i can’t complain though, because it did mean Scot has been home and we still have our power. so although we are stuck and did run out of wine, we are super lucky. Scot made H a huge pile of snow with a slide and they went to town. i played for a bit and then came inside and did warm things. watching them outside, with lulu hopping around like a bunny around them, made my day.

i am getting a titch of cabin fever though. in fact i just looked up to see i have been watching giada for almost 7 minutes. a new record. also, teeth.

here are a few things i’ve enjoyed this week:

as soon as i can get out of this house i will be gathering supplies to make this paper terrarium. i’ve been wanting to make a succulent one forever, and the printouts over at Chelsey’s blog would be an adorable addition.

Harper’s room was featured on Apartment Therapy!

Harper has 2 pairs of shoes i’d like to try this DIY on.

one of my favorite people Monkeyface Amber showed her face and left her blog for a new one, courtesy laugh. she kicks the ace. love her.

this is not safe for work (or really anywhere but the comfort of your own home with no children around) but if you love bridesmaids with the burning fire of a thousand suns like i do, you’ll enjoy the gag reel. i uglylaughcried.

and this post is a must read for all moms.

have a good weekend, and see you back here sunday for SOS!

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.

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!

Snag the Code Here:

<a href="http://www.harpershappenings.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2hi86lj.jpg" /></a>

kids make christmas. the past 3 years were fun – Harper being around 8 weeks, then just a year, then just over 2 – but this year she was so into it and made it magical for me. coupled with Scot, who is the king of christmas, something about this holiday season was just special. now all the hoopla is over, but the awesomeness lives on. Scot is off all this week and we are stee-raight chillin’. sleeping in, hanging out like it’s our job, you know, important stuff. the look on H’s face each morning as she realizes daddy isn’t at work is basically the best ever. i’d like to press the pause button.

the day before christmas eve, we looked at our brown crispy tree and decided the fire hazard had to come down. Scot deemed it unsuitable for christmas. after 4 trillion needles were swept and vacuumed up, we pulled out our old faithful fakey, only to have half the lights not work. 45 minutes later he exclaimed “we’re going to target”. trees were already 50% off, so we scored a new tree for cheap, and redecorating it got us all back in the christmas spirit.

my mom spent the night christmas eve and we made an epic gingerbread house, ate clam chowder and drank bloody marys while watching White Christmas. around 10:30 we decided it was waaaay past time for H to go to bed, so we checked up on Santa on the norad website and he was in boise! we rushed her to bed after she made up a note and a plate for santa (“i think santa would like eggnog instead of milk” – Scot). for future reference, santa hits seattle at 11pm.

in the morning, we woke up around 7 and Scot went in to get her. she was dead asleep, but when she heard the door open, she shot up and in a drunk voice was all “is it christmas day today? mommy? daddy? gg? is santa here?”. it was ridiculous and adorable.

santa brought her a toolset, the only thing she asked for. we have no idea where she got the idea, but she is enjoying fixing ALL THE THINGS.

she knows all the words to, and continues to sing: holly jolly christmas, jingle bell rock (her FAVORITE), regular jingle bells, rudolph, and i want a hippopotamus for christmas. in fact, in line to see santa, she said “i’m gonna tell santa i want a hippopotamus” and i said “really?” and she said “no mommy, i’m just kidding”.

she also “whatever”ed me yesterday. SHE WHATEVERED ME.

but i digress.

this christmas was exactly what it should have been – about family and being together. the presents were few, but who cares? it’s not about the things, it’s about the people. and we made it count in every way. i couldn’t love christmas more this year.