7/52

 

 

After two days at Disneyland we took a much needed relaxing day at the beach.

Mabel: She was reunited with "her ocean" as she likes to call it. She loves the water so much and even though it was freezing she didn't mind one bit.

Gus: He was content on the shore playing in a tide pool. I love his sun in the eyes face and his beach waves.

 

 

 

 

6/52

 

 

Mabel: Going through her Valentine's from preschool. She was so excited and told us, "I got one from every single person in my class!"

Gus: When I told him that his new t-shirt read lil' heartbreaker, his response was, "I do not break hearts! That's awful Mama!", in a very disappointed tone.

Happy Valentine's Day!

5/52

 

 

Mabel: We've been trying to give her more responsibility around the house. Her favorite thing to do is match the socks from the laundry. If she finds out I did them without her she will undo them all and start over. Apparently she does it best.

Gus: He is able to get dressed all by himself these days and he's quite proud of it.

4/52

 

 

Mabel: She's constantly playing make believe. I found her reading to her stuffed animals before school.

Gus: You can find him on the floor playing with anything that goes.

3/52

 

 

Mabel: Loves helping me out in the kitchen.

Gus: Stole his sister's Elsa socks.

 

2/52

 

 

Mabel: Room with a view. 

Gus: Taking it easy.

1/52

 

 

Mabel: She yells "woo-wooo" or "oh yeah!" when she's riding around the skate park. It's like she's cheering herself on.

Gus: Strapping his helmet back on after a little break. 

week fifty two. the end.

 

 

The last set of portraits for 2014. We woke up to snow on the last day of the year and lots of it! The kids had so much fun playing in it and it made for some great pictures. Last year I started the project with snow pictures so it's only fitting that we're ending with them! They have both grown so much this year. I feel so blessed to say that both Mabel and Gus had a very happy and healthy 2014. I will definitely be doing another portrait project again starting right now. Happy New Year everyone!

 

 

 

 

week fifty one.

 

 

Mabel: her favorite part of the holidays and celebrations is making cookies. I use my grandmothers famous recipe and she loves hearing about how I used to make cookies with her. She's getting quite good at decorating them as well.

Gus: He got a super-hero costume for Christmas and I love how proud he looks when he has it on. I think he really thinks he has super powers.

 

week fifty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week I've been so busy with Christmas preparations and fun I didn't get a lot of individual pictures of the kids. I post a lot of our out-and-about pictures on Instagram. These pictures were so cute I had to share. We ended up using the last one for this years Christmas Card. 

Both kids are really into the holidays this year which makes it a million times more fun. They love telling random people at the grocery store, "Merry Christmas" or "It's almost Christmas!" We've been singing a lot of Christmas carols, drinking hot cocoa, watching Elf and finding Buddy Chachski, our newly adopted Elf on the Shelf, every morning. We visited Santa, decorated the tree, hung the stockings, and made the cookies. I think it's going to be our best Christmas yet.

Mabel: Every night at bedtime she says, "I wonder what Buddy Chachski will be up to in the morning?" And I say "I don't know, we'll see" Her response is always, "I bet he's gonna be up to no good!"

Gus: When we ask him what he wants for Christmas he rambles off a bunch of different things and it's always changing. He'll make his squinty-thinking face and his response goes something like this "Ummm, a fire engine, super hero things, and a dinosaur and a rescue machine and a monster truck...."

week forty nine.

 

  

Mabel: I'm getting excited to have her home over Christmas break, we have lots planned and I miss her!

Gus: The terrible threes are in the near future for this boy but it's so hard not to laugh when he's naughty! He is just so cute.

Only a few more weeks and my 52 portrait project is complete. I will for sure being doing this again in 2015. It's not over yet but 2014 was an AWESOME year for us and these pictures are proof. We have two healthy happy children and each other. In my opinion, you really can't ask for more.

week forty eight.

 

 

Mabel: She changes clothes at least 17 times a day, I have to bargain with her to stay dressed.

Gus: Post-nap sweetness. That face is my favorite of his.

week forty seven.

 

 

Mabel: She turned four years old today! Each year she becomes more AMAZING! I love her spirit, her crazy imagination and her love for chocolate.

Gus: He is loving being in North Dakota. He saw a "real live snowman!"

week forty six.

 

 

Mabel: Ready for school and waiting for Daddy. We were out shopping for a birthday present for someone and she saw this hat. She really wanted it and was so persuasive in explaining why. "Mama, its black-and-white, my coat is black-and-white, so it matches. And I'm really cold everyday so can I please get that hat?!"  I couldnt help but laugh and we bought the hat. Her birthday is coming up so we called it an early present,  I can't believe she'll be four years old!

Gus: He's such an easy going guy and finds enjoyment in anything. The other day we had to wait at the car wash for quite awhile. He just sat and ate his popcorn while watching the cars drive into the wash and chatting with the other customers waiting. A few days later we drove by and he said, "I know Mama! We can go to the car wash and get some popcorn and watch cars today!"

a little soccer player.

 

 

 

 

 

An awesome Mom in Sedona started a soccer co-op for little ones and we've been taking Gus Friday mornings. He has so much fun and can't stop talking about it for days! It's so cute to see the little ones running around the field together, I couldn't help but take a million pictures!

week forty five.

 

 

With Sam's schedule and Mabel in school we haven't had a whole day together as a family in awhile. Everyone was home for Vetrans Day so we decided to take the kids into the canyon and hike West Fork. It's truly one of the most beautiful places in the Sedona area especially this time of year with the leaves turning and falling. We are so lucky to live in such a place. We packed a picnic and took our sweet time. It was such a lovely day. 

Mabel: A couple of times on the hike you have to cross the creek. Each time she insisted on doing it on her own. It was so cute to watch her hopping from rock to rock or balancing on a fallen log. 

Gus: He had a blast exploring the old chicken coop and whats left of the historic houses in the area.

week forty four. best friends.

 

 

 

 

  

 

These two. The other morning Sam was feeding the kids breakfast and I was upstairs picking out clothes, making beds and organizing everybody for the day. I heard loud and energetic voices and lots of laughter so of course I had to come down and see what my happy little kids were up to. I found them hamming it up over waffles and eggs and had to take a few photos. Please excuse the messy Maple syrup faces!

I'm so proud of how well they get along. Without being forced, they are actually best friends. Other than their wicked senses of humor, they have completely different personalities. I think they compliment each other nicely. They'll play for hours on end and are constantly making one another laugh. Most importantly they look out for one another in every situation. Whether it be on the playground or in trouble with Mama, they've got each others backs. 

I just love them so much!