Christmas morning 2014

Christmas felt very magical this year.

There wasn't any talk of Santa or American Girl dolls so I was worried some of the childlike wonder would be minimized.  Surprisingly-I think we all felt that it may have been our most favorite Christmas yet.  The girls knew a few of their gifts ahead of Christmas morning and were thrilled with their surprises!  I was thrilled with the music going on Christmas morning with their new instruments!

 ...a guitar

a lap harp...

....a dulcimer

And waking up to a white Christmas was like icing on the cake.

Christmas Eve-2014

a festive art pieces from Kate & Sophie

a few special deliveries

 Nana invited the girls to Build a Bear again this year!

They LOVE finding new treasures their with cousins each Christmas!

THANK YOU NANA!

...a little bit of exploring downtown before we went home

for a dinner of clam chowder, crab legs, salad and HaagenDaas sundaes!

 MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

lights poured out the windows

Danny and I jumped in the car one evening this past week.  We were welcoming home a friend who had been away on a mission.  We knew we wouldn't be long.  Dinner was almost ready.  Each of the girls had an instruction...one was practicing music...another finishing dinner and another setting the table.  Nothing is perfect around our house but as we pulled out of the driveway, the sun was down and the lights from our home poured out of the windows.  Our daughters were inside- being crazy, silly, distracted but also really really really good.  Their goodness fills our home.  We both reflected on what it would have been like had we not had the privilege of being their parents.  They truly bring us so much joy.  Life isn't easy...and far from perfect.  We have challenges and trials...hard days but really really good days too.  We are grateful that we get to grow, work, try, fail, and triumph together.

A couple of Saturdays ago...the weather was GORGEOUS and fall was in the air.  I had a new lens to play with (the 50mm 1.2) and about 1 hour to spare (before we had to leave for the football game).  I asked the girls if I could take their pictures- we put outfits together in about 10 minutes.  As we were about to leave Danny was finishing up a day of working in the yard.  We grabbed a shirt for him and decided to all go to a hillside in our neighborhood.  This photo shoot was the most PAINLESS attempt at family photos- completely unplanned, I didn't even change, I didn't buy one article of clothing- and I don't think Danny had even showered.   As we got there we realized that my mother in law had just come for the game---so she even took some of all five of us.  They were the least planned and organized photos we have taken-but may be my very favorites.

Oceanside, CA