Navi’s Three!

 

Today my baby turns three. I have found myself unexpectedly emotional. Probably because she IS and always will be our baby. She is our last and even though I feel like our family is complete I will always miss those first days, weeks, and months of my babies lives! I look back at her newborn pictures and wonder where the time has gone? Those days seem like a blur. I am so grateful for pictures to remind me of that sweet, innocent time.

 

 

One year old …

 

18 months …

 

Two years old …

 

And now…three years old! She is all girl (for the most part) and I love it! Happy birthday to my beautiful, smart, loving, sassy princess!

 

We had her party last night and what could more fitting for the little miss than a princess cake? She loved it and that’s all I can ask for!

 

Here’s to having a great week!

 

Kristin

One of THOSE Months!

 

Have you ever had a week or month … or even year where it seems like there is one thing after another going wrong? Things keep breaking … everyone is sick?? Well that is exactly the kind of month we have had.

 

 

We’ve had everything from a broken garage door to a leaky shower (resulting in ripping out the sheetrock in the boys room downstairs and eventually redoing the shower that is only SIX years old) to a broken water heater to EVERY SINGLE PERSON in this family being sick for two weeks to trips to the ER for pneumonia and asthma … you get my drift, right?? 

 

In between all this it has snowed and snowed and snowed which means the hubby is out plowing all the time instead of fixing said garage door.

Anywho … such is life, right? I’m just glad everyone is on the mend and we are finally getting back into a normal routine.

On a better note, I finished the curtains for Mason’s room and am on the hunt for a new (used) dresser. Can’t wait to get moving and finally have one FINISHED room in the house!

Hello!

 

I just wanted to drop in and let you know that no, I have not fallen off the face of the earth … just the internet! Things have felt so crazy and busy around here lately that sometimes I feel like I just freeze and instead of getting everything done, I get nothing done! Does this happen to anyone else? Hmm … maybe it’s just me! So although I have wanted to be posting weekly it just hasn’t happened. I will get back in my groove hopefully sooner than later, and I have a few fun things that I would love to share, so just know that over this busy season I will be dropping in from time to time but my main focus is going to be on my family. We will be decorating, baking, crafting, having family movie and game nights and just enjoying one another’s company. This, in my opinion is what the holidays are all about!

Thank you to all of you who have been checking in, it really means a lot!

 

Happy Holidays!

Kristin

Winter Wonderland

 

I wasn’t kidding yesterday when I said it was starting to feel like Christmas. We had snow … but it was pretty wet and soon was melting into a muddy mess.

Then we woke up this morning to this. Ahhh!

 

So we did what any normal family does at 8 am on a snowy Saturday morning. Fired up the four wheeler and did some early family sledding before Dad was off to do his snowplowing.

 

 

 

 

Yes, this is what I look like first thing in the morning, no make up, and freezing cold. Your welcome!

 

 

 

We made it through the morning with only one small casualty… in all the snow excitement, the little miss’s lamp came crashing down. We are sad (and when I say we I mean Navi) but will take it in exchange for the smiles that have come with this winter wonderland!

 

If you got snow like we did, go out and play! You won’t regret it! Have a great weekend.

Kristin

Bye Bye Crib Side!

 

The day has finally come that we are officially done with the “baby phase” at the Dahl house. Sniff, sniff. Little miss is potty trained, and just recently we converted her crib into a toddler bed. (she has done fantastic by the way!) For me it all seems a little bitter sweet. I am going to miss all the sweet little baby moments, but am excited to see what the next phase of our life brings! And I for sure won’t be missing the diapers and multiple middle of the night waking's!

Switching to the toddler bed of coarse brought out a little spark in me to get a few more things done in her room that I have been wanting to finish. There was a little rearranging, some closet reorganization that I will show you soon, and the wheels are turning (or should I say re-turning) on a gallery wall idea that I have had for awhile now!

Here is the new look after rearranging. I think the flow seems a lot better and the rooms seems more open this way.

 

If you are new, or don’t recall … this is how it looked before the rearranging. It’s so much better now, right?

 

And as I was loading the pictures for this post, I found this one that one of the boys snuck of the little miss and I. Sneaky little guy. (Did you notice the double finger suck? I just love that little girl.

 

I love how a little rearranging can change the feel of a room. How about you? Anyone doing any rearranging these days?

Sunflower Gazing

 

I really can’t believe that it’s almost fall! I am enjoying the slightly cooler temps, the excitement of school fast approaching and gazing at the sunflower patch from my kitchen window. I just love this time of year!

 

 

I have never enjoyed the true beauty of a sunflower until recently. They were my mother in law’s favorite flower, and now I can see why. I love this shot … It looks like they are reaching up to the heavens for Jackie. Yes, yes I believe they are!

 

 

 

Anyway, just thought I’d share a little something that brings me joy. Now if only the rest of my garden would have flourished like these sunflowers …

Life’s Full of Curve Balls

As you probably noticed, I have been a little MIA lately. We just attended our fourth funeral of a close family member since December on Monday.

Kasey’s sweet Grandma Cheryl passed away very unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago. She was the picture of health at only 73 and had been helping me with the kids almost every day the week before she passed. It was all so sudden that I feel like  Kasey, the kids and I are all still in shock.

When I envisioned my life five years ago, it never would have included the losses that we have had. From watching my mother in law bravely take on Ovarian Cancer and eventually loosing that battle in December to then loosing my Grandpa to Alzheimer's a month to the day after Jackie, and then a short two weeks later loosing my husbands uncle (also his boss of 16 years and lifelong neighbor) to Cancer as well (oh how I HATE cancer), and now Grandma Cheryl who held everything together after the passing of my mother in law (her daughter). But life threw us a curve ball (or four) and we are slowly picking up the pieces and continuing on with a new normal. With little kids you really don’t have a choice, life must go on.

I have learned to cherish every moment of every one of my relationships and now know that the most important things in life revolve much less around material things and much more around the people in my life that make me happy. They are what is important. They are who keep me going.

So even though sometimes things seem impossible, and even the littlest task seems overwhelming, I am forging on. Because I know that is what I need, what my kids needs, and what my husband needs, and I know that continuing to do the things I love will only help in the healing process.