Christmas 2013

 Snow racer from Santa!

It was the perfect gift!

 We keep our family gifts toned down.

Time is the best gift you can give kids and we really focus on that at Christmas instead of the giant piles of gifts under the tree.

 Little blue boxes for Mommy break all the rules!

Thanks boys! Mwah!

 Best gift wrapper goes too!

 The castle is still a huge hit.  It only took Daddy a few minutes to put it together!

Amazing!  I love that once it is all loved out it can be recycled!

 For supper it was build your own dessert!

My brothers of course turned it into a build the ugliest house contest of course!

It was so fun!

 Dinner was perfect.

Fresh and fun!

No time to blog-too many new toys to play with!

Happy Holidays!

Eek! I just about forgot to share our 2013 Christmas card!

Our photo shoot was on a late summer day, hilarious story about us trying to find the location and arrive early.

  We laugh about it each time we drive past now!~

Way more pictures to share!

Our lives are filled with so much love we are so lucky.

The boys are healthy and happy and each year offers so many new opportunities for our family.

We are so thankful for the family and friends in our lives and the love they share.

I can't wait to share our favorite moments of 2013.

 

 

tiny gingerbread houses

 Small enough for little fingers to cut, and assemble.  Perfect five year old baking activity!

 We baked, assembles and put together all in one day.

 Enough to share with friends!

And enough to give as gifts!

The cutter came from the US.  It was a secret mission that involved Cousin Saucy of course.  Seriously, Saucy gets things done! 

I lock mine in a safe it is so precious!

A great tradition to add to our family!

I can't wait to do these again!

staying at home

Staying at home is work.  It is a blessing with work.

Big Brother loves to wake up  his sleeping brother from nap. 

He takes great pride in waking him up slowly and not making him cry. 

The other day it was wake up time and little brother was out cold. 

I mentioned how sweet he looked and Big Brother ran and got my iphone so he could capture the moment. 

I, in turn, had to capture his moment.

There is no job I could possibly love more. 

Full days at school(for my oldest) is coming way to fast.

guest performance

Big Brother was asked to play a special performance this past weekend.

The crowd was over 300 people.

He played confidently and with great expression.

Piano is in his heart.  Hard to explain.  So easy to hear him play.

Lesson three times a week.

Practice three times a day.

Never a complaint.

Serious sweetness with this boy.

 

 

my cabin is my castle

 Warm fuzzy woodland creature slippers.

I love these and purchased them in multiples.

I have specific pairs for certain places.

That is not weird, is it?

Raccoon's-lake

Mouse-city (school and piano and music)

Other Raccoon's-house

 

 Last minute flooring change. I've always loved river rock.

I'd tile myself in it I love it so much.

It will go under the crazy fireplace that I'm sure we'll never use because everyone tells us it is really good and we don't want to mess it up.

It will also go on a part of the wall.

Almost went white subway tile.  Eek. Silly me.  Can you imagine the lines with the farm house flooring!

 The laundry room/ entrance. Yup. Both all rolled into one.

Not for long!

This will be a mudroom.

Small but workable.

I've spent every waking moment available on pintrest looking at mudrooms. Open to any and all suggestions!

The snow.

 There was so much snow.

 Deep, fluffy snow.

 We had so much fun!

Hey, the barn door is up!

More wood, I know I know but I had to have my barn door.  There is just not enough wood on the walls....The walls may change to white, we will see.

It was great family weekend.

Unfortunately it ended up with ANOTHER trip to the ER.

Little Brother again.

Big Brother and I were at piano and Little Brother and Daddy had some fun at the pool.  Too much fun I guess to walk up the stair son feet instead of heads.  Ugg, No stitches just glue.  Tons of crying, mostly me.

log love

These were handmade locally.

Tamarack.  One of my favorite trees.

 We build.

 We count rings.

 We talk about trees and how important they are.

 We play.

The logs are so special.

They are so beautiful, so natural.

I, as an adult, find them inspiring and I am inspired again watching my boys play with them in ways I wouldn't have thought of.

They will go up to the cabin.  They will become a part of the cabin. Forever.

My Mom

It has been a year with out my Mom here on Earth with us.

Ok, without her as we know her. 

I dream of her watching over my boys.

Being Nana.

When I am at the lake I close my eyes and I can hear her voice.

I feel a calm wash over me.

 She cried when she held this now 2 year old for the first time.

I wish I had asked her why.

“Death ends a life, not a relationship.” ― Mitch Albom, Tuesdays With Morrie

 

 I miss my Mom so much more than I ever could imagine.

When I get upset and can hear her voice telling me to be strong.

When I need advice I still ask her.

I am still learning from my Mom.  She had so many lessons to teach.

Thanks Mom.  Love you.

 

Halloween 2013

 Spent the morning with Big Brothers Kindergarten Class.

Parade, games and snacks.  Perfect.

 Our afternoon was a scary(not really) piano lesson and Kumon.

 Then onto the trick or treating!

We went with our Halloween-ing Friends.

It was great.  My Brave Knight was not feeling well so after we collected enough candies for a year we headed home. 

Wow. No snow! It rained a bit but I don't remember the last year we did not get snowed on! Wow!

Brave Knight turned down Smarties and opted for a warm bath, Big Brother ate chips and a sucker.

Happy Halloween!