Christmas Card Bloopers

I totally dropped the ball on getting proper Christmas card pictures this year. No big deal, I can take them myself, I reasoned. I mean, I just needed one good pic, so how hard could it be, right?

Wrong.

Getting a 5-month old baby who has recently discovered the wonder that is his feet to sit still for a picture was nearly impossible. I did my best, but came away with more bloopers than good pics.

It could be cute, save for the spit up on his chin. Sigh.

mad at duck.

Giving duck a good pat on the head

Hey, that's my hat!

Check out my feet, mom

Ducks are delicious

So done with this photo shoot

Needless to say, next year I will be paying the big bucks to get proper pictures taken:)

Anyway, I hope your Christmas was full of fun with family and friends, yummy food, and joy and laughter.

Working Mother Baggage

That title is not metaphorical. It takes a small army and a whole lot of juggling to get us out the door in the morning.

This is a typical day's worth of stuff needed to get me to work and Lucas to the sitters. The blanket is hiding his diaper bag and my purse.

The biceps on my left arm are getting so ripped.

Cheers to Friendships Well Worn-In

One of the greatest gifts my parents gave me was the gift of life-long friendships. 

They were part of a church community where everyone was having kids at the same time, so I've grown up with the same group of friends since we were born.

Lucas, Caitlyn, and Orion

I've gone through everything with these girls. from playpen days to learning to walk and talk. from going to school for the first time, playing "house" in the pasture, and long Wildcat Lake summers. through first boyfriends and awkward middle school years, to teenage angst and finding ourselves. to losing part of ourselves with the loss of Chase and regaining new love and life in our husbands and children. 

I feel so blessed to have known these friends since birth and was absolutely thrilled to introduce them to the newest gift in my life.

My oldest and dearest friend, Sarah, and my sisters threw me a "Meet Baby Lucas" party and invited all of these life-long friends and our moms -- 30+ years of friendships in that room!

The theme was a toy shower, and Lucas got lots of fun new toys to play with as he grows. 

Sarah got me a charm bracelet too, and each person would select a charm to add to the bracelet and, with it, give a wish for Lucas and or advice to me. It was such a fun idea, and I will forever treasure the bracelet and the kind words.

The shower was lovely, but the most beautiful part of it for me was to look around and just feel so blessed to be part of such a great legacy of love and friendship.

Thanksgiving Craziness

For Thanksgiving this year, we headed to Topsail Beach with my family. We've outgrown my parents house at this point, so every other year, we rent a huge house at the beach and all pile in for a week of togetherness.

The week was full of game-playing, drinking, eating, chatting, pool, hot-tub-sitting, star-gazing, napping, beach-playing, fun, fun, fun.

My favorite part was doing a treasure hunt for the kids -- we buried a box of treasure and set up a bunch of clues on the beach that they had to follow to find the X marking their treasure. A "map" in a washed-up wine bottle helped them see where to go. It was such a blast to see them figure out the hint and go running down the beach for their next checkpoint. I'll definitely tuck that idea away for when Lucas is a bit older.



Lucas couldn't get enough of his cousins, and they couldn't get enough of him. Excited for him to grow up with that crazy gang.


Anyway, a few pics from our week of fun:

Eliana playing in the sand

Lucas' first time seeing the ocean.

sisters

Uncle Nate's self portrait

He LOVED his sunglasses and laughed so hard when we first put them on. what a stud

My two loves

Loves his MawMaw

Bocce

Snoozing. He slept like this a lot that week.