Well that’s different. {A Santa photo link-up}

Posted on | December 12, 2011 | 45 Comments

if you were around these parts last Christmas, you may remember how Harper reacted to meeting the big jolly guy. if you were around, the image of her scream-crying, reaching out desperately whilst Santa shushed her (quite creepily i may add) probably just jumped into your mind and made you giggle. but if you weren’t here, let me refresh your memory:

yeah.

this year, we prepared for the same, but she did awesome. like, so awesome my face almost fell clean off from the perfectness. apparently, my kid has only 2 speeds when it comes to Santa meetings: melt-your-face-off-hilariously-terrified OR melt-your-face-off-RIDICULOUSLY-ADORABLY-MAGICAL.

SERIOUSLY.

she was so excited she was literally jumping up and down when it was her turn. she went right up and gave Santa a hug, sat on his lap and told him she wanted a tool set for Christmas (the look on his face was priceless). she told him she had been a good girl this year (mostly true) and as we left she yelled “merry christmas santa!”. it was just stupid how precious it all was.

i stare at this photo every time i walk by it on our mantle. she looks so adorable, but so LARGE, like a real kid. in my mind, she is still like 2 feet tall and has rubberband wrists and leg rolls. but that isn’t the case. she looks so grown up and completely different from last year. SIGH. i am simultaneously overwhelmed with pride and sadness when i look at it.

ugh, i got something in both my eyes. ::wipes face::

let’s make this a link up like last year – share your posts featuring your cute, sad, and hilarious santa pictures (please be sure to link the post, not just your blog URL)! it’s a great way to get a good dose of giggles in, and find new blogs to enjoy. wheeee!

O Christmas tree.

Posted on | December 6, 2011 | 35 Comments

this past sunday we headed out to pick out our tree. last year was our first year getting a real tree together ever, and i was skeptical at first. real trees are messy, they need watering, and we have a cat who’s only real wish in life is to live outside in a tree. you know, recipe for disaster and all that. but then! we got a real one and i fell in love. so it was decided that i was a real tree girl, when i thought i was a fake tree girl, only to be changed when i decide later in life that i am a fake tree girl again.

oddly, the sun was shining as we picked out the perfect tree. this is me not complaining. rain makes me unreasonably angry and the thought of traipsing around a tree farm in such madness gives me a bit of an eye twitch to be completely honest. so, yay sunshine!

needless to say, we had fun. the other reason i’m a real tree convert is days like this one. the actual act of going out as a family, choosing our perfect tree, then going home and putting on White Christmas while we decorate the house makes me all kinds of warm and fuzzy. last year i was a bit of a bah-humbuggy grinch, but this year i am stoked on the holidays and plan to squeeze every last drop of christmas. it’s only right. i have some making up to do, you know? handmade gifts, cookies to make. IT WILL BE LIKE A CLICHE BLEW UP IN HERE. is what i’m saying.

so here i sit, next to our (very delightful smelling) tree, drinking cocoa with gingerbread marshmallows (were you even aware that is a thing?!) and watching the light twinkle in my 3 year-old’s eyes. could you just barf? i love it.

Harperween.

Posted on | October 27, 2011 | 51 Comments

with all the potty training madness (sidenote: she did it! it got all clicky in her brain and we are good to go. it took 8 days but the kid is a freakin’ champ now), i’ve had little time to reflect on the fact that our biscuit will be turning three on monday. by little time to reflect, i mean i’ve been in serious denial. my baby? cannot possibly be turning three.

but she is. and on halloween! or Harperween as we deemed it (almost) three years ago.

i didn’t want a halloween baby. i have no idea why, but i didn’t. either did Scot. i think we wanted her to have her day and i had visions of her friends not showing up to her birthday parties because they had halloween plans and whatnot. but that was silly. because halloween is obviously the coolest holiday birthday to have! and this year, she knows that her birthday is on halloween. and she is so so so excited.

(cute related note: a co-worker of my moms asked Harper what she was going to be for Halloween and Harper answered “three”. TOUCHE SMALL PERSON. TOUCHE).

this year my mom wanted to make a costume for Harper. and of course i happily jumped on board because my mom? is kind of a really amazing halloween-costume-tress. no seriously. for your consideration:

right?!

and exhibit b:

that just happened. well, i mean, it happened in 1986 but you know. logistics.

so we headed off to the fabric store and went through some books. Harper picked her costume with no knowledge of disney princesses (although i don’t consider this one a princess) OR knowledge of how perfectly perfect she will be in it. and so GG set to work on yet another masterpiece. thanks mom. you are the best.

perfectly perfect, amirite?

 

this post was sponsored by Mott’s – i was compensated for my time spent writing because i’m a Mott’s Mom, but all opinions and ideas are my own. head over to the Mott’s Facebook page and “like” it to connect with me and other moms!

 

psst! if you have an awesome post with old school halloween photos of yourself, be sure to go link up to the Vintage Halloween Hop over at Amy and Suzanne’s blogs – so fun!

FOTOMANIA!

Posted on | April 13, 2011 | 20 Comments

so a really exciting thing happened today. i got a gift on my doorstep from my birthday list! a really really really cool gift from a really sweet friend. today i’m movin’ on up to the android side of things with my new mytouch 4g phone. LOVE. IT. cue happy dances, the cabbagepatch, jump and roundhouse kicks, pointing finger guns and squeeees. super rad.

so i downloaded all 1,089 pictures i had taken on my blackberry over the past year and half onto my computer. and then i giggled, smiled, “awwww”ed and felt incredibly lucky. i had forgotten about so many moments. thank you technology.

spotted: my child asleep sitting up in a target cart, bebeh delilah george from the 818, heart shaped sour cream on some bomb enchiladas, my child channeling elton john as often as possible, the next martha, a pregnancy test in a vending machine, my BIFF Mae, the ideal wine/pho/narwhal trifecta of happiness, myself asleep after falling asleep riding a tricycle, and bruce jenner. sounds about right.