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Connor: Connor discovered we have a lemon tree this week and was all sorts of happy picking lemons. He then asked to make lemonade, so while Isla napped, we made a batch of lemonade and drank it. 

Isla: Isla loves her some boy toys. Trains, legos and tools are her current favorites. Don't worry, she likes dolls too.  

I'm linking up with The 52 Project over at Practising Simplicity.

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Deja Vu

Connor climbed into Ian's lap last night while watching tv and I was like WHOA! I remember looking at this exact same scenario not that long ago, but when Connor was much smaller. I actually grabbed my phone and pulled up the picture for Connor (and Ian) to see.

That was Connor just a couple days before his first birthday. It seems like just a couple days ago and a lifetime ago at the same time. Connor now recognizes himself as a baby in pictures and immediately did so. He asked where they were and when I said "in our house in Scotland" he responded with "So we have two houses?" I wish kid, I wish.

After sitting back down, I realized that I needed to capture the current moment as well.

Both these pictures are so precious to me. I love having the privilege of not just being a mom, but watching Ian be a dad. Connor loves him so much and he is totally a daddy's boy. But, it's ok. Even if he wants to cuddle with his dad over his ole mom, I get the privilege of building legos with him all day long.

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Christmas Card Challenge

I love Christmas cards. I have been sending them out since Ian and I got married. Notice the "I". I am quite certain that Ian could care less about sending out Christmas cards, but I enjoy it. So there you have it.

The month of December is an exciting one for me because I LOVE GETTING CHRISTMAS CARDS. It literally makes my day. That makes me sound pathetic. But it does make me oh-so-happy. I thought it would be fun to start a tradition of showing off my top five cards received according to categories. And if this breaks some friendship privacy laws by sharing someone else's Christmas card, I am guessing I will know next year when I don't receive one from you! But, you won, so get over it! 


First card to arrive - Most people (myself included) seem to get their Christmas cards out right before Christmas. Not my friend Brittany. She is on top of things and won the coveted spot of being the first card to grace my Christmas card holder.

   
Best handwritten note - I love photo cards. I pretty much think they are the best. But I also love handwritten notes with the cards...which is ironic given I didn't even see my cards before they went out this year (I had the company I ordered them from send them out). I have to say, this was my favorite note from a former co-worker/friend.

   
Best photo(s) - Do you see this family?! They look like they belong in a magazine!

   
Best update - Not many cards come with updates or letters anymore now that most people send out photo cards. I do like it when people put the ages of their kids on the photo cards though so I can once again be reminded how old I am because my friends have kids that are already how old?! Anyway, my friend Anna knocked it out of the park with her year by the numbers update. I mean, she included cups of coffee consumed, what's not to love about that?!

   
Best overall - I am not quite sure what it is about this card, but I was drawn to it as soon as I opened it. I don't know if it is the picture, the cool font used or the simplicity, but I really like it. And it so happens that I am related to these folk by marriage, sort of.

And since I am showing off Christmas cards, I should show off mine so you can rate it too. Go easy though because I really like the design of it and am already thinking how hard it will be to top next year...I told you I was in to Christmas cards!

Sorry for the bad pictures. Taking pictures of cards is way harder than I expected. 


Now you know the categories, so feel free to spend the next 11 months designing the perfect Christmas card so you can win one of the coveted spots on Jessica's Top Cards next year.

So did you send out a card this year? Do you normally? 

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The Little Boy that Shaved

I always find it funny how kids want to do what adults do, even if it isn't a fun task. They want to help with the laundry and dishes. Isla tries putting on my deodorant and loves wearing mine and Ian's shoes. And Connor thinks it is so cool that he gets a "big" vitamin like me, while sissy still has to have a "little kid" vitamin. 

When we were at the store this weekend, Connor fell in love with a kids shaving set. I thought it was overpriced and cheesy, but he was just so excited about it, I couldn't resist. And he has used it in the bath ever since...you know, all two days since. Now I need to warn you, there are a lot of pictures and they are so stinking adorable, you might not be able to handle all the adorableness in one go. Don't say I didn't warn you! 

 

^^ I LOVE the chocolate mustache! 

I told you! It's just too freaking cute! I can hardly handle it and I was there watching it go down. He is just so serious about it. I just love it.

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Christmas Day

We started off Christmas day with a fun morning at our house. We slept in a little (well, Isla and I did), then got the kids ready for their big surprise... 

As I mentioned before, Isla won the throw down to sit in the driver's seat first. The kids were super excited about the tractor and that made me pretty dang happy because I had bought it off craigslist a couple months ago...my planning paid off! 

Then the kids opened their stockings. After that, they opened their presents. They each get three presents from us - wear, read and play - along with their big "share" present. I didn't take any pictures of them opening presents because, well, I was busy getting up in the action with them. Connor was actually excited about all his presents because his "wear" was a lego shirt and his "read" were lego books and, well, he gets excited about anything lego. And that was a win, win for both of us! Isla wasn't into her clothes, but she did like her book and toy (a wood mixer for her kitchen).

Connor was pretty dang excited about a minion paint book in his stocking and quickly wanted to use it. And Isla's face in the background is priceless. That girl looks up to her brother so much even though they fight constantly. 

Then we all got ready and took the John Deere for a ride. Isla wasn't super keen on riding with crazy driver Connor, so I decided to go for a ride...  

After our walk/ride, we headed over to my parent's house to celebrate Christmas with my family. And besides the pictures I took of Isla in her Christmas dress, I literally took no more pictures the rest of the day.

We spent the middle of the day with my family. We had a light lunch and opened presents, then my aunt, uncle and cousin stopped by. I tried to get Isla to nap, but it didn't work. Then we headed over to Ian's parents house for Christmas dinner with his extended family.

It was a good day, full and tiring, but good. I wish I could figure out how to spread the cheer over a few days so it isn't so tiring, but I am pretty sure everyone is trying to figure out the same thing. Maybe next year I will figure it out...

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1/52

As I mentioned before, for 2014, I decided to take pictures of the kids, rather than be in pictures with the kids. I go back through pictures all the time and have realized that pictures of the kids doing things end up being some of my favorites because it reminds me of who they were at that exact moment. So that is what I will be posting, a candid photo of each kid each week with a small description about who they are right then.

Connor: Last week I built Connor a little village out of legos. He has spent countless hours since arresting people, having bears attack and driving a flame shooting car around.

Isla: Isla is obsessed with Finding Nemo. When I saw a nemo book at the thrift store for her, I picked it up and it was definitely a winner. While laying on her belly, she was "reading" the book..."Hi, I Dori..."


I'm linking up with The 52 Project over at Practising Simplicity this year.

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2014, I'm Ready for You

I never have been one for a list of new year's resolutions. However, I like coming up with a couple general things I would like to see (or not see) in my life. Usually these are personality traits about myself I would like to see changed. Things that will stretch me and help me grow in the direction I want to grow.

Over the past few years, picking a word for the year has become popular. I like this idea, but have never really felt drawn to a word for the year. As I was thinking about ways in my life I would like to grow in 2014, I realized there was an overall theme and thus I came up with a word for 2014.

generous

I want to be a generous person. I want to be generous with my love. I want to be generous with my resources. I want to be generous with my home (inviting people over more often). I KNOW this word will stretch me. Durning 2013, I got better at being a generous person, but I want to take it to the extreme this year. I hope and pray that my heart and my life will stretch, grow and change as I start becoming a more generous person.


How about you? Do you have a word for the year or any new year's resolutions?

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