Oregon Christmas

All she asked for this year was a penguin. Santa delivered and she couldn't be any happier about her little "Jumpy". Jumpy and Nudey have become quite the best buds-always accompanying Maisie on her many adventures and protecting her from the "nightmare bugs".

Christmas day bowling with the cutest cousins

We were blessed to make it back to Oregon in time for Christmas. Austin's parents helped get us there and it was good to have some family time. We really miss our families being in Idaho, so we were thrilled that everything aligned perfectly (even the weather) so we could have a nice trip. We didn't see as many people as we were hoping to, but it was nice to just focus on family. Maisie and Emerson were quite the duo and Ellie and Jane (the chunky thighed cosuins) seeing how they are so close in age (3 1/2 months) were a lot of fun to get together too.

Christmas Event @ Hemming Village

Home for Christmas

Driving through Pendelton Oregon.

I think this was one of my favorite moments of this Christmas. Maisie so proudly wrapped and made a tag for the gift to her little sister. It was such a sweet reminder about what the Christmas season is really about.

Maisie and the "nice Santa" at Broulims

Christmas Eve pajamas in front of Grandma & Grandpa's Christmas tree.

The beginning of fairies...

“When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.”-J.M Barrie (Peter Pan)

Ellie is a serious little baby. Happy, but serious and I love that about her, but getting her to laugh has been tough. She smiles like crazy (she even has two very specific smiles) and has since the beginning. She would even make smile noises- you know, like just the first breath of a laugh and I guess if we wanted to we could count that as a laugh, but we were holding out for the real deal. 

WELL...

Today she laughed her first laugh! 

And it was glorious.

There we were eating our Sunday breakfast when Maisie decided mid bite to take a little break to jump around the table and it was just too difficult for Ellie to contain her glee. She busted up, complete with a couple happy squeals and a Maisie-like chortle (those of you who knew maisie when she was a baby, know exactly what I am talking about). I have thought about that darling little laugh all day. It makes me excited to hear it more often, but at the same time it was a sweet reminder to take joy in the little things. 

I truly hope that I never take for granted the giggles that fill our home.

A blanket for Ellie

The last 2 months of Ellie's pregnancy I started a little quilt that would become Ellie's special blanket. It was such a peaceful time, soaking in the summer- growing a child while appreciating my time with Maisie. I had originally planned on knitting a blanket similar to Maisie's blanket, but unfortunately I hadn't given myself enough time or enough funds (knitting is time consuming and expensive!) so I decided to do a little hand stitched "quilt". It was so cathartic to be outside while Maisie played with the neighborhood kids, while I sat under the shade of the tree and hand stitched for hours. I never thought I would enjoy hand stitching so much, I was in love with the handmade look... and to me it just screams that it was made with love. I worked on it for a few hours every day for a few weeks and finished it up a few days before the 4th of July- just a couple weeks before Ellie was born.

I wanted to document Ellie's blanket just like I had done with Maisie's, but I am still itching to knit Ellie her own blanket (knit blankets are just so cozy!) so maybe I will do a project swap- I'll make Maisie a hand stitched quilt and then start a knit one for Ellie. I love giving my girls homemade things that will last for years. I hope they love them as much as I loved making them.

Gone trick or treatin'

This year we took forever to decide on what to be for Halloween. We had originally planned either Peter Pan or Alice and Wonderland themes (Mary Poppins was also a contender) but we wanted to spend as little money as possible and also make Maisie happy. So after weeks of throwing around ideas we finally decided on a fishing theme. Maisie the mermaid, Ellie the fish and Austin and I would be anglers. Our sweet friends let us borrow some of their fishing garb and it made for some laughs- look at Austin in those waders. So funny!

We lucked out on weather because that day it was 72 degrees and even that night wasn't cold at all. Last year we were frozen by the end of it all and required emergency hot coco, but this year we were comfortable. Also, to add to the fun, Austin's parents came to town to visit before the weather gets too bad and we can't easily go visit each other. Maisie was in heaven having grams and gramps (her nicknames she gave them). We came home ate Jimmy Johns (Maisie's favorite), made witches brew (complete with cauldron and dry ice) and ate candy and halloween cookies. 

my first time using royal icing... it didn't turn out too bad seeing that I didn't have the proper piping bags or tips and just used a ziplock with the corner cut off... haha!

It was a very fun Halloween. And let the records show... I now officially don't mind (too much) if it snows. Which is probably a good thing because check out the forecast this week:

Yuppp... it's getting cold fast. You see those 27s? Those are the HIGHS for that day. Don't even get me started on those lows...Yikes!

Family of four

Our lovely (and talented) friend Kristen took some family pictures of us to celebrate being a family of four. It was an amazingly beautiful autumn day in early October and the trees were glowing with soft sunlight- it truly couldn't have been a better day. If only little Ellie could have cooperated a little better, but what can you expect from a 2 month old? It's crazy, but Ellie already looks so different and is so much more expressive, so maybe we will get a few more of just the girls around Christmas time that way Ellie can show off her little personality a bit better.

We are so happy to have these pictures. It's such a good reminder of the sweet season of life we are in and I know we will cherish these for some time.

Hocus Pocus Halloween event @ Hemming Village

Last Saturday we went to the annual Hocus Pocus Halloween event in Hemming Village. We had so much fun last year that we knew that we had to do it again. We weren't able to stay as long as we wanted because we had a previous engagement, but I am so glad we went even if it was just for an hour and a half. It was 75 degrees and amazing- also it was the last warm day of the year. Get this, snow is being predicted for Sunday... yes, THIS Sunday. Boy, I'm not ready for that, but we have been incredibly lucky to have had such a beautiful autumn. 

I only took a couple pictures this year of the actual event and I don't think I have to give an excuse, but having two kids now changes my ability to bust out my camera as easily. But there was a professional photo booth there though, so that gave us another photo to add.

On our way back from the event we walked through Porter Park and since it was so beautiful-the park was covered in bright yellow and orange leaves, we decided to have a little makeshift photoshoot.

Sisters: all fun and games until...

...some one gets their hair pulled.

Look at that fist full of hair! Poor Maisie haha!

After we dried a couple tears we tried again, but in a position that Ellie would be less likely to pull hair. Sidenote: Maisie was so good about it. She knows that Ellie can't really control her hands fully yet and that she doesn't know any better, but that doesn't stop it from hurting. No anger, just pain.

"Here Ellie, hold this instead."