- The Christmas Letter: 2024 -

- HELLO -

...FROM THE OTHER SIDE!!!

It's been a pretty boiling hot minute since I've shown face here, and there's so much to catch up on! Blogger's stats show I've made a grand total of *6* posts in 2024 [which is only slightly lagging from my 50 in 2023...64 in 2022...and drumroll...178 all the way back in 2013!]. Truth be told, blogging used to be my "release" from the hustle and bustle life; it was a quiet place where I could just retreat to alone during the kids' nap times and spill thoughts and document memories to look back on and treasure for YEARS to come! And believe me: I LOVE looking back on old posts and pics!

As of late, life as a wife ...and mom of 3 [kids that no longer nap] ...and dog mom of 1 ...and small business owner [!!] has taken a little toll on my "free time" that used to be spent blogging. But! I'm here today, ready to [re]start somewhere...

So, ahem! Rewinding to recap some amazing 2024 life events...................

Lesssgo!

 

 

 

- Extra, Extra! Read ALL ABOUT IT! -

...The Newsies are in town, and we're gonna SHOUT IT! 

 

Words cannot express how EXCITING it was to watch Harper in her STB musical debut, Disney's Newsies Jr. She rocked the stage as a Newsie alongside several of her 3rd grade pals. 

 

'Cause we want the world to know: we loved seeing you in the show!  So many proud fans! 

 

 

The months of practice paid off! It was an amazing show! Congratulations, Newsies Jr. cast and crew!

 

- We are an EASTER PEOPLE! -

SomeBUNNY special helped decorate the house for Easter this year! After dumping all the eggs and grass into a basket, she said, "How 'bout 'dis, Mommy?!" #heart #eye #emojisssss  

 

I love displaying the special eggs that the girls paint every year at Pottery Hollow^^; and I'd be amiss without a mention/photo dump of our annual Pottery Hollow tradition that our sweet neighbor started us on several years back!

This was Juliette's first year painting an egg; her sisters were proud to help her polish off her egg by penning a very large "J" in jet black [later shadowed in with a more appealing purplish paint]! 

Since we decided to spend spring break [AKA Holy Week] in Florida this year and weren't returning home until late on Holy Thursday, we decided to do beach themed Easter baskets and give the kiddos an early surprise: 

And when we returned home, we still had juuuust enough time before Easter Sunday to try on our dresses and perfect our manis and also soak in this beautiful resurrection garden + butterfly gifts that some dear friends left on our porch!

Easter Sunday came in a flash, and we loved spending the day with our favorite traditions and family. We are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song!!!

He is RISEN! Easter blessings to you and yours! +

- Spring Break '24 -

CHEERS TO THE FIRST POST OF 2024!!! Life has been hoppin' and the blog has been neglected yet again, but FUN WAS HAD on spring break '24 and memories were made that I never want to forget! 

After a few hard goodbyes... 

...we hit the road and didn't look back! Sudokos and sewing and snacks and sleeping kept 3/3 of our cherubs entertained for the supposed-to-be-12-but-turned-into-16-hour-drive to the beach!

FINALLY, we made it to Destin!!

One of my favorite parts of vacation is visiting new Catholic parishes... What a privilege and a blessing to have the Church wherever we go!  We celebrated Palm Sunday in style [with palm trees all around]! <3

When it rains, no prob... Out to lunch and off to the shopping outlets we went!

Couldn't leave Destin without a stop at our favorite breakfast place, The Donut Hole...

And Papa went for an early morning walk to surprise us in the room with carry-out donuts again the next morning! :O If you know our family well at all, you KNOW we never say no to donuts!!!

 The last day was THE BEST day... 76* and sunny! We hit the pool and the beach and back to the pool again! So much fun fun funnnn in the sun! :D

Spring break '24: you were one for the record books! Until next time... 

xoxo