Sunday, December 28, 2014

2014 in Review

Y'all.  I blogged 33 times this year.  That's well over 50 less times than in years past, and over 130 less than my peak year (0'11 what what!).

It makes me a bit sad.  But, it is what it is.  I don't want my blog to fizzle or die a slow death.  Hopefully that's not what's happening.  I love it for the sheer power of being a time capsule of our lives.  It's my journal.  It's my scrapbook.  It's my digital memory filling in the blanks where my real memory has failed me.  It's a snapshot in time, of a feeling, of a thought - that just can't be replicated later.  I love it for all of these reasons.  I will keep at it, even if that does mean fewer and fewer posts.  I want to keep it alive.

Anyway, I like to do a recap post at the end of each year, with the highlights of my blogging for the past 12 months.  It's always pretty labor intensive, but I love the summary it provides.  This year should be pretty easy. :)

January

I made some 2014 goals (guess I should update on how I did with those!)


February



I talked about Harper at 18 months (complete with black eye!).  She had just started walking at 17 months, so it was a perfect time to write about her.




I spilled the big news that Harper was going to be a big sister!  (Taking deep, don't you dare throw up, breaths while doing so!)

March



We found out Baby #2 was a girl




I mused on beauty in sickness and other motherhood surprises.




I shared our new beadboard in the kitchen!  (It looks so different now in that room!)



I shared a Clubfoot Files post about our nightly routine putting her shoes on (and I had that awkward, newly pregnant belly going on!)

April 



We celebrated Easter.  Harper ate chocolate.



I tried to capture the delicate, contradictory feelings of frustration and overwhelming love of a fiesty little one. (Ahh, those feelings still persist)

May

May was allll about the back yard redo!  It was a TON of work (and $!) but it was great to have a happy, usable space come summer.  We were out there a lot.  Well.worth.it.

Here are my updates, 



Parts One



Two



and Three (I miss you, summer!)




We picked berries (and ate them).




We enjoyed the beginning of summer. Harper wore my pregnant self out tearing through the playground.

June



We went to the beach!  Harper was mildly cooperative.

I got (gestational) diabetes.  Boo.

July 


We did summery stuff.



My belly kept expanding.



Harper celebrated her birthday - luau style! 

August



Our sweet second daughter Quinn made her way into the world, three days past due! 

September

More Quinn posts followed, as I ...



...shared her birth story....



...and posted about her nursery....



... and shared her newborn photos (oh, the good old days when she had hair on her head)

October



We went to the lake! and a pumpkin patch! with great friends! all in one! 


November 



We dressed up for Halloween.

December



I shared our cards.  Christmas happened too - but that has yet to be posted :)


*********************************

It has been quite a year!  Our family grew from three to four, and we watched both of our daughters grow so quickly before our eyes.  This life - such a blessing.  Can't wait for the next year! 

Happy New Year! 


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Merry!

Here are our sweet little munchkins via Christmas card (front and back).



It should be noted that it's near impossible to make my tornado of a toddler cooperate for a photo shoot, thus the smooshed baby photo won.  I compensated by putting a more realistic (smiling!) Quinn on the back.  I figured Harper's already had two years of card stardom, so she wouldn't care.

Also of note:
- Major credit to Emily for the idea to use the wagon!  (and to even get the wagon in the first place, when Harper was a new walker!)
- I took these photos in manual in our backyard!!!  This is important, because I've had my Canon Rebel for 3 years and never learned anything but auto.  I always wanted to, but was mostly lazy.  I know there are tutorials out there, but I could just never focus enough.  SO on Black Friday I bought the intro class on ShootFlyShoot (Kevin of The Lettered Cottage fame) for half off.  I haven't even finished all of the videos but have the basics down!  It's been great to have a "class" that keeps me focused.  Worth the $ for sure!  
- I also edited it in Photoshop Elements, which I've had for a year and barely know how to use.  The photos aren't great, but it's a huge improvement over what I used to be able to do, so I'm pretty proud!  I just have to keep practicing - too bad my subjects are so wiggly.
- We tried to keep the wagon from rolling using a rock. That didn't work.  However, the rock stayed, looking like poop under the wagon.  My infantile photoshopping skills were unable to remove it.

And for funsies, some outtakes (I only took 180 pictures, don't worry...) (Tony hates me.)




And the cards from the past two years, starring my crazy first born:

2013:


2012:



(I need to take more photos like this of Quinn!  She chews her fist in the exact same way)

Saturday, December 13, 2014

At a Glimpse

So, I discovered yesterday it's been over a month since I last blogged.  I knew it had been a while, but not that long! No need to waste sentences explaining why the absence or bemoaning the loss of the community of blogging, etc. but I do miss it!

Life has continued on.  Here's a glimpse.

















Maybe I'll get around to writing again one day. :)
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