the little things.

We're coming off a Christmas party streak that lasted over a week. We've had many parties and get-togethers, a lot of time worshiping our baby Jesus, way too many gifts opened and throw in a morning of attempting to get a few quality photos of 10 adults and 8 little monsters all 5 and under. There have been a lot of naps skipped, enough sugar ingested to make a strong case for a toddler detox plan and the peanut successfully rotated through all of her Christmas dresses. 

Fittingly enough, today we rested. We stayed in our pajamas too long, we let the laundry go in lieu of legos and time in the snow and Dan and I went through more than our fair share of hot coffee. Perfection. 

It's so funny how much effort we put into this past week of celebrating- the menu planning, the outfit selections, the sometimes ridiculously complicated logistics of it all... and yet my favorite memories will be of those spent at home doing really ordinary things like giving the Peanut a bath and thinking yet again how she is perfection. Perfection all bottled up into the body of this little girl who steals every heart she meets. 

Dan has said something a few times over the past couple of days about the "little things." About how it's all about those simple little pleasures that make like so great. Things like sipping on a hot cup of coffee early in the morning while babies in pajamas run around you excited for another day. Things like going sled-riding in your backyard and feeling like you're 10 years old again. Things that I never want to forget or take for granted (but I all too often do). 

I don't know what this new year has in store for us, but I've got a whole bunch of faith that it's going to be incredible. We're going to go to places we've never been, do things we never thought we could do and overcome whatever comes our way. Every little thing is indeed going to be alright. 

snow buddies.

I'm not sure who was more excited to come home and try out our new sleds today- Dan or Jackson- but either way they've now been outside for hours sledding, building JP's first snowman and the biggest snow fort I've ever seen. 

dashing through the snow...

My parents were out of town the past few days and were having withdrawals from Jackson and Audrey, so while they played with them for a few hours Dan and I decided to go on a mission to find the best sled-riding spot in our backyard... mission accomplished. 

still jingling along...

...there will be dancing.

Love Fest.

Jackson & Audrey Love Fest.

They actually are this much in love with each other.

And I hope it stays that way forever.

Jackson's FIRST sled ride

{snowed in}

I've convinced myself today that there is really nothing better than being snowed in with two babies snuggly warm in their pajamas with bad cases of bed head. 

2013: Resolutions

It's the most wonderful time of the year... time to make resolutions! Hello (almost), 2013! I love any reason to make new goals, to evaluate where I am and where I want to be, but doing it at the beginning of a new year is like the granddaddy of all goal-making, especially when you add in a fresh, new planner to capture it all in. A little bit of heaven is what that is. 

I tend to get a little carried away with setting goals and so I wanted to keep myself somewhat focused this year, so I decided to build my resolutions around my word of the year which is "Intentional." I want to be intentional with how I use my time, how I spend my energy and how we manage our finances. To me, being intentional means being in the moment, soaking up the best stuff in life and not allowing the unimportant to distract me from the things that I really care about. 

The Resolutions:
1. Do 1 Random Act of Kindness each week. This is also a way to teach Jackson & Audrey about giving to others more than we give to ourselves. 
2. Have set running/work-out days. I'm hoping this will help me plan my workouts and running goals ahead of time versus scrambling to get on the treadmill at 10pm each night. 
3. Have 1 date with Dan each month. 
4. Create a loving, creative, nurturing home. I want our home to be vibrant, to be a space that pushes our kids (and us) to think and challenge ourselves and to let our imaginations run wild. 
5. Make some big time progress on my 30 by 30 list. 

Lets do this, 2013!

2012's resolutions HERE.
2011's resolutions HERE and HERE.

How do you avoid taking a 2 year old out in the cold snow & sleet for as long as possible? Let the little monster bring the mess inside. 

Happy Birthday, Jesus...

   

so, we've been Christmas'ing...

{catching up}

JP & Mama date night at The Festival of Lights. 

the world as seen by JP.

Uncle Pooch gave Jackson a camera for Christmas, here are some of his first photos...