#reindeerhairdontcare

Trust me, your 6 year old will la la looove you!.  With pipe cleaner antlers and a circle of felt left over from our movie night last week, Ivy was probably the most excited she has ever been to get her hair done.   She didn't even bat an eye when I stuck the nose on with a glue dot.  

{adapted from Simple as That}

Gingerbread Houses

Ivy counts down the days for lots of things and gingerbread houses is one of them.  We have bought kits in the past but this year we decided to make our own from scratch.  Lets just say there are pros to buying the kit.  BUT it was fun and we all pitched in to make it our very own.  Darin cut out templates for us and we all had to hold it in place while the frosting firmed up enough to stay.

This little guy kept trying to get us to give him candy.   Sorry buddy, just because you have teeth does not mean you can eat candy canes.  That smile won't change my mind either. ;)

The very hardest part for me is letting Ivy decorate it.  But after 6 years I am getting the hang of it.  Its not a magazine worthy gingerbread house by any means but really I couldn't have made one perfectly either.   Sometimes I feel like I give up on doing things because its not going to be done just right.  That it isn't how I pictured it would go or some silly thing like that.  I'm learning from my family that creating memories with them is doing it perfectly.  That a six year old's version of a gingerbread house, is awesome.  Or that the majority of the ornaments on the tree hanging from the bottom branches is just how it should be.  Because we did it together, and that is the best way to do things.  

Seven Months of Axel

Seven months and seven teeth.  Like most boys he loves to be outside and he adores his big sis.  And yes he is still happy all of the time.  Its kind of contagious.  

Hello, December.

Its December and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that.  2013 has ended up being both the best and the worst year for me.  So I struggle with both wanting to enjoy the last month this year has to offer, and at the same time I'm ready to kick this year to the curb.  But lets just focus on the positive shall we?  Its December and it has the most wonderful things in store for me.  We are getting sealed to Axel in the LDS Columbia River Temple this Saturday which I can't even... hearts exploding all around me.  Its Christmastime and I have more blessings than I can count.  I can't wait to enjoy this magical time of year with my family.  So lets have a cup of cheer.  I prefer chocolate chai at the moment.  

Friendsgiving Brunch Menu

1)  2)  3)  4)  5)  6)  7)  8)  

Our friendsgiving brunch was so delish I thought I'd share the menu with links to the recipes.  We loved them all so you can go ahead and make any of them for Thanksgiving or your own friendsgiving without worrying if people will like it or not!  

Friendsgiving 2013

 I hosted the first Friendsgiving brunch this week.   It was a chance to get together and enjoy a peaceful morning with a few friends before the craziness of the holidays begins.  I think technically Friendsgiving means having Thanksgiving Dinner with your friends, but I thought brunch the week before sounded like a fun twist.  

It is potluck style,  so I encouraged my guests to bring something they have been dying to try. Maybe something fancy that their families would never eat, or a trial run on a new recipe for the holidays.  I had them let me know what they were bringing to make sure we didn't have only muffins and to help me decide what to make.

As hostess I also provided the drinks, a clean house and a cute baby for entertainment.  We had really yummy food and it was fun to hear how Thanksgiving ttraditions are so different for everyone.  And even though our views on turkey are different we all agreed that we are already looking forward to our new tradition of friendsgiving.

Branchlers {a simple diy}

Branchlers! I've had a crafting itch lately and this was the perfect easy and fast diy to do during Axel's nap yesterday.  I even got the floors swept afterwards.  The hardest part (as always) has been deciding where to hang them.

Supplies...

a scrap of leather, wood plaque, paint, furniture tack or small nail, branch.

I collected all of these things from my craft room and the the branch I got from a tree in my backyard making it free, which I love.  If you don't have a black hole called The Craft Room then you can get the plaques for $1-2 at a craft store and while you are there you can get a grab bag of leather scraps.  I promise you will find other ways to use the leather.  

Start by painting your plaque.  While it is drying cut a piece of leather long enough to make a circle to fit around your branch.  Using a hammer, pound your nail in each end of the leather to punch holes. 

Put your tack through the holes to make a loop and then pound it into the plaque.

Set your branch into the loop and just like that you've made branchlers.  

Giving Thanks to you.

{free 16x20 download here}

Normally in November I do a daily thankful.  I've missed it a little bit this year but I think saying I'm grateful for Axel every day might get a little repetitive.   And while I have so many things to be thankful for, he is always the first thing that pops in to my head.  When I look back over the past few years and think about where my heart was when I started an I'm Thankful month it kind of seems like a lifetime ago, and a different me.  I feel like I am whole these days.  I feel happy and amazed that I feel happy.   Its good.  So this month I'm giving thanks.  To my friends and my family.  To everyone who has been a part of this story.  I couldn't have done it without you.  

: rustic graphics via 

6 months of Axel

I've gotta get a 6 month picture of Axel in before he is 7 months old!  This time of year always seems to fly by for me.  October here was glorious.  Too bad I was sick for two weeks of it.  But we are finally better and have tried to enjoy as much of the sunshine as we can.  Now on to November which is full of exciting times for our family.  Axel's adoption will FINALLY be finalized this month and I'm looking forward to the holiday season.  What is your favorite part about this time of year?

Falling in love with fall.

It is fall everyone.  In case you missed it.  I love summer its no secret.  But I'm a sucker for the change of the seasons too.  And transitioning in to fall has been really easy for me this year.

 It has something to do with boots and sweaters and cozy drinks...

Soundtracks for the season that just make you feel fall in your heart...

Cooler days to get outside with my guy...

Soup and football...{this one is yum and so easy.  also I might be a seahawks fan.}

And weekends like this.  

How could I not fall in love with fall?

First Grade!!

There she goes.  My kid, off to first grade.  We are in our second week of school and loving everything about first grade.   Her teacher, eating lunch at school every day, science and the monkey bars are all of her favorite things about being back in school.  

She gives it two thumbs up.  

What my little girl is made of.

Ivy turned six.  How can it be?  Birthdays make me so sentimental.  We took our birthday adventures to the mountains this year.  Why is it that the mountains always feel like home?  

This girl grew up the day Axel was born.  I've watched her this summer blossom as a big sister.  I've also become keenly aware of how much she is affected by the things I do.  How who I am is shaping who she is.  It is scary and awesome.  

I hope I can teach her to be better than I am. 

 In our adoption profile I described Ivy as being part princess, part pirate.  She is the best of both worlds.  The things my little girl is made of.  Be still my heart. 

It is magical to me to think of all the things she is capable of becoming. 

Courage.  Sacrifice.  Determination.  Commitment.  Toughness.  Heart.  Talent.  Guts.

Thats what my little girl is made of.

Three Months of Axel

Oh Axel.  You and your wiggly ways.  You are finally sleeping through {most} nights which makes me so happy.  I finally feel like I am coming out of zombie mode.  The chubbiness and the giggles make me swoon.  We need to work on getting you some hair but I think you are perfect just the way you are.   

Two Months of Axel

{Two weeks}

{Two Months}

This guy is as smiley as they come.  As long as he has a full belly he is as happy as a clam.  His hair is coming in darker and his eyelashes seem to grow daily.  Its never fair that boys always get the good lashes.  He is finally putting on some squish and apparently always has a question.    He is quite snuggly and all he has to do is flash that dimple and I forgive him for not sleeping through the night yet!   

Eight Weeks

This kid.  Eight weeks old.  

Eyelashes and dimples for day.  

here.

He is here.  

We are doing lots of this. 

I can't wait to tell you all about it.

Axel k.

April 9, 2013

5.14lb 18in