Christmas

Merry Christmas (three weeks late!)

We had SUCH a mellow Christmas this year and it was so refreshing and nice. Andy and I didn't do gifts for each other and saved all our money for our weekend away in Vancouver BC.  The girls had a blast opening up stockings and presents and Andy and I enjoyed sitting back and watching them play with contentment all day! definite win-win I'd say!

holiday movies my the twinkle teepee lights

little girl and a BIG tree (at church)

silly alomae channeling her inner Mary on christmas eve

Santa gifts for alomae

and for Poppy

of course Alomae needed a princess dress OVER her christmas Jammies

overnight blueberry french toast for our x-mas breakfast

 my crew eating

sweet pops never got out of her new ariel nightgown!

play dough! this mamas enemy...

but they do play for hours!

We had two guys over for dinner who didn't have family in town and ended the night with a fierce game of Settlers of Catan (and bbq pulled pork sandwhiches. I highly recommend food you don't actually have to cook on christmas day! made my day so relaxing as well!)

A fairy tale party: Alomae turns 4

Somebody please tell me how it is possible that my baby turned FOUR?!

So this girl of mine who LOVES princesses wanted to have a party this year,
but this mama is not really a princess theme fan. So my solution, a fairy tale party where she could dress up as princess and I could decorate with decor a little more my style.

 It was such a fun couple of hours where Alomae felt so very special!

Here is how the party turned out...



the birthday girl



food table





Amazing cake my sweet friend Loni made

hedgehog donut holes





birthday girl chair



birthday girl in the chair



forest friends to love on



mask coloring station



gift bags



present time



sweet Poppy Grey



princess alomae, a knight, and Merida



princess Fern



Piper the woodland Fairy





Birthday Party Success

I loved celebrating my girl and am so glad I was able to create a party we both enjoyed!

little details

We have lived in our house 5 months now. The house is a rental so we are really just trying to make it feel like "ours" until the doors open for us to buy the right home. God has protected us time and time again from purchasing the wrong place in the wrong location at the wrong time. I feel really blessed to have a safe and comfortable roof over my families head.

I am a details girl. I like the little things that make the big picture look good! Today I was walking through my home, cleaning up messes and unpacking from our weekend trip to the beach when I kept noticing little things I love throughout our home.

here are a few of the things that make my house feel like home...

my homemade chalk/cork board filled with upcoming wedding invites!



coat rack I made

a little chalkboard Love

frame holding special notes from friends



sweet print representing Andy & I and antlers from my brothers deer



I love crates and have them throughout my entire home...

here are my crate shelves filled with books and treasures.

crate turned into side table

vintage berry crate "headboard"

bed frame to raise the bed a couple inches coming soon...

some succulent love

sweet words made by my love



I am thankful for our space and all the little details really do make me smile.

I love that my house is mostly filled with things you cannot just go and pick up at the store!

a home really is what you make it 

it does not matter if you have a little room or an entire house, fill it with the special things you love!

new house

We got the keys to our new home 2 weeks early so this week has been spent packing up small things around the house into tubs and transporting them and unpacking at the new place! We move all the big stuff on friday and from then on out will be living in our new home!

We are going to miss NW portland a lot. The neighborhood, the culture, the shops, the food...

but we are still excited to enter into this new season of settling in and really creating a good space for our two sweet girls.

Our new house is a simple modest 3 bedroom ranch house. I think it's going to be perfect for this season we are in.

here is a little sneak peak of our empty house...

these photos are boring but will serve a fun purpose when I can compare before and afters!

backyard with a dusting of snow

we are taking down the light thats hanging and putting the table by the window in the photo below

table is going by the window

across from the table where a couch will be

living room (only carpeted room in the house- trying to get used to the shade!)

kitchen with an abundance of space!

new refrigerator- excited about that!

alomae & poppy's room

office/craft room

mine and andy's room

there is a garage and a bathroom too but thats not very fun to show :)

I cannot wait to decorate and make this place home!