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.