i heart faces- winter wonderland

We live in a winter wonderland....otherwise known as Wisconsin.

This is one of my favorite shots of my bright eyed boy.  He is full of life,  he is sensitive,  he is incredibly loving and nurturing.  And just look at those blue eyes and freckles....

In a white winter wonderland he is a burst of life and color!

Check out all the amazing entries at i heart faces!

photo challenge Sunday

1. A Different View:

"A Different View":  Paper Mama photo challenge

"People":  Pastor's Girl's Pondering photo challenge

How I absolutely love this mirror shot of our sweet girl.  

I love the way she is looking at me in the mirror....how you can see her from a different view.

Not a new photo this week...but it is a keeper!

Paper Mama

 

2. Looking up:

I look up and there is my bright eyed boy with....underwear on his head.  Albeit, clean underwear!

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3. Abstract:

From a special chandelier I found in Germany that now hangs in our dining room.

I love the way these shapes come together with the pops of color-  

4. Hair:   

Tessa looking in the mirror (again) at her pretty self with her hair in "twists" for the very first time!

5.   Half:   This shot was taken with half of it looking through the glass of an apothecary jar.

last sign of babyhood...gone

 My baby Jack, isn't a baby anymore.  He is 4.  And whenever I call him "baby" he will promptly tell me, "Mama, I not a baby!".   O.K.  O.K.
So, this weekend while my sister was visiting she gave everyone a haircut.  Juddy didn't want a haircut as he is "growing" his hair out to look cool.  But he did get a trim.  Drew enjoys having a "do" and got a "mohawk", aka spiky hair.  

Jack was after Drew.  I thought for sure I would have to wrestle him to get his hair trimmed.  TRIMMED.  I love it so long, curly and have always resisted getting the boys hair cut because they immediately look years older.  I can't help it.  When Jack ran in and said "I want a Mohawk like Drew!"  I said, "What?" in a sad, dismayed voice.  Andy and Krissy were all for it and with good reason.  He looked like a mop-head most the time and wouldn't let me comb it.   But despite good reason, I was hesitating, "Jack, are you sure?"    But really I was feeling like I wasn't sure.   But he was absolutely certain.  My heart hurt....my baby's hair.  It was the last sign of his babyhood!

So here is the progression of Jack's entry into being a BIG BOY forever. 

sniff, sniff.

Jack loves his "mohawk".  HE LOVES IT!  

He is touching it and making sure it is standing up on top.

He loves being a big boy and having hair that is big boy hair.   The new hair cut fits him in every way.

And of course, I saved a lock of hair, that last sign of babyhood.

Baby Eleanor

You are going to be jealous....but this is who I have been snuggling with for 4 days.

My sweet niece, Eleanor, came for a visit.  Just 6 weeks old and couldn't be more precious!

cold!

Baby its cold outside.....not that you've noticed!

Check out all the beautiful "cold" moments in photos at the link below!

live every moment

Christmas morning- found!

I 

Joy to the world!!!!  It is a Festivus miracle!   (fyi, Festivus is a Seinfeld reference)  tee hee

I found the Christmas morning photos!  I don't even know how. It was totally random! All of a sudden I saw the file when I was uploading to Snapfish.  Somehow Snapfish was able to read the "unreadable files" that I didn't even know made it onto my computer!  I loaded everything to snapfish and then copied the photos off to my computer!  (I am loyal Snapfish customer forever now!)

I was terribly upset about losing these photos.  It was after all our first Christmas as a family with Tessa home....and Tessa's first Christmas.  Plus, I am a photo-freak and hate to lose any photos at all much less sentimental ones.  I even lost sleep over this and just felt sad.

Funny thing....I feel like I had just made peace with losing the photos.  I vented about it, blogged about it and then I put it into perspective.  There are far worse things and that they are just photos after all.  But I am sooooo happy to have them.  And will cherish them more than ever!

 Our first Christmas morning has a family is saved!  yeh!
Here are a few of my favorites.

The DS was on the top of Drew's list!  He was thrilled! Especially since I told him he had to be 21 to get one!

Andy and the ipad.   The best thing!

Jack's much need indoor trampoline!

Tessa meets and DANCE, DANCE, DANCES with Brobee!

She wore him out....literally!

Judson....loves his "got crickets" t-shirt!

Happy, happy, joy, joy!

We have our photos of our first Christmas morning as a family!

ahhh.....

Valentines photo challenge: PaperMama

This little guy captured my heart 4 years ago and I have never been the same.....

be my valentine.

And check out the beautiful Valentine entries at the Paper Mama!