{Life is Sweet}

We had a BLAST this christmas spending it with family in California!!! we were able to go for just shy of two weeks! nothing like feeling like a kid again at your mom's house :) we were able to relax, go in the spa... shawn dove into the freezing pool!, see both my brothers and their families!, shop, eat, got sick, parties, the mall, movies, D-land, pretend city, running in the Warmer weather, and so much more!!! here are a few pictures.... okay that's an understatement... here is an album of pictures :)


Dinner at BJ's Pizza with just us :) we had fun the first night just going to dinner and then hitting up the crowded brea mall :)


Miss Mia .... what a gem!


She slept all the way to the restraunt and then all the way through dinner :)


We were laughing at ourselves because we found ourselves texting love notes to each other while we were at dinner together.... only in this day and age right?


My sister in law Laura threw a cookie exchange party that i was able to go to this year!!! she is amazing!! the kids had fun with crafts and decorating sugar cookies while we got to exchange loads of cookies to take home in cute boxes and bags :)


maddie enjoying an ice cream cone at one of my favorite restraunts... ruby's! what a doll!


we went to the pretend city one day... it was sooo much fun, and so cool! here is the play beach :)

... and santa came to town.... look at that smile!!!! pure joy :)

and maddie with her cousin emily digging in the garden :)

Miss Mia with grandma picking strawberries :) Fun Fun Place !!!


DISNEYLAND!! we had such a magical time at disneyland :) we were able to go with my parents for a few hours and then we hung out just the warner crew for another few hours and then we took the kids home to get in bed and we were able to come back from 8-midnight ALONE!!! YAY!!! it was such a highlight in our trip to get to play by ourselves and go on a special date :) thanks sooo much mom and dad!!


grandpa with Mia


Funny how the kids love the carousel at disneyland? maybe we should have saved our money and just gone to south coast plaza?


In line for peter pan.... i was so thrilled to go on this one! it's been a while and i loved it! so did the kids.
disneyland was way fun and i will be craving another frozen lemonade until next time for sure!


grandma with her cute grandkids in their christmas jammies :)

Christmas Morning!!

Maddie with her big santa gift... a fancy dollhouse! BIG HIT!!


Mia with her big santa gift.... her princess car :)


maddie and Mason playing with their computers :)


for christmas dinner we went to laura's house.... just look at this table!!! BEAUTIFUL! again... she is so amazing.... i am trying to learn everything i can from her :)

and the food.... sooooo yummy! everything was so gourmet :) loved every single minute of it!


Shawn's newest father of the year picture :) i love the little girl on his head wearing her tutu, mink stole, hat, and coloring all while on top of her daddy's shoulders... and then little mia who looks like she is falling but she doesn't care because she is being included :) and then shawn... no words needed :)

My friend Anna and i have been walking together everyday for 3 years and here is the picture of our last walk before she moved :( ... we love our walks! we were so excited to escape our house each morning to talk about anything and everything that was on our mind. our girls are best friends and we loved to share all the funny, sweet, annoying, and messy things that they did. we would strip them down and hand them watter bottles during the hot summers and bundle them up in the winter... and on those days that were just too cold or rainy, fear not, there was always Dr. Mario :) We will miss you guys tons!! you were the all time BEST walking partner ever :)

I LOVE a project!! i am always checking out new blogs for fun things that i want to re-create and my newest favorite blog would have to be MADE (there is a button for the site on the side :) ... anyway this girl does the most amazing sewing projects... she takes di clothes and makes them SWEEEET!! so i decided i wanted to try it... i went to di.. and got a shirt and transformed it into something pretty cute :) i think :) here it is!........


The shirt i bought for a dollar :).... don't mind the writing, it doesn't show in the final product..


the final product... a cute little dress to wear with leggings, and my favorite.... maddie's leg warmers! it's way too much fun getting her ready... she's my life size barbie :)


here is the close up of the "smocking".... its not really smocking.. it's called shirring and it's soooo easy!!

i had soooo much fun trying something new.. it's not perfect, but it was a fun project and cute for a dollar!

Every year we bundle up and head on out to the mountains to get our Christmas tree! we look forward to it every year and love this tradition we have started with our family :)


yay for Christmas tree hunting :)



Maddie loved playing in the snow...... for the first 15 minutes ;) she must get that from her mother!


What a trooper... she tried walking in the snow but once she fell in down to her waist it was a ride in our arms from then on. i must also add that this was the first year that shawn didn't complain once :) usually he makes me pick a tree after the first ten minutes of walking around... he was very patient and i only had to hear maddie ask for her pajamas and hot chocolate 50 before we found our perfect tree!


Here it is... all that work for this glorious piece of nature that will soon take up our entire living room :) (what a weird tradition to chop down a tree and stick it in your house and put presents under it.... who thought of that one?)


Oh mads.... what a silly little girl! she LOVED santa... when she saw him she ran to him and lept into his lap and immediately told him she wanted a horse, a dog, and a lamb for christmas :) (how am i supposed to tell her that santa will not be delivering livestock to our house this year... or ever!! )... anyway, she was his little best friend and sat on his lap for like 10 minutes... there were no other people in line. And at the end he got a big "good bye santa"... Mia on the other hand cried after the second picture taken :)



The tree chopped down about 5 feet so we could fit it in our house (it was quite the beast for shawn to drag through the snow) .... decorated... and ready for christmas time :)


My very favorite decoration this year!! i made this with the leftover tree branches :) It makes me soooo happy!