Skiing

A cross country ski in my parents' "back yard." 

Two of my favorite peeps...my dad and my big girl.  

Of course, no activity is ever silent with this little punky along...

hold onto your ears, 'cuz she'll talk them right off!   :)

My little prairie Northerner.

We're so small.  The wild is a good place to come and remember that.

I sorta kinda really really like this kid.

A last minute lesson from Grandpa at the top of a hill.  His famous line that I've heard atop MANY a hill (literal and metaphorical), "You can DO this."  I find myself saying this all the time to the girls (AND to myself!).  People sometimes cringe when they hear themselves sounding like their parents, but I'm pretty partial to this parent and the things he says.  :)

My fave shot of the day.

Beautiful, wise winter. 

This is a few days late in posting, but I can't pass up the opportunity

to send some love all the way to Taiwan and say....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ERIK!!!!!! 

We

You!

Ice Cream for Dinner

The tooth fairy rides again!  I was looking through Bren's teeth and realizing there aren't many baby teeth left to lose!  Won't be long and we'll have a sweet brace face on our hands.  

Quite a haul!  (p.s.  How much do you LOVE Pippi!!!!!)

I saw this coffee filter bunting at Pitter Patter Art and fell in LOVE!  We had a snowy day yesterday, so the girls and I gave it a try.  (And I have to say, it makes me  SO HAPPY!!!)  It's so bright and colorful....we just can't stop admiring our work.  :) 

Bren's watercolor "night sky" and total sweetness, "Count your blessings like the stars."  Mixing words with image....my kinda artist!! 

To make the buntling, just watercolor paint on coffee filters,

fold them over and glue to some fun ribbon!

Luca is an absolute lover of color. 

In everything she does.  The brighter, the better! 

Finally, my friend Daphne inspired me to create New Year's interviews with the girls.  I love this idea of asking them questions and being able to look back on what was important to them at different ages.  Here are their answers.... 

BRENIN - 2012 - Age 8
1.  Fave food:  Sweet things (surprise, surprise)
2.  Fave drink:  Grape soda 
3.  Fave toy:  3DS
4.  Fave things to do:  Read, swim, camp, repeat
5.  Fave movie:  Secondhand Lions
6.  Fave TV show:  Wizards of Waverly Place
7.  Fave book:  Too many to name!! 
8.  Fave restaurant:  Culver's 
9.  Fave holiday:  My birthday
10.  Fave animal:  Horses
11.  Fave season:  Summer
12.  If you could change your name, what would you choose?  Eve 
13.  What do you love about Daddy?  He can never say "no"   (ahem....) 
14.  What do you love about Mommy?  "Everything"   (Had to put that in quotes, because that was HER exact word.  And then I gave her ice cream for dinner.)  ;-) 
15.  What do you love about Luca?  She's a really good person 
16.  Where would you like to go on vacation this year?  Chicago (I just love the museums there!)
17.  What are some of your wishes for this year?  To get more fit, to read more books and to get more healthy
18.  What do you want to be when you grow up?  "That's easy, a librarian!  Also a songwriter and a pastor." 
19.  Best friends:  Tucker, Olivia, Naomi and Luca 

LUCA - 2012 - Age 6
1. Fave food:  Spaghetti and macaroni & cheese
2. Fave drink:  Cranberry juice
3. Fave toy:  Baby dolls
4. Fave things to do:  Play with toys, swimming on hot days, camping
5. Fave movie:  Barbie Fashion Show
6. Fave TV show:  Cartoons
7. Fave book:  Joke books, On Mother's Lap
8. Fave restaurant:  Chinese
9. Fave holiday:  Christmas
10. Fave animal:  Monkey
11. Fave season:  Summer
12. If you could change your name, what would you choose?  Lily
13. What do you love about Daddy?  "I think Daddy's funny, and also he's kind and loving." 
14. What do you love about Mommy?  "Ahhh, lots of things!  She helps me,and she goes to the park with me.  She watches me play sports, and she also loves very, very much."  (Clearly I've brainwashed my children or at least taught them to butter me up good and thick.)
15. What do you love about Brenin?  "Her pranksters, I think for one.  She's very kind and is kind of funny when she says funny things." 
16. Where would you like to go on vacation this year?  Paris
17. What are some of your wishes for this year?  "I would like to see real fairies and go to Disney Land."  (Don't be afraid to dream big, sweetness!)  :)
18. What do you want to be when you grow up?  "What are you, Mom?"  I'm a transcriptionist.  "I could probably be one of those, 'cause you know I'm a Mother's girl!" 
19. Best friends:  Brenin, Meadow, Rayna, Eli and Carissa

Gifts from the East, Bluegrass Stomp and a Heat Wave!

Gifts from Taiwan arrived this week!!  I'm not sure if everything is really

this beautiful that comes from Taiwan, or if it's that I love the

 people sending it so much that adds extra beauty. 

Thank you, Leo and Vic....we love you!!!! 

This little clip is a bit random, but Luca loves to watch her reflection,

be it in a mirror, a window....anything that shines.  She makes faces at herself,

plays with her hair, dresses up or dances.  I caught this little number on my

camera this week and thought it might make you smile like it did me. 

Finally, we are experiencing a heat wave here in Wisconsin!!  That's right,

temps near 50 in JANUARY!!!  It's an extra treat, because normally in January

we're well below zero and starting to twitch and drool from the cabin fever. 

(okay, that may be a bit of an exageration, but not by much!)  :) 

We had a third kiddo Friday night, and since it was so warm we

decided to have a fire!   It's my FAVORITE thing to do, and what a treat

to sit OUTside in January (still in shock) and get lost in the flames. 

These three were mildly excited about the idea. 

We're used to having mini marshmallows in the winter for hot cocoa and

big marshmallows in the summer time for s'mores. We improvised and roasted

our hot cocoa marshmallows by the stack. :)  Worked like a charm! 

Turns out they also stick to faces.  You know, in case you were wondering. 

Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity, mid-January,

to smell the Earth and to feel the sun on our faces! 

Christmas & New Year's....That's a Wrap! (pardon the pun)

I have to admit, I was a bit of a photography dropout this Christmas, but I did manage to snap a few.  Always a little sad to see the season go, but always a little happy to reclaim the house / life back from all the festivities too. 

Pinterest is my latest addiction, and I've been finding lots of new recipes to try out there.  The girls and I made this poke cake (YUMMY) to celebrate our Christmas break!  It's chocolate cake with holes poked in it, then 0reo pudding poured on top!! 

Bren pretending to be excited about getting some new PJs. 
Okay, those were for me.  SOO cute!!! 

Princess Lucapants

...also known as "The Destroyer."  The girl gets into boxes like a mouse! 

I was so excited to find the Ethiopian Rahel doll for Luca

(which also benefits one of our favorite non-profits, World Vision!!)  

Hold the phone.  She got a book!  Yep, we've lost her. 

New Year's Eve out to dinner with my sister and her family, my Gram and great uncle, then home to watch the ball drop.  I'm pretty sure this is the first year the girls have stayed up 'til midnight!  I'm pretty sure I was ready for bed at 8:30.

I've been wanting to try this poofy faux-hawk idea out in Luca's hair forEVER and finally got the nerve.  It's rather Willow Smith, if I do say so myself! 

She was feeling quite sassy in her new look.

Sassy and silly....that's how we serve 'em up 'round these parts! 

Beauty Face 1 and Beauty Face 2

Accompanied this little lady to the emergency room TWICE over break!  Getting matters under control now, but always taxing to see someone you love in an ER bed.  We loooooove our Grammy!

Adios 2011 - Hello 2012!