2013, A Good Year

To say that 2013 has been good to us would truly be the understatement of the year. 2013 has been more than good. It's been amazing. When I started going through photos for this post, I was blown away as I realized what a big year it's been.

We took Harper to Disneyland, I met my pen pal, Harper had her first (and very successful!) dance recital, I reconnected with my birth father and introduced Harper to the joy of horse riding, I turned 30, Harper turned 4 (and I cried), Harper met the ocean (and I cried), I started an instagram shop, we had a great time in San Francisco, Harper listened to countless songs on her iPod, I started teaching preschool, Harper learned to write her name (and I cried, again), Harper went ice skating for the first time, Harper and I spent Mother's Day in Vegas, Ciera, our very own Miss Panoramaland, won Miss Utah, I went to Time Out for Women, Harper got her ears pierced (I almost cried), and Harper went fishing for the first time. There's more, but I'm sure you get the idea.

2013 was awesome.

I may not have crossed everything off of my Bucket List in 2013 (more about that tomorrow), but I feel good about this year and the things that we accomplished as a family and the things that I did personally.

New Year's Eve is one of my favorite holidays and I'm excited to celebrate tonight with Colt and Harper but first, I wanted to share some of my favorite moments from this amazing year.

Obviously, 2014 has some big shoes to fill. 

Happy New Year's Eve, everyone!

Christmas Week Milestones

I'm spending the last day of Christmas week practicing the piano, watching movies with Harps, organizing my 2014 Bucket List, painting my nails, and giving my hair a much needed olive oil treatment. Why not add a quick blog update to my list things to do on this "stay home in my sweats and don't talk to/see anyone because I'm worn out from too much holiday fun" kind of day.

I have, as usual, had a really good holiday. It is times like these that never fail to remind me how grateful I am for the family and friends in my life. Christmas 2013 was full of fun, presents (mostly for Harper), my favorite people, treats, dinners, laughter, and parties. It was great and uplifting, but it was exhausting. I can't say I'm not glad to return to "normal" life tomorrow morning.

Harper had a pretty big holiday. She went ice skating for the first time, got her first pair of real high heels, and pierced her ears, all in one week. I felt like crying at each of these Christmas week milestones. Just when I think she can't do any more growing up this year, she goes and asks for earrings.

At least she is still small enough to be afraid of Santa.

And at least she is still small enough to need me when she is scared.

Happy Holidays, everyone! I'll be back in the coming week. I want to share a few photos from our Christmas adventures.

Much love!

One Post, Many Updates

Where in the world does time go? Do you know? If so, I sure wish you'd tell me because I truly have no idea how or why the days/weeks/months pass by so quickly.

I have been meaning to update this blog since November (NOVEMBER, my friends, which was almost two months ago!) and just haven't found the time. I have good intentions when it comes to blogging but somehow, life and all that comes with it always winds up getting in the way. I know that is a good thing. I know that living and loving and doing all of those active, non-technological things is better than sitting at a computer, but at the same time, the fact that I'm too busy to blog makes me a little bit sad, because I love blogging. I love writing at the computer. I love the catharsis that comes from spilling my guts (figuratively, at least) onto the keyboard. I love sharing my life with the blogging world and I love keeping at least some small of record of this amazing life that we are living.

So here's the deal. This post will be a melting pot of updates. I'm going to put as many of the fun times that have happened over the past couple of months into this post as possible. And then, I'm going to be better. I'm going to write more and be a better blogger, not for you, but for me. I need this blog. I need this time to reflect on certain things and relive certain moments. I'm thinking that a part of my 2014 Bucket List needs to involve blogging because this is a part of my life that I don't want to be too busy for.

Anyway...

~In November, Harper and Paityn went to Disney on Ice. Paityn and her sweet mom gave Harper tickets for her birthday (best present ever) and the four of us enjoyed a great night out together. Ariel was a big part of this particular Disney on Ice production, which was amazing for the girls (they both dressed as Ariel for the show and insisted on taking Ariel souveniers home with them).

Harper loved cheering for Ariel and asked to go ice skating approximately 33 seconds into the show. She hasn't stopped asking since then and will actually be taking lessons in January. I can hardly wait to see her at her class. She's going to love it. So am I. I'll probably cry and take too many photos but let's face it, what's new? Ever since Harper was born, I've cried more tears and taken more photos than I ever thought possible.

Really though, let's talk about these two for a minute. How absolutely adorable are they? Paityn has been a huge part of Harper's life and I just can't say enough how thankful I am for her and for the love that she shows to Harper. There is something really special about the relationship between Harper and Paityn and I hope that they are friends for a long time (by a long time, I mean forever).

Harper wasn't the only girl having lots of fun in November- I had my share as well. 

~Catching Fire came out. Colt and I went with Whitney and her main squeeze, Hank. I loved it and even though I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, I teared up several times. I also, like everyone else in the free world, have a massive lady crush on Jennifer Lawrence. She is perfect as Katniss. She is also perfect in real life, making her about a thousand times cooler than the majority of the famous out there.

~I feel like my daycare/preschool moms aren't just people I know through work. They are so much more than that. They are my friends, too, and they are pretty good to me. One of them is the director of Time Out for Women and when she invited me to the SLC event, I didn't hesitate to say yes. My friend Misty went with me and together, we had an amazing (and inspiring and uplifting and wonderful and for me, at least, life changing) couple of days. I want to write about this event in another post but for now, I'll just say that I left Time Out for Women feeling more hope and peace than I have known in a long time. It really was one of the highlights my year.

Yes, that is Sheri Dew (one of my heroes) interviewing Ann Romney. Both women are amazing. Everyone at Time Out for Women was amazing. I am honestly still on a mental and spiritual high from it all. 

~We went to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving. I had been so excited to see my family and spend some time quality with my mom but unfortunately, I came down with strep throat on the way there. I spent the majority of the time feeling pretty yucky. Harper had a great time with my parents, though, and Colt got to put the nicer weather to use by golfing and going shooting. 

Because I was so sick, I didn't take any photos while we were there. The only photo I have from the whole weekend is this one of Harper getting ready to go. She always gets super excited to see Grandpa Jack and Grandma Paulette. She was up bright and early the morning we were leaving, putting her shoes on and heading out the door. She didn't even want to brush her teeth or pack any toys. All she wanted to do was get to "Yas Begas."

~A visit to instacare and a prescription for antibiotics and Ibuprofen had me feeling much better by the time we got home from Vegas. Harper and I spent the last evening of Thanksgiving weekend decorating our tree. 

~Harper is super into everything Christmas this year and has had so much fun making ornaments, decorating her gingerbread house, counting down the days until Santa comes, reading Christmas books, watching Christmas movies, talking about her wish list, and getting gifts for the special people in our lives together. She has brought so much magic and excitement to this holiday season. Christmas morning can't come soon enough (I just want "Santa" to get here already!) for her and me both.

Harper asked Santa for a dollhouse with two elevators and some new headphones (her pink ones finally gave out and died a tragic death over Thanksgiving weekend and Harper was heartbroken).

~One highlight of our 2013 holiday season happened earlier this week when we went to The Forgotten Carols with my friend/daycare mom Chrislyn and her adorable little Emma (Emma has been coming here for daycare/preschool for over a year now and is basically an unofficial part of our family- we love her and can't imagine our days without her adorable little self). She and Harper were both so excited for their little lady date. 

Chrislyn gave us the VIP treatment by taking us backstage to meet Michael McLean, which was truly a treat on top of a treat. I've been a Forgotten Carols fan forever! I don't even keep my Forgotten Carols CD with my Christmas music. I listen to it all year round and know every song by heart.

~Another fun part of this holiday season was Harper's Christmas recital, which happened just yesterday. Her class danced to "Gingerbread Man" by Cookie monster. I don't think I need to tell you that it was adorable and that Harper was undoubtedly the cutest little gingerbread girl that ever lived.

Seriously...

(I'll post more photos, and hopefully a video, of this beyond-cute-cuteness later.) 

~As you can see, we have been keeping busy (good busy) around here. I think this just about catches me up. Here is a little bit more of the cuteness that has been happening around here lately (hopefully, I am a better blogger from here on out- this post is wearing me, and probably you, right out!)...