Life Lately

I just got home from a weekend away with these three ladies, and goodness was it fun! This was our first getaway without kids, since kids. It felt so strange and amazing to sleep in, complete conversations, go to lunch in the middle of nap time, and make spontaneous decisions on what we wanted to do. Our hubbies are our heroes for letting us slip away for the weekend!

Getting wild and crazy one night ;)

Andrea took this picture so we could laugh at the hilariousness that was me making guacamole before dinner one night in a really cheesy shirt I bought earlier that day. I bought this sleep shirt because it was SOOO soft, but the words say, "Reality is my fairy tale." I joked that I couldn't pass up the comfiness or sale but probably wouldn't be snapping any selfies in my "my life is perfect" shirt... so Andrea thought this moment was a fitting time to snap this pic. (i.e. I am a nerd who brings all of the ingredients to make guacamole in a hotel room on a girls' weekend... one of many reasons why my life is OBVIOUSLY a fairy tale) 😜

Matt CRUSHED being Mr. Mom for the weekend. It's a pretty awesome feeling (for him and for me) to know that the kids' normal routine of having me home can be completely changed for a few days and yet they didn't skip a beat. At their ages, and considering the number of waking hours they get with Matt during the work week, that is a big deal! It shows how intentional he is when he is home. I didn't get one call while I was gone and knew that that meant they were a-okay without me. Made this mama-heart happy! The four of them were waving me in from the end of the driveway (and Ryan was showing me his boo boo on his toe) ;) when I got home yesterday. Such a sweet welcome-home!

This little lady is 11 months old today! This has been such a big growth month for her. I can't wait to write her monthly post later this week and reflect on how much she has changed in 30 days. It's hard to believe we'll be celebrating her ONE year birthday next month!

And that big boy on the left- all the heart eyes for him and his sweetness toward his sister. Last week, Matt and I took the kids to Publix and got Ryan his first cookie from the bakery, and wouldn't you know he turned right to Natalie to give her the first taste?! His exact words were, "Do you wike it, Nonni?! ...She wikes it!" Such a sweet boy!

We got snow/ice for a few days and this Little Miss found herself the perfect setup for eating it. ;)

And Ryan (and Tal) loved sliding on the ice on the porch outside of our bedroom.

Bundling up for the snow!

This thin layer of snow/ice lasted for maybe a day, but it sure was a pretty view while it lasted!

Watching the two of them play together is one of our favorite things. And it's a pretty new thing that they don't need us right there to play- so for Matt and I to stand back and have a conversation in the kitchen while they play together is pretty great.

We did some furniture shopping and are chipping away at one of our January goals of beginning to fill our house! These two little ones did so great on our most recent shopping trip. And my parents were so helpful to meet us there to help keep them entertained!

That happy little stinker was giggling away at me while I cleaned up her pee pee puddle from the floor. She is the funniest little thing!

My sister was so sweet to pass down her Pottery Barn chairs that her boys used growing up, and we got new covers with Ryan's and Natalie's names on them. Ryan LOVES his and has big aspirations for Natalie to sit next to him in her chair, but so far, this has lasted for the 3 seconds it took to snap a quick pic. ;) Girlfriend much prefers being on-the-go.

Working out with daddy :)

Matt took Ryan to see Sing and he loved it! ...even more than his smile (if that's what we call that) shows. 😜

Making strawberry and blueberry pancakes with my cooking buddy

Over the school break, we met one of my former teacher friends (who's taking the picture) and two of her daughters for doughnuts one morning- love these girls so!

Sweet boo.

This girl cracks me up. That big grin was pre-pounce on sleeping Tally. It's like she turned around to let me in on her plan. ;)

I never knew about the best-nine pictures until this year and loved that they let me look up the ones from last year too! So here's a look at our 2015 and 2016 best-nine from Instagram. So fun to look back on these memories!