i'm a sentimental stealer

We just got a brand spankin' new car. Okay, not really spankin' new, but it's in the 2000's so that is new to me! I am so excited about it. My aunt and uncle were getting rid of their subaru outback, and we were the lucky winners. I really do feel like we stole it. They gave it to us for less than half of the blue book price. I feel so grateful. We've been looking for something for a while now, just waiting for the right thing to come along. This is perfect for us.

I feel spoiled. It has leather interior, manual transmission, a sun and moon roof, roof rack, is all wheel drive, has tons of space, gets great gas mileage, and drives like a dream. AND! It has seat warmers. Best invention ever.

via

I just spent a small fortune on some serious snow tires. Really, these things mean business. I feel safe and ready to brave the winter. I love this car and it really is just what our little family needs.

It's no secret that I am pathetically sentimental. I actually feel sad for our little altima that is sitting in the garage. It has over 200,000 miles on it, and I have put on over 100,000 miles myself. I feel like it is lonely and wondering why I don't drive it anymore. Maybe it's happy to finally have a break. Or, maybe it is an inanimate object that doesn't actually have feelings. Regardless, I kind of feel sad for moving on to bigger and better things.

We got that Altima for literally next to nothing. It came from a close family friend who owns a car dealership. After our accident I couldn't drive a manual anymore, so our sweet friends came up with the Nissan and it's taken care of us ever since. It's driven us on long trips, back and forth all day every day, carried babies in carseats, and never left us stranded or in a bind. I am happy that it is being passed on to my brother when he gets married. It still drives and runs excellent and I am sure it will take good care of them as well.

I know it's pathetic and maybe I seem crazy, maybe I am, but I will miss the little car and feel like maybe in a small way I have abandoned it. It kind of reminds me of a childhood book my mom used to read to me. About a little house that had a cute little family living in it. They played and used the house to it's full capacity and the house was happy. They eventually moved and the house was abandoned and slowly a city was build all around it. The house felt sad and lonely. So, that is why I still think that objects, at least mine, have feelings. That is why my altima is sitting in the garage thinking about it's long and useful life. I just hope the subaru isn't gloating.

my december baby

Kaden is turning four on Monday! yikes! He has been eagerly anticipating his special day for months. I hope I can live up to his expectations. He's easy to please so I am sure he'll be a happy birthday boy. He is so much fun. SO much fun. I love the stuff he comes up with, watching him learn new things, seeing his creativity soar, watching him gain independence, seeing his excitement over the simplest things, and just trying my best to be a good mom to the little fella.

Even though he wears me out and I can hardly keep up with him--actually, I can't keep up with him--I love that he is so active and full of energy and vitality. I feel like if I could bottle up the energy of the sun, of color, of light, of all things good, it would come in the form of Kaden. Does that even make sense? I can't explain it, but his energy is just so happy and pure. He is so content with life, excited for whatever the day will hold, and ready to take the world by storm. The world is his oyster, he believes that he is the center of everything and that everyone is blessed to have his light shining around them at all times. Of course as his mama I think he's right about that, even though his habit of trying to steal the spotlight can get old.

Kaden is smart and always thinking about something. He puts things together, figures out puzzles, builds the most intricate things, and is a problem-solver. He surprises me all of the time with the things he is able to figure out and come up with on his own. He loves to be a helper and will do just about anything I ask him to.

He is so loving. He is tenderhearted and sensitive. He worries about people when they are sad or crying, he prays for people to be happy, and he seems to have an innate sense of understanding how other people are feeling. He will randomly run up to me and hug me so tight saying, "Mama I just want to hug you because I LOVE you!" He hugs and kisses other people, which we are trying to teach him to back off a bit. He is happy and loving and he just wants to show it!

Kaden loves his mommy. I am so thankful; he loves me so much. As busy as he is, as much as he loves other people, I am still his number 1. I am still the one he wants to be with, cuddle with, and have help him with whatever he needs. He wants to please me, make me proud, and make me happy. He does all of those things, day in and day out. He just wants to be wherever I am. His toys are always all over the house and I don't mind, because even if he is entertaining himself, he is within feet of me. I am glad that he doesn't disappear into his room. I can hear his noises, see his faces, see the things he is making, and take part in his day. He tells me he loves me countless times a day. He asks me if I'm happy. He wants to show me everything he has done. I love to love on him, praise him, build him up, teach him, and just be around his happy spirit. Yesterday he said several times, "mama, you are so pretty!" and it completely melted me. I could gain all the praise in the world and it would never mean as much as the love, approval, and acceptance I feel from my little family.

I feel so unbelievably blessed that my little December baby was born into our family. As cliche' as it is, there is no way to imagine my life, our lives, without Kaden in it. There is no way I would be complete without him. He is so much like me in so many ways; he is a piece of me. I feel like our souls connect, as silly as that sounds. He is a light in this family. He makes our lives happier, less stressful, more fun, and more full.

thanks for cute boys

We got to spend the entire week of Thanksgiving with Dave and Traci. It was fun to see all of Matt's siblings, the other babies, and some of Dave's kids too. I always love our trips up there. I always seem to leave without my normal plethora of pictures. Everyone has a camera and is snapping away, so I hardly take any. I plan to get the pictures before I leave but never seem to make that happen. So, here are a few of my favorites from my camera. Hopefully I can get the other pictures somehow because there were some good ones! Kaden is refusing to let me get a good picture of him. I am sad about that because he has the cutest smile and squinty eyes. He's so expressive and I want to capture that. It is unreal to me that he is going to be four in a few short weeks.

My little superman got quite a bruise on his noggin. Poor guy is always hitting his head on something. He keeps hitting this same spot over and over and I think it's going to be semi-permanent for a while.

Kaden LOVES book and I love that he loves them so much. He is always on the go and full of energy running a million miles an hour all day long, but when we sit down to read he focuses, sits still, pays attention and soaks it all up. We could read for hours. He gets at least 2 stories every day at naptime and bedtime. I love to read to him.

I am jealous of Ruby's amazing eyelashes. What a doll.

Beckham loved his little cousins. He was so happy when they were around. Ruby is crawling and McCoy walks all over the place and Beckham seemed to try harder to move around when we were there. I think he is finally getting the desire to actually go somewhere. It was fun to have all four little kids together. Poor Kaden wanted them to play with him but they just aren't quite big enough yet.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Dave made an amazing meal and the home was filled with love and gratitude. I feel blessed all year, but the holidays really make me think about my life and how rich it is and my heart feels full.

rub it for luck

If I made a list of my favorite things about Beckham it would be about a mile long. Does that make them any less favorite, having about a million favorites? I don't think so. This boy is just so lovable I can hardly stand it. A few on the top of the list? That giant buddha belly, double chin, and the way he smothers things that he loves. These pictures are awful since my flash is not so hot, but still, who can resist that chubby, soft, squishy boy?

He was lovin' on that precious puppy to no end. He makes the sweetest little high pitched noises and squeals when he is overcome with love for something. That little puppy is the last of many that my great grandma, my Nana, made. I have one from when I was tiny. They are so special and I was beyond excited when my mom gave us the last one.


Love that belly!

very merry

Our tree is up. It's been up for over a week--since before Thanksgiving. I didn't even intend to put it up, but I was cleaning and switching out rugs and curtains and such and Kaden said, "Mama! Lets put up the Christmas tree!" I had the best time decorating with my little man. Matt and Beckham just laid on the floor in the living room and Kaden and I went to town. He was so cute hanging things, jumping around squealing. He was just so excited and it made my heart so happy.

Holidays really are even better with little kids. Everything is more exciting, happier, and seeing things through a child's eyes is something I never thought I would enjoy this much. It brings back my own childhood memories and the things I cherished and got excited about when I was younger. It's fun to start our new family traditions, special to our little family, and to continue the ones we've always had.

Getting Kaden to smile for a picture these days is proving to be nearly impossible. That is why he isn't on here as much as Beckham has been lately. Becks still hams it up while Kaden is always flashing the cheesiest fake grin or is a total blur because he won't stop running around. That's him though, and the candid shots just show his little, actually very big, personality.

Our tree is beautiful and I love it. Right now it's classy and warm and so Christmas-y. We have another little tree that I didn't get a picture of that has the kids special ornaments, homemade goodies, colored lights, and has so much character. I think next year the big tree will be the one with the character and the classy one will be demoted. I love the beautiful tree, but I always grew up with a tree that we added to every year. As we decorated we reminisced each ornament; the ones with glittery-glue we made in first grade, the clay ornaments we hand painted, the rocking horse I had as a baby, etc. Those ornaments mean so much, have a story, and give the tree so much character. I want my kids to be proud to hang their gluey noodle ornaments and strung popcorn on the tree.

I loved coming home from our Thanksgiving vacation to a nicely decorated, warm home. I'm excited to dive into the Christmas season full swing, teaching the boys more about Jesus and giving, and celebrating the fun of the season too.

snip-snip

I have been mulling over an idea for the past few months, and yesterday I took the plunge and did something drastic. I feel so brave. My hair has been driving me nuts. It was so long, wavy, and thick and just a mess. I probably only really did it on Sundays. Since I go to the gym, work, and have four sticky little hands always tangling themselves in my mass of hair, the rest of the time it was pulled up. It gets staticy and tangly. I almost throw a fit on a regular basis trying to comb through it. Anyway, I cut it. Boy, did I cut it, and I LOVE it!

I look so hardcore here. That's because I am. I cut 14 inches off! I am excited because my friend who cut it works at this fancy salon and they donate the hair to wigs for kids. The cut took forever because my hair has gotten so wacky since the boys came along. It's straight on top and freakishly curly/wavy and confused underneath. Glad Nicole took the time to make it perfect even though it was after hours and her date was waiting for her.

I just felt that it kind of looked like a small animal, or roadkill. The stylist tried to talk me out of it at first and it almost worked. I haven't really cut my hair since Kaden was a baby. I am so glad that I didn't chicken out. Then she said, "well, you do sort of look like you are 10, so this will make you look a little older..." I feel so free and my hair feels so fresh and healthy. Matt loves it and keeps saying it's hot. Hahaha. I love him. I'm stoked.