Day 365 / 365 - My Last 2014 365 Post

It is not lost on me that I literally sound like I won an award for finishing this 365 project. Trust me internally I have. It is such a strange feeling to type 365 / 365. I remember starting it and thinking whoa that is going to be a lot. I have to admit I am a lot sadder than I thought I would be. As I look back on this year there are some amazing things I never want to forget about and some sad times that will be locked in my memory forever. 

Day 89 - My 4 sisters and I got matching tattoos and had one of the most amazing days of our life. 

Day 117 - Ryder saw his first movie at the theaters. 

Day 151 - Ryder and I were stuck in an empty parking lot on a 95 degree day for four hours. We made the most of it and it ended up being one of the best days of my life and I will cherish for many years. 

Day 193 - My beautiful sister Amy married her best friend and I was able to photograph it. 

Day 195 - Hello Costa Rica! 

Day 222 - My heart broke as I watched my oldest brother bury his son. I will never forget the sadness that day holds, it is something no parent should ever have to do. I will continue to pray daily for their healing.

Day 235 - Ryder drove a robot and it started an obsession

Day 264 - I made the decision to put my four legged best friend to sleep. so.many.tears.that.day.

Day 267 - You turned 3! 

Day 310 - Grandpa showed up at our door for a surprise visit! 

Day 328 - An exciting announcement that you are going to have a sweet new GIRL cousin in May! 

What an amazing year. When I look through my lens and see this face it is like my whole world focuses in. You son have taught me so much about enjoying the small moments around me and not taking life for granted. I am truly blessed to be your mom. Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for following this years journey! 

Day 364 / 365 - Hound Love

I received a giant amazingly soft blanket for a Secret Santa gift this year. I walked out to the living room this morning and found this. Looks like a certain hound thinks it's pretty awesome also. Anyone who has a basset knows that when they sleep you just stare at them and wish you could sleep like that.

 ... the jealousy continues. 

Day 363 / 365 - I'm A Saw'n Guy Mom

He recieved a chain saw for Christmas. He likes to walk around the house and ask us,"you want a Christmas tree?" or "you want a big tree or a little one this year?". Today he came up to me with a big smile on his face and said, "MOM, I a saw'n guy" and then flashed this big shark tooth grin up at me. :))

Day 362 / 365 - Feels Good to be Home

We had an amazing week at home with family, but it feels so good to be home. This little guy has been playing with every new toy and reading every new book he received over Christmas. Being away from family is so unbelievably hard, but being at our home feels so right. <3

Day 361 / 365 - Life is Good

It has been an amazing few days full of love and family. This little guy is in heaven with his new headphones and all the spoiling. Love me some dark shots. :))

Day 360 / 365 - All Smiles

We are all smiles as we have fun at Grandma's and Grandpa's house. I laugh because this little guy literally thinks the Christmas "normal" is three different Christmas'. He knows we go from one grandparent's house to another. He knows that as we leave one we will have just as many presents at another. He is spoiled and loved, and I am ok with that. He is all smiles when he is home with family and loves playing with cousins. Love how happy family makes him and love that we may not live close but family is everything to him and he is everything to them.

Day 359 / 365 - Merry "3rd" Christmas

Waking up to a room full of presents is nothing short of exciting!!! Someone was extremely pumped up to get to the gift opening. :))

Day 358 / 365 - Be Merry

Simply because he is cute and I don't send out Christmas cards. :))

Day 357 / 365 - Reflections

A rarity, we are in Iowa and Ryder is napping and no one else is home. It is just me, Christmas lights, a fresh hot chocolate and my absolute favorite magazine. This gives me time to reflect on the year that is almost behind me. What an amazing year it has been. It was full of laughter, tears, heavy hearts, heavy sadness, beauty, family, longing, and content all in one. I am grateful for this time to reflect on the ups and the downs this year. We lost loved ones this year, and our hearts break for that. We were reminded that life is short and we do not know what tomorrow will hold. Through those tears I was reminded that I do have today and for that I will cherish it and the good that I will soon leave behind me but cherish in my heart.

Day 356 / 365 - Traveling

Santa was here and someone is a little excited to be headed home for more presents and to see some of his favorites.

Day 355 / 365 - Christmas Morning Magic

Is there really anything more fun than seeing your child so filled with joy on Christmas morning? This morning was perfect and magical. 

Day 354 / 365 - Christmas Eve

Tonight we laid out milk and cookies for Santa. December 20th probably isn't Christmas Eve for most, but for this family who has to travel the whole week of Christmas we enjoy the early arrival of Santa. We put reindeer food out in the yard, and put a lighted snowflake on the door for santa to find us early. We laid out the milk and cookies and Ryder decided that the fireplace was in fact a great place to eat milk and cookies himself So he went and got his chocolate milk and cookie and propped down right next to Santa's food. It took a little bit for him to understand we are actually not going to wait and see Santa, we just have to trust that he will find him. 

We also said goodbye to our elf Macaroni (yes that is what Ryder named him). Ryder was really sad to say goodbye to him and in fact he was walking to the bedroom turned around and ran back to Macaroni and said, "I will miss you so much Macaroni". As crazy as this "elf" process is, it was really fun to give him that excitement every morning. I will miss him running out of his room yelling for "Maaacccaarooonnniiii". 

Day 353 / 365 - Ornament Drama

Today I picked him up from Shirley's house and he met me with a beautiful salt and flour Christmas tree ornament. He was so very proud to give it to me and tell me he made it for me. I have to be honest I was super excited about it, I knew he did it on his own and I knew he understood enough that he was making it to make me happy. We got home and hung it on the tree and went into the other room. I came running back to a shrill scream coming from the living room to find Ry standing over Hunter and Hunter with a mouth full of a Christmas tree ornament. Ryder was screaming, that was mine I made it, I wanted to show daddy!! Oh holy heart break for this mom. So I decided I better make this all better quickly! I scooped Ryder up, threw him in the car and through his cries he was asking where were we going. We walked into Michaels and I asked him what he wanted to put on his new ornament. He thought for a minute and stopped pouting and said, "paint". So we walked around and decided to get clay this time so we didn't have another "situation" and then went home and made this perfect little gem. I miss the first one he made because it was "his" that he made without me, but he loves his new one and we can now giggle about our four legged friend who seems to ruin a lot of things. :))

Day 352 / 365 - Growing Way too Fast

Every year I have one photo that I must get. It is my light photo. I tried it when he was one and I loved it. I tried it when he was two and I loved it. So this year I brought all my things out and tried it again. Love. It is so fun for me to watch how much he has grown in the last three years. Although, I must say... I thought he looked a bit older in his two year old shot. haha. He is amazing and growing and healthy and so very loved. I love Christmas and love focusing on all that I am blessed with.

Day 351 / 365 - Lights

Tonight we drove around with hot chocolates in hand and looked at all of the Christmas lights. Stopped at this beautiful house and Ryder loved it! It was synced with the music and Ryder thought it was hilarious, he was dancing to the music and giggling at the moving lights. Tonight was a good night. :)

Day 350 / 365 - Giggles

A little back story on this picture, the two of them were playing on the bed and Hunter (being the crude dog he is) burped as loudly as he could possibly burp in Ryder's face. Ryder looked at me with huge eyes and just started laughing uncontrollably. I am so surrounded by boys in this house... gross boys. ;) {I kind of love it}

Day 349 / 365 - Christmas Traditions

I can't express how fun it is to have traditions with my own child. Watching him do this house cracked me up. I am positive there is more candy in his belly than on the house. "mom, nope this one is not perfect" as he pops it in his mouth. Love him.

Day 348 / 365 - Woods & Dirt

We ran out to take a picture of Daddy's deer {yes daddy's deer}. My directions to this little dude was to not get dirty please while we were doing that. I went to find him and he was playing with a little bit of dirt at the tips of his fingers. He told me, "I not really getting dirty". I guess if it is just confined to the fingernails then it must be ok. ;))

Day 347 / 365 - Movie Date {iphone picture}

We had a movie date tonight to Big Hero and it was such a cute movie. I had to snap a quick picture of this, he loves to fold himself up in the chair. He sat like this for most of the movie. One day he will be too little to fold himself up in a chair and I will miss that so much.

Day 346 / 365 - Just Hanging Around

So excited it is Friday, so excited I get to spend the weekend with this little guy. Sure there is probably going to be lots of shopping in our near future but at the end of the day I get to unwind and be silly with this little guy. Two weeks off with him is so close I can almost feel it!!!

Day 345 / 365 - Hot Chocolate Break

Sometimes you just need to stop where you are and take a hot chocolate break... I totally get it.

Day 344 / 365 - Snowball Fight

Well as I mentioned in the previous post grandma is here and tonight she showed up from the store with this goodness. Picture Ry opening the bag and going to instant "SNOWBALL FIGHT" mode. Running around like a crazy and whipping snowballs at all of us. So funny. Hopefully we can get some real snowball fights in soon!

Day 343 / 365 - Snow Globe Love

Grandma B is here is she comes bearing gifts. :)) I have a love for snow globes and it is brushing off on this little guy. We can't walk past one without shaking it. I love to watch him watch the winter wonderland inside. It has to look magical through the eyes of a little one.

Day 342 / 365 - Fort Fun

Yeah, little boys are kind of fun.

Day 341 / 365 - Amazing Women

An incredible weekend with these four beautiful women. I can't ever seem to express how much my sisters mean to me. We have been through so much in life and out of it we have created a bond that is simply unbreakable. So many laughs this weekend and it reminds me how truly blessed I am these incredible women as my best friends. Love you girls, you make my heart whole. 

Day 340 / 365 - 5 in the Bed

Five women. One very small hotel room. Lots of laughter. Lots of love. These numbers will not mean anything to you reading them but to us they are a lifetime of memories. 

1. Pffffff

2. Dry _______

3. Lip Syncing

4. belly laughs / belly aches

5. Erryday... erry damn day

6. Amy covered in ice

7. 5 girls , one bathroom , Amy wins

8. Sun Tans at dinner

9. Pancake Must Haves

10. Mood Swings 

... so many more.

Day 339 / 365 - It's HERE!

There will be a minor break in my normal toddler photos because it is one of my favorite weekends of the year! It is here and I am so excited. I get to spend a short but much needed weekend with 4 of my absolute favorite women in the world. Sister weekend is something I look forward to all year long. We do two a year and they are beyond needed when they arrive. So excited!

Day 338 / 365 - Doggy Love

... simply because I love these two. <3

Day 337 / 365 - Reading in the dark

A little reading in the dark is fun for everyone right?? Love those cheeks, hate that he is growing so quickly! He is his mother's child with those quiet moments to himself.

Day 336 / 365 - Put it Away

Christmas tree love. My husband is a great husband, for the most part he is flexible and would do anything for us. He is usually pretty good about my camera obsession and my need to document our lives. However every once and awhile he gives me a look that pretty much all but tells me to "put it away and live in the moment". Tonight I got that look. So I set the camera down and lived it. This was actually the only shot I got and I am ok with that. We found a "purfuct" tree. I am not going to lie it is a tad janky but Ry loved it and we are good with that.

Day 335 / 365 - Bath Creeper

I take baths. It's what I do nightly. It is my wind down, my sanity. My 20 minutes a day that I am not around children. I love them, but they can wear a person out... seriously. Usually when I am in the tub  this little guy creeps by the door and asks me questions. Tonight he kept bringing me books and telling me I should read while I was in the tub. :))

Day 334 / 365 - My Family

As someone who is always behind the camera it is a real rarity to get a picture of your entire family and like it. So thankful when it happens. I am so very thankful for my little crew. Love my family and am seriously beyond blessed for what I have.

Day 333 / 365 - Sunsets and Squirrels

He was running around with his lacrosse stick at grandma's house and stopped to watch the squirrels and the "pwetty sky".

Day 332 / 365 - Aunts

My four sisters... they are amazing. I love them and I love who they are. Each and everyone of them.They all have crazy quirks and we tease them constantly but they are absolutely perfect. I would do anything for anyone of these girls and I know they would do the same for me. I love how much they love my child, and I love how much Ryder loves them. He thinks they are perfect and lights up when he sees them. He tried to talk Kate into going home with us and didn't quite understand why she wouldn't come. Love you girls. You amaze me with the women you are.

                     ... my brothers are pretty great too, but man do they hate to be photographed. :))

Day 331 / 365 - Happy Thanksgiving

I am so very thankful for family. They are amazing and they are my reason for striving to be my best person. We had an amazing day a table full of food, glass trouts, love, and never ending blessings. The conversation was chaotically perfect and at one point I just stopped and looked around at the love that surrounded that table and smiled to myself. I am so very blessed. Before dinner I walked into this scene... Amy and Ryder were hungry and complaining that it was taking too long so they went into the dining room and had their own imaginary thanksgiving together. Ryder fed her turkey and they were giggling. That pretty much sums up how blessed I am. My child is so very loved and that makes me very overwhelmed with love. So on this thanksgiving I am thankful for my family. They are everything to me and perfect.

Day 330 / 365 - Headed Home For Turkey

When you are on a car ride home with a toddler you try to find simple things to pass the time. Duck face from Pringles chips was a sure win! He thought it was hilarious and I thought it was pretty humorous to look back and see this. :)  *Knock On Wood* This little guy is so amazing in the car, we brought Hunter with us this time and he was crying for awhile. Ryder could be heard in the back seat saying, "Huntee it is ok, Grandma's house is a long long long long car ride".

Day 329 / 365 - Mommmmmmmm

Muffled yells coming from the other room are not out of the norm in this house. Tonight I heard it coming from the bedroom and he wanted me to come and find him. "mommmmmmmmmmmmmm come look" as I enter the room and see what him trying to hide I usually respond with a "hmmmm where's Ryder at" with that I usually get a very load not very hidden giggle that ends with me tickling him and him saying, "let's do it again". A game that could go all night long!

Day 328 / 365 - Sister Love

I am so excited to announce one very big announcement for our family. My sister and her husband are having their first child in May of next year. I am so excited! What a wonderful journey it is being a mother and I look forward to watching her go through this journey with her family. She will be a wonderful mother. I can't wait to meet this sweet little nugget and for Ryder to meet his new little cousin.