Sunday, December 31, 2017

Our Year In Review

It's hard to believe that it's already time to write our year in review post! It seems like just yesterday I was writing the post to sum up our twenty-sixteen, and yet here I am already reflecting on twenty-seventeen. Gosh, that year went by fast (and yet on another hand felt like it lasted for an entire decade, too).

For us as a family, twenty-seventeen was a stellar year! And while I knew this, seeing it all as I put our "2017 in Review" Flipigram together last night made me realize just how truly incredible a year it was. We watched with pride as Grace and the mini team participated in their first dance competitions (and rocked it! Even winning in their age group for their jazz dance at the second comp)! We found ourselves standing up (and marching) for things that are important to us. I shall carry with me sight of the sea of pink hats and the wonderful energy of the Women's March in Boston for the rest of my days. My only regret is that David and the girls weren't there too. We wrote letters and signed petitions and attended the March for Science in Boston as a family. We participated in vigils and made sure that the world knows that we welcome all and that "Hate Has No Home Here" (just in case that wasn't already clear).

We celebrated birthdays (including a big one- David's 40th) and anniversaries (15 years and still going strong) and so many other milestones and accomplishments. The girls said "good-bye" to one Girl Scout troop and "hello" to another. They went to sleep away camp Grace became a Rainbow Girl. Emma, joined the ranks of the Junior Deacons (finally, officially). We built eclipse viewers and watched in awe as the moon covered the sun. And, of course, we kept living, learning, laughing and loving together in this sweet, old farmhouse of ours! We wouldn't have it any other way (well, unless we could move this sweet, old farmhouse of ours to a small town like Berlin, then maybe we would)! The most exciting part of twenty-seventeen was finally going on our long awaited  Disney Cruise! And it was even more magical and incredible than we expected!

And so, this brings to a close our seventh year of  sharing our many adventures and daily goings-on with all of you. We offer many thanks to those who have supported us, encouraged us, and loved us this year (and always). You all make this journey (and the world) so much sweeter. Thank you for loving our little family and enjoying our many adventures. We are truly grateful.

Happy last day of twenty-seventeen, friends! We wish you a wonderful night and a blessed new year! xo

Saturday, December 30, 2017

From Our Family To Yours

As one year is drawing to a close, and another is getting ready to begin, we wish all of you a very happy, very sweet, and very blessed new year! xo 

Friday, December 29, 2017

{This Moment} On The Ice

{This Moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary (first!) moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you are inspired to do the same leave a link to your moment in the comments section for all to find and see! Wishing you and your families a wonderful last weekend of 2017! xo

 

Thursday, December 28, 2017

A Wintry Deer

A sweet wintry deer drawn by our sweet Grace on this coldest of winter afternoons. xo

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Last Friday Night

Looking through the pictures on my phone tonight I realized I never shared these from last Friday night. Dave's sister had sent the girls gifts for Christmas, and rather than having them open them on Christmas morning we decided that we'd give them to them Friday night (as the weekend before Christmas is traditionally a very busy one for Dave at Williams-Sonoma). The girls were super surprised to be opening a gift on Friday night, and even more surprised to see what they contained! Emma was thrilled to have mama and papa mouse join the mouse family, and Grace was so excited to be gifted the cat and mouse ballerina set. She decided to name the cat, Caterina, and the mouse, Anastasia. My apologies that there are no pictures of the girls opening their gifts, but we decided to record video to send to Donna and the pictures I took while taking the video were very grainy. Thank you, Donna, Peter and Henry for the wonderful gifts for the girls. They will be cherished for many years (and perhaps decades and generations) to come!  xo

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

On Boxing Day

In keeping with our Boxing Day traditions, Legos were built, holiday movies were watched and we stayed in our jammies for the better part of the day! Happy Boxing Day, friends! xo

Monday, December 25, 2017

On Christmas Morning

 Opening their gifts from Santa. 
It's always something wooden and always something he chooses for them. 
More angels for their nativity set. 
 Sister gift time! 
 Reading the card Emma made for her. 
 Her own (purple!)stretching band! 
 A teeny tiny sewing kit!
 Opening their "something to wear" gifts. 
 CSDS pride! 
 Something to read. 
I went back and forth about who should get which book and shared my dilemma with them. They decided that instead of each girl being given a specific book this year they would like these two books to be for both of them. We told them that when they are grown and moving into their own homes they'll have to decide who takes which one with them. 
 It wouldn't be Christmas morning without Legos. Perhaps we should include a "something to build" line in our poem! 
 Getting ready to open her "something you want" gift. 
 Her very own (much wished for) hot glue gun! Pink, of course! 
 About six months ago, Emma mentioned how much she wanted her own Swiss Army Knife. I asked her what color, expecting to hear "pink" and she replied "well, red, of course!" At one point, David told her that she should be ten for a Swiss Army Knife of her own. So, because she was clearly expecting it for her birthday this coming February we just had to give it to her for Christmas (when she was least expecting it). 
 Her reaction to this wish coming true was priceless! 
 Opening her "something you need" gift. 
 "Something you need" gift opening. 
 Emma- new tools (since her others had been outgrown). Grace- a craft cart for all her crafting supplies! 
 Gifts from Miss Jane!
 Puzzles! 
 Beautiful sticker books that Jane brought back from France. And yes, they are all in French (let's see how French I remember from junior high and high school)! 
 Trying out her pocket knife. 
 Feeding the birds. Thanks Gramma Terri for the wonderful gift (and new Christmas Day tradition)! 
Grace's "something you need" gift all assembled! 
Working on the Women of Science Legos. 
 Grace and Emma's gift to me was the gorgeous snowflake tree topper I was wishing for! 
It's perfect!
Wishing those celebrating today the very merriest of Christmases! We are enjoying a quiet "just us" holiday, and reveling in the fact that on top of everything we have a white Christmas, too! No matter how you are celebrating today, be it with a large group or small, we hope that you have a wonderful day with those you hold dear. Merry Christmas, friends, and enjoy the final week of 2017! xo