Archives: December 2012

12 . 31 . 2012
2012 REFLECTIONS

2013. Really!? I’m not sure I believe that you are here already.

This year has passed like the blink of an eye. My concept of time doesn’t look a thing like it used to. 2012 has proven that much. I used to complain about not having enough of it, but OH…how little I knew. Becoming a mother has challenged me in so many ways and has taught me so much about myself…my strengths, and my weaknesses. It’s helped me to grow in areas I didn’t even know needed improvement. It’s helped me evaluate my priorities and let go of things that I once held too closely. It’s strengthened my relationship with my husband and it’s taught me patience (well, I don’t have that one quite down yet, but I promise, i’m getting better!) Motherhood has come complete with it’s many challenges and frustrations, but simultaneously, it’s joys and fulfillment. And to think, this is just year one in my journey! More than anything, it’s filled my heart with a new kind of love. A sacrificial, protective, all-consuming kind of love. One that I could never fully explain but that I am sure every mother knows. Rylee is my world. Almost every hour of every day I am with her. I’ve watched her grow from this tiny little baby who relied on me for everything….into this independent, joyful, charismatic little person. Sam and I are always asking each other “how’d we get so lucky”? And we really mean it.

2012….you’ve been an emotional roller coaster! But a year i’ll never forget. You’ll forever be marked as my transition in mom-hood. Sometimes I feel like it should have been easier. Like I shouldn’t have struggled so hard with balance and time management. Like it was somehow wrong of me to struggle when I had this beautiful healthy baby. Some mom’s made it look so natural, but for me, it was a process. But it was MY process, and I did it. At the end of this year, there were a lot of goals that I left unfinished and things I wished I’d been able to accomplish before 2013. But when I look at this perfect little person standing in front of me, this little peanut who calls me mama, that tiny little hand that’s always reaching up to grab mine…..I feel pretty darn proud of what I’ve done this year. And I can’t wait for the next.

Thanks for following along with us in our journey. Love you all! Happy New Year.

12 . 28 . 2012
2012 IN OUTFITS

As I was looking back through all my photos over the last year, I thought i’d do a re-cap of 2012 in outfits. This year my lookbook has been a little more quiet than years past….but so goes life with a baby! At least i’ve managed to document this much. I’ve got so many goals for 2013, both big and small, and I can’t wait dive into some of those that have been on the forefront of my mind. So much to look forward to! Cheers to 2013 and hopefully lots more outfits to come, haha. Thanks for following along.

12 . 27 . 2012
OUR CHRISTMAS

These are just a few photos from our family Christmas, which we actually celebrated on Christmas Eve this year. With all my sisters now married, the holidays get a little tricky with trying to coordinate everyone’s schedules so that we can all be together. Now we’ve got 3 other family’s to contend with! (which is totally a blessing mind you) But I do love it when it works out that we can all celebrate Christmas together at my parent house. My little sister just welcomed her third baby boy, Cole, to the world 7 days ago….on my BIRTHDAY! Pretty cool to share my day with him. Holding his tiny body, it’s hard to remember Rylee ever being that small….but once upon a time, she was. Now she is this spunky little person with a mind of her own. Where does the time go!

We were also really glad to share this Christmas with my Grandma…it being her first Christmas without my Grandpa. There were some tears shed and memories shared as we remembered how much he loved Christmas time. It was his favorite. And when we hear all the Christmas carols, we can hear his voice. I’m thankful that new life can bring so much happiness where it’s needed. Rylee’s energy and laughter brought my Grandma such joy….and man, was she at the top of her game! Ha! I only wish I would have captured some of it on video. I really need to get better about taking video! It’ll be at the top of my list of 2013 resolutions.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas…link to your Christmas posts if you want too! I’d love to check them out. xo.

Oh…and Sam got me a hot air balloon ride….dream come true.

12 . 24 . 2012
A MINNESOTA WINTER

White winters give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside and make me think back to my childhood. There is just something so magical about the snow to me. Maybe it’s the novelty of it, being from southern California where it’s still usually in the 70’s at Christmas time. But it’s also because I have so many wonderful memories of Christmases spent at my grandmothers house in Wisconsin. It was always a white Christmas at Grandma’s house….and in my memories, it was magical. Growing up in California, I always hoped i’d end up with a midwest boy. I was born in Illinois and have family all over the midwest, so although I call myself a San Diego native, I still claim a small stake in being a “mid-westerner” at heart. As luck would have it, my now husband is a born and bred Minnesotan, (turned California transplant post college). Though meeting him, you’d probably never guess he grew up anywhere but next to the ocean. I love that we both have roots in the mid west, and that we both have such an appreciation for it and it’s seasons. Even though we don’t experience them at home, we are lucky we are able to visit family that do.

When we landed at the airport in Minnesota we knew we were in for a frigid, snowy stay. And we couldn’t be more excited about it. Sam’s childhood home looks like one out of a story book. Or at least it does to me, tucked amidst the frosted trees and snow at winter time. I couldn’t help but keep saying how beautiful it was surrounded by so much white. It was Rylee’s first time seeing snow. She wasn’t impressed at first, but really….who can blame her? I stuffed her into the most uncomfortable, restricting clothes….it was cold and it made her nose run, and she could barely walk in her one size too big snow boots. “But Ryleeeee!! It’s so fuuuun!!!!” I said! haha. Eventually, she did warm up to it. And when she did, we made the most of it. As I type this, I kind of wish I could look out my window and see that snow again and take Rylee for another sled ride. But I guess there is always next year to look forward to….and the next year….and the year after that.

I am so beyond thankful for this family that I married into. I was able to sit down with my mother in law and talk about life, about the backstory of the Larson family….about where she comes from and the many things that have shaped and molded her. She was up against a lot of odds when raising her family, a lot of which I never knew about, but through it all, she chose to raise her kids in faith and with strength. And I really admire her for that. I am mostly thankful for the mother she was, and is, to her son, my husband. Because weather he sees it or not, she has influenced his life in more ways than one, and he wouldn’t be the man he is today without her. And that man is the world to me.

Sentimental rant aside, we had a wonderful week and can’t wait until we can go back again. I can’t believe today is Christmas Eve already. I hope you are all somewhere cozy and enjoying the holidays with family. Have the merriest of Christmases.

* The aqua kitty hat and mittens in the top photos are from Baruch’s Lullaby and they’re our favorite!

12 . 21 . 2012
FOR HIM, FOR HER

Hopefully you’re all done with your holiday shopping. But if you are anything like me, you’re scrambling to find some last minute gifts! Here is a roundup for the ladies and the fellas….most of which I snagged from either my own wishlist or Sam’s! Can you believe Christmas is in 4 days!!? Ahh!