intangibles

I probably have lost most of you by now...

Last night I actually did a quick blog visit looking for something on my blog

I wanted to find

and then I also found a post that i did 2 years ago this month of a video

when my youngest was 1 1/2

and I cried

that age is so sweet and I just miss it

even though I love the ages both of my girls are at right now too

it was just a reminder of how time just flies by

often before you want it to

I really miss posting on my blog

yes, I've said this before

but I really realized it more than ever last night

I miss reading my friend's blogs

I miss the connections I made with all of you

I miss many of things

but I just had to take a break from writing

sharing

posting

I just needed to live life for my family

some things are hard to say...

this past year has been wonderful for so many of things

but it also has been an extremely difficult year for my family too

that's hard to say

not just my immediate family

but also in my extended family

 and if I would have written

it would have been painful for me

that's why I stepped away

and of course because lack of time as well

I've really been off the wall busy with my family, kiddos, my business, etc.

I just couldn't make my blog a priority

 I chose to focus on other things

and I am happy with that decision

I wanted to look at my life and still appreciate the wonderful blessings

that I have no matter what

because I have so many blessings

that I'm just so thankful for

anyway,

I want to get back on track with sharing...

so as most of you know

Christmas is in my top 3 holidays of the year

the giving and celebrating family/friends is my favorite part of the year

and it also means that I have guaranteed time that my hubby is in town too:)

we have already had some wonderful christmas celebrations

a couple of weekends ago with my in-laws

this past weekend was Christmas with our friends

and i made pumpkin candied cranberry tarts

yes, I made tarts for the very first time
I loved it!

and I'm still pretty darn excited about it
although, it took me forever

I may just be going through a tart phase now
they are just so cute and pretty

obviously, I'm sidetracked with my tarts now

which I do plan on sharing the recipe because I loved it

both of the celebrations were wonderful

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays

it has been that way since I was a child

my sister and I always, always loved it

Miracle on 34th Street

and we would watch it almost on a daily basis

{almost}

yes, I've talked about that movie a lot on this blog in the past

my sis and i would watch it so much when we were younger

that I think my parents had to buy us 2 vhs tapes:)

we would literally wear this movie out:)

yes, "I believe"

and that only makes sense if you have watched the movie

So...

as I was going through my blog last night
I was reminded of my favorite quote in my very favorite Christmas movie

Miracle on 34th Street

I thought I would share it once again

 I took some Christmas photos of the girls yesterday afternoon

it was a blast

we had lots of fun

smiles

silly faces

dance moves to celebrate at the end of our little session

we all celebrated
the girls were great

actually fabulous

and wonderful

{that's because they were bribed with freezy ice pops}

we don't know how to get through a photo session without bribing in our family

just so you know...I am not above bribing to get photos :)

i almost put this picture on my virtual christmas card just to be reminded of all the silly things the girls and I do together

hopefully you will love this quote as much as I do

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

"Someday you are going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn't work, and when you do, don't overlook those lovely intangibles. You'll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile."

and I found that quote true so much of this past year
hold on to those intangibles

Thank you everyone for your patience

and thank you to my fabulous friends that over the past couple of months kept asking me when I was coming back with my blog

it was just nice to hear your sweet words to me

it didn't go unnoticed

Happy Holidays!!!

"Whatever is good,

whatever brings you joy...

May it be yours during

this magical season and the

throughout the coming year."



refreshed...

there is something about just letting children be when you take their pictures...

for instance...

the four cousins together

and how they interact over several pictures...

I loved it capturing those minutes of them together

it made me laugh seeing them all sit together looking in all different directions and saying "cheese" over and over again

we spent the weekend just enjoying family at the lake

feeding the ducks one morning...

{the splotches on the pictures was from sprinkles of rain}

Hayley talking to the ducks

Madison was so excited over the ducks...

and Hayley was too...until one decided to take off and fly right in front of her...

and that was the end of that for her

 with any free time we had...

I was relaxing on the porch in the morning with coffee before our run

or relaxing on the porch in the evening listening to the boats, the waves, and the lake

and actually falling asleep to them

I swear I haven't taken so many cat naps than these past four days

to be honest...I don't ever take naps

but I feel so refreshed

and feeling a little better

but watching the girls together is always so fun

and taking pictures of them just being makes you smile...

Hoping you have a great week ahead of you...

***just a side note...

I know I'm not a professional photographer...

but this time last year one of my pictures was used without my permission
from the same vacation
so the only reason why I bring it up again

it's not okay to do so and thank you for your understanding....

***but on a better note...

check out French Larkspur...

Tracey is having a fabulous give-a-way in support of her friend's upcoming shop opening...

found

a galvanized tub for herbs...

my mom called me and told me about these perfect tubs at our local grocer for $5 a piece that included seeds and dirt to start yourself

I was so excited to try to start mine from scratch...

plus these are the three herbs I use the most

basil

chives

parsley

well I use cilantro quite a bit too...

I usually cheat and buy them already started from Trader Joe's every year

because it is much cheaper to grow your own herbs then buy them fresh every week.

{which I still may do if this doesn't work out}

but at least I will be left with 2 cute galvanized tubs if they don't work...

I'm trying mini tomatoes too...YIKES!...

I love to do flowers but haven't tried much of a herb garden or tomatoes...

also found...

two little girls who made a dance platform with sleeping bags in the kitchen while "helping me" with dinner

their favorite song of choice right now to dance around to is

"Soul Sisters" by Train...that's why its on my blog...song number three.

cheers to a great weekend...

I've got some projects in store

free...

the other day...Monday specifically I guess ~ after school for the girls...

we had some free time ~ and it was a beautiful day ~ absolutely beautiful day ~ although they played outside at school ~ I wanted some outside time with them...just us three ~ well four including Miss Cadence...

I love to surprise them on Mondays by bringing Cadence in the car when I pick them up...every week I tell them "I've got a surprise for you...you want to guess?"...

hmmm....and they still keep guessing, and I love that...

Easy surprises make me happy...

{So} in our neighborhood we have quite of bit of area that hasn't been developed...

and I wanted the girls to be free for awhile ~ we live on a corner lot without a fence so you know that really doesn't happen much to where I don't feel like my 2 year-old is running in the opposite direction as my soon to be 4-year-old is wanting to be in another...

I drove to the back of our subdivision in an empty cul-de-sac with a decent view...this area was perfect...because my girls love "fluffs" or so that is what they call them ~ there was a ton of fluffs!

...and it was peaceful just letting them run around for awhile picking as many "fluffs" as they could in those tiny little hands

and what I love to do best is watch my girls interact...of course they don't always get along...that is sisters for you...BUT they do most of the time and their interaction just melts my heart...

they have a sense of freedom between them that I find is also bringing them closer as they grow together

It makes me smile...a little bit of time I can sit back and actually do nothing other than watching them together in a place where I don't have to worry about the noises of cars...maybe a few airplanes here and there...

but the quiet where I can just hear their voices, the breeze, you know that peacefulness {is that a word?} or maybe hearing myself bribe my youngest to stand still long enough to take a picture with big sis...

but regardless...

feeling the freedom of doing nothing feels so good sometimes...

feeling the breeze

and the quiet of your surroundings is so wonderful...

seeing them grow as sisters together is so important to me for so many reasons...
I love that we were given the chance to have them close in age...

their bond makes me

laugh
smile
love

I am the happiest when I can watch them and have those special moments with them...

and I just followed them around trying to do justice with pictures to how peaceful our hour or so was

and do justice to how the breeze moved their hair and the "fluffs" in their hands...

the part that made this moment special for me as a mom was the fact that they are not just sisters by blood...I mean they are...but they are sisters also by love and acceptance...they have a special bond that goes beyond blood

Madison is so aware to Hayley's needs and Hayley never forgets to do something for Madison...

And I will not and am not too naive to always think it will be this way...because I know they will have their times as they get older where it won't be...but I am hoping they will know their is a solid foundation between them to come back to ~ at least I hope...I'm not perfect but I am trying to show them that without really saying it to them...

I love this age {maybe because it is the right now}
but now when they have the conversation between them makes it interesting to say the least...I sometimes laugh so hard I cry ...

like a couple of evenings ago {maybe Monday too}...Hayley started talking about Donkeys at dinner...where donkeys entered the mind of that little one I have know idea
but Madison chimed in...

'Hayley we don't eat donkeys...that would be disgusting!"
Hayley: "donkeys...wa-custing [her disgusting}...eat donkeys"
Madison: "we don't eat horses Hayley {since I guess they are like donkeys too}...disgusting"
Hayley: "yes disgusting"
Madison: "or hippos, giraffes"
Hayley: "donkeys"
Madison: "no Hayley...we don't eat donkeys"

and what do you know it repeats all over again...dinner conversations at our home get interesting and repetitive...I promise you don't want to know what was discussed at Madison's first birthday dinner...I won't even go there...

but anyway...

I loved this hour or so after school...where I wasn't stressed about my list for a moment...or dinner...or anything...but just letting them be free and letting them be

and I cannot wait to do more of this kind of fun when the spring and summer weather is finally here...
so please get here quick Spring...please come early because you see the girls and I want some more days like this outside:)

Here's to another day of just being...

Inspired...

One of my favorite things about fall is the view from our bedroom windows...these beautiful trees...they are even more beautiful 3-4 weeks ago with color...{as I write this now most of the leaves are gone...bummer...but when the snow arrives it is so beautiful too...the snow just glistens from the sun}...it is just a beautiful view that I love to leave the blinds up so I can see this first thing in the morning...no matter what season...I know in my heart I have moved on to Christmas excitement...I haven't yet put out Christmas decor...just busy couple of weeks...my mind is "a-going" with what I would like to do...and I'm planning in my head...and I'm looking at inspiration when I can...BUT...I'm taking a moment to share my favorite fall venture we did...and that is where I find my TRUE inspiration in life...my family...hubby and the girls...

Typically we make it to the peach farm....but we just didn't this year...then we aimed at trying to make it to the Apple Orchards....but just didn't make it...but that's okay...because what we did do the kiddos will remember...not what we didn't do...

We visited a pumpkin patch a couple of weeks ago... went to a new one this year...and we LOVED it so much better....different choices...animals...horses...cheaper prices...very kid friendly...LOVED it!


When I think about the day we went it was another moment in time...where I thought "this is it...what it's all about"...you know we had plans and dreams of what hubby and I wanted to do {peach and apple picking}...but we all know things don't always go as planned...just life you know...we didn't want to just shove everything in a schedule to just say "Check...we did it"...the quality time you know...where there is laughter...enjoyment...fun...no rushing {even I appreciate that so I can forget about my to-do list}...

Our trip to the pumpkin patch...a day when you could say "our children are the ones who teach us so much about life"....they are my inspiration...why I dream...Hayley had a warm bath the other day because she wasn't feeling tops...and Miss Madison just dropped everything she was doing to come help...she sang to her...she wanted to wash her back...and she helped me drain the tub and clean up...it was one of the cutest things I witnessed to-date...I felt inspired seeing how much she wanted to help and help Hayley feel better...the love and goodness that resides in that child cannot even be put into words...she inspires me on a daily basis...and man...some days I just say to myself...I really messed up...should've done that better...I feel like I let them down when I'm not so patient with them...but a part of it...I know...

While we were at the pumpkin patch...Hayley would do a little dance everytime she would come close to the animals...she LOVES animals that much...a little happy dance {she couldn't even contain it}....and I felt inspired by that...she just lets go...has fun...without worries...I realize they haven't much life under their belt...But I do know that is how HE wants us to live at all times no matter what is going on...Her belly laughs she does are straight from her soul...I love it...and am inspired...
I was inspired by Madison that day...as she saw a horse...and was just so excited...she rode the horse out into the field...and I felt so proud...so excited...that she could do it all on her own...she didn't need reassurance...she didn't need us at all to walk by her too...inspired...she is embracing life...

she walked right out there...got on that horse...sat up tall...and only looked back to smile at us...I was so inspired by the light in her eyes...the happiness...the fun she was having...and was so happy that I could stand there and just watch my little girl go do something all by herself...don't get me wrong...she still needs us...but seeing her spread her own wings...do things by herself...with confidence...at times like these...there is nothing better than that....truly nothing...Seeing that concentration...her in a moment...
Even if she had moments she was out there...where she felt unsure...she made it through...she got that smile right back...wanted to do it again...isn't that what we are supposed to do? To get to where we want to be...dig through that "ucky muck" to get to the good part again...carry those heavy loads...but only long enough to acknowledge them and let go...

release those loads to HIM when we are ready...I've had to do that a many of times..."ucky muck" to dig through to get at what I needed to...my girls inspire me on truly how easy some things are...I'm the one who makes things in life difficult when they shouldn't be...who holds back...who goes inward when I shouldn't...who pulls away...but I'm getting there...I'm making progress...and I'm proud to say that...and a day like this...where my girls show me how truly easy it can be...always reminding me HE is always with us...is my true inspiration...

{and while I'm inspired...I'll be admiring my handsome hubby too:)}

Blessings and love to all!