December so far

I can't believe christmas is just three days away and this is the first chance I've had to share any photos from this month. (And by "chance" I mean I gave the children chocolate chip cookies, put them in front of the tv and snuck to the spare bedroom with my laptop for as many minutes as that will buy me). Let's do this.

First things first, tree selection with my dad, stepmom and sister. They pick out their tree, we pick out ours, the children chase around the farm animals for a bit and then we head back to my dad and Patty's house to help them decorate their tree.

the bunnies were a big hit with Ev

We also made paper snowflakes to string up around the house again this year and Wes was VERY in to it. He's the cutest.

Victor was deemed the snowflake champ of the night. Honorable mention goes to his new pocket knife which gave him a pretty solid advantage over the rest of us this year.

And last weekend we snuck down to Granville for a night to squeeze in some time with Adam, Julie and their girls before all the holiday craziness takes over our lives. The bigger kids decorated a gingerbread house, played pinball and had a sleepover in Jordyn's room. The babies started playing together a bit more on this visit. They were born only nine months apart and I remember how the age gap seemed drastic in their first year of life. But now it's beginning to be less and less noticeable and it's SO fun as we watch them start to interact more and more. I hope these girls can become the best of friends as they grow. 

it's a GD masterpiece.

that hug!

The next morning we headed into downtown Columbus and met up with my friend Lauren for brunch at SuperChefs and then we took the kids to see the Christmas show at the Columbus Children's Theater. It's such a cute little theater and right by the North Market which is never a bad thing. We made sure to pop in for a donut while we killed some time before the show began. Once the show was underway Ever had a little trouble staying in her seat for the full hour. Luckily, its a children's theater and the whole audience and cast is made up of kids so you don't have to be overly concerned about making some noise or shuffling around. I will say the boys seemed very enchanted by the whole thing. I kept peeking over and looking at their faces during the show to watch them react to the different funny or sad moments as they played out on stage. Their attention was completely devoted to the show and they told us afterward how much fun it was to be there. I'll definitely keep it on my list for a return visit next time were in town. It was a pretty perfect way to spend a cold December day 

that smile, ha!

So this weekend...Christmas! What?! I can't believe it's almost here. I hope you all enjoy your holiday with the ones you love. Relax, reflect, fill your bellies with good food and lots of laughter and soak up that family time. That's my plan at least ;)

Happy Holidays, friends!

xoxo

Kitchen Progress - Phase Two Complete!

I could not be happier to be updating you all today on the progress of our kitchen! We finally replaced our sad linoleum floor with beautiful adoni slate and cement tile. I selected and secured the materials and did the design layout for the tile myself, but we hired out the actual labor. It went as smoothly as not having access to your kitchen for two weeks can go ;)  but we finished on time and budget and you can't ask for much more than that.  I love the finished results! 

Here's a quick peek at our kitchen floor "before" (This picture is post phase one where we had completed a lot of cosmetic changes to the room but no major construction).

...and now after!

And yes, we also added a little butcher block top island and stools. I am loving this room more and more. And I'm so happy that all we have left for the final phase will be to install new countertops. We're almost there! 

Sources: Adoni Slate, Cement Tile, Barstools

Ever's Second Birthday Party

Somehow, through some time warp beyond my comprehension I am sitting down to write about my baby's second birthday. Has it already been two years? Wasn't she just born? Wasn't she just a warm bundle swaddled in my arms? Or then again, might it have been a hundred years? I can't remember a life before her.  What did we do without her all that time? She has always been here and yet... Ah, time. My oldest foe. 

And so, here we are. My girl is two. Having a November birthday I thought I'd keep her party seasonal and styled it with fall flavors and foliage. The perfect invitation set the tone I was looking for. Feminine, rustic, and a little bit of magic and whimsy too. 

Oh, and REALLY delicious. 

Abby and I (well, mostly Abby let be real) baked the cake and all the desserts, except the cupcakes and chocolate toadstools which I commissioned from Cheryl and which she more than delivered on. All hail the queen! No one does it better - no one.

 I also ordered these AMAZING lollipops with edible wildflowers inside from Sugar Bakers Bakery.

We had homemade soup and biscuits with honey butter and mulled cider to drink - comfort foods - fitting for the season (or so I thought). In reality, it ended up being nearly 70 degrees and so my idea of a warm and cozy party inside was a little bit waylaid. But who can be mad at seventy degrees in November?! We rolled with it and happily took the party outside. Ever opened presents on the front porch and the kids all played in the huge leaf pile heaped up in the back yard.  It was perfect.

Happy birthday to my bright, silly, beautiful, sweet daughter! You are the magic in our lives. The breath in our lungs. You make life better every single day. To know you is to love you and baby girl, you are so loved.

I can't wait to spend another year by your side.