The Birthday girl

It is a certain little red heads birthday and she could not be more thrilled.  She was very specific with the type of cupcakes she wanted to take to school.  Chocolate with blue and purple icing.

If you will notice the scoop of icing on her paper towel.  Apparently she was very specific with the icing but she decided on that day she didn't eat icing.  She has always eaten icing...so go figure.  I was giving her a pretty hard time, this is the face I got in return.

Sadly, she wasn't feeling 100% and since she had a friend spending the night that weekend, I checked her out with me after we had cupcakes and took her to the doctor.  It was just a sinus infection, but I mean, the doctor's office on your birthday is a total bummer.

She has requested a chocolate chip cookie cake for her birthday cake at home and I could totally make that happen and it is one of my favorites too!!!

She perked up when it got to present time.  I mean, hello presents!!!!

Sister didn't find this one particularly on point.   The back of the shirt said AWESOME....apparently she disagrees.

She was pretty thrilled with her birthday cake.  I was TOO!!

Wall art

I love our annual picture tradition with Christy.  She is always so patient with the girls and just captures their personalities.  We have this large blank wall in the new house, that is actually a shared wall between the living room and dining room.  Figuring out how to decorate it has been a challenge.  One thing I knew I wanted was an oversized canvas of the girls, and this shot is one of my favorites.

Shortly after I got my canvas hung, this one comes through in this get up, doing this.  Sometimes I have no words for her.

Christmas in the AIR

Normally, I put our Christmas decorations up the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but this year, we ended up with a free weekend the middle of Thanksgiving and I decided to seize the opportunity.  We started off with some morning snuggles.  I mean, snuggling with the red head is a pretty awesome way to wake up.

Helping me with the finishing touches.

After trimming the tree, I put them to work on their Christmas lists.  You know your child has first world problems when they tape multiple pieces of paper together for their list...I'm talking about you Hadley!!!!!!!

Let's eat

She regularly asks me to join her for lunch and I am so grateful for a job that I can work remote in the morning, drop in and eat with her and then head to the office.  It has become a routine at least twice a month and she is absolutely giddy each time she sees me walking down the hall.  Her sister asked, why I never came and ate with her and I had to remind her, she never invited me.  She would die if I went and ate with her at the middle school, so I will cherish this time with my Red Head, knowing it is fleeting.

Goodbyes

On November 4th, I got a call at work that Taz had passed away unexpectedly.  We had been boarding him at a facility outside of town and some dear friends moved him to a location on their farm, for his final resting spot.  Wayne took me out the next morning to visit, it was beautiful next to a creek.  To say he is missed is an understatement, he was a part of my life for 19 years and the last piece of a pretty amazing childhood experience.