five on friday (09/30)

Posted on September 30, 2016 by tara

ONE. We made our very first pumpkin bread of the season this morning! Kaelyn was very excited to help (i.e. dump flour and spices out of the bowl and onto the counter), and it turned out tasting just as heavenly as ever. There’s just something about a rainy morning and the scent of warm pumpkin that make it really feel like fall. This little sweetie couldn’t get enough of licking the batter!

TWO. Speaking of pumpkins, the girls have painted mini ones twice now. I saw some at Food Lion and decided to surprise them, and they eagerly decorated them. We set them outside to dry… and then it rained, and all their hard work was erased. Luckily, they were excited that they had the chance to do it again, instead of being sad that their masterpieces were destroyed.

Can you tell what Kaelyn’s favorite color is?

THREE. Sometimes, Michael will randomly snap a picture of the girls when he’s taking my weekly belly picture, and lately, I’ve been surprised with some really cute ones when I upload photos from my memory card. Kaya has been so excited to wear the new “button jacket” (denim jacket) that she got for her birthday!FOUR. My friend, Bianca, surprised Kaya with some kinetic sand for her birthday, and these girls love it. They’ve been making cookies and having invisible people over to come eat them. I love their imaginations, haha!

FIVE. We’ve had a couple of “picnics” (a.k.a. any time the girls eat their sandwiches anywhere other than home) this week! Kaya and Kaelyn love doing this, even though it’s the same old lunch that they always have. I had nearly back-to-back doctor appointments on Wednesday, and we had just enough time to stop at the park to eat.

Happy Friday!

Linking up here, here, and here today!

five on friday (11/13)

Posted on November 13, 2015 by tara

Happy Friday!!! 🙂

ONE. We’ve still been enjoying amazing weather here lately, and Kaya pleaded for me to let her ride her bike this week. The catch was that she also wanted to go to the playground, which meant that she’d be riding for over two miles. I wasn’t sure if she had enough stamina to go that far (or if I could help her on the hills while pushing the stroller), but I always try to give her opportunities to have fun, learn something, and get stronger… so I said yes. To my amazement, she rode for 2.25 miles, only fell once, and figured out how to walk her bike up the hills.

TWO. We had Karl and Kaitlyn over for a small (belated) birthday celebration on Wednesday night. There were tacos and Wii Party and brownies with ice cream. That’s pretty much the ultimate birthday shindig, am I right? I love my goofball brother. Happy 23rd, pal!THREE. We started our co-op preschool group this week, so for the first time ever, I dropped Kaya off and left. I was worried about how it would go, but she was just fine and had a great time.

Kaelyn and I then had some time to run errands all on our own… which really means that we ended up at the fabric store for forever because it was busier than I have ever seen it in my lifetime. Kaelyn loves these little “beanie boos” (beanie babies) and gets so excited anytime she sees them anywhere. Naturally, she had to cuddle them all (and tell each one “hi!” as she hugged them).

Aaaaand we might’ve come home with one… because my kids are only going to be little once, and sometimes it’s fun to give them a surprise gift for no reason. “Blue Kitty” hasn’t left her side all week. 🙂 _MG_0035 Of course, we brought home a surprise for Kaya, too- a baby dragon!FOUR. That moment when you’re folding and hanging laundry, and look over to see your baby wearing underwear on her head… Hahaha. She has another pair halfway up her leg because she wants to be just like her big sister and wear undies (only over her diaper, of course. No way are we ready for potty training again)!

FIVE. #awkwardselfie award. I won’t tell you how many of these are on my phone, just from today (maybe because there are too many to count… haha)!

Linking up here today!

five on friday (10/23)

Posted on October 23, 2015 by tara

ONE. We kicked off our week with PINK EYE (for Kaya) and some lingering colds for Kaelyn and me. Luckily, we quickly got Kaya to the doctor for some antibiotic drops, so she had a just a mild case and is no longer contagious. Sick babies means everyone gets to relax a little extra and enjoy some Daniel Tiger.

TWO. Despite being sick, we still made it outside to play a few times. The weather has been all over the place, with temperatures as low as 28 degrees and as high as 69. It felt crazy to break out some of our winter gear already!

Kaya had a couple of great bike rides on the warmer days. (And don’t dare to tell her that she has a tricycle. It’s a BIKE to her and she will correct you!)

THREE. It’s hard to stay awake for 30 seconds after you come home from a walk, while mommy brings the stroller inside… She was out cold.

It’s also difficult to stay awake during lunch, even when candy corn is used as bribery. FOUR. Kaya got herself all dressed on Wednesday morning, and then put this little jean jacket on… and she was too adorable to not take a picture. Between the boots and the denim and the leaves, these pictures just scream “autumn” to me. Love my girl. Admittedly, I still haven’t taken her 3-year portraits (a whole month late now!), and these are so cute that I almost just want to count them as it and be done. FIVE. Because fall is my favorite season, and there is no beauty like the Earth’s.

HAPPY FRIDAY! 🙂

Linking up here today!

pumpkin patching

Posted on October 21, 2015 by tara

We took our annual trip to the pumpkin patch on Saturday! This was the first year that we’ve been out there and had sunshine to help keep us warm! I was prepared for colder weather after last year’s freezing temperatures, but we really lucked out this time.

Having sunshine also made it harder to get decent photos, and while we were there, I was honestly a little frustrated because I didn’t think any of my shots were turning out well at all. Michael lovingly reminded me that not every picture has to be “pinterest-worthy”… and he was right. These actually turned out to be some of my favorite photos, ever, just because of the memories they represent.

Kaya was in love with the goats and Jersey heifer calf (although she called them all cows), and even asked to go see them again at the end of our visit.
We met up with Karl and Kaitlyn. He held Kaelyn for almost the entire trip (partly so I could take pictures). That’s one happy uncle! 🙂As tradition goes, Michael did the pumpkin slingshot (but didn’t make it as far as the pond this year).
Cuddles in the line for a hay ride! We took the tractor up to the pumpkin field, and Kaya had a great time running around and looking at all the pumpkins. There were so many HUGE ones this year, and of course, she was trying to pick them up herself. Haha.She was also running away from me because she didn’t want her picture taken (#herecomesthethreenager)… But she gave me the happiest, cheesiest little grin later on, so she more than made up for it. 🙂They had an awesome corn maze this year! We might have hit a few dead ends, but we had a blast doing it.
Brother & sister shot! I can’t remember the last time we took a photo together, so it was on my to-do list for the day. Sometimes I can’t believe this tall guy used to be a tiny baby I could hold in my little 4-year-old arms.Karl and Kaitlyn picked out a giant pumpkin! So glad they could come with us.
We had the perfect afternoon. I love my family and these beautiful days we get to spend together.

Since I’m apparently becoming the queen of cheesy home videos, I’ll include this one to sum up our adventure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZElkscNU_so

five on friday (09/25)

Posted on September 25, 2015 by tara

We’ve been spending most of our week playing outside (in drizzle or sunshine), so I just have a bunch of phone pictures for you this week. They might not seem very momentous to anyone, but being outdoors with my kids is my definition of happiness, so these are some of my favorites.

ONE. This is the first year that Kaya has been so aware of the change in seasons. She was fascinated that so many leaves are now on the ground instead of on the trees! She might have carried this one all the way home to show Daddy.
TWO. I feel like this photo perfectly sums up their sisterhood: the little sister looks to the big one for guidance and direction, and the big sister tenderly takes her by the hand and makes sure she’s safe. All while pretending to nurse Kitty, because he was hungry of course. Haha.

THREE. My dad restored this old tricycle to give to all his grandchildren, and since Kaya is the oldest grandkid, she obviously has first dibs. She had her very first ride on it this week and absolutely loved it. We didn’t think she’d make it very far, so she truly surprised us when she pedaled for about 1.5 miles. My kid is hardcore.

FOUR. I have the cutest baby ever… and I just can’t get over how adorable she looks with these little neon sneakers that I picked up for $3.50. Her shirt says #toocute and I think it’s spot-on accurate. 🙂

FIVE. Because we all know how obsessed I am with these Google video compilations… and you know you want to see three crazy girls go down the slide all at once…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GShC55ZkXI4

Happy weekend everyone!

at the crossroads

Posted on September 10, 2015 by tara

We’re at that time of the year when summer is winding down, but fall isn’t quite here yet. It’s somewhat of an in-between, with the best parts of both seasons combined.

It’s refreshingly cool in the mornings, but the sun still beats down hotly in the afternoons. There’s the scent of fallen apples on the walking path, but the smell of sunscreen, chlorine, and sweat still on our skin.

The pool is still open, but only in the evenings, and it’s closing for the season tomorrow. We’ve spent countless hours there this summer, and I’ve loved watching my girls grow to really love the water. I can only hope that we still live in a community with pool access again next year.

Summer almost demands messy hair, comfy clothes for playing outside, and a slower daily pace. Fall was always my favorite season, but I’ve been holding on to every last drop of all this. The fresh, cool autumn seems to last a few short weeks before our hills are covered in snow and the next polar vortex sweeps through.

No matter the season, I’m grateful for all the memories we’ve made as a family this summer just by spending more “intentional” time together. (for the record, Kaya had no interest in being in this picture with us… sad!)Here’s to autumn and more good things to come.

currently…

Posted on November 25, 2014 by tara

Feeling… physically so much better this week than last! I had either a stomach bug or food poisoning that brought on the worst abdominal pain I’ve ever experienced in my lifetime. I seriously wondered if one of my organs was about to explode… but all I could worry about was how I was going to feed my baby when I could hardly sit down! We ended up going to the urgent care office covered by our insurance to get checked out. Thankfully, it was nothing serious!

Kaya got to spend the morning with her BFF Mia while we were there! They had a pajama party and Katherine sent me all sorts of adorable pictures and videos of them together. 🙂

Getting ready… to visit with family for Thanksgiving in just two days!!! I seriously don’t even know how the holiday season is already upon us. I’m definitely looking forward to my mom’s home-cooked turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Mmmm.

Feeling (the good kind of) busy… with all the amazing family photoshoots I’ve done in the past month! I’ve had about one per week and it’s just the right amount of work to balance with family time. Fall is just so beautiful, and I’m glad I’m able to capture these memories for so many of my dear friends!

Dreaming… about Christmas morning! I know there’s still an entire month left to wait, and I don’t want to wish away all the festive family time we’re sure to enjoy between now and then… but Kaya’s “big” gift has been ordered and I just keep imagining her excitement!

Planning… my Christmas cookie delivery for this year! And by planning, I really mean that I’ve pinned about a million adorably delicious ideas on Pinterest and haven’t made any decisions yet. It’s one of my favorite traditions for sure!

Wishing… you a Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂

five on friday! (10/17)

Posted on October 17, 2014 by tara

I’m finally sitting down and writing this at 9:30 pm on a Friday…better late than never! (And yes, we’re old married folk by now who are actually home nearly every Friday night, snuggling babies to sleep, doing dishes, and finishing up laundry… already in our pajamas. My how things have changed in just a few short years. But I’ll tell you what… I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!)

ONE. For weeks now, I’ve been brainstorming family-themed Halloween costumes, and I think I’ve changed my mind more times than a mom might change her newborn baby’s diaper (okay, not really, because we all know that’s about every five minutes)… but I’ve finally made a decision and started working on the costumes! I’ve had to measure the girls to be sure everything is the right size, so Kaya caught on pretty quickly and had a whole lot of fun “measuring” her baby doll, too.

TWO. This little cutie took her first-ever nap in the crib this week! It’s only happened once (mostly because we’ve been busy out of the house and I haven’t tried again), but I’m so excited she’s starting to fall into some sort of nap schedule. Good naps = happy babies!THREE. I was curious to see if I could create my own pumpkin muffin recipe, and this week, I decided to go for it. They turned out soft, with just the right amount of spices and chocolate chips! Hopefully I’ll be sharing the recipe soon, but I first need to make it again to be sure they’re consistently delicious!FOUR. Everyone says how photogenic my babies are, and I definitely won’t disagree… but here’s a little reality for you- sometimes they’re less than thrilled to have their pictures taken! (but how adorable is that little baby yawn?)Most of the time, though, I think I have a little baby model on my hands. FIVE. After a stormy week, the weather was absolutely perfect today. Kaya is old enough now to take short walks without the stroller, and I love seeing her explore every tiny thing she finds. Today, she just had to bring her Halloween bucket with her (with Kitty inside, of course). I’m soaking up these days because I know it won’t be long before we’ll be barricaded in by snow and ice. Sidenote: when did my first baby get so very tall?!Happy weekend!!!

Linking up with Natasha, April, Christina, and Darci today!

five on friday: feels like fall!

Posted on September 26, 2014 by tara

ONE. It’s finally feeling like fall around here and I couldn’t be more excited for all the upcoming seasonal festivities. We’ve been running around town nearly every day these past two weeks, so when we had a day off with nothing planned, we took full advantage of staying in our jammies and relaxing.

Kaya cozied up with a book, her baby doll, and a blanket and was happy as can be.Kaelyn actually stays in her pajamas about fifty percent of the time, anyway… … and obviously, she’s pretty happy about it. It’s just easier to take her outside that way when it’s chilly. TWO. Kaya got some playdough for her birthday, so we busted it open this week and had a blast with it! She loved using my fondant rolling pin and cookie cutters to make shapes. I made her a cupcake and a puppy. They were definitely not works of art, but she was obsessed and wanted to take the puppy everywhere with her for the rest of the day.

THREE. I made my first pumpkin bread of the season for seminary last week. Mmmmm. The taste of pumpkin really makes Fall feel official. FOUR. Cooler temperatures = a happy baby in a hoodie!FIVE. We had Kaya’s birthday party last weekend, and I still haven’t gone through all the pictures! She had such a wonderful day, and I’ll be posting all about it soon.Happy weekend!

frosty

Posted on November 4, 2013 by tara

We woke up to a 28-degree morning and frost-covered grass.

Feeling the cold air this morning definitely makes me want to jump right into the Christmas season (what? Thanksgiving still comes first? Well, alright, but only because there’s turkey involved…)

Yesterday, we realized that our heater wasn’t working- it was just recirculating cold air! Thankfully, it was fixed this morning within about an hour, and we are cozy and warm again.

I feel like I’ve been running around town like a chicken with no head this past week, which would explain why I’ve been pretty quiet on the blog. But don’t worry, I have so many fun Halloween festivities to share- Trunk or Treat, trick-or-treating at the mall, and the Halloween party that Lelia and I hosted on Saturday! I should also decide on some official goals for November… seeing as it is already the 4th. Whoops!

We really enjoyed Daylight Saving Time on Sunday… Kaya actually slept the extra hour! It might have just been because of all the excitement and staying up late at the Halloween party on Saturday… but still! We are definitely lucky, because I know a lot of other parents were up at the crack of dawn with their little ones.

Happy warm and cozy Monday 🙂

Michael and Tara

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