{new year}

More countdown widgets here
~Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

{new camera}

Matt and I are really excited to have our new camera.... here is a little snippet of what we have been doing through our lens.

Ryan and my little sister Sally...

Mr. Corbin waiting for the snow...

My Ella...

I thought I had more uploaded to the computer... guess you will have to wait.... I know you can hardly contain your excitement... humor me:)
On another note... obviously I have changed my layout... the holiday is over. Here is my dilemma.... I am going with something a bit more simple. What do you think? To simple? Im sure I will tweek it.
Thanks to all you well wishers on Kylers birthday. A special thanks to my sister Katie (love and laughter on sumner ave.) for the special post for K. Love it:) So sweet to be reminded of memories through someone elses eyes.

{birthday girl}

For nearly 2.5 years we had you to ourselves. You and I would go for long walks around town for hours. You loved toast for breakfast and to swing. These days seem like they went on forever and are extremely vivid to me. I am so grateful for the time we had just the two of us... plus dad:)


Now you share your parents with your 2 brothers and baby sister. You dont always get the same divided attention you once had... but I like to think that we both hold on to those moments tucked away for ourselves:)
You are officially 12 years old! And all that comes with being 12;) You are big into texting on you phone that even I envy sometimes... how did that happen. Your friends are very important to you. This year you played volleyball for the 4th year... and are really good at it! We are so proud of how accomplished you are with school. I rarely see you working on homework... you seem to always get it done... and keep your A's. Although this doesnt surprise me... you have always been extremely smart and really have never needed any help from us. You are blessed that this comes easy for you... always remember that. You will go far and do great things Kyler... everyone sees this. You have been taking piano lessons for nearly 3 years now... and seem to be enjoying it... even though I always get on you to practice. You enjoy taking care of your bunny Rex... and all the responsibility that goes along with your own pet.
These next couple years will bring huge changes... that Im not sure I am ready for yet. I am still trying to absorb the fact that you are 12... and it has been 10 years since our simple days of being a family of 3.
Wishing you a very happy birthday babe-a-lishious... we love you!

its all a blur

... these last couple of weeks:) I think this may be the longest winter break the kids will ever have... I will let you know if they survive! JK... it has been smooth sailing and feel like a dream. I can hardly remember what I have posted and havent.... there is too much to tell. For starters... Matt and I bought ourselves our Christmas present last week. The Cannon Rebel.... Yeah! I have been drooling over this camera for a while now... and am so excited to start taking pictures. Thank you Matt!!... and me:) Ha! We spent a day in Seattle and met up with my sista Sally and her boyfriend Mr. Ryan:) Fun times had by all. We rode the monorail... saw it snow in Pacific Place.. rode the carousel.... like total tourist with camera in tow:) Love it! Christmas was good and seemed to fly bye...now for the clean-up. Kylers 12th birthday is tomorrow and I need to get planning. Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.

{one of my favorite holiday commercials is back}

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndcCVfp0AMU.... Enjoy:)

{the Christmas sweater}

Matt and I went to see the Christmas sweater last night. I really had no expectations... and was blown away. Mathew listens to Glenn and is almost done with the short read of the book... so I knew he knew more going in. We both really enjoyed the performance. It was a nice way to spend a date night for the Holidays:) I am actually going to read the book when Matt is done now.... that says a lot... right!!

{scentsational}

I just want to share with you how much fun I am having with SCENTSY!! I started this in October and really havent put to much into it.... but.... because it is such a NEW business the response has been wonderful. Not only is it new to many of us.... it really sells itself. I went in with the notion.... if I could make what I put into this back..... then I would be happy. I have made.... with little effort my friends....10 TIMES what I put into it now!!!
So if you are itching to see the product.... or are thinking you would like to make a little spending money$$ of your own.... then please CONTACT ME:) I would LOVE to share SCENTSY with you!

snow....

a quiet blanket of snow has covered our sweet town tonight. The first snowfall of the season brings excitement young and old. Tomorrow holds playful snowball fights.... snow angles and sledding.

{ heartwheels & cheesecake }

Ella has been turning cartwheels {heartwheels} anywhere and everywhere..... she is pretty good..... Cade taught her:)

While enjoying my birthday cake of choice {cheesecake} we asked Ella if she would like a slice.... to which she replied... I dont see any cheese! Too Funny:) I love the things the kids say. I debating bringing back my "Famous Words".... if you know what Im talking about.... and would like to see it again.... let me know.

I would LOVE to for you to share any special traditions or even fun ideas you may have for the days leading up to Christmas with you and your family. This year I have a special box where I buy something small... usually a treat.... and let the kids check the box everyday for a surprise...... kind-of like an advent calendar;) Do you have a fun way to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas.... I would love some help with a new idea. After all the days leading up to Christmas are the most fun.... and I would like to savor them with special moments. ~tootles

~ my friend.... the photographer ~

The pictures are in....















Tell me what your favorites are:)

Anyone looking for an amazing photographer that is local? Check out my friend Stacies site...http://staciewilkins.com/

you are it....

Here's how it works: Bold all the things that you have done in your life.

1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run 32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David 41. Sung karaoke 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing- 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie- 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar 72. Pieced a quilt 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee

Have you done most of these? Anything that shocks you?

3-D snowflake instructions

Kyler learned how to make the snowflake from my CRAFTY friend Maribeth and passed it along to me. I found some instructions on the web that will work just fine. Check out this link..... http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-3D-Paper-Snowflake

Happy making:)

{turkey bowl} & snowflakes

Had to share a picture of the boys before they got all dirty playing football Thanksgiving morning.

This is what the kids and I did this weekend....





Have you made these before? So easy and a fun family project..... plus I think they look pretty:)

~ another beautiful day ~

.... here in the Pacific Northwest:) If the sun keeps this up.... I may not have to visit the tanning bed;) VITAMIN D The kids and I had a quick outing up to the local TARGET' for some allowance spending... always good times. A bite to eat for lunch back at home and then we are off the the Santa Parade downtown this afternoon.... another reason Im thrilled about good old Mr. Sunshine! Can it get any better than this.... kids are sickly sweet because they got what their little hearts desired ( as much as 5-10 $$ will get them) and Mom is easily in good spirits with good old fashioned sunshine ( artificial or not ) Im feeling even so generous as to say maybe we will ALL bake Christmas cookies when we return.... that may be pushing it.

~ pictures ~

So excited to get a glimpse of the photo shoot my oh -so -good- friend Stacie did for us. I wish I could share them all with you.... they turned out great. If you are as impatient as I am send me your email address(if I dont have it) and I will invite you to look at them. Too fun!!