NumberNineteen

Christmas 2013

I'm sitting here, drinking earl grey from one of my favorite Christmas gifts, this mug:

Isn't it perfect?  To help you understand just how perfect it is, I'll tell you this -- the inside is pink!  I know!

We are still relaxing on our Christmas break, mostly reading and playing with our new toys.  Hope just came over for a cuddle.  Love having this much time with my girl.

We spent Christmas with my parents and my sister's family in Delaware at my parent's house.  The kids were so *excited*.  Magic was in the air!  By the time that they woke up on Christmas morning, they could barely be contained.  My 4 year old nephew spied his new Radio Flyer wagon & declared "This is the gift I've been looking for all day!"

Look at that!  The excitement is just about to overflow!

Now that I'm older, my favorite part is Christmas Eve.  Santa has come and the room is dark except for the Christmas lights.  The presents are piled high, full of mystery -- what could be inside?  It is just magic.  Here are the little ones, sitting by the tree, just before being nestled into their beds.

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas with your family.

Merry Christmas!

A Very Merry Christmas From Our Home to Yours!

Bits of Christmas

After the rush of preparations, we are finally on Christmas vacation.  Yesterday at school was spirit filled.  Lots of presents and sweets and a surprize holiday concert from the orchestra, right in front of the library.  We were in the middle of our normal routine and suddenly heard the Carol of the Bells.  It was magical.  I begged the director to do it again next year, with even more songs. 

We are all ready for Santa around here.  The cookies are baked, presents wrapped (almost) and the house decorated.  Our Christmas party was last weekend, filled with family & friends. We are going to Old Town Alexandria today for our annual browse about, picking up those fun last minute gifts that happen to catch our eye. 

Just a few bits of Christmas around our house this year....

Hope & I usually do a little holiday craft each year and this year I decided that we should try out a matchbox diarama.  Hope's wasn't done when I took this photo, so I can just show you mine.  Lots of glitter (hard to see here), teeny tiny trees, a cupcake topper and mica snow. 

The newest Santa in my collection. Love him.

How are your Christmas preparations coming along?

Wishlist

I have a bunch of stories and photos about little Christmas projects that I've been working on and fund details of our decorations, but I've been overwhelmed with work stuff these past 2 weeks.  Our annual Christmas party is tonight so I'm going to have more time to post next week.  In the meantime, I'm sharing my wishlist for this year -- maybe you'll find something that you need to have under your tree as well?

World Market is a treasure trove this year...I've fallen in love with this this mint green jar...in my kitchen or craft room...

I could always use another set of measuring spoons and these are some of the prettiest that I've ever seen.  How much more fun would cooking and baking be with those beauties?

And how perfect are these for me?

I'd love to make this towel into a pillow.

This cosy sweater would be so nice on cold days.

I love these earrings.  I think that they look like an old wax seal.

Finally, this book.  I have wanted this book since Susan Branch took her loyal readers on her trip to England with her through her blog last year.  It was an amazing journey and I can't wait to read all of the details, see the photos and experience Susan's art.

What are you hoping that Santa will bring you?

 

Family Photos -- Heather Bee Photos

You may remember that I mentioned that we were finally having professional family photos taken back in October.  We called on my old friend Heather Behlendorf, who I know from my last job before I went back to school.  It was an interesting place to work.  It was a very small financial services firm filled with people who had dreams of being elsewhere but loved working with each other.  It really was the best group of people that I've ever worked with -- I still miss them.  The firm folded a few years ago and only one of us is still in finance. 

Heather always knew that her dream was to be a full time photographer.  She was setting up and slowly growing her business in the DC area while working full time at the finance job.  Once I saw her photos, I knew that I wanted her to take our family photos.  A job loss, grad school & various expenses put it off until this fall.  For Heather, the firm that we worked at closed in DC & she was presented with the unexpected opportunity to go full time in photography.  It was sink or swim and she is swimming along beautifully.

It was a beautiful day for our session, cold & crisp.  She captured it perfectly.

One of my favorites

You can see more of Heather's work at Heather Bee Photo

She does beautiful wedding, baby & family photographs.  If you go to her site, check out Emily & Reese's wedding -- they are former colleagues of ours who met & fell in love at that financial firm!