I made this mirror by hot glue-ing lots of ornaments to a cheap mirror I found at Michael's. It was originally gold and silver but I didn't really like it when I was done so I decided to spray paint it red and love it! It looks like giant cranberries.

I had left over white felt from the banner I made so the kids helped me make these cute trees. I cut out the fabric pieces and they strung them together on a straw.

I was feeling the fake snow and trees in hurricane vases so I did a lot of those. I found on pinterest mason jars filled with water, pine trimmings (from our tree), and cranberries. I made three, put a floating candle on top and were our center pieces on the table for Christmas dinner.

Eat, Drink, and be Merry -that's what we did!

 

 

Santa came and spoiled us!

We had a great Christmas! We were so lucky to be surrounded by family that traveled to be with us! 

 

We did all kinds of activities while the fam was in town. Wine tasting, lunch at the Davenport Hotel, went to River Front Park and rode the carousel and gondolas over Spokane falls. It was the longest/shortest gondola ride ever! If you've been on it you know what I mean :) Went to downtown Coeur d'Alene for lunch and played at the park on the water front (it was freezing!!!!) but fun. I'll be sad when everyone has to go. We had a great holiday!

Hope my kiddos will get this someday.

All I want for Christmas is snow. And we have some, hope it stays! It took Brad and I an hour with two snow shovels to clear our driveway.

Dec 16th

Was my mommy's birthday. Doesn't matter how much time goes by I'll always miss my mom. I'm getting used to her being gone. But there are still many days I need a mom. She hated this baby picture and I think it's adorable. Miss you mom, hope you had a good birthday!

Had some days off at home with buddy this week. I miss hanging out with him all day.

  

My favorite

  

Smarty-pants sister (and her kissy smirk)