Snapshots: December

posing by her own tree

action shot at Boise Botanical Gardens

fog and frost outside Sophie's bedroom window

7:30 am Mommy and Sophie walk to the playground in the snow

selfie of Sophie and her best bud, Brady

Sophie and Brady and Christmas magic

the best smile we can get these days!

Photo #1 of 37 that Sophie took of our tree and ornaments

Our first BSU game!

Christmas cookies

ONE MORE WEEK UNTIL SANTA ARRIVES!!! HO! HO! HO!

Santa 2013

This is my favorite time of year, and every year, with these two kids, this season continues to be more and more magical and joyful for me.

December has already been a whirlwind month filled with Christmas parties, major SNOW!!!, the decorating of trees, gingerbread houses, and cookies, holiday crafts, tons of carol singing, and as of today, our visit to Santa.

Highlights of this year's Santa visit:

1.  waiting outside Santa's house in 10 degree weather (seemed balmy compared to yesterday's 2 degrees)
2.  Sophie's hyper excitement all day long leading up to the visit
3.  Santa's emergence around a corner causing both children to become stone silent but for different reasons...
4.  Sophie's silence because she was face to face with the most magical man in the world...she was starstruck
5.  Cameron's (initial) silence because he most likely did not realize that Santa ("o o o") was actually real
6.  the insistence that Rudolph, Sophie's stuffed animal, join us to visit Santa
7.  Cameron's pitiful crying, repeated pleas of "all done" and "bye, bye bye", and his somewhat violent attempts to open Santa's door to escape before he ultimately threw his body down on the ground for a good, old-fashioned meltdown
8.  Sophie's conversation with Santa that included "Is Cameron on the naughty or nice list?"
9.  Santa's accessory of a large, wooden cross around his neck to remind us all of the true reason for the magic and belief of Christmas

And this was the photo that resulted:

There is nothing quite like the sweet and genuine joy of a child this season.

(And to his credit, Cameron appreciates the magic of this season, too, in his own 18-month old way. He doesn't walk by a Santa/Father Christmas decoration in the house without saying "O-O-O" and he appreciates the lights on our tree and home-- "woowww"-- and he loves the white blanket of snow outside-- pointing and yelling "no! no!")

Thanksgiving 2013

This is what Thanksgiving is all about:

Family. Joy. Laughter. Friendship. Plenty. Rest. Gratitude. Reflection.

We hosted Thanksgiving at our home, and the significance of our first Thanksgiving in Boise did not go unnoticed by me.  I looked around the table at my 4-year old who can recite (with much detail) the story of the Pilgrims and the Indians and the first Thanksgiving.  I looked at my husband who was overjoyed to be spending time with his mom, his sister, and his brother in law.  I saw my 18-month old son throwing food, slamming cups on the table, making funny faces, and contributing so much to the chaos! I loved watching my sister-in-law and brother-in-law effortlessly juggle the roles as playful aunt and uncle, generous chefs and bartenders, entertaining storytellers, and gracious guests.  And as usual, it was special to see my children love every minute with their grandmother; her wisdom, patience, and grace tied our entire Thanksgiving week together.

We are so fortunate for the full and blessed life that we have.  Moving to Boise and creating this new chapter for ourselves has been one of the best decisions Doug and I have made.  I am thankful for all of the choices, the people, and the details that coordinated together to enable us to be here, sitting around our kitchen table, sharing laughs, food, and drink as a whole family.

Look for the photo bomb...

Whitfield love

Brothers from another mother :)

Pre-Thanksgiving feast flag football with friends/family: Doug and Josh facing off

Thank you to our wonderful family for celebrating all week with us here in Idaho.  It was a fabulous and complete holiday.  The 7 of us have much to be thankful for.  xoxo

CRW: 18 Months

Active. Coordinated. Sweet. Independent. Curious. Strong. Silly. Crazy. Wild. Confident. All BOY.

My baby keeps getting older.  At 18 months old, Cameron continues to crack me up and overwhelm me with joy.  He and his sister are the best of friends and often the best of foes.  He copies her every move.  His dimple and his mouth full of teeth make his smiles infectious.  He is obsessed with cars, trucks, trains, buses, planes, diggers, and any moving object.  He prefers to play with older kids.  And he can keep up... He has no fear, no second thought, and no concern for injury. He's thoughtful and purposeful.  He can joke. He is curious and mischevious.  He is a little rascal who flashes his trademark smile and bears a glint in his eye as if he can do no wrong.  I already have a difficult time disciplining him; although he just threw the toy car at the window for the 14th time despite my warnings or although he just climbed up and stood on the glass coffee table, he smiles with such joy, such pride, and such awe at his own accomplishments, that I back down.  His giggle makes anybody laugh.

(In perfect timing for a post about his active lifestyle, he got injured.  Note the scab near his eye!)

He could stand at a train table all day long and play (if only he would stop throwing the magnetic trains in frustration every time they pull apart).

Cam took this photo himself.  His first selfie. 

He did have a diaper on, but he was staging a strike on pants during this particular day. 

He is such a rascal.  This boy makes us shake our head, roll our eyes, and throw our hands in the air! What will we do with him?!!

3 generations of Whitfield and Cam representing Australia

We love you, Cam-man!