HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Pete and I have never been die-hard NYE celebrators- lol! We enjoy hanging around and relaxing, but never really get gussied-up and hit the town!
Good for us, the Price family was up for a casual, comfy, evening in- PERFECT!!
all kinds of appetizers... some yummy beverages...
a few poppers and sparkles...
and our NYE was a success;)!
Norman's 5th birthday!
Since Norman was a stray when he came into our family, we don't know much about what life was like before he was ours. His teeth show him to be just about 5 years old- so we go with it... and always celebrate his birthday in January- HA!
Harper was soooo excited, so she looked up a "dog friendly" cake and decorated to celebrate her furry brother's big day...
He didn't know what to make of all the singing, but knew EXACTLY what to make of the slice of cake in his dog bowl: down the hatch in 3 seconds flat- HA!
Happy Birthday, Norman!!!
Sisters!!
The break was bittersweet for both of them. They liked and disliked playing with each other equally, but here are a COUPLE of the sweet moments!
SNOW!!!
Not the best picture, but while we were at the Amazeum with the Pate crew one morning, the outside looked like a snow globe!!! It was SOOOO cold, yet so pretty! Harper, Gavin, and Riley ran out to enjoy it for a few minutes!!
Maggie Lou is sitting more, walking more, and chatting more! The shoe pic, is a genius move: stick a duplo-block to the heel of Maggie's shoe to give her 'high heels' and make it easier for her to walk- ha! Her therapists ROCK..... have I mentioned that lately?! ;)
She ALSO started a new program called Thrive. I felt like this program fell down from Heaven when I first learned about it. It is a team have ABA therapists that help with behavioral needs in autistic children. We were able to get a secondary diagnosis for Maggie of autism and were THRILLED when Thrive had an opening for her in January. The therapists are amazing. Maggie's meltdowns don't hold a FLAME to their patience!! Maggie goes to their clinic a few times a week and they come out to our home a couple times as well... it's incredible: Maggie LOVES it and I love how much they are teaching me about Maggie's behavior.... a true blessing in 2018 for sure.
Little Miss Evelyn is LOVING being in school full-time and I am not exaggerating. We get nothing but excitement from her whenever she learns she's headed to school for the day. And can the teacher in me point out: check out her pointer-grasp on that pencil?!?! Whohooo!!
Although I LOVE the new schedule, I did NOT love the flu she got on week 2- WAH!!! Poor thing was down for the count and I was flying solo while Papa Bear was in California. We just buckled down, quarantined ourselves, and got through it... ha!
Daddy has REALLY put one of his Christmas gifts to good use!! The outdoor pizza oven is AMAZING!!! We kinda fell in love with Punch Pizza while we lived in Minnesota and have SOOO craved it lately! We looked up a few recipes and poof- we brought Punch Pizza to Arkansas!! Not the best picture of the pizza, but ya... we snuck in a couple slices before I could grab my phone- ha!
All in all, the winter break from school was wonderful!!! It was great to slow down, enjoy the family time, and start the new year refreshed!! But I have to say, I am loving our new schedule: the girls truly each have their own "fun stuff" each week; their own commitments and time apart which makes the times when we ARE all back together under one roof- so much more relaxed and enjoyable!!
Snapshot 2018
Each year I love to run around our home and snap pictures of how our nest is at the moment. At least right now, I feel like it is ALWAYS changing- heck we lived in 3 houses last year alone- UGH!! Anyway, I know it seems a bit silly, but I love to capture life in this moment and then be able to look back on it all years from now... ha!
{Grimsdell Cir.... a few months ago when things were actually green}
{the view from our front door}
{Grand Central Station... where we all are 90% of the time}
{My two favorite spaces in this house: an actual walk in pantry and a laundry room that is an actual ROOM}
{cubbies;)}
{Breakfast Nook}
...the space we SOOOO look forward to growing into!! Pete is going to build a table that actually fits the space and I hope to have a beverage cabinet/cart in here some day;)}
{Family Room + Mantel;)}
{Media Room turned Playroom/Workout Room while we still have littles;)}
...the most used space by our kiddos... that horseshoe table was the perfect gift to get all the sisters in one space to play together- love!
{Maggie's Room}
...the only one of the girls that sleeps downstairs with us, it's very comforting having her on the same level as us! She loves her little blue cube chair and tray that Santa brought and I LOVE my gift from Daddy this Christmas: a nest camera that detects and records movement in her room. I LOVE checking on her from it when she is in bed... the piece of mind in having this technology has been priceless!!
...and little miss has her own bathroom. Super excited as this gives us the opportunity to make it appropriate and accessible for her... especially as she gets older;)!!
...and then we head upstairs (hi, Norman!!)
{Reading Nook}
{Evelyn's Room}
...her favs right now: her elephant from Grandma and her jewelry... she's the most girly of the trio for sure!
{Jack + Jill Bathroom}
peaking through to big sister's room....
{Harper's Room}
Harper is begging for fresh bedding and look to her room. Our slightly tom-boy daughter swears she doesn't like pink at all- HA! I realized she's had this quilt since I redid her room when she was two... so I think a 'less-pink room re-do' is in her future;)!
Harper's favs: Kylo Ren (made of legos;)), and stacks of books. She's getting better and better with her reading comprehension... and with that, her excitement to continue reading! Go Harper Go!
....back downstairs
{Powder Room}
...and my fav wall in the house
(love these black and white shots from my friend Jen back in Minnesota;))
{Our Space}
My favs: our new bedding (thank you, Mom!!!) and the shadow boxes of teeny tiny going-home outfits from each of the girls. I had enjoyed ALL of my pregnancies in the comfiness of our old bedding, but that statement alone was why I was READY for fresh!!! I had been stalking this bedding for 2 years, and was so grateful to unwrap it this past Christmas ;)!
{Our bathroom}
{Guest Room}
always clean... always fresh sheets....
ALWAYS ready for a guest or two if we have any takers;)!!
Snapshot complete.... check!!!
...and hoping as long as I play my cards right, NEXT year's snapshot will be from the same address, with a few updates here and there- HA!!
So, here we are... new year... new house... all in the comforts of Arkansas. Pete and I began last year with the theme "finding our place". We both had a feeling this time last year that Minnesota just wasn't the "end game" for us. We spent time soul searching and talking and soul searching and talking... trying to figure out what our plan was with our little clan... and that plan brought us back to Arkansas. To say we were grateful would be an understatement. This place makes sense for our family on many levels and we feel fortunate to be planting our roots back here.
Now this year, we have decided, carries the theme: rejuvenation. This is the year for us to slow down, and get back our health: our physical health, emotional health, financial health, and a healthy routine. Get back to a good place where we feel like we can take a deep breath and feel good. We are getting our bearings with new exercises, new recipes, and a excel spreadsheet for our finances- ha! The girls are all enjoying their new programs and we are making strides and energized about making changes and strengthening our family. It'll be an interesting year, but we look forward to tracking our progress and high-fiving each other in a job well done at the end of the year.... crossing our fingers- ha!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Wishing you all the very best. Hoping you find this time of year refreshing as you find clarity in your thoughts and goals for this year!!!
CHEERS!!!!!!
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