Tag: family

snow much fun

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A mother nature imposed break from the real world was exactly what this family needed.

snow days

The forecast early in the week said we might get a lot of snow on Saturday.

When we had snow flying on Tuesday and they hadn’t even predicted it, I knew it was in the cards.

I started to stock up on the essentials on Wednesday.

Meal Plan:

  • Turkey Meatloaf
  • Chili
  • Chicken Soup
  • Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

In no particular order. Just warm food for bodies that have been playing in the snow.

Additional food items:

  • Milk
  • Coffee
  • Hot chocolate mix
  • 1/2 & 1/2
  • Wine
  • Beer
  • Fresh fruits and veggies

And, the fun stuff (all on clearance this late in the season!):

  • sleds
  • snowboard
  • snowball makers
  • snow shovels
  • hand warmers
  • hats
  • mittens

I picked the kids up from school after their early release on Thursday and the flakes flew!

This Colorado girls heart was full. I know I can always drive up the mountain for snow, but snow that “sticks and stays” in our neighborhood is so rare for us. The last time we experienced it was 10 months after we moved to our current neighborhood. Reece was about 18 months old and we just pulled him around the neighborhood in the wagon.

Five years ago.

We’ve had small snow amounts since then…enough for snowballs and a snowman that might last a day, but nothing “big” as far as Portland standards are concerned.

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This was Lorelai’s first big snow.

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snow days 2

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snow days 5

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This has been fun.

The kids aren’t whining about being cold.

They don’t want to be carried.

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We are all having fun…TOGETHER!

And, with one more snow day today, we will make the most of what’s left of the snow before the rains melts it all away later today!

home is…snow much fun.

’tis the season

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tis the season

We’re kind of confusing holidays around here.

Thanksgiving is really my favorite holiday.

I love what it is about.

Being thankful.

Family.

Friends.

Food.

Football.

However, there’s not much fun in the decorating.

I love to decorate for fall, but by the end of November I am ready for Christmas decor!

And, the kids get more excited about Christmas decorations and crafts than they do about turkeys.

So, a couple more days of confusing our holidays and then we will be in the full Christmas swing of things.

Of course, after we are thankful.

No matter what, we will be jolly.

home is…celebrating the season.

 

saying no

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This morning we were supposed to board a plane and head to Colorado to visit my family.

Ryan suggested the idea and I came up with the plan.

He has a meeting in California over the weekend, so we figured that the kids and I could go to Denver and visit family.

We would go for a long weekend and attend the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo just like my sister and I used to when we were little.

We would visit with family and friends we haven’t seen in months.

I even printed out all the addresses for the Goodwill’s and other thrift stores in Denver.

It was all planned.

We were checked in for our flight.

And, it just didn’t feel right.

As much as I wanted to go all the signs were telling me that it just wasn’t right.

Lorelai has been sick, the weather was calling for freezing rain right when we were supposed to head to the airport, my body was losing the battle against the unending barrage of germs that it has been fighting off since the holidays, and I was not looking forward to flying through Seattle to get to Denver by myself with the two kiddos.

Yesterday afternoon I called my mom and let her know that we were planning to come, but would keep an eye on the weather…there might be flight delays.

Within minutes of getting off the phone Lorelai threw up in the kitchen. I’m pretty sure it was caused by a coughing fit, but that was the last sign I needed.

I cried, I thought, and I finally decided that we couldn’t go.

Ryan got on the phone with the airlines and canceled our tickets.

I called my mom and let her know we wouldn’t be coming.

The last two times I have visited Colorado I have been sick.

March 2010, we visited for Spring Break. While we had a wonderful time when we were there, I was fighting a cold the entire visit and ended up with walking pneumonia when we got back.

Thanksgiving 2011, I had Laryngitis the entire time. And, Lorelai was sick both times.

I decided to say no.

No to myself.

No to the plans I had made.

No to traveling alone with the kids while we are not feeling well.

I was afraid of disappointing everybody…my parents, my sister and brother-in-law, aunts and uncles, cousins, my niece, and Reece & Lorelai.

But, I had to say no.

home is…taking care of my family.

aloha

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Last Friday we got on an airplane and flew to the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

We’re on Maui…one of my happiest places on earth.

Today is our last day here on the island.

It’s been a wonderful time despite many meltdowns at breakfast, lunch and dinner; a crazy sleep schedule; kiddos that don’t want to walk anywhere; and sniffles and coughs.

Lorelai has become a fish in the water.

Reece is making fast friends with kids of all ages at the pool.

They have both perfected the words ‘Aloha’ and ‘Mahalo’.

It is an awesome experience to share such a special place with my kiddos (and Ryan).

We ate breakfast at The Gazebo, lunch at Kimo’s, and dinner at Hula Grill.

We ate quickly melting ice cream under the Banyan tree, and looked for crabs on the rocks along Front Street.

We’ve also created new family experiences…staying on Kaanapali Beach at a hotel with a fabulous pool (and the only full service Starbucks on Kaanapali right below our ocean front room).

There are awesome kids activities…feeding the fish around the resort grounds, outdoor movies, treasure hunts, and shave ice.

We have relaxed by the pool everyday…going on “tours” of the big pool, waterfalls, and slides…swimming like mermaids and searching for pirate treasure at the Pirate Ship.

Last night we took the kids for a night swim and had the entire pool to ourselves.

Very different from all the other times I have been to Maui, but an amazing experience to share with my kids.

I can’t wait to come again and share even more with them…snorkeling, paddle boarding, boogie boarding, the North Shore, Haleakala, rainforests, waterfalls, Hana, Kapalua, Napili, Lanai, Molokini, Makena, and Little Beach.

Reece wanted to save a trip on the Sugar Cane Train for the next time we come.

I guess we have a reason to come back…

home is…island magic.

fun with a…

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{capital F}

That’s what my youngest cousin had to say about our extended family’s trip to northern Idaho together.

I think Reece would agree.

Thanks to my other cousin, Greg, for inviting us all to celebrate with them!

It was definitely “fun with a capital f”!

Still going through the photos…I have them edited down to 989.

Post will be up next week.

Until then, a little FUN from our week back home…

photos from {m}iphone

{definitley}

home is…FUN!

{lake pend oreille} celebrating greg and natalie

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It’s the Monday after returning from a week long vacation that was amazing.

We celebrated my cousin Greg and his beautiful new wife, Natalie.

We reunited with first and second cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, parents, and siblings.

It was magical.

I won’t recap everything in words as I believe that the photos will speak for themselves.

The first night we arrived was the rehearsal dinner in downtown Sandpoint…

Cousins.

Siblings.

The following afternoon was the wedding on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille…

Cousins, aunts, uncles, siblings, grandparents.

More to come…

home is…celebrating family.

i do’s

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My cousin is getting married today on the shore of a beautiful northern Idaho lake.

It’s going to be an amazing celebration.

Reece and Lorelai are in the wedding…ring bearer and flower girl.

They rehearsed yesterday afternoon…

After the wedding festivities we get to stay here and play for a few more days.

It’s going to be an amazing vacation.

home is…getting away from home.

 

 

it was a good day

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Yesterday at 7am, as my post went live, I heard a meow outside in our backyard.

I listened again, carefully, because I had been hearing imaginary meows for almost 2 days.

Sure enough, it was a loud meow…

I ran downstairs and looked out the back door.

I was Hobbes!

He was covered in pine needles and cobwebs, but nothing worse.

He was purring and so happy to see the kids and me.

Both of the kids were happy he was home.

I fed him, gave him his insulin, and made sure that he was inside as we left for school.

On our return from school, the kids got on bikes and we went through the neighborhood taking down our fliers.

After that we headed out to the backyard and found a big mouse in the middle of the extra dog bed we have been keeping outside.

Hobbes brought home a trophy from his adventure!

As an extra bonus, Lala asked me to put a ponytail in her hair…something she has refused to let me do forever!

And, Ryan surprised us by coming home for the night between travel from Montana to California!

home is…having the family back together again.

happy, happy…

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SITS day to me!

Blogging Resources for Women

What is a SITS day, you ask?

Well, here is the low down…

So, to make a long story short, I am the Featured Blogger for today.

I’ve got to admit, I’m a little nervous…

I really never thought *my* SITS day would come.

I just thought I would get involved to read other blogs and learn some things.

And, here it is.

Yay, me!

I have butterflies in my belly…

I started blogging as an outlet when I became a stay at home mom to my little guy in 2008.

I made the hardest decision in my life (and the best) to leave a job I loved and stay at home with him full-time when he was 9 months old (until that time I had worked part-time from home or bringing him to the office with me…yeah, I had an awesome boss).

I was starving to still be connected to the world of interior design.

So, I started a blog.

Then, I started another blog to keep family updated on our adventures in the Pacific Northwest.

Eventually, I decided to merge the two as I found that there was beginning to be some overlap.

Now, I write about the adventures of our family of four (we had our second…a little girl…in 2009), my projects, crafts, and anything else I feel like writing about.

I started blogging for myself, then eventually for my kids, and now I find it fun when I inspire others with what I write here.

In the end, I write about what makes our home a home because {of course} home is…what you make it!

Thanks for visiting me today.

Still have butterflies…

I hope you will take some time to look around and let me know what you think!

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (homeisablog), and Pinterest.

home is…sharing my blog with the SITS community.

merry christmas…and a winner

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When I look at our bulletin board full of holiday cards from friends and family all I can do is smile.

We are so blessed.

Earlier this week the little guy asked me to record him on my iPhone.

He was saying a prayer before he ate a snack (like he does at preschool).

The last thing he said was, “…thank you for this wonderful life and our family.”

He’s got it right.

Merry Christmas to you all!

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And, congratulations to Jen for winning the giveaway!

Jen, I will contact you and get your prize to you ASAP!

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I will be taking a few days off to spend time at home with my family.

May your days be merry and bright…

home is…there’s no place like home for the holidays.