Day 1566 | Dancing
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Just the little one showing off his fancy moves. He takes after his dad.
Day 1565 | All I Want for Christmas...
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Just a couple of weeks shy of being able to sing the song! It’s going to take some getting used to...the fact that he’s toothless in the front and that his speech is even different! Our sweet boy continues to leave babyhood behind. Sniffle sniffle.
As a side note, he lost the tooth at school (for the second time) and declared that it “bled a lot.” I’m sure that was a fun part of the teacher’s day. Ha!
Day 1564 | Awbie and Osmo
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Robbe’s fever last night meant a day stuck at home with me—which he didn’t mind, for the record. After a day of laying low, lots of reading, a short nap, and a bit of tv, Chase arrived home and the boys played the Coding Awbie game on Osmo (which connects to our iPad) for most of the afternoon. It was the perfect interactive but low-energy form of entertainment in hopes we could keep the fever from coming back (we couldn’t...ugh).
If you haven’t heard of this Osmo system, it’s worth checking out. Chase was introduced to it at school and as much as I dislike the idea of the boys zoning out in front of a screen, the interactive nature of this system (you actually manipulate objects in front of the iPad that register on the screen) makes this feel different to me.
With a fever at bedtime, it’s looking like another sick day tomorrow. Think happy thoughts for us.
Day 1563 | Water Park
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To make good on a promise to the boys from two months ago, we ventured to the water park today. As much as donning a swimsuit in Wisconsin in January isn’t my favorite idea for an outing, it was a fun way to spend the morning and the boys had a blast. They loved the big water slides and the playground area and the lazy river (which doesn’t seem that shocking...but you just never know with kids). The extra motivation needed to get out the door was definitely worth it.
Oh, and then we came home and five hours later Robbe came down with a fever—that’s why we shouldn’t leave the house. Ha!
Day 1562 | Sunshine
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The sunshine was calling our name after school. These little nuggets took it upon themselves to make the walk as cute as possible.
Day 1561 | A Year in Photos
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My absolute favorite photo of this year. I love everything about this.
Settle in…I’ve assembled my top 16 favorite shots from 2018. I know 16 seems like a lot but when we’re talking about 300+ photos to choose from, it’s remarkable I could narrow it down this much!
It took some extra motivation to get this collage pulled together today but I’m glad I did it. Looking back at how far we’ve come over the past year—through the ups and downs—forces us all to slow down and reflect on where we’re going next. Sometimes the days seem long and dark and sometimes everything is sunny and bright. I’ll stay optimistic for more sunny days in 2019—no matter what the weather actually delivers!
If you’re in the mood for throwback photos, here’s a collage of 2017 Photos. I must have missed this post last year. Oops!
Day 1560 | Pokémon
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Robbe has created his own version of the Pokémon card game (the real version has some pretty intense math for a four year old). His version is just as complicated as the original, though, with additional rules that seem to apply just to him. Suffice it to say, I am 0-2 in my attempts to understand these Pokémon card games.
Day 1559 | Happy 2019!
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The New Year’s Eve supplies *might have* been from last year (notice the glasses), but we figured we could be celebrating the past year in addition to the year ahead...right?!?
We rang in the year with some of our favorite friends (who happen to be family). I have a feeling 2019 is going to be pretty great. I hope you’re filled with the same optimism as you look toward the year ahead.
Day 1558 | Ice Walk
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The warm(ish) temperatures and rain last week paved the way for a pretty fantastic walk this afternoon. Temperatures have dropped again (boo!) so all that standing water froze and left us with a dozen mini skating rinks to explore. The one pictured above froze needles and leaves in a crystal-clear shine. It was pretty breathtaking. Some of the other rinks we discovered cracked when we walked on them and allowed the boys to chip away some impressive chunks.
After being inside for most of the past week, we definitely enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air. And the ice escapades definitely didn’t hurt.
Day 1557 | Giving In
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Nerf guns have entered our world. For the first record, I held off for as long as I could.
Day 1556 | A Final Merry Christmas
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Today was 11 hours of straight family time with some of my favorite people. It was glorious. There were delicious cookies, sweet presents, yummy holiday cocktails, and lots and lots of laughter. This is why Christmastime is the best.
Day 1555 | Merry Christmas
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In case you were worried, Santa did find us this year. The boys were inundated with Pokemon and a couple of surprises (as requested). They were very excited.
For this Christmas, I wish you peace amongst the chaos, laughter with family + friends, and a greater appreciation for all we do for one another.
Merry Christmas from our family to yours.
Day 1554 | Christmas Eve
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Santa,
Please stop here.
Sincerely,
Two adorable boys
Day 1553 | Holiday Lights
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One more holiday light display before the season is over. And this one was a good one. Thanks, Aunt Pam for suggesting the outing! And thanks to cousin Kevin for spoiling the boys with the 3D glasses.
Day 1552 | Brother Presents
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We hit the road for our family Christmases this morning so we swapped presents with our immediate family last night. The boys were about the cutest they’ve ever been when they swapped the gifts they picked out for each other (a Pokémon blanket and a Pokémon belt). They were just so sweet and considerate and gracious. It made my heart melt.
Day 1551 | Lego Advent Calendar: Complete
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After 20 days of building, the Lego advent calendar wrapped up today. Aside from the big guy taking control over most of the construction (the little guy didn’t seem to mind much), it was a huge success. Way better than the pre-packaged advent calendar. The question is: what’s in store for us next year now?
Day 1550 | Naptime Cocoon
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All snuggled in for an afternoon snooze. This kid loves his Pokémon blanket.
Day 1549 | Holiday Baking
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My mom and I spent a good chunk of today checking holiday baking off our list. We made three different types of cookies and a chocolate/pretzel favorite of mine. The boys *helped* a bit but mostly kept themselves entertained...which, let’s be honest, is an even better arrangement.
Now we just have to have enough self-control not to eat them all before the weekend. Fingers crossed!
Day 1548 | A Busy Day
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We left the house at 8:15 this morning and returned to our house at 7:15 tonight. It was a day. A good day.
We met my parents in Strum for some krumkake baking and catching up. Then we jumped in the car for a quick lunch on our way to a nursing home for a piano recital where Chase played Jingle Bells. After the concert, we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with some of our favorite people. We even played a new dice game!
We are all exhausted but happy. What a nice day.
Day 1547 | A Winter Walk
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We got motivated to go for a little winter walk this morning. It was a beautiful day for a sunshiney, fresh-air trek through the woods. And the boys didn’t even complain. It’s a Christmas miracle!
