The Sweet Life


This was the third year for Gingerbread fun. I feel short in getting my house to stand (and taking photos of all of it) but strangely enough I embraced the sheer flop of it all and just committed to having fun with friends (in a candy induced chaotic sort of way). I've said it before and I'll say it again: hosting a gingerbread party is kind of like throwing a kegger for kids. People get unruly, things fall over and break, the floor is a sheer state of disgust at the end of it but really for as flagrant as the whole thing seems, I wouldn't want it any other way.

I always love a shot of this girl holding my girls

Holiday Retirement


The Landrums hosted a retirement party for Cullen's mom. I wish I would have got a photo of her, she looked great that night - she was rockin' her retirement! Instead we stole a few photos before we left. Most everyone was gone. Still it's fun to take a few shots around the tree!
D was (1) not wearing a bow in his hair that night, and (2) playing the role of
"Christmas Angel" in our Hallmark made for tv movie.

Happy Holidays

This is my most favorite time of the year because nothing makes me happier than a note from an old friend. Every day I get cards with photos of lovely faces. I read witty heartfelt stories about how you are and what you have been busy doing in 2013.

It also is my favorite time of year to create something and mail it out. Years of late have put a serious curb on my creativity in this department; I'm sad to admit I have completely fallen short this year and will have to settle for a quick post. 


We have weathered the transition that comes with having a second child (I write that from the comfort of a glass of wine). Miss A has come in to her own passing the six month mark. As D's mom said so perfectly this summer, "She is delicious." She smiles and chatters at us and is truly enthralled with miss M. She delights in whatever M is up to and M is great about including her in her mischief. Miss M is headed to preschool next month, which means - sweet baby Jesus - the girl might finally be potty trained (It really hasn't taken that long; it just felt like walking in to glass doors over and over again, month after month). She asserts her independence quite often and comes up with the funniest, sweetest thoughts. Such is the outlook of a three year old. Her heart is so big and she's ready to share it with the world. I want to bottle these moments and lock them up in a safe. 

Andy's work continues to go well and I continue my search for a full time job while picking up less freelance in an effort to focus. We anticipate the new year will be fraught with new challenges as we shuffle our schedules and try to reconnect with our social life. The house is a beast of it's own making. We are taking on projects in pieces and hoping soon friends can come stay inside the house in a guest room rather than in the Swinger on our driveway. 

Still, I can't imagine life without two kids, without almost 5 years of marriage to Andy, without Ginger next to me at every step...

Wishing you all the joy the season brings and hopes for a grand new year. 

Girl Meets...

Did I mention I started dating again? Not in the traditional "girl meets boy" sense but more in the "girl gets job" sense. It's been a beast but it surely feels like dating on some level: I'll find something I think has a good possibility of turning into something substantial. I'll throw myself out there only to wait by the phone for a call. I'll put on my best clothes, present my best character, and try to convince someone that I am truly a hot ticket. Sounds like dating to me.

In fact I just made it through quite an inspiring process for a position I felt was a close to perfect for me. So much so, I thought the universe and I were getting back on track. Things were lining up, I was making plans for the future, and then, I got the call earlier this week that they went with the other candidate. It was heartbreaking to hear but not in the devastating sort of way first love is; I've been through enough "summer of loves" at this point. In hindsight, I can see the holes in the fabric and I realize this all sounds too emotional for a job hunt. Still it would have been nice to get picked; to have the confirmation/validation in my abilities and to carry the belief that life's magic is working it's way back into my realm. The hardest part about the news earlier this week was trying to figure out what that meant for me and the universe.

What's that they say, "fall down seven times, get up eight"? That is me these days. I thought the universe was setting me up for grandeur but it's pretty clear the universe still figures I have something to learn about resolve. I guess I do. Or maybe it doesn't have to do with the universe at all. However, this is the type of non-sensical thinking I adopt when trying to make sense of something I don't fully understand. So I'll get back up and go out there and find something else. Maybe my heart won't sing but I can hold it high with the firm belief that for one brief moment I gave it my best. Even if it wasn't good enough, that's good enough for me.

The Big Cheese


We took the girls to see Santa last weekend. A was phased by none of it. M, on the other hand, was cautiously optimistic and negotiated sitting on my lap as I sat next to the big cheese. She wanted to ask him for a necklace but when it came down to "go time" all she could do was say hi.

Ignore the grainy nature of the image, I love this photo: because rarely do I have D taking a picture of me with the kids. 

Annie

We took Miss M to see a local production of Annie because our extremely talented neighbor was...well...Annie. It was at the Town Hall Arts Center in downtown Littleton, which is really delightful at night during the holidays. It felt like a date with our 3 year old. We all got dressed up and went out on the town. M loved it all, mostly the ice cream during the intermission, but still it was fun.



Swing Time

This is a first: getting both youths on the swings together. A thought the whole thing was off the hook. I love her gaped open grin. M feigned boredom and even crossed eyes in one of these photos (which drives D insane as he thinks they'll stay that way). These photos crack me up. It's like a possible time warp to 10 years from now.



Deep Thoughts, v 2.0

Can you dig the Popsicle Lipstick?
She kept saying,"Mom, Mom. My lips are ice."
At the Park:
"Did you take off your shoes?"
"Yeah I did."
"Why?"
"Because I did take off my shoes."

"Someone left a piece of Play-doh (seriously just noticed the spelling: Homer Simpson meets Toddler?!) on the floor"
"Who do you think it was?"
"Um...mommy."
"Did you just throw me under the bus to me?"

"Craddle cap is not my favorite."
"Yeah. Me either."
In an ironic turn of events, we found that the speaker has a little batch on her own head to accompany her sister's ailment.