Merry Christmas, 2014!

From our family to yours, we hope that your Christmas is full of warm embraces, happy homes and stuffed bellies! This season is all about celebrating love and life and family, and we're definitely thankful for all of the above...Merry Christmas!!

Family Photos, Fall 2014

Just putting these out here because I love them, and I'll take any excuse I can get to shove my virtual wallet full of family photos in your face. This is my group, my family, my trible, my littles, my bear.

My everything. 

Thank you (again and again) to Pam Burke Photography for capturing this moment in time for us. 

Crazy, Lucky

Our anniversary is coming up this week, and I'm a little sentimental over here -- over a decade with this guy has made me crazy. Crazy in love, crazy in happiness, crazy in denial. 

It hasn't been this long. We haven't gone through so much. We don't have such an awesome family. It's not possible that I'm this lucky. 

But I am -- despite everything I am this lucky. And I owe it all to luck, 'cause I'm not so convinced I deserve a moment of this life of mine. 

Evening Walks with Birdie

Getting this dog was the best thing we've done in awhile. For me, she's the perfect fit to our family + she is everything you could want in a family dog or any dog for that matter. I am comforted by her presence, it just feels right having her around.

 

In the evenings, when the boys are finally asleep, the girls and I sneak off for a few minutes of time alone. We walk the gravel road towards the cabin. We pick wild berries. We jump over fresh piles of cow manure. We throw rocks in the creek. It's all the stereotypes of "country living" that, in my mind, comprise the perfect ending to any day.

 

I look forward to those stolen minutes, before the girls go to bed and the rest of the evening chores (or the couch) call my name. The sun has set, but the world is still lit in this beautiful warm haze. Stars are just beginning to fade through the sky. Rhealen always looks for the moon. I've taught Sidney how to cover it up by using her thumb and closing one eye. Like clockwork, they do their routines.

 

Birdie follows along beside us, through our legs and against our bodies before darting up the hill. I think she enjoys these evening walks, too. She runs and stretches and sniffs the entire time we walk. I have to keep reminding the girls to let her be, she'll come back when she's done. They call to her constantly, and she always obliges, tiring her little body out in double the time.

Of course having a dog is more work, another being to care for -- but Birdie makes it easy. She is never demanding, always gentle and so easy going. She was made for us.

 

I wanted a dog so badly for so long, and just like that, I found the perfect one. She fits into our family as perfectly as those evening walks we share.

The Funk (And Not the Good Kind)



(source)

The older I get, the more I discover my strengths and my weaknesses. I like to think I've always been a rather mellow, patient, easy-flow kind of person. It takes a lot to ruffle my feathers, and I rarely get overwhelmed by anything. I don't really get mad at anyone or anything. I've even learned to let go of old grudges I carried for years. Aside from my daily road rage, my temper just kind of steadies on an even plane.

 

And yet, lately, I've been feeling overwhelmed. It's this week, really. And there's not anything super specific to pin it down on. It's a mountain of little things, insignificant things that I know I shouldn't even let bother me. I know they're fleeting moments of aggravation, and in the scheme of things, they don't deserve the attention I'm giving them.

 

But yet, they keep piling up. And I'd be inhuman to say they aren't bothering me. Because they are. I've been rushed, forgetful, easily agitated, melancholy, and just plain tired all week (and we're only halfway through the week).

 

Even with four kids, our lives run on a pretty smooth schedule. It's not air-tight, and we can usually change things up fairly easy, but still -- we have our own sort of normal, and everyone is predictably their same crazy selves. We make it work for us, and honestly, most days it doesn't even feel like we're working that hard.

 

This week has felt hella hard.

 

I guess this is just one of those funks, I know people go in and out of them all of the time. I'm in the funk right now, deep and thick -- and I wouldn't be so upset or angry about it if I just had a viable or justifiable reason to be in the funk.

 

I keep thinking to myself, "what is wrong with you?! there are so many other things going on right now, snap out of it!"

 

But here I am, keeping it honest and writing it down -- hopefully sooner, rather than later, I can look back on this from the other side. Shake it off. Move forward. Get over yourself, woman.

Throwback to an old photo of me and Sidney - back when I thought one screaming baby was overwhelming. HA!

 

Birdie

On Saturday we added another blip to the crazy stream that is our lives: we got a dog!

We rescued this little girl, Birdie, from a local shelter + it was love at first sight. She's around 1.5 years old + they believe she's a Blue Heeler/Australian Shepherd mix. She really is the sweetest little pup you could ever hope to meet!

I still can't believe we somehow talked Justin into owning a dog again (we had to rehome our last two dogs a few years back after they attacked our neighbor's dog) -- so even though we've brought Birdie home and plan on having her for years to come, I'm still holding my breath a little + I get worried she'll run off or get picked up or something drastic like that.

But so far, she's a dream + she doesn't bark, doesn't jump or do anything excessively annoying like that with either us or the kids. She hasn't tried to wander off and hasn't been down near the road by our house.

The only negative? She is determined to escape every kennel we put her in. She managed to escape two different kennels three different times! Each time though, she just comes right back to our front porch, to her little spot in the corner.

 

I am so glad we got a family dog, and I'm so glad we found her when we did. She is perfect --in my eyes-- and even though it's another level of crazy added to our days, I wouldn't have it any other way!

 

She's just one more baby to love :)

SWVA Perfection

This little corner of SWVA sure is a pretty one -- and on days like this one pictured, it's hard to imagine a more beautiful place to live. We have it all, all year long - sunny days, crisp evenings, cold nights. Sunny summers, snow-filled winters. We have thunderstorms in the spring and crunchy leaves in the fall. It's just picture-perfect all year long!

 

I've traveled quite a bit in my young life and seen all sorts of beautiful things, but I swear, that mountain covered view is my favorite thing in this whole world.

(Also, momma needs a haircut. And a selfie stick!)

Hiatus..es..sss

Sometimes life just gets too busy to "be". 

There's not much time left to dedicate to blogging or tweeting or facebook-ing. With four kids, there's rarely time for any of it, let alone all of it. And that's OK. Life ebbs and flows, and sometimes the stars align and things get done when they're supposed to, the way they're supposed to. And sometimes they don't.

Sometimes all I have are grainy iPad photos of our "moments" -- and sure, I could just give up on it all and walk away from my blog. But I freaking love this space. 

I would have forgotten *so* much without these stories here. And maybe that means I'm supposed to forget. Not every day needs documenting. 

But why not? Who says they don't need to be? Aren't worth the time/effort? 

These are the only days I get, this is my life, one and only.

All of these boring, grainy, miniscule little moments will pass me by, and one day, I'll be left with nothing but my memories. And I want to remember as many as I can; and if I need help, have a little place to help jostle those memories back into my mind. 

So even if the breaks are long, the spaces between grow wider, the days roll by in silence. I'm still here. Still living. Still making memories. Of my own, precious to me. And as always, this space is mine 'til the end of time, and I'll never regret putting a memory here. Never.

Pushing Through, Looking for the Love

Tender moments between these two remind me what it's all really about -- in the midst of tantrums and bloody noses and deafening screams...there are these little blips of love. 

I am hopeful that underneath all this sibling squabbling there are relationships forming -- loving, holy, unyielding bonds of love forming between sisters and brothers and brothers and sisters.  

This is a very loud moment in our lives -- a five-month-old who has found his raging cry-voice. A one-year-old who has decided tantrums are the "it" thing and who uses his hands to slap, scratch and pull hair. A nearly three-year-old who is so stubborn, she'd cut off her nose to spite her face. And a six-year-old with a diva attitude to rival that of a sixteen-year-old. 

It all makes for lots of tears and struggles, and honestly, it's just not a very fun place. That's not to say all days are hard; honestly, the majority of days are pretty good. Not always great, but moderately good and manageable, and with a family this large, that's all a momma can ask for. 

So I'm treasuring the moments of peace and tenderness. I know this time is short and precious, but it's also loud as hell and makes me want to pull my hair out. 

50/50

Mighty, Little RJ*

 What I wouldn't give to spend ten minutes inside this little gal's head >> she is quite the talker these days! 

Justin made the comment he'd like to know all the things she doesn't say -- but I don't think she ever has a thought to cross her mind that doesn't leave her lips! 

She has a million and one questions a day, repeats herself unnecessarily, and can drive a good preacher to cuss with her pestering. But that little voice is so sweet, it's hard to stay too mad at her for too long. 

When babies are teeny, you dream of them being able to talk to you, if for no other reason than to tell you when they're hurting >> Rhealen tells you everything: when she's hungry, when she's tired, when she wants something, when she poops, when her siblings are being naughty. The girl tells all! 

 It's so exciting to think she'll be turning three in just a few short weeks >> these past three years have flown by, and while she's hasn't grown that much in stature, her brain (and heart) sure have grown by leaps and bounds. She amazes me daily with that intelligent (and sassy) little mouth! 

Trouble Doubled {R+J}

These two, my little blonde bombshells, are quite the pair >> they are trouble doubled, fire and gasoline, push and pull. One starts the other going, and then they're off together, loud little voices and big footed stomps through the house. 

They are always into something together. They are always fighting over the same thing. They are always laughing at each other. Being the middle two and only nineteen months apart seems to serve them well. Jaxon is almost as big as Rhealen, and I get the feeling if things continue as they are, he'll be bigger than her by the end of the summer. He is a bruiser in demeanor and strength; she is burly in personality and spunk. Her heart matches his head, if that makes any sense :) 

I love this duo, as trying as they are, and I'm so glad they're partners in crime. At least they're never in trouble alone! 

Spring Photos '14

After a few weekends of bad weather and then busy last-minute plans, we finally got ourselves together and got our photos taken! Stephanie, our resident family photographer, came down and chased us around our yard and little church next door, and we got some decent shots. 

I say "decent" because my two of my children, who need not be named as evidenced below, are so not into having their picture taken. To capture a smile from them on camera is akin to capturing photos of bigfoot -- it doesn't happen, and when it does, it's probably a conspiracy behind camera. 

But nevertheless, this is our family, our six pack, as we live and breathe and in total 100% honesty, flaws and all. At least we have some photos to look back on, and laugh about, for years to come. 

'Til next time! 

And my favorite family photo of the day, even though RJ has her eyes half-closed and Jaxon looks mad as hell and poor Toby isn't even aware of what's going on. 

Still my favorite, my family in a nutshell!

And from last spring to this spring -- Justin hates doing these "walk away" corny shots, but I love them, especially now that I have two to compare side-by-side. 

A "Bad" Evening at Home

One of the first questions I get from family or friends whenever I roll up with all four kids in tow is, "so how are you handling it?"

And "it" means the chaos of four kids, and yes, I recognize we're a buzzing mass of arms and legs and dirty faces and voices, both quiet and loud, but it's not always chaotic. Sometimes, most times even, it's fairly peaceful. We're in routine mood, surviving on our patterns, and blessedly, there are not too many bumps in the road.

But when there are bumps? They are massive. They are consuming. And they're always parallel to the other bumps in the road. Here's a rundown of a typical-bad evening, which luckily is far and few in between, but does happen:

I'm late leaving work.

Call the babysitter. Call Mom. Gas light comes on.

Stop for gas. Rush to get the kids. Round up blankets and bags and jackets and shoes. Load the girls. Round up more bags and blankets and shoes and jackets. Load the boys. Fight over what we're listening to on the radio or CD. Rhealen and Sidney fight over the volume. Jaxon can't get his tablet to work. Toby wants a paci or a bottle or a diaper or something I can't get to right then because I'm driving.

Realize we need milk at home. Shit.

Go back to the store. Run in at the speed of light for milk and end up with twenty seven other things we do or do not need on a whim. Hurry home. Unload boys and girls and bags and jackets. Start supper. Call Justin. I forgot we need diapers. Start a load of laundry. Force Sidney to start on homework. Take the toy away from Rhealen who took the toy away from Jaxon. Console a screaming Jaxon. Get Toby back to sleep.

Sidney tore her homework getting it out of her bookbag. And she has no pencil. And she's out of lunch money.

Supper spills over the stove and the washing machine is off-balance yet again. Rhealen goes screaming through the house because loud noises scare her. Jaxon follows suit because he thinks it's a fun new game. Sidney has abandoned homework and has turned up the TV to volume level eleven billionty.

EVERYONE CALM DOWN.

Justin walks through the door. We got this bill and that bill and why haven't you paid this already? Supper is burning. The baby is awake again. Jaxon has fallen off the couch for the tenth time. Sidney slams the bathroom door. Justin hasn't even gotten his boots off yet.

Supper is done. The laundry gets thrown in the dryer. Kids eat at the table. Jaxon eats off my plate standing in the kitchen. Then Jaxon eats off Justin's plate standing in the kitchen. I hold Toby. Justin holds Toby. Toby has to sit in his seat for a minute. Toby screams.

We can't find Jaxon's bottle. Rhealen can't find a paci, which she's not even supposed to have anymore. We left her blanket at Gran's. The other back-up blanket is at Sandy's. Sidney is still hungry. Jaxon is beyond sleepy and is walking into walls.

Turn on Jaxon's fan and put him down with his paci. Goodnight, love you son, and close the door. The girls need a bath. It'll just have to wait 'til tomorrow. Wash them down the best I can. Put pajamas on. They want to watch ten more minutes of Rio for the hundredth time this week. Rhealen wants to sleep on the top bunk. Sidney wants to sleep on the bottom bunk. No, girls, go to bed. Sidney on top, Rhealen on bottom. Rhealen doesn't have her blanket. She's really mad about the whole thing.

Justin has fallen asleep on the couch for the third night this week. I glare at him but also feel a little relieved. At least now we're not going to have to fight or even speak to each other. Toby cries again. Justin wakes up.

Justin tells me to go take a bath, I need a break, he's got the baby. I don't argue. I run myself a bath, grab the kindle, enjoy the scalding heat of the water. Ten minutes later, I hear the baby. And I keep hearing the baby. I yell for Justin. Again. No answer.

I curse. A lot. I let the water out of the bath because what's the point anymore. Justin is asleep on the couch again. I want to stab him with the bath drain. Not really. Yes, really. I yell at Justin. I get the baby. He just needed his paci. Rhealen calls to me about her blanket once more. I warn her to go to sleep.

I load the dishwasher. Pester Justin to get off the couch and go to bed. Check on the girls. They're asleep, finally. Turn off their TV. Turn off all the lights. Check that the doors are locked. Pester Justin some more to get off the couch and get into bed. Consider leaving him there all night so I can hog the entire bed. Check on the baby. Still asleep. Fix a bottle because I know he'll be up in an hour, maybe two if I'm lucky.

Finally get Justin to move to the bed. Set the alarm clock. Collapse into bed and pray the baby will actually sleep a little tonight. Try to shut off my brain so I can fall asleep instantly to maximize the minutes I do get to sleep.

Justin is already snoring. And eventually, I am, too.

The Cursing Toddler

To meet Rhealen, from a stranger's perspective, one might think this little girl is shy, quiet, and meek. She can be all of those things, sometimes painstakingly so, but in her "natural element" this girl is wild. And loud. And opinionated. And stubborn to a fault. 

When she gets hurt, she often runs to hide out - where most kids want to be petted and fretted over, she doesn't want to be acknowledged. She doesn't want to cry, doesn't want to be held or kissed in any way. 

And, recently, when frustrated or scared or surprised or just excited, she turns to her new favorite word: dammit. 

Over the weekend, I served her breakfast on all her favorite flatware; her Princess mug half-full of milk and a fresh-from-the-oven biscuit on her Brave plate. She took one bite of her biscuit and proclaimed, "Dammit! That's hot!"

At first I wasn't 100% sure the words actually left her lips, so I didn't acknowledge she'd said anything. And then she did it again. Bite. "Dammit! That's hot!" And then another bite. "Dammit god! That's hot!" 

And that's when I stepped in...I can overlook "dammit" being kind of cute and funny (when they're this little, there's really not much you can do in regards to their choice of language except to redirect them and reprimand them with consistency) but "dammit god" isn't exactly something I want her to stick with. Or flip-flip with the alternative. 

I should clarify: Justin and I both curse. With flair, I might add! It's something we know isn't morally right, and it's not something we're very proud of it. But we do it. And I'm a firm believer that language, specifically foul language, is not the worst habit a human being can have. There are a lot of other qualities that I find worth snubbing; cursing just isn't high on that list. 

That being said, once Sidney was old enough to understand the power of her choice of words, we had lots of conversations about cursing and how it can offend other people. We talked about implications from grand-parents, teachers, friends, etc., and how the words we use at home (in a safe environment) aren't always proper elsewhere. She got it. 

And I know, one day, Rhealen will get it, too. It's part of the learning curve of life. For now, I'm just hoping I can curve that foul little mouth into some words that aren't quite as shocking as "dammit"....

Especially that whole "dammit god" thing. Phew....

A lot of people think I don't filter my life (online) I do try very hard to keep things as authentic as possible -- I don't like "pretending" or "glossing" and I want to document our lives as honestly as possible. I don't see the point in staging perfected photos or excluding details that aren't 100% rosy -- they are our story, all the million and one moments that happen, good/bad/whatever. 

But there are some things I keep to myself; my usual rule of thumb is to not share anything I wouldn't feel comfortable talking about with a friend or coworker. I don't talk about "naughty" things here, and I don't like to discuss my personal beliefs (too heavily, although I am guilty of getting caught up in the heat of the moment from time to time) -- I do try to censor out things that might be embarrassing for the kids later down the road, and I don't really talk about Justin in much detail (he's not one for living a socially interactive lifestyle) -- and as a result, I don't talk about the fighting we do, which isn't often, but sure is intense when it does happen. 

And I'm really only posting this right now to remind myself later on that we did fight (duh!) -- we were ugly and mean and things were not always rosy. We pushed and pulled and threw our hands up in the air. But, obviously, we didn't give up. We kept our vows and found a way to push onward. 

Marriage is hard, y'all. 

But I married my soul mate, my best friend -- and while we know each other too well (and use that knowledge to cut to the quick in the heat of battle!) -- we love each other; stupid, ridiculous, crushing amounts. I love my husband, the father of my children, the hands I love to hold and the heart that matches mine. There will be more fighting, more harsh words, more tears. It's part of the deal: marriage, not for the faint of heart. 

My only hope is that we look back on this time in our marriage and remind ourselves of just how close we were to the edge. I hope we can remember the way it felt, the fear we both had -- and I hope we learn, together, the best way to fix our broken pieces. 

Some < Others

Some nights, I "fail"* at being a good mother.

Some nights my kids eat cereal. Some nights homework doesn't get done. Some nights they go to bed with dirty faces wearing the day's dirty clothes.

Some nights the house is left in a worse mess than the night before. 

Some nights the laundry is piled four feet deep. Some nights the dirty dishes don't even make it to the sink.

Some nights there are fights. There are stories that don't get read to babies. There are kisses that go unkissed. There is anger and hurt and tears.

Some nights there is nothing to do but hide and cry in the bedroom. Don't let them see your tears of frustration and anger.

Some nights there are tired bodies bumping into each other in crowded hallways. There are words spit with venom. There are "I hate yous" and "I really hate yous". 

Some nights are, for lack of a better word, complete and total shit.

But, for every one of those "some nights", there are other nights.

Other nights dinner is done and done right and done on time. There are full bellies and warm bodies.

Other nights homework is finished and books are read. There are clean jammies and freshly washed faces. 

Other nights the laundry gets (mostly) caught up and the dishwasher is loaded. The house gets straightened.

Other nights there is kissing and hugging and loving. There are moments hidden from little eyes and extra "I love yous" and moments for momma and poppa.

Other nights, in fact most nights, are divine in their simplicity and imperfection. Other nights are the norm and the good and the reason we can make it through some nights that are hard.

Tonight, I am my grateful for the nights when I don't "fail"* at motherhood. I live through the some nights so I can love the others.

*None of us really fail at this motherhood thing; we're all bumbling fools just doing our best to keep our little humans alive!*

Zzzz..........NOT!

So.........this is what no sleep looks like, eh? 

I would post you a picture of myself looking all baggy-eyed and sleep-deprived, but I don't think a photo would do justice to the way I feel. I'm operating on the most erratic sleep schedule ever right now, fueled by caffeine and some primal instinct to just keep pushing forward. 

Toby has no sleep "schedule" and most nights, his longest continuous sleep stretches only two hours, max. Most of the time it's an hour, sometimes even less -- we've been trying to implement a nighttime routine to help. We've done bathtime and playtime and bottles with cereal. I let him soothe himself to sleep and put on the sound machine. So far, no dice. I know he'll get there, and honestly, I don't have unrealistic expectations that my >2 month old should be sleeping 8-12 hours. I've done this a time or two, I know how all of this works! 

I would just like consistency is all -- knowing I could get two hours consistently would be a blessing at this point (for my sanity) !!

Added to this no-sleeping-Toby mix is my poor teething boy, Jaxon -- the girls never really seemed to have an issue cutting any of their teeth, but this poor fella has been up the past few nights screaming non-stop in pain. I hate to see him hurting, and I do what I can to soothe him, but in my near-comatose state of mind in the middle of the night, who knows how helpful I really am (??)

This will all pass in time. These are precious days I will want back sooner rather than later. I am going to miss all of this one day. I KNOW, I KNOW. 

But I also miss sleep. Sweet, beautiful, warm, uninterrupted sleep.  

I'm just looking forward to being further down the road, looking back on this post, and thinking "you made it, girl. your kids are sleeping!" -- you want to know what I dream about (when I actually sleep long enough to dream?) it's THAT. 

"...and I am young,  yes, but what I have learned is that love, the beauty of it, the joy of it, and yes, even the pain of it, is the most incredible gift to give and to receive as a human being. And we deserve to experience love fully, equally, without shame and without compromise.
There are too many kids out there suffering from bullying, rejection, or simply being mistreated for who they are.
Too many dropouts.
Too much abuse.
Too many homeless and
Too many suicides.
You can change that..."

2013 - Year in Review

I'm a little last posting this (I like posting them around the first of the year) but better late than never! 

You can see 2012 HERE and 2011 HERE.

::JANUARY::

2013 started out with a bang for us - our little Jaxon Leon arrived a little earlier than anticipated on the 9th :) We adjusted to life with three kiddos, played in the snow, and

::FEBRUARY::

As blogging goes with a new baby, things were erratic and hairbrained! I shared little things that made me happy, random updates on our new normal, and did my best to find "me" again.

::MARCH::

By March I was back on my blogging game! I managed to wish my dear husband "happy birthday" while ranting about Prop8, kept up with the weekly TT posts, did updates on both girls, and posted a cute little video of Rhealen.

::APRIL::

We moved into our house, which was the biggest joy of the month, for sure! I talked about finally having a son, I tried to keep things honest talking about the sucky parts of life, and the world lost a music legend (RIP Possum!)

::MAY::

I compared my "apples to oranges" daughters, shared some photos taken with my Dad+family, got a little sappy thinking about the future for our children, and my "butch" celebrated another birthday (as did my BFF/cousin, Dobby!)

::JUNE::

June was an exciting month for sure! Our little "Nugget" RJ turned TWO, Jaxon started his "pirate look" to combat a lazy eye, we went to the Knoxville zoo, our sweet Dobby got married (!!), and Sidney finished up Kindergarten with a bang!

::JULY::

My one and only post for the entire month of July was Jaxon's monthly update post -- at least I got that one in!!

::AUGUST::

August was the month of random updates apparently, but sometimes that's the best way to document life! Sidney finished up her first summer of swim lessons, I professed my continued love for non-traditional engagement rings (and the hope that my girls follow in my footsteps!), our dear Gran hit the big 5-0!, and Jaxon & Rhealen grew closer, which totally melted my momma heart :)

::SEPTEMBER::

The month of September is always a busy (and fun!) one - Sidney Morgan turned SIX, we all fell in love with Ylvis and "The Fox", I talked about pregnancy hemorrhoids, that sweet husband and I celebrated another anniversary (10 years of being together!), we had family photos taken, I wrote a heartfelt post about being on the fertile side of infertility and my struggles with what to (or not to) say, and I turned 25!!

::OCTOBER::

October brought The Walking Dead back into our zombie-void lives (hallelujah!) - I talked about some crazy pregnancy brain I was having, I really kicked it with the TT posts, and of course, Halloween was celebrated - I even did an awesome TBT post about it!

::NOVEMBER::

I recapped about the time the girls and I trekked to Tweetsie Railroad with Gran & Pops, talked about thriving versus surviving with three kids, fell in love with random country songs, posted about my sleeping tornado of a daughter, and about what it's like having a not-a-baby-anymore baby girl!

::DECEMBER::

I ended the year getting "creative" in the kitchen, got big and pregnant and took the same selfie I had taken over two years ago with RJ (same bathroom & everything!), we bought a new Christmas tree, I lamented the last month of my boy being a baby before he celebrates his first birthday next month, and we had a wonderful Christmas off-line and in-tune with what really matters!

And surprise! On the very last day of December, our little boy was born, shocking us all -- he was early and he was a "HE". All that time spent preparing for our Jameson ended up with us meeting our Toby. The best end of the year gift anyone could ask for!

I love, love, love doing these "end of the year" recaps -- even when I haven't been the best blogger in the land, I still love looking back over a year's worth of moments and memories that might've fallen into oblivion if I hadn't taken the time to screen cap them!