December Daily | December 16-22

Day 16 | Cornerstone Christmas play with Taylor as an ANGEL and Landon as a SHEPHERD
Day 17 | Ryland spent a sick day at Grandma's while I worked.
Day 18 | Hank and I had a date and were treated to see Cavalia. AMAZING!

Day 19 | Sunrise Montessori Christmas Program
Day 20 | Cornerstone Christmas Under the Stars
Day 21 | Visit to Deer Valley Airport to see Santa arrive
Day 22 | Drive around drinking hot cocoa and seeing the Christmas lights
 

Review | Cavalia's Odysseo

Have you ever been to a show that takes your breath away? The kind of show that you think about as you fall asleep at night or greets you the next morning with vibrant memories? That is what Cavalia did for me. I feel extremely blessed to have seen such an incredible act of artistry.

Cavalia, a company based in Montreal, Quebec, presents large-scale equestrian and performing arts productions. Its shows display expertise and innovation with cutting-edge technology, multimedia and special effects, along with equestrian and acrobatic performances. Odysseo, their second production, was launched in 2011. This second show portrays equestrian arts, acrobatics, music, multimedia projections and special effects under one Big Top. It features some 300 different costumes, 60 male horses, and 45 artists/musicians.

The show started at 8:00 pm and although I was extremely exhausted 2.5 hours later, I was thankful that my time was extremely well spent. I can't even fathom how another production can top this one. The music was phenomenal. The artists were extremely talented and even made me nervous on several occasions. And the horses were gorgeous.

I am usually a little extra sensitive to animals in regards to their show life. I wonder if the training is too tough and if they are cared for adequately. I was relieved to see the artists lovingly stroke their horse companions. The stallions and other breeds completely trusted their masters. It was a beautiful relationship to watch.

I can't wait to see what Cavalia comes up with next! Check out Cavalia's website for more information and photos.

December Daily | December 9 - 15

DAY 9 - Oliver the Elf gets in trouble
DAY 10 - Circus Americana
DAY 11 - Joe's birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza

DAY 12 - Christmas caroling at the retirement home
DAY 13 - Christmas crafts with Grandma Carol
DAY 14 - Celebrate Christmas at Phoenix First Assembly
DAY 15 - my Christmas crafts

Review | Circus Americana

Last night our family attended the very first stage perfomance for Circus Americana. The Taylor family, who are Arizona locals, put on a homegrown circus. The family is extremely talented and have quite a show packed into almost 90 minutes of entertainment. My 3-year-old was glued to the performance and wouldn't allow himself to fall asleep until the ride home.

Although the circus was missing live animals, it made up for itself in many other ways. One of the best memories from this show was that before and after the show, the entire cast was mingling with the crowd. We felt like we knew them! It made a huge impact on the kids for sure.

We feel truly blessed to be a part of their first live theater performance. I would recommend this show to anyone with children ages 3 and up.

December Daily | December 1 - 8

DAY 1 - Stillman McCormick Railroad Park (included in Week 48 layout)
DAY 2 - Desert Breeze Women's Tea to listen to my mother-in-law as the guest speaker
DAY 3 - Our Christmas tree
DAY 4 - My FIRST nativity set

DAY 5 - our Christmas lights ( better late than never)
DAY 6 - Adoption of Oliver the Elf
DAY 7 - Live Nativity
DAY 8 - Photos with Santa at Cabela's

Project Life | Week 48

Taylor and Landon had to go back to the dentist for their fillings :( They both were excellent patients. I included a couple of my favorite Instagram photos from the week as well.

This whole spread included photos of our first trip to the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale. It was our last gooodbye to my Granny and a special day with special people. And the park was pretty amazing too!

Project Life | Week 47

Such a BIG week for us. First, Taylor lost her very first tooth. Sadly, she lost it in the middle of the night, and we can't find it anywhere. Quite possibly she swallowed it. This week was all about Thanksgiving and Grandparents. The kids hosted their Oma Ingrid, Opa Lou, Grandma Carol, and Great Grandma Emmy at their school's Thanksgiving Tea. The kids also had their biannual dental exam and cleaning. I was mortified to find out that Taylor and Landon have cavities. Yikes!

This year my in-laws hosted Thanksgiving. All I had to do was bring a pie and side dish. This year I made sweet potatoes using a new recipe and it was fantastic. I included the menu plan for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for future years to refer back to. On Saturday night we checked out Tempe's Festival of Lights with some new friends from church. We all had a blast!

Project Life | Week 46

Week 46 started off with a bang! The kids were invited to a birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza. They had so much fun...now Taylor and Landon are asking to have their birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza. We also had our family photos taken by a sweet friend. I can't wait to scrapbook all of the family photos soon!

The rest of the week focused on a visit from my 83-year-old grandmother whom I affectionately call "Granny". She stayed with us for a few nights and they kids loved the bath time tea parties and lotioning Granny's feet. Landon is especially sensitive and caring for her... He makes my heart melt. Taylor put her brother's bug catching equipment to work this week. She couldn't understand why I wouldn't keep the bug in our house overnight.

Fall Family Photos

My sweet friend Shannon took our family photos this year. I wanted something different than the traditional desert landscape that we have had in the past. So Shannon took us to downtown Phoenix. Time ran out quickly on us....there were so many fun photography options.

Project Life | Week 45

Week 45 has come and gone all too quickly. I included a couple of Instagram photos that I took randomly of the boys as well as a photo of the kids in their Belize t-shirts from Grandpa Don. I also inserted the kids monthly school updates in a polka dot paper envelope. I felt it was important to include the election results as that was a big part of our week.



The other highlight of the week was that I was asked to tag along on Taylor's Kindergarten field trip to Tolmachoff Farms. I took lots of photos for the yearbook and included a bit of journaling too. 

Project Life | Week 44

Week 44 was all about Halloween. Hankk and I carved pumpkins for the kids...talk about intense work. They also dressed up for a school party and then again for trick or treating in the evening with my parents.

This year Landon was a mailman and Spiderman; Taylor was a ballerina; and Ryland was commando. They really enjoyed walking around the neighborhood and collecting candy. Our neighborhood is pretty fun. Neighbors camp out in their driveways to hand out candy and decorate their yards. On Saturday, all three kids were invited to Axel's painting party. A really fun week for us all!

Project Life | Week 42 & 43

Week 42 included a special visit from my Aunt Monica who was down here from Canada. That was a special treat! This week we decided to "boo" one of our neighbors. Taylor and Landon had such a blast. They were so excited that when they saw our neighbors the next day, they told them we did it! A petting zoo came to the kids' school this week too!

The week ended with a movie playdate while Hank and I went to our core group, Tolmachoff Farms on Friday, and Lucy's 5th birthday party at a local gym.

Week 43 focused a lot on Lynette, Hank's sister, who would have turned 33 on October 22. The kids wanted to make sure she was having a birthday party in heaven so we got balloons and released them in the air as we sang Happy Birthday. It was a sweet moment. Even though our children have never had the chance to meet their aunt, we still celebrate her!

This week was also special because we attended Family Night at the kids' school and were able to see what they are currently working on. Taylor has added math to her worklist. Ryland is still getting comfortable in his new settings. Landon is mastering letters and their sounds so that he can move onto spelling.

Project Life | Week 41

Week 41 | Can't believe the year is almost over! This week we had picnic at a local park with the Migrays -- love them! Taylor also started to read for the first time sentence after sentence! I was so in awe, I had to capture this moment. And Hank and his Carol celebrated their birthdays this week too!

 

The watermelons are growing in our garden as well as the weeds in the backyard. Oh well, you win some, and you lose some. Then on Saturday, the kids dressed up for Boe's Super Hero Birthday. While I took Taylor to dance, Hank and his dad took the boys to a safety response event and sat in a medical helicopter and saw fire engines and the bomb squad. Good times! 

Project Life | Week 40

WEEK 40 | Started off with our monthly dinner with my sweet college friend and their hubbies and children. I am a lucky girl to have so many precious friends. This week was also BIG for my Ry Ry. He transitioned from the toddle class to PRESCHOOL. He cried the first day for his beloved teacher, Miss Dawn. But from what I hear, he is quite content exploring the preschool room and making new friends. His new teacher, Miss Farhana, is excited to have him in the same class as his siblings.

In this spread, I also included a photo of my precious Taylor and her unique, spunky style. She loves to wear bright, colorful knee-high socks! Landon's new drum sticks finally arrived in the mail so he can drum again....pretty much a daily occurrence. And last but not least, my in laws took the kids for the weekend to go camping at Lake Pleasant. The kids had such a good time, and Hank and I had a fabulous time taking it slow and relaxing a little bit.

Right Now

At this very moment, a lot is going on behind the scenes. And somehow, I feel like very little is happening. So to help me capture the present day, I've been mulling over in my head was is really happening "right now."

• I am enjoying some alone time with Ryland while his siblings are at school. Most days, I pick Ryland up at 11:30 and we have until 3:00...alone.
• I am still enjoying naptime. When Ryland naps, I try to nap...doctor's orders.
• The weather is cooling down, and it feels great. Still not quite ready for jeans and sweaters but almost!
• As Hank searches for a new career, he continues to help a dear friend with his pool business.
• I'm almost 100% sure that my foot is broken. And since I haven't been to the doctor yet, I am trying to elevate and ice it as much as possible.
• I am really enjoying all of the new fall TV shows. My favorite is The Voice.
• Landon is still taking speech therapy once a week.
• Taylor is a beginner reader!
• Ryland is deeply in love with his cars. He also keeps asking for the circus and the monster truck show.
• Our garden is overgrown and needs some desperate attention.
• Our fun neighbors "booed" us last night and gave us a basket full of goodies.
• I am working two days on the road and work most nights at home.
• I feel like I am constantly doing laundry, and picking up all of our stuff, and cleaning.
• I am anticipating the upcoming election and praying for America.
• I am unmotivated to work out and cut out soda.
• I am thankful to have little children who are potty trained!
• I am addicted to Subway's turkey, bacon & guacamole sandwich.
• I am teetering between stressing about the holidays and looking forward to it.

Project Life | Week 39

Time is flying by! So much is happening right now. Landon started full-day preschool this week. He was super stoked about eating lunch at school with his friends. He has even started packing his own lunch bag for school. Taylor had her bi-weekly Polished Cornerstones Bible study. The girls were taught about the importance of obedience and learned how to make homemade soap. It was a super fun experience!

This week we also headed up to Prescott with over 100 of our dear friends from church for Family Camp. The kids had a blast and the weather was perfect! We went on hikes and scavenger hunts and played as much as possible before heading back  home on Sunday. The kids now have their own youth sleeping bags so they were pretty happy!

Project Life | Week 38

Week 38 | Started the week off with dinner at our sweet friends from college, the Villanuevas. We also hosted Oma's birthday dinner at our house on Monday night.

This was also the week that Ryland was potty trained. Yay! I included a photo of Ryland who snuck in my bed with Hank and was sleeping in my spot. And Landon had his first 'boys only' playdate. While these days are long and hard, I sure treasure them and know our babies will be adults soon enough.