Goodbye 2013

Christmas Morning

This Christmas was actually really fun and low key. We were trying to make it to Oregon, but due to a combination of things we decided to brave it alone this year. We woke up bright and early to a very excited little girl and headed downstairs to start the Christmas extravaganza. We made cinnamon pull aparts, (lazy version of cinnamon rolls, but same great taste) opened presents, played with new toys and then after lunch we went bowling. Since I was a little girl until I was probably 16 or so my family tradition was to go bowling on Christmas day and it was so fun. I can only remember specifically a few christmas gifts (even though we were always spoiled with tons of them), but boy do I remember bowling. So now that Maisie is old enough we picked up the tradition and I am so glad we did. It was a blast and there's something magical about dancing to upbeat christmas songs, in bowling shoes with a 3 1/2 year old.

Also, Maisie randomly wanted a stuffed owl for Christmas. That is seriously the only thing that she had asked for. So of course Santa obliged her with the cutest and softest little owl. When she opened it she was the happiest thing in the world. She was kissing it and bouncing up and down and kept saying "I got what I wanted!" in the cutest and most thankful voice. Shortly after opening it Austin asked her what his name was and she quickly replied "his name is Nudey. That's a really pretty name." So now her and Nudey are inseparable- he goes every where she does. The last picture is of Nudey and Maisie dancing in between frames at the bowling alley. 

In case you were wondering the game stats:

Austin finished with a 101

I finished with a 96

and Maisie with an 86

1st Snow

The most terrifying snowman you ever did see.

He looks a lot less menacing with a hat.

Maisie's first snow! She is obsessed with the stuff. If Austin and I had snow appropriate clothing we might enjoy it as much as her, but we don't so therefore we don't haha. We usually oblige her with a short outing once a day, but sometimes that doesn't stop the nagging and begging for more snow play. That girl would play outside until she was gangrenous from frostbite, no joke. I don't understand how her concept of temperature could differ so much from ours, maybe it's a kid thing? Oh well, we better take on her attitude of snow because it's going to be a long winter if we don't. I mean, who could hate the fluffy white stuff?! We currently have two more feet of it outside as we speak and a roofless igloo. How does one build an igloo roof?

Rexburg Ducks

These pictures were taken in early November and in retrospect all I can think to myself is how in the world did I think it was cold then!? Now we are surrounded in multiple feet of snow and the odds of it melting before spring are slim to none- if anything we will just be adding a few more feet. Bleh. I am happy though that we are in the 20s again because two weeks of -12 as the HIGH was pretty lame. Last week it got to 37 and it felt like summer, no joke! I will say though that despite the cold and snow it's sunny and bright almost everyday and I do appreciate that. 

ANYWAY, back to this day in November... We met our friends Summer, Hayden and little Avery at the nearby park to feed the ducks and do some fishing. While throwing rocks a christmas ornament washed up right next to Maisie and she was in heaven as she was shouting "LOOK MAMA! A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!" over and over and over. Summer and I couldn't stop giggling at Maisie's enthusiasm. Maybe we will head to that park soon to see if the pond froze over yet, my educated guess would say yes. Idaho, you are cold, but I guess I like you anyway. 

p.s the other day we saw a bald eagle!

Half-Birthday

My little Maisie is officially 3 1/2 today. I'm trying to wrap my head around how it could be possible because 3 1/2 is closer to 4 and 4 is almost 5 and 5 year olds start kindergarten- ah, some one stop me, I feel my head spinning! Could it really be true that my baby, the precious girl who made me a mama really be 3 1/2?!

I'm blown away by her, not only by her sweet and silly spirit, but how perfectly she completes me. I truly don't know how else to explain it other than saying she's the one for me. I couldn't have been entrusted with a more perfect daughter .

Happy half-birthday Maisie! Thank you for blessing my life more than I thought was imaginable.

p.s yes, we celebrated with half of a funfetti cake because what would a half-birthday be without funfetti?!

We're off to see the Wizard!

Our pumpkins were Nightmare Before Christmas themed because it's currently Maisie's favorite.

We had finished up The Wizard of Oz book and had been watching the movie like crazy so we decided we would be the gang for Halloween. In the book Dorothy mentions that the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were her best friends and although she loved the lion, she was much closer to the other two. So we decided to nix the cowardly lion and come up with some sort of costume. The only things we bought to make these outfits were my burlap, Maisie's shoes, Austin's axe and silver spray paint. Everything else we just found around the house. Pretty pocketbook friendly.

We started the night with a trunk or treat followed by a hot chocolate break to warm up (G's german chocolate coco is out of this world good!),  hit up our neighborhood for good old fashioned trick or treating and then finished the night at Hayden and Summer's eating homemade chili and hanging out with friends. 

Our intention was to have Hayden and Summer over for a scary movie later Halloween night, but we were all too tired, so we did it the next night. We made homemade pizzas and watched The Conjuring. It was the most hilarious and frightening night of my life. I screamed- like full on screamed like 4 times. No joke. I kept waking Maisie up and she gave Austin a huge lecture on how we were being to loud. haha 

If you want to see a trailer and freak yourself out be my guest- watch it here.

I would say Halloween was a huge success. We have more than enough candy to make all of us thoroughly sick, it didn't snow, Idaho's halloween spirit is impressive and we spent it with friends. 

2014 better step it up.