yesterday i kept H home from preschool because she was sick the majority of the weekend and her nose has remained a faucet. but we got dressed, she picked out some shoes although we were going nowhere, and asked me to put her hair up on top like mommys. we cooped up in her room and read books, did puzzles, and played store (where she used her typewriter as a register and demanded i pay her for things). every so often she would say “mommy, take a picture of me doing this” which is completely out of the norm for her. i brought up snacks and we played the morning away. sorry for the photo overload, but she was just too much.

sweater and striped tank underneath: h&m //jeggings and flats: target

SF welcomed me with gorgeous 65 degree sunshine, delicious food and a king size bed that was so comfortable i felt mocked when my alarm went off at 4:30 am on the only morning i was lucky enough to wake up in it’s gloriousness. it also welcomed me with an early monthly gift (most likely from the self produced stress – srsly i had no idea it was even on it’s way) which produced a really fun TP stuff-and-waddle to the corner 711 at 5 in the morning. nothing like a little pre-dawn humiliation to bring your ass back down to earth, no?

sorry male people?

i also got to meet my friend Meg for the first time, after knowing each other for 4 years. we had wine (hi, duh) and ate the most glorious brussel sprout dish ever to grace my mouthparts. i still can’t stop thinking about them. i know, get a life right?

once i was home, there were massive amounts of cuddles. interspersed in those moments of cuddles were moments of a tiny terrorist trying to plot my death. three is an….interesting age. it’s fun, yet, um, challenging. it’s…ok it’s like repeatedly punching yourself in the face and then jamming said face into a vat of nutella. is what it’s like. super painful and then really sweet. over and over.

but then she drew Goofy (seriously do you see that? i can’t even draw Goofy that well). so i mean.

also, beer.

let’s look at a few things i loved on the internet this week:

e tells tales asked her readers to anonymously comment their honest goals for the new year. 420+ comments later. refreshing honesty from lots of people. pretty kick ace.

this skirt Ellen made for Tessa is sew cute (omg see what i did there just then)! i wish i knew how to sew/had a sewing machine.

a valentine exchange – how fun! probably a lot more fun than in 5th grade when i wrote “i hate you” to the other Amanda in my class on her valentine and got in big trouble. i’m guessing.

the pugly pixel always has AMAZING tutorials and goodies for bloggers and this is one i can’t wait to sit down and try.

i met these two lovely ladies in SF also. you should check them out if you never have.

and one of the better videos i’ve seen in the whole Sh*t Blank People Say meme. funny.

happy weekend! see you sunday morning for le SOS.

psst. the photos from the 8th and 9th were taken in my hotel room in San Francisco, where i was for roughly 31 hours shooting a video with Levi’s for a documentary style ad campaign about my blog, Harper, my style, etc. one of my new year goals was to stop saying and typing SQUEE, but i think there should be an exception for this occasion, don’t you?

i really, really do.

happy new year! i hope you all had fun and stayed safe last night. we rang in the new year at home, with the H monster and my mom, and it was perfect. my mom brought over a prime rib (! my favorite) and i made baked fan potatoes (slice the potato almost all the way though along the length of it so it fans out, drizzle with butter, salt and pepper and bake for an hour at 350. thanks betty crocker!) and roasted asparagus. bloody marys were involved, as was Wii resort – which is super fun. a bit before midnight we turned on the tv, poured champagne ( a tiny cup of bubbly gingerale for the nugget to cheers with) and finished the year by calling Callin’ Oates and jamming out in the living room to Rich Girl.

(if you do one thing in 2012, make it calling Callin’ Oates. 719.266.2837 – “your emergency hall & oates hotline”. thank you to the numerous readers who sent me this. nothing much makes me happier than being known as the hall & oates girl).

we couldn’t’ believe H stayed up until midnight, then she blew our mind by making it to 1am. we danced, wore party hats and had a great time. i do love me a good NYE fancied up outing, but this was just perfect. this morning, Harper is forcing us to wear the hats while we drink coffee and watch football (can i get a WHAT WHAT for the regular season being over today? glorious) and keeps demanding we party.

i’m so excited for 2012. i woke up feeling the newness and although it’s really just another day, i hold hope that it’s the start to an amazing year for our family. i wish all of you nothing but the besty best BEST in 2012 and if i haven’t said it enough – thank you for being here. this blog means a lot to me (2011 really drove that home for me) and it means even more that there are awesome people out there (like you!) that choose to read it.

now let’s dance.

happy first SOS of the year!

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