Project 365 - Day 335

Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of the year

Project 365 - Day 334

First Christmas card of the season!

Project 365 - Day 333

Some Christmas bokeh and a new haircut!

Project 365 - Day 332

The second annual glowing Christmas Tree picture!  And yes, I plan to do this every year until they move out of my house, and probably even then too!!  Someday they will appreciate all this (or at least they better humor their mother if they don't!).

Project 365 - Day 331

The most wonderful time of the year! I love seeing all the lights this time of year. It makes the fact that it gets so dark so early now that much easier to take!

Project 365 - Day 330

Braving the cold (and wind!) today to watch the Salem Christmas Parade!  The boys were good sports, it was cold, my feet were numb by the end.  But they had fun and loved seeing Santa and the little cars that the Shriners drive.

Project 365 - Day 329

Trim up the tree...

Project 365 - Day 328

Letter to Santa!

Project 365 - Day 327

Perfection!

Project 365 - Day 326

Thankful for this life!

Project 365 - Day 325

Thankful, that after 6 (LONG!) years, I can FINALLY see the light at the end of the diaper changing tunnel!  I'm normally not one for posting pictures of my kids on the potty but this one deserves special attention since this moment might just mark the end of diapers as we know it in our household!  And that is something to CHEER about!

On a side note, potty training is pretty much the worst parenting job ever.  I am not sure if this will stick, but I'm going with it, he's motivated!  After a couple months of him just sitting on the potty now and then, and not doing anything, he finally went this past Saturday and has been willing to keep it up.  He still won't tell me when he needs to go but he doesn't fight me when I tell him it's time to go.  We shall see.  Right now he's enjoying his candy reward (yay for still having Halloween candy left!) and I'm thinking I may need to stock up on some M&M's.

Project 365 - Day 324

Thankful for amazing teachers! More parent/teacher conferences tonight and to thank them for being so awesome I sent in the very famous Chicken Crack Pie for the PTA sponsored teacher appreciation dinner!

Project 365 - Day 323

Thankful for my boys, especially when they are sleeping! Shhhh!!!!!
 

Project 365 - Day 322

Thankful for my mom, the one who taught me the importance of family and what it means to be a mother.  Now, if only I could get her to stop spoiling my children with junk food!    

 

Project 365 - Day 321

Thankful for Miss Karen and the NH Swim School. Not only do my boys have a really fun year round activity that they love, but they are learning a very important life skill as well!

 

Project 365 - Day 320

Thankful for the Doc, my best friend, love of my life, my lobster, he's simply the best. man. ever!  Nothing melts my heart more than watching him with our boys.

Project 365 - Day 319

Thankful for my MIL, who is always there to help me with the boys and to clean my house! I'm very lucky to have her in my life, I won the MIL jackpot for sure!

 

Project 365 - Day 318

Thankful for my little ray of sunshine! He can light up a room with his smile and I never get tired of hearing him tell me that "I'm the best mom EVER!"

 

Project 365 - Day 317

Thankful for unseasonably warm weather and a hanging with some old friends!
 

Project 365 - Day 316

Thankful for my longtime friends, and seeing those friendships continue into the next generation.

 

Project 365 - Day 315

Thankful for the opportunity to learn and get some knowledge, and for my sister for watching the boys so they could play with their cousins!

Today I spent the day at The Sopha learning the art of studio lighting!  It was SO FUN!  We learned how to set up a standard 4 light portrait and then after lunch we were given a magazine image and a model (the lovely Mara seen below!).  Then we were sent to a specific backdrop with the task of  recreating the magazine image!

This image was shot using a beauty dish straight up above the model about 3ft and the best part was that my partner and I did this all on our own! 

 

Project 365 - Day 314

Thankful for my first born, the one who made me a mommy.  His thirst for knowledge and brilliant smile warms my heart and I love that he will willingly choose to wear his "handsome" clothes to school.  Long live the sweater vest!

Project 365 - Day 313

Thankful for seasons!  Fall is definitely my favorite, but I'm so happy to live in a region where we have all four seasons!  In fact, I'm much happier in the cold than in the dead heat of summer.  Shaun and Evan play in the first snow fall before school this morning.

Project 365 - Day 312

Thankful for electronic devices and educational apps so that I can help out at the boys school!

Project 365 - Day 311

Thankful for democracy! Today we took the boys over to the polls with us to vote. I love taking the boys so they can see the process that we talk so much about in action.

No matter how hard they try to make it for you to vote, no matter how long the lines, your country needs you to vote. Whatever your party, whoever you're voting for, your country needs you to vote.  ~Rachel Maddow

Project 365 - Day 310

Thankful for the right to vote!  David, Shaun and Evan remind you to Rock the Vote tomorrow!!

 

Project 365 - Day 309

Thankful for amazing opportunities! Not bad for standing on my tippy toes and not being able to see the LCD screen...you know...if I do say so myself!!

 

Project 365 - Day 308

Thankful for my nugget and his crazy, silly, going to be a politician someday personality! I can't believe that he's 2 1/2 already.

 

Project 365 - Day 307

Thankful for the time Shaun and Evan have to bond while their big brother is in school! It's been such a joy to watch their relationship grow into a real friendship (instead of Shaun seeing Evan has a nuisance!).

 

Project 365 - Day 306

Thank you Captain Underpants for coming into our lives! I just love, love, LOVE seeing David so into a book! It's seriously a first!