Happy New Year

Hey guys! We made it to 2013 without the world imploding. I guess that now it's time to actually start making something of ourselves, huh? Scary!

This last month has been pretty insane around these parts, which is why things have been super quiet in this particular space. In December we moved, had the holidays, Logan was really sick for a week, and had lots of family in town. We are still pretty surrounded by boxes, but are slowly creating a new space for ourselves- including a yard for the littles to run around in.

I am so grateful for everything that 2012 contained. Lots of love from family and friends, getting to watch our tiny men grow into slightly bigger tiny men with much larger personalities than their stature shows at first glance. Logan and I have both been working our butts off at work. I couldn't be happier that at every moment we had a roof over our heads, food on the table, and diapers on the baby's bottom. We had amazing (and free!) childcare which allowed us to grow in our careers and trust that our children were being taken care of. My mom moved to town. I ran my first 5K. Logan got to roast coffee. We took a mini (two night) vacation to San Antonio san kiddos together.

I got a little frustrated because I've apparently reached my photo limit here (which means I need to start doing it through a website or something, right?! Internet pals? Halp!) so with that and all the craziness that was December, I wasn't around here. But hopefully that will change and I'll get back into the groove because I really like having this space to look back to see where our lives have come from in the last four years.

Been missing ya'll!

Easter

We had a lovely Easter around here. Grandma was in town as well as two of my friends from Boston (Jessica and Dayna), and there will be more posts about our wonderful time together. I'm so lucky to have so many people willing to travel to spend time with me and my family. It is amazing to have friends that love my kids almost as much as I do. 

There were Easter baskets and fancy dresses and egg hunts and photo shoots. All in all I would say it was a successful day. And below is a massive amount of photos to commemorate Kieran's first Easter. 

Showing us his "Moves Like Jagger"

Resolutions

Happy New Year everyone!

We rang in the new year surrounded by family and games and Dex running around like a mad man. It was a lot of fun and I'm so happy that I got to start the first seconds of 2012 with kisses all around from my three boys.

Here are some thoughts about what I accomplished in 2011 and what I hope to accomplish in 2012 (I meant to get this finalized and more put together- but I actually had two days in a row with Logan, so there has been more cuddling than computer time)

What I accomplished in 2011
*Had a baby (um... pretty great accomplishment if you ask me)
*Got a new job and helped achieve record sales.
*Moved to a new apt



What I hope to accomplish in 2012
*Start an exercise routine that I actually keep up. Be able to run a few miles. Enter some races.
*Along with the last post- lose the last 10 pounds that keep sticking around post baby babies.
*Figure out how to keep my home clean. No. Seriously. This is a huge goal.
*Take a photography class.
*Take an exercise class (zumba?)
*Take nicer portrait pics of my kiddos
*Move into a (rented) house with a YARD
*Spend more quality time with Logan
*Eat healthier. Make homemade baby food for K. Keep better track of what I'm giving to Dex. Make grocery lists and menus and be more organized about the whole process.
*Take this blog to new places. Places around Austin. Instead of only being an occasional update on our lives, also try to make it a reference guide to places and events to take your kiddos in and around Austin.
*Get Dex to figure out how to sleep normally

Merry Christmas 2011

Merry belated Christmas everyone! We spent lots of time with family and not much time on the internet. Unfortunately I forgot my camera for most of the time, so there aren't as many pictures as I would like. 

I'm still pretty into the family mode, and there is a pretty cute baby snuggled in my bed right now so I will just leave you with some pictures. 

After giving Daddy the present Deckie picked out all by himself. (And told Daddy what it was before he opened it)

Deckie's dress up stuff. Modeled by Logan.

The toy vacuum that Dex had been asking Santa for

Dex's "Yo Gabba Gabba" Box that Logan and I made

Oh Christmas Tree

So in my head, we had a grand outing where we went out to a farm where we could cut down our own Christmas tree, drink some warm apple cider, and take a hay ride. However, reality had a different idea. Reality meant it was six days before Christmas, any time we had as a family was super limited until Christmas itself, and we had to get a tree. One plan led to another, and in the end it was 9:00 at night, there was a lot I remembered seeing the other day when I took a wrong turn, and Dex had no pants. 

It was actually fun, quick, and since it was so late there was noone else there so Dex for the undivided attention of the men working there. They cut a tree down to the size we needed and cut the price down as well. Dex got to push the button on the tree shaker, they cut the end of the tree for me so I could make an ornament, and gave us the extra branches to make some decorations with. So it was pretty great. But, like I said. It was late and Dex had no pants. Therefore, there weren't any pictures of that particular excursion taken. 

Today we got to decorate. It was fun. Dex was into it for a little while. Then he started playing and Mom and Dad got to finish it off. Kieran sat there laughing at the lights. And in the end we have our tree. 

Getting the skirt on

Decked out for the festivities

So excited

Concentrating

After this we realized there was a huge smudge on the lens

Didn't want pics of himself. Just his toy.

Not the best picture, but it's late and I'm tired. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

I have started this several times with so many deletions. I guess that I am just so very grateful for what I have that it is hard to put it into words. I started trying to write something I am grateful for every day... but I am lucky enough to have been off living and enjoying my life that I haven't been able to be online and writing about it. 

I am grateful for family. Both close and far away. 

I am grateful for my family having everything we need. A husband who works as hard as he can to provide. And for myself having been instilled with a work ethic. We both work hard- earning money and raising our family. I'm sure I've said it before, but we are so lucky to have worked out a schedule where we get to be with, educate, and watch all the firsts of our children. 

Because in the end. I am MOST grateful for these little lives that have been placed in our hands. Some days are trying. Sometimes I feel completely lost. But these boys are my everything and I cannot express how thankful I am that they are mine. 

I didn't really get as many pictures as I would have liked. But here is a bit of our Thanksgiving. 

Kieran's set up. We made a bed for him in the wagon so he could be wherever we were. And that lovely piece of cardboard was his sunshade. 

Happy Father's Day a Day Late

I didn't get a Father's Day post up yesterday because I was too busy spending it with my two favorite Dads. My husband and my own dad. I am so lucky to have both in my life.

But first, I want to say "Happy Father's Day" to my wonderful husband. We haven't done things traditionally. We met, fell madly in love in about two seconds, and a month later were on our way to starting a new family. Both of us were in slightly prime partying days that were now at an end. And we both had to grow up.

When you are a mom, you immediately have to put on the brakes to anything that could be detrimental to the life now forming inside of you. As a dad... you have more of an option seeing as you aren't going to be harming anything directly if you continue to drink and party and whatnot.

I want the world to know how lucky I am. I have watched partying days be thrown aside to change diapers and read books and take trips to the zoo. I have gotten to watch Logan grow up a little more each day, and am constantly amazed by his love for us. Going from a world with no responsibilities to having to be accountable for almost every minute of every day is hard work. And he has done it beautifully.

Logan, I love you for all that you do for us and all that is to come. You are a great dad, a great husband, and Declan, Baby 2 and I are all so lucky to have you in our lives. Thank you.

Getting ready to become a Dad. 

First Easter as a Daddy 

Loving on baby Dex 

Already teaching him how to drive 

Super cute in matching clothes 

Dressing up for Dex's first birthday 

Doing Dad stuff with our friend Craig from The Hipster Dad 

Wanting to be like Daddy 

Teaching Dex about painting 

Dressed up for Easter