happy new year

I had every intention of keeping it at 12 then I got carried away. Here is a recap of several of my own personal favorite family images that I took in 2011! I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!

fifty two on friday ~ week 51 (winter)

she is all decked out in her winter gear, and ready to go out and have some fun.

next up is the very talented Meghan Boyer, Maryland Lifestyle Photographer.

merry christmas

we hope you have a very merry christmas! love ~ us

fifty two on friday ~ week 50 (memories)

"forever is composed of nows." ~ emily dickinson

This year I wanted to start a tradition of sleeping under the tree some time before Christmas with the kids. We did not do anything fancy, no movie or popcorn or anything like that. We kept it very simple. The excitement of the pull out bed and the tree was almost more than these two could handle. They were so excited! Jordan could hardly believe that there was really a bed inside our couch. It took the kids forever to fall asleep.  I was so sore when I woke up the next morning, heck I don't think my body has forgiven me yet. But it was worth it all. Drew told the kids he was not going to sleep with us and Jordan told him he had to because in his words, "it was a family event."

The other day my mom asked me what I think my kids will remember about the holidays. My hope is that they will be joyful memories. I know that they are not going to remember what toy they got and who they got it from.  I hope they can remember that they were always loved beyond measure. My hope is that they will remember some of our traditions. Traditions of  being together, being loved and being happy. Traditions that build strong family bonds, and hopefully they will be wonderful and vibrant family memories.

Now head on over and see what my friend Misty Setzler, Lubbock, TX Photographer has come up with for the theme this week. 

waiting

Leah had her first official play date with a friend a couple of days ago. Her best friends at school are Mikey Brown and Bella. For the longest time when she told me she was friends with Mikey Brown I thought she was telling me she was friends with a boy named Mikey who was the color brown. It made me laugh that she was pointing out his color every time she talked about him. One day when I was dropping her off at school,  I saw Mikey and it finally dawned on me that she calls him by his full name. Silly mom.

They are so terribly cute together. They are the perfect pair. He barely talks and she is the queen of gab. She will walk into the room, grab his little hand and off they go. In the morning when she is getting ready for school she will pick out an outfit and say, "Oh, Mikey will love this!"

I forgot to grab my camera on the way out to our play date with Mikey but I did get this pic of her patiently waiting. All dolled up and ready to go. You can't tell but the shirt has little cupcakes on it and when she put it on she said, "Cupcakes, oh Mikey loves cupcakes!" as she clapped her little hands together in excitement!

fifty two on friday ~ week 49 (music)

When I think of music I think of dancing and when I think of dancing I think of my little girl. Anytime anywhere she loves to dance. With or without a partner, a dance floor or even music.

Here, we were playing in the yard and she grabbed Jordan's hand and asked him to dance, I was lucky enough to snap a picture.

Now head on over and check out what Misty Setzler, Lubbock, TX photographer came up with for the theme this week.

first snow of the season

I am not a cold weather person. If I could sit on a beach every day of my life I would. But I really look forward to the first snow of the season especially now that I have kids. There is something so magical about the smile and the sparkle in their eyes when they look out the window first thing in the morning and see the first fresh snowfall. You can still see faint traces of sleep lines on his face, love it!

I love seeing their cute little noses pressed up against the window, it melts my heart every time.

The kids were so excited!! Even though it was barely a sprinkling of snow we all raced outside first thing in morning to play in the snow.

Jordan was really looking forward to throwing a snowball at me! He did not have much luck with what little snow we had but it sure made him happy to try.

Leah did not last for long outside, she is like her Mama in that way and prefers to be warm and toasty.

fifty two on friday ~ week 48(the kitchen)

When most people think of something they do in the kitchen they think of something that has to do with food. Like cooking, baking or eating, makes sense. Not me, when I saw the theme this week my mind immediately went to crafts. At least once a day you can find the kids and I sitting in the kitchen around the table doing some sort of craft project. My kids love to do anything crafty. They are both at an age where we can do simple projects together. We usually start with a theme of some sort and some supplies. I give them help when needed but it is really fun to see what they each come up with and how they make each project their own.

When you are done checking out what we do in the kitchen,  be sure to head on over and check out what's cooking with my friend,  Misty Setzler Lubbock, TX Photographer.