Au Revoir, 2012!

2012 felt like our shortest and longest year yet.  It feels as though BB has been with us forever and grown so much and yet our trip to the Grand Canyon doesn't seem so long ago.  People always ask us, "how's life with a baby?"  Well.... it's different.  It's wonderful and exciting and yet it's challenging.  Sometimes we miss our freedom but we have loved this new chapter in our lives and cant imagine our life without this cute little nugget.

Tonight we are staying in to tuck our little boy into bed, and stay up late sipping champagne and writing out goals for 2013.  Have a safe and Happy New Year, friends!

January:  our trip to Arizona

February:  the arrival of BB

March:  visitors

April:  learning about music

May:  family dates

June:  trip to Spokane, WA for my sisters' graduation

July:  trip to Chicago to visit Dan's family

August:  our 9 year anniversary

September:  BB's first birthday party

October:  a sad lion on Halloween

November:  pictures by the beach

December:  meeting Santa

Free Glasses from Firmoo

I got glasses in the fifth grade and I hated it.  Those wire-rimmed glasses of the early 90s were not cool.  I switched to contacts at the ripe old age of 12 and stuck with them until about five years ago when glasses became normal, even trendy, to wear.  Now Dan and I both wear glasses almost every day.  Glasses are increasingly becoming a fad and must-have accessories for everyone. Glasses are an instant upgrade to your look. You may have heard of buying glasses online - or you may not.  I was given the awesome opportunity to try Firmoo!  They have hundreds of glasses to choose from.  I chose H105 which are described as: unisex, full-frame, retro-style and ultra-durable.  What I loved about this particular pair was the trendy, almost basic, look but that they had a little flair: the fleur de lis on the arm tip.  (I had to Google what that part of the glasses were called!)

I really like the ease of use in ordering these glasses.  There are so many to choose from but I was able to narrow down what type of glasses I wanted by shape and color.  I think the entire process only took me 15 minutes!  In just a few days I received shipping information and before I knew it, they were at our door.

Now, this is the great part!  Firmoo just introduced their First Pair Free program!  FREE GLASSES!  Hello!  And if you have any questions about ordering, shipping, tracking or other problems, you can find the answers here:  http://www.firmoo.com/help.shtml.

Glasses courtesy of Firmoo. |  http://www.firmoo.com/free-glasses.html |  www.firmoo.com

Christmas 2012

Party favors for our friends' kiddos

Playing with wrapping paper is more fun that playing with toys!

We had a wonderful Christmas!  How was yours?

Merry Christmas 2012

"Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won’t make it white.” -Bing Crosby (1904-1977), American singer and film actor and Tacoma native!

Family Meals in 2013

Please excuse our mess. We had to fire our cleaning lady. Just kidding, we don't have a cleaning lady and if we did we wouldn't fire her the week before Christmas! We have just been super-duper-busy doing Christmasy things so cleaning has taken a backseat to other things. Like throwing pizza dough! My nana gave me her bread machine and I have been having a blast making my own dough and bread. It's so easy and fun and I feel like a mom in the 90s. Because, honestly, does anyone still use bread machines??? I'm thinking "no" because the 800 # on the bread machine recipe book had been disconnected. I was calling to see how much yeast = "a packet of yeast" but then I just Googled it. That's something you didn't do in the 90s! (The answer is 2 1/4 tsp in case you were wondering.) 

One thing we'd like to do with this blog , going into 2013, is recipes for affordable family meals. I love food but I also love a bargain! I've been able to feed us all really yummy food for sometimes as little as 3 or 4 bucks!  So, I'm excited to share these with you. Looking forward to a new year!  XOXO, Lindsy

Get To Know Me More!

What is the wallpaper on your cell phone?  Currently it's this photo from our trip to Ocean Park.  I change it about once a month, though.

What do you keep beside your bed? A big stack of books that are all half-read. I am slowly getting through them and I am not going to start anything new!  I just finished Beautiful Boy by David Scheff, a biography about being the father of a drug addict.  I highly recommend it.  I am also trudging through the last Hunger Games book, Mocking Jay.  I haven't even started On the Road by Jack Kerouac but I am very excited for that one.  I also want to re-read The Great Gatsby and Les Miserables.  Les Mis is my favorite and I've read it twice so this third read-through probably won't happen, let's be honest, because I want to read Gatsby before the movie comes out (as part of my 30before30 list!)

If you could eliminate one thing from your daily routine what would it be? Getting ready. I just dont feel like it's a good use of my time.  I would like to wake up with perfect hair and make-up everyday and wearing a sensible outfit.  I used to be such a morning person.  What happened?

What is your least favorite chore? Putting laundry away.  I love washing, I don't mind folding, but putting it away is stupid.  I would love it if my closet was just a big room with folded clothes sitting in laundry baskets.

What do you do to vent anger? Cry a little, bake and then eat too many cookies, talk to Dan and then ... pray through it. I tend to do things in the wrong order.

What is your favorite holiday and why?  If anyone says anything but Christmas, they are crazy!  It's the most wonderful time of year!  The traditions, the lights, the food, the purpose.  I love it so much!

What is currently on your wishlist? Peace on Earth.

Share a new app you have recently discovered that we all need: MyFitnessPal is a great way to count calories and keep track of your diet and exercise.  You get a customized caloric plan based on your activity level and goals.  Dan also told me that there are tons of Android apps for doing a screen shot! I used "Screenshot It" to do this one ---->

What is a new TV show you've added to your DVR? I have never had a DVR and we haven't had cable for about 4 years now.  But, on Netflix we recently discovered Parenthood and we are addicted.  Also, Pretty Little Liars!

Our Christmas Card

I almost didn't send out Christmas cards this year. But....... I think that the first year having a baby for Christmas pretty much means you HAVE to send out cards.  So, instead of our usual 100 cards, I printed 25 of these at Costco and mailed them [in cheap envelopes] to a very, very pared down list.  Everyone else will get a digital version via Facebook, email, or this here blog.  If we were millionaires with lots of time on our hands we would send out the most glorious cards with glitter and hand-stamped embossing and calligraphy and a hand written letter. 'Twould be glorious. Next year perhaps I can make all your wildest dreams come true.  Keep your fingers crossed for that hand-written letter!  Until then...

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from our house to yours!  Love, Dan, Lindsy and BB

Santa!

We took BB to see Santa!  On a Sunday ... what were we thinking???  It was during the Seahawks game and the 'hawks were winning so I thought maybe it wouldn't be too busy.  Well, everyone and their mom (literally...) was there.  But, luckily, we kept the boy busy with snacks and practicing his walking and trying to eat smelling perfumes at the nearby Macy's.

He's wearing a sweater that my grandma Jan made.  And, I love it and have been putting it on him every day once I realized it actually fit him.  I think he just went through a  major growth spurt!

He met Santa after about an hour.  He didnt cry, he didnt scream, he just sat there like, "Whhhuuuuuuuuutt?"  I would almost prefer the crying or the smiling to this bewildered look but I will never forget how adorable it was when he kept looking back at Santa, wide-eyed with his classic smirk.  This, my friends, is shock and awe at its finest.

Family Date: Let's Eat Sushi

We take BB out to restaurants quite a bit these days but there were a few months when I thought I'd never see another happy hour again.  Before we became parents, Dan and I ate out all the time.  Half price apps were a typical dinner for the two of us.  Several nights a week. Not a care in the world.  Sometimes BB gets a little overwhelmed in social settings, occassionally resulting in a hyper-active attention deficit, a zoning out of sorts, or a complete meltdown.  When dinner is involved, there's also the huge mess.  In short, dinner with a toddler is an event.  If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen photos last week of a "Family Sushi Event".

We went to Moshi Moshi in Ballard, mainly because I had a Groupon that was about to expire.  From the street, I could tell this place might not be the best place for a child.  Upon entering, my fears were confirmed when I saw A) no other children and 2) the schwankiest of decor.  However, the staff was super friendly and they were in possession of a high chair so it's not likely that we are the first idiots to take a baby out to a sushi restaurant.

The food was delicious!  We eat edamame at home all the time and it's one of BB's favorite snacks.  We also got him some rice and gyoza and he was a happy dude.  But what made him happiest of all was the chopsticks.  I have never seen him get so attached to anything.  Except, it was scary.  He literally screamed in my face when I wouldn't give him MY set of chopsticks in addition to the kid's set they had made for him.  If we tried to feed him with anything but his set of chopsticks, he screamed.  Let's be honest, it was a little bit funny.

Some tips to remember about eating out with a toddler:  Sit in a corner or next to a wall so there's less distractions. Bring multiple snacks and toys. Keep it quick. Good luck!

Newtown, Connecticut Shootings

Christmas never seems to be a perfect, magical time. It seems that every year around this time we remember that we live in a broken world with theft, selfishness, and today the horrible shooting in Connecticut. Today we ran the gammit of emotions. It made me sick to my stomach to hear about this tragedy, but I also became ill of the people spitting rage and politics all over the web. I believe we have an opportunity now to realize what this season is all about. It's not about me. It's not about selfish desires or self centered paradigms. This time is truly a reflection of what LIFE is all about. To me, Life is about learning how to love. I know I haven't achieved that yet. I feel like it takes a lifetime to learn what love is and what it looks like. It's times like these that give us a chance to put love into practice. 

I believe God has given us the ultimate example of what love is. Unfortunately, it seems that we don't follow that example nearly enough. What I'm trying to say is this, use this holiday season to love others. To take ourselves completely out of the equation (leaving our opinions and politics behind) and just let people know you care for them. Let us not forget the hope and light that this holiday gives. Go out and be that light, share that hope.

To those affected by todays events. I am truly heartbroken for you. I cried with you although I can't fully understand what you have to deal with tonight and in the future. I earnestly Pray for you. 

- Dan

12 Favorite Photos for 12/12/12

In honor of 12/12/12, I am posting 12 of my favorite photos from 2012!  Ready? GO!

 There you have it!  Did you do anything special for 12/12/12?

Letter to BB ♥ ♥ ♥

I am overwhelmed by how much you've changed and grown.  You needed so much stability when we got you.  You weren't on any kind of schedule and, looking back, you were so stressed out.  Trips the store, visits with new people, everything seemed to stress you out.  Only, you didn't cry about it.  You held it all in.  After a few weeks, you told us when you were upset, you definitely learned to scream, and after a few months you developed what is called separation anxiety.  This means that you didn't want anyone to hold you but mama and dadda.  I'm not annoyed that you learned how to cry because it's a sign that you trust us.  With our busy schedules and love of traveling, we were worried that we'd have to severely alter our lifestyle to better accommodate your needs.  But, through it all, you have proven to be resilient and we are so excited to take you new places!  Thanks for rollin' with the punches, kid.

You continue to trust us.  You continue to amaze us.  You continue to bring us so much joy.

Little guy,
We sure do love you.

Weekend Getaway: The WA Coast

We went away to the beach this past weekend and we are so glad we did!  It had been too long since I'd seen my grandparents.  They've only seen BB twice and since Dan is home (i.e. not touring) for so long, we made sure we got out there.  It's a 3 hour drive each way.  I dont like being in the car for so long but it's such a pretty drive!

The house is my Aunt Yvonne's.  It is so adorable!  There is a loft with a bed and a futon, and a futon couch on the main floor.  Technically it sleeps 6 but it's tiny.  The Washington coast is not the best beach in the world.  It's cold and rainy but the towns are so cute, people are friendly, and there's a certain feeling of solitude and peace.  We really had a great time walking to Jack's Country Store, watching seagulls, talking to locals, and relaxing.  We are hoping to go back when the weather is nice.  I haven't been out there in the summer-time since I was a kid!

An Instagram of Nana who got SUCH a kick out of BB.  Pure joy.

You may have seen on my Instagram that Dan put on his rubber boots and trudged down a hill, through the woods, to get a shot of this island on the camera. Here's the shot of the island.  So moody.  And the funny thing is ... it's not a black and white photo.  That, my friends, is the Washington coast!

BB's Wish List

1. This motorcycle rider is the perfect gift for a 15 month old who likes to move around!
2. If there's one thing BB loves, it's making noise.  This drum set is so cute, too!
3. We love picnics and eating on-the-go so I think we need this adorable owl lunch bag.
4. As the amount of toys grows, so does our need for storage.  I love these bins found HERE and HERE.
5. Every kid needs a set of Duplo Blocks!
6. A chambray shirt.  So stinkin' cute.
7. Christmas jammies are a must and I like these because they remind me of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
8. Cute plates for the big, independent boy who likes to feed himself.
9. Baby hiking boots for the winter season!

Christmas with a baby is going to be so fun!  

XOXO,

Lindsy

Christmas Lights

These are just some test shots from this weekend.  We did a photo shoot in our house because it was windy and rainy and some friends of ours needed some photos for their Christmas cards.  I always wonder if other photographers have this issue - the weather ruining all your greatest photo shoot plans.  Our loft was great for indoor shoots and I did a lot of shoots there!  This was our first in-home shoot since living in the new place.

Our Christmas Decor

I love decorating for Christmas - but Dan never helps.  He sits and watches me, though.  I put on my favorite Christmas records and make hot chocolate!  

Most of our Christmas decor has been compiled slowly over the years.  Some of my favorite Christmas things are from our year in France.  I bought some things to decorate our apartment while we lived there - which turned out to be great souvenirs and memorabilia for us each Christmas season as we remember that exciting and lonely Christmas the in French Alps.   

This Joyeux Noël of the nativity was a FREE postcard we found in France.  I love it.

I always hang ornaments in the windows.

We found BB a stocking that matches ours... kind-of!  Our mantle also displays our nativity set, candelabra and antlers!

This year, with a 15-month-old, we had to change-up our decor.  But not much.  I just put our cheapest, most indestructable ornaments on the tree.  We opted for a fake tree rather a real because I didnt want BB eating pine needles or playing in the water bowl.

I couldn't figure out where to put our Christmas cards this year.  So, our first few are clipped on our "EAT DRINK BE MERRY" garland.  You can see my sparkly clothes pins from last year HERE!

 I also put ornaments everywhere I can.  Some of my favorite cheap ornaments are these golden apples.  They represent Washington state and they are virtually unbreakable so they're on the new baby-proof tree this season!  The photo of Dan and I with the golden apple is from when we had a band together.  A band that never recorded or performed anything but took some really cool band photos together!  We're dorks.

Linking up with Mandy at Harper's Happenings.  Merry Christmas!