merry christmas!

I admit, I am not blogging on Christmas morning - this is in fact a pre-scheduled post. But Merry Christmas none-the-less.

As this is posting, I am probably downstairs enjoying a mug of hot chocolate and watching my son as he excitedly opens the presents Santa brought him. This is Xander's first year understanding the concept of Santa and he has been asking him consistently for a truck, a race car and candy since Thanksgiving. I'm betting Santa delivers.

Kinsley is probably confused by the chaos of her first Christmas, especially when you add in the chaos of an incredibly excited 2.5 year old, but she finds everything her big brother does to be funny so she is probably smiling.

I'm sure Jake and I are rubbing sleep deprived eyes and I am taking in the scene through the lens of my 50mm. In short, a perfect family Christmas moment is in progress. But I couldn't miss the chance to wish everyone else a Merry Christmas, and to share my family with you.

The first weekend of December we headed to Tanglewood Park for the family Christmas card self-take. It was fun...and cold...but still fun.

Our Christmas card...



Some of my other favorites from the morning...





Xander is singing the ABC's to Kinsley. She loves when her brother sings to her.



Jake caught these while Xander was running around being crazy - which is pretty typical for Xander. I love his energy. He is such a happy kid.



I hope each of you have a Christmas filled with the love and joy of family.

countdown

Christmas time, Christmas time...I can't wait 'til Christmas time...



Only 4 more days!

walking in a winter wonderland...

Greetings snow! Oh...you don't remember me. Well, it's been a long time. We grew up together up North. I must admit I used to take you for granted...I may even have said a negative thing about you now and again. But oh how I have missed you. Welcome snow - please stay as long as you like!





Of course the best part is how excited Xander is about the snow. It's his first real snow and he was more excited than Jake and I - which believe me is a big deal because we were pretty excited.



I told Xander he could eat the snow - you know provided it was a standard white color and had no grass or dirt in it. Loved his reaction.




We'll be spending the weekend either outside playing or inside by the fire drinking hot chocolate.

Only 6 days until Christmas! From our house to yours Merry Christmas!

kinsley: a very merry half birthday

I can't believe it, but today is my little girl's first very merry half birthday.





She's amazing. Happy 6 months Kinsley.

amazing

I'm not really a morning person...I'm not a sleeping in until noon person either but I like to give my body its chance to rest when I can. It's not that I don't like mornings - when I'm awake I very much enjoy them but I also enjoy a lazy morning under my warm covers. Since having kids I have not had many of the lazy mornings under my warm covers but I have seen more sunrises then I used to. Yesterday's was worth taking notice.

abernathy: family part II

The Abernathy's are close friends and it was great spending some time with them updating their family photos. The last time we got together for photos was 2007 and I'm not sure where the time went. Xander was just 6 months old then and staying with 'his Lissa' rather than daycare...how we miss those days!

We spent a beautiful late November afternoon at Tanglewood Park...











This was Melissa's idea - so fun!



It's great when your sibling is also your friend. Someone you can hang out with...laugh with...someone who helps you with everything...even smiling.







It's awesome that after years of marriage and 2 kids Stacy and Melissa still look at each other with the love of newly-weds, but better. This love is seasoned with real life. It knows the good times and not so good - the fun and the hard work. It knows all of the everyday reality and is stronger for it. But it still makes them smile.



Of course you already saw the gorgeous Shelby.



But now we also have the handsome Tate.



In addition to the shadows, Melissa wanted a photo of their feet. This is something I love and do regularly but it was cool to have someone ask for it - it's their family's verse.

Isaiah 52:7 - "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion,"Your God reigns!"



Thanks for a great afternoon!

abernathy: family part I

Finishing up the Abernathy's family session and a full post is coming tomorrow but for now I have the gorgeous Shelby...

happy thanksgiving.

Even before 5 in the morning there is no doubt what I'm thankful for...



Apparently she couldn't wait to start her first Thanksgiving.



I'm also thankful that my other little turkey is still asleep.

Happy Thanksgiving!

russell: family

Sunday I got to meet the Russells...Gavin, Collin, Landon, Mollie, Christie & Mark (also known as mom and dad) and Maggie.



The kids go from senior in high school to preschooler...I've always loved big families. It seems like it would be such fun chaos.



And I do think it must be awesome to be the baby in a large family - all those older siblings loving you and looking out for you. I'm sure it comes with a generous helping of being picked on but still...







Thanks to the Russell's for a fun afternoon!

barnhardt: family

Last week I spent a beautiful Fall afternoon with the Barnhardt family. Suzanne, Todd, Jake and Charlie met me at Tanglewood Park to take advantage of a perfect evening after being rained out on Sunday. The love in this family was obvious from the moment we started and it was a joy to spend time with them.






Jake is in middle school...



...and Charlie is in second grade.



They were as excited about spending an hour taking photos as 2 boys can be but we might have had a little fun along the way...in spite of spiders and yellow jackets.








Thanks to the Suzanne, Todd, Jake and Charlie for a fun afternoon, and thanks to Angie for the referral!

happy halloween.

In spite of the rain we had a great time dressing up and trick-or-treating. Daddy made the robot because as Xander would say "My Daddy rocks!".

october 2009

I love October - the cool weather, the changing leaves and perhaps most of all the pumpkins.









Happy Halloween everyone. We had a great time trick-or-treating last night. Photos of the kids in costume coming soon!