Insta-Love.

This week is all about hearts out here.

More to come, I assure you.

What heart-y things have you been up to?

A Re-cap.

How's the new year so far? Good here. 

Tomorrow we head back to school and leave the holiday vacation vibe behind.

We did so much last month and I just now got all of our pictures on the the computer. There were several things that happened that really deserve a blog post of their very own. I even had them planned, photographed and written in my head. 

Yet, now being that it's 2013, I am ready to move on to the new and give just a little blog-nod to this holiday's past.

We went snowshoeing and I absolutely loved it. We can literally strap on our shoes and walk out our back gate for some endless snow walking in the river. We can all go together and its fun and easy for even the littlest.

I made a bunch of bear ornaments for the family. It's an Alicia Paulson design and her patterns are so timeless and fun and well written. The original was a polar bear. But duh, can't live in Kodiak and not send a Kodiak bear. I  mean, really...

I did her little red coats too. Love them.

Here are all the bears waiting to be wrapped and sent. I also took 80 billion pretty tree pictures that would have been fun to share. Too late now, and that's OK.

Christmas still lives on though with the arrival of Minna's doll. Her name? Elisabeth Christmas. She goes with us everywhere. We all love her and I am sure she will get her own post soon. There is no way I could resist.

Jeff made me the teensiest and yummiest birthday cake ever. We each got a perfect little slice and it was gone. It was a neat way to say goodbye to 35. No leftovers.

The boys have bows in hand constantly. I spy and take pictures of them shooting constantly. I tried one out a couple of times and really liked that too! That old milk jug target didn't stand a chance. Maybe snowshoes and a bow are in my future. Why not?

A bunch of friends gathered for a fun, loud, grown-up party to celebrate my birthday. Good times. And I wore a dress and some heel. Nice way to say hello to 36. Changing things up a bit.

My neighbor made me a hat and tried really hard to match my coat. Perfect match and so sweet! Thanks neighbor!

Our neighbors also put on a show for new year's day. We had a front row seat on our living room couch. Didn't have to move an inch.

I am starting the snowy, slushy, wet new year off right. In new warm, dry pair of boots with a little feminine touch of color. Goodness! I needed them.

We also may have started a new tradition. Banya on New Year's eve and then instead of a polar plunge, a naked lap around the house in the snow. Yes. You read that right. I never laughed so hard in all my life. Tiny naked Minna did two laps. They were barefoot too! So good.

I didn't participate this time.

Next year?

You never can tell.

Have a great, great Monday!

Hello 2013!

Hoping for us and wishing for you in the new year,

in alpha order...

ART

BRAVERY

DIRT

EGGS

FISH

FLOWERS

FRIENDS

GROWING

HEARTY LAUGHTER

HOOKS

HUMOR

LEARNING BY DOING

STEEPING IN SURROUNDINGS

STYLE

And just more of this.

A lot more.

All year long.

Welcome 2013!

The Week.

So, I think I promised some knitting updates or something? Going to have to be next week. Maybe by then I will have TWO finished knitty projects to share. (Hope! Hope!)

But now, some pictures, newly uploaded to tell the story of our week...

Most time spent indoors, playing and goofin' off.

It is very cold out now.

Very.

Some decorating.

The best star lights ever.

Christmas can happen now that they are hung.

Wish making.

I love that we have three lists now.

All carefully written in their own hand.

We took a tree hunting hike.

Success!

More on that later...

A 100% kid decorated tree.

I LOVE it.

A kid operated roadside stand.

Selling the yummiest hot chocolate ever.

Not one sale.

A bust?

NO WAY!

 I seriously do not know how those 25 cars 

could resist the waves and smiles that these two were throwing down. 

I know I couldn't have.

No matter though, Sully had fun putting it together. 

I had fun with them,

and we remain hopeful.

Maybe next time, right?

(Hope next time it's at least 30 degrees out.)

Happy Halloween!

Off to trick-or-treat in a minute!

I got me a Spider-girl!

Scary cute.

I love the spiders in her pony tails. Totally her idea.

She loved that she got to walk the school halloween parade with her brother.

I also have a scary skeleton man.

(He has begged to be something scary-gross for years.)

I do like the bone mitts.

Nice touch.

I also have Percy Jackson.

It was all about the sword and the camp shirt.

I am so happy he chose a character from a book. 

Here are the scary pups.

We have had days and days of clear but chilly weather. 

No different tonight for our spooky evening.

It will be cold but great.

Happy safe Halloween to you!

Halloween, Tomorrow.

My excited Halloween-focused kids are ready.

Kind of an easy year costume wise.

Spent a few minutes with a fabric marker.

Just a bit of wrestling with tulle.

And there was a last minute, 

yet successful hunt, 

for the perfect black sweatshirt.

Yes!

Photo shoots happening tomorrow!

Have a nice pre-candy-crazies night...

Hints Of Halloween And Freakish Occurrences.

Halloween is coming!

Spooky fabrics are being pulled out and used for this and that.

(A couple of bandanas in this case.)

Costumes being dreamed up and pieced together.

I. Can't. WAIT! to finish Minna's and make her wear it for a week straight.

Everyone is trying to scare me.

That's an all year thing really, 

but now there are scary props all over the place.

Pumpkin buckets and Halloween packages laying around.

Bats and ghosts still hanging.

My favorite garland yet.

The pumpkin treats!

It was this recipe.

Freakish occurrence #1

The chickens all of a sudden think they can come inside.

When I have the door open, they walk in.

It's kind of a dream come true for me.

But kinda not.

I am cleaning up enough animal droppings 

in the house with pups around, ya know what I mean?

Freakish occurrence #2

My house is a hospital.

Minna is sick. (Still not sure with what, exactly.)

Roo was just sick.

And all of Minna's imaginary friends 

and cute little babies and creatures are sick too.

A few more days and everyone will be discharged hopefully.

F.O. #3

Ester almost needed to go to the hospital too.

(That's her sweet, trouble maker face on the right.)

She found a dead rat and was eating it. (BARF!)

It gets worse...

She started choking on it!

There was a moment when I was holding her down 

trying to grasp the flopping rat tail, 

that I thought of my friend 

who had to do mouth-to-mouth on his Jack Russell.

Was I prepared to do that?

I don't know.

Glad I didn't have to decide. 

I was able to yank the thing out and unblock her airway. (ACK!)

During the panic, I threw it over my shoulder.

She was obviously fine because 

she promptly ran to the carcass 

and swallowed the yucky thing whole.

It went down easy the second try I guess.

(DOUBLE ACK!)

I hope tomorrow is less freaky.

Have a nice night!