I have a problem...

I cannot limit the pictures in this thing. I've tried, and I can't do it, and I'm throwin' in the towel.

Perhaps it's because of these beauties:

Our 2011 blog book came in the mail this week. It's our entire blog printed into a book, with an official table of contents and everything. Jeff said it best: "I'd pay $700 for this thing." It's true. These are our baby books, memory books, photo albums, and reference pages all rolled into one. You know, sometimes I want to throw technology out the window, but man can it do some amazing things. Can you imagine how awesome it's going to be to go through these in 10 years? 20? 50? I get mine here. 

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Did anyone hear about the snow around here last week? ;-) We ended up with a foot of snow and a week off of school. So, we trudged over to the neighbors, gave them our best puppy dog eyes, and asked to borrow their sled two days in a row. They smiled and handed over their family heirloom runner sled. No pressure.

We had a blast. I realize that Austen looks none too pleased in the sledding pictures, but you are going to have to trust me that she bawled when we brought her frozen tooshy inside, and she is still making it a part of her day to ask to go sledding.

This picture makes me so, so happy

We officially exhausted every single snowed-in activity last week.

Have you seen the movie Tangled? (If you haven't, it's cute.) There's a part toward the beginning when Rupunzel is first free from her tower, and she's running through meadows singing, "I could go running...and racing...and dancing...and chasing...and leaping...and bounding..." Well, in this picture, Kaitlyn is singing her own version of that song while galloping down the hill. It was something like going sledding, and painting, and twirling..." Okay, maybe you had to be there, but remember that this goes into a memory book ;-)

 Daddy worked at home for a day

Austen has decided that it's time to start using the potty. We aren't potty training, Kaitlyn is. We aren't ready, and we don't actually think that Austen is ready, but Kaitlyn has gotten her to pee on the potty twice. She helps her get undressed and sits with her while she tries. We are thinking that we could get away for a weekend and let them raise themselves...

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I've been doing some dumb things lately, like letting my not-even-two-year-old paint with water colors and turning my back on her for a 20 seconds. Bounty paper towels really are as absorbent as they claim. And leaving my make-up accessible to a three year old, which is acceptable IF it doesn't happen again the next day because you didn't quite get around to moving it. 

Okay, cut to me shamelessly tooting my little girl's horn. Is she not gorgeous? Seriously.  

She was so, so proud of herself for putting on Mommy's make-up. So we told her she did a wonderful job, and that when she's a little older she can put on make-up all by herself. Out of reach it went.

The best ever

Okay, this next picture needs a build-up. Picnik is a free editing website that I've used quite a bit because well, it's free. Very recently, they announced that they are going away, which I'm totally bummed about BUT, until they leave in April their premium editing features are free. Do you know what this means? This girl just spent an entire, incredibly vain hour airbrushing, wrinkle-freeing, teeth-whitening, and just generally going town on photos of herself. So.much.fun.

Wait for it...



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Naturally, you want to see the before. Just so you know, I'm embracing my lines and eye wrinkles so I'm cool with this (but that's no reason to blow it up as big as the one above).

They're gone in April, folks; go airbrush yourself before it's too late!

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And a few before-school photos from this morning:

Let it Snow

Just some more snow fun pictures. :-)

It's difficult to have too much fun when you can barely move

Helping

Rubbin' the lip

Frosty

 

Happy 2012

To start off this reflection/new year post, I have a confession: When I turned 30 almost a year ago, I kind of panicked. Leading up to it, I didn't think I would. I wouldn't be receiving any "Over the Hill" gag gifts for another ten years, and I know that 30 isn't "old."

The day after it was official, though, it hit me that I.Am.Thirty. THIRTY. I am no longer in my twenties. I have lines on my face, my knees crack somethin' fierce when I crouch down, I have a bunion (yes, a bunion...what?) on my left foot, I gasp when I see a 16 year old driving a car (seriously?!?), and my gray hairs have too many friends to keep referring to as "strays." Let's face it, I'm not getting any younger.

I'm not gonna lie, I was a little down in the dumps over this for a couple of months.

I snapped out of it, and now looking back at the past nine months or so, I realize that I am more content, more calm, and happier than I believe I've ever been. I'm not spewing puppies and rainbows every single waking minute, mind you, but there has been great improvement.

I had typed this whole rambling mess of affirmation-type paragraphs, but I deleted them for fear that one of the five people who actually read this may take it as me thinking I'm awesome, which wasn't the intention. Just the act of writing it (then deleting it) had the desired effect for myself - inspiration and motivation.

In a nutshell, things that have made the beginning of my thirties great: Choosing positivity and happiness, less judgment (like, none if I can help it. Who am I to judge? Who are you?), less complaining, more thankfulness, and learning, always learning, to let the small things, or those I can't control, go.

30 has turned out to be pretty awesome. My twenties were a blast, but as luck would have it, I'm ready to move on. :-)

And now, some pictures:

Continuing with The Great Nap-Drop of 2011/12. Daddy is clearly not the one spear-heading this. On a positive note, these spontaneous cat naps do not seem to alter the success of this nap plan. Kaitlyn has been falling asleep a lot earlier, which results in more sleep overall (for her).

We have had carseat boxes in our garage for over a year, waiting for the perfect rainy day.

We took the Easy Bake Oven on its maiden voyage last week. Red Velvet cupcakes were the first adventure.

The wait.

The anticipation of the taste test

Success

We call this "Bieber Hair"

One guess for who picked this outfit on a school morning. Oh wait, I may need to allow two guesses (it was Kaitlyn, not Daddy)

Yup.

They decided (well, Kaitlyn decided, and her shadow confirmed), that dinner should be eaten standing on chairs at the counter one evening last week. Why not?

Imaginative play

Hours of fun with boxes around here

The tutu hoarder. I believe there are six tutus in that bunch

MmHmmm...

Northwest Beauty

We may be a little too used to dark and depressing around these parts, but when Mother Nature decides to beautify the greater Seattle area, She does not disappoint.
She showed off a dazzling sunset yesterday evening:

And a peaceful snowy night tonight. Daddy went to the gym, and the girls begged to go in the snow. It just wouldn't feel right to say no to that. So, the three of us girls trekked outside under the streetlights for a snowy adventure.

Oh, these hats, you ask? My extremely talented Aunt Ellen made these for the girls for Christmas. You may not be able to make it out in this blurry picture, but there are adorable owls with button eyes circling the hats.

"They" are calling for more snow tomorrow. Bring it on, as long as it's gone by Tuesday. We are already scheduled for a late school year, and I'd rather not be planning 4th of July lessons.
Happy snow day!