a typical morning

vintage dress up

My mom made this dress, and it is being loved and enjoyed by another generation.

I'm feeling more "vintage" these days. I have my first white hairs, and for the first time, I'm noticing lines settling around my eyes. "Vintage" for me is a great treasure trove of memories, blessings and joy. I'm thankful for a hope that is an anchor for my soul.

first ponytail

 

 

Spring Portraits

It is my Grandmother's birthday today. Because I know how much she enjoys seeing recent pictures on the blog, I decided to actually sit down, edit some photos and share them with you today.

I took these yesterday. The afternoon was balmy. The girls were happy to be outside. And I actually got my nice camera out for the first time in a long time.

Happy birthday, Grandma J! We love you!

Okay, so my baby doesn't smile on command, but she sure is cute! Now that she's walking, running, climbing and getting into all kinds of mischief, she has a whole new world to explore outside. She was fascinated watching her daddy mow the hill.  She was also still waking up from her afternoon nap.

a New Year

We were so thankful that we were able to spend the New Year celebrations with my in-laws. Healthy children helped make for a more relaxing holiday, and us adults enjoyed a late evening dinner of fondue that lasted into the New Year.

Aunt E knit these beautiful hats for the girls. We are all blessed by her creativity.

Miss T took CJ for a spin on her new tricycle! Isn't CJ starting to look like a little girl and less like a baby. I have mixed emotions about her growing up.

She was even more excited than Miss T about the tricycle!

Gingerbread Houses

These weren't JUST gingerbread houses, they were Frozen Sugar Cookie Castles! The girls (+ Benton) were thrilled.

And Grandma and Aunt E are such good home architects!

We were all so thankful that the Harms/Day families were able to join us to celebrate the New Year!

Christmas Day - in pictures

My favorite parts of the day:

• Opening stockings on a brilliantly, beautiful Christmas morning.

• The patience and simple joy of giving and receiving gifts, especially through the eyes of my children.
•  Time with family. I'm thankful my in-laws and some of my Grandparents joined us for the day. I'm a quality-time gal. When people "go out of their way" to make an effort to spend quality time with me, I feel loved.
• Watching my husband lead and love my girls. He built legos, played games, read them books, and was very intentional with his moments.