Ringing in the New Year

We just experienced our very first snowy winter break. Compliments of Park City, Utah.  With highs of 12-15 F and lows in the negatives, I can tell you for sure, I have never been so cold in my life! What made this first winter trip even more special was having our very first guests! So happy Dani and her family could join us. They were our first "guinea pigs". 

And I have made a few notes for subsequent trips with guests.

Our family had a wonderful and schedule free time. As soon as we landed, the girls were off sliding in the fresh snow in front of our house. It truly was a winter wonderland.

Our first days on the slopes were a little rough. Ski school was booked (poor planning during the busiest time of the year) and Kalista wasn't up to par to keep up with the 3 of us. But she was a trooper and we made the best memories.

I totally remember this day. It was freezing! But fresh snow was quite epic.

Kid free days! Thank you ski school!

Snow mobiles were a huge a hit!

Outdoor ice skating is always a treat. 

Something about having the snow covered mountains surrounding you.

 Cheers to 2016!

DIY Holiday Photo Shoot - The Outtakes

I had an epic FAIL in having family photos for our holiday card. Time just got the best of me. I almost dismissed the whole card thing altogether. But then, I reminded myself, "You are pretty good behind the lens." So on a lovely overcast day, the girls got dolled up and with lollipops in hand off we went to the best location. The front yard. ; )

I had a lot of great shots to choose from. Here are some outtakes!

*For those who want to know: I used the Samsung NX300 Mirrorless Camera with 45 mm lens and 18 - 55 mm lens. Wish I would have got the deal on this camera that is going on right now!

Scenes from April

I try to blog as current as I can. But sometimes the days and weeks roll right into each other and I fall behind. So here is a little picture storytelling (aka photo dump) of April:

The cutest Frozen party for Kalista's gal pal, Gianna.

The best tablescape ever!

 We celebrated Daddy, but forgot to take pics :(

But did manage to take a shot of this birthday pie!

Oreo crust, chocolate chip, rocky road, and salted caramel.

Easter and a rare family photo:

Post egg hunt fun with friends.

And the best photo of the month is this selfie . . . 

after I got CARDED at Trader Joe's.

TEA-cher Appreciation

Kalista and I were out the other day and I saw these cute mugs at Anthropologie:

These monogrammed beauties were the perfect discovery to help show 

our appreciation for the wonderful TEA-chers in our lives.

Starting to make sense?

So cute, right?

So don't forget . . . May 6th! 

Let the teachers in your life and/or your children's lives know how much you appreciate all they do!

A Special Valentine Delivery

For our Angel in Heaven . . . We love you Grandpa!

Valentine's Day Card Carrier

Sophia's Valentine's Day class party is coming up. My friend, Dani, and I have 4 fun stations for the kids to enjoy. One of the stations is for the kids to make their own Valentine's Day Card Carrier.

Little sister modeling:

So cute, right?

Just click on the link above for the tutorial. We decided to make it a little easier and time saving by cutting out the templates for each student. We also skipped the step with cutting out the mouth and making an opening in the bag. If you do decide to make a mouth opening in the bag, make sure your bag is wide enough!

If you are planning a Valentine's Day party for your kid(s), here are some ideas that we have planned along with our cupcake decorating station:

Valentine's Minute To Win It Station

Valentine Bingo