week eight
The World is White!
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
A love letter.
Dear Chad,
(Whenever I hear this song, I can't help but think of us!) So, in the words of Uncle Kracker and in honor of February (the month for lovers) and Valentines Day (my favorite holiday!):
You're better than the best.
I'm lucky just to linger in your light.
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow, that's right.
Completely unaware.
Nothing can compare to where you send me, lets me know that it's okay!
And the moments when my good times start to fade... you make me smile like the sun,
fall out of bed, sing like a bird, dizzy in my head,
spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night.
You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe, shine like gold, buzz like a bee.
Just the thought of you can drive me wild.
I see the best of me inside your eyes... you make me smile!
I love you. I love our life together. 19 years ago, we dreamed of getting married. We dreamed of having a house full of children who would need kisses and tickles and talks. We dreamed of traveling and new adventures. We dreamed of creating new traditions and making amazing memories to last us a lifetime. Those dreams have come true. Thank you for your positive light and for always making me smile.
(Me + Superman)
And now as our life together moves on, we have new dreams...
exciting, crazy, wonderful ones!
I. can't. wait.
xoxo
Hairnets.
Pizza anyone?
(The biggest pizza we have ever seen!)
A few weeks ago, we met up with Grandpa Rich (Chad's Dad) for some pizza and a little Christmas celebration/lunch. We ordered a pizza that was GINORMOUS ~ (see photo above...) and it made for a lot of laughs and a delicious lunch as well. We are always happy to be able to spend time with Rich. This man has survived colon cancer, major surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. We feel lucky that he is still here with us today to tell the tale.
(Christmas money from Grandpa!)
Life is too short for drama or petty things, so laugh hard, love truly and forgive quickly.
Live while you are alive! Forgive now those who made you cry.
You might not get a second chance!
Live while you are alive! Forgive now those who made you cry.
You might not get a second chance!
We are always grateful for second chances around here!
More of the Tanner family holiday shenanigans coming up soon!
My Project 52. Week One.
week one
Happy New Year from California!
At the end of the year, I plan to create a book from my collection of photographs from this project. I will share my project 52 weekly photograph with you every Friday. Thanks for coming along on this journey with me! What new ideas ~ traditions ~ projects are you taking on this year?
Happy New Year!
It's the new year already? How did that happen? Is your life flying by, as fast as mine seems to be? Its just a roller-coaster ride and I am holding on tight and enjoying the ride!
Since getting home from my trip to Mississippi (yes, I still need to blog about that) I dove right back into work, family, and my calling as Young Women President. Therefore, my blog has been a bit neglected, but something has to give, right?
In a perfect world, I would have time to blog about: Me, Chad and the kids sitting 8th row at the Jazz game, our delicious Thanksgiving holiday - specifically my pumpkin pie and Chad's amazing turkey, Caden shooting his first Elk, Jordan's broken toe, saying good-bye to our cousin Logan who is a missionary now, our failed winter family photo shoot in the cold/rain/snow, Christmas countdowns all over the house made by my darling children, Jordan singing another solo with his guitar in the assembly at WHS - he rocked!, losing 10 pounds and buying my first pair of skinny jeans, spending time in the temple with my darling young women and my two boys!, a December full of parties and festivities spent with people we love, the biggest pizza you have ever seen, a beautiful and wonderful and delicious and quiet Christmas eve with my favorite people, a magical Christmas morning filled with wide eyes and surprises and yes, some happy tears.... , and our amazing trip to California where we spent our winter holidays.
As I reflect on this past year, I am filled with gratitude for all the blessings that fill up my life to overflowing. We are filling every year with some pretty amazing memories and traditions. After all, that's what its all about, right? Living your life. I am so truly blessed and I am thankful for every single bit of it. I am so proud of what we have accomplished this past year! I get so excited as I write my goals for the new year, and think of all the amazing possibilities that are waiting for us. Happy New Year!!
Since getting home from my trip to Mississippi (yes, I still need to blog about that) I dove right back into work, family, and my calling as Young Women President. Therefore, my blog has been a bit neglected, but something has to give, right?
In a perfect world, I would have time to blog about: Me, Chad and the kids sitting 8th row at the Jazz game, our delicious Thanksgiving holiday - specifically my pumpkin pie and Chad's amazing turkey, Caden shooting his first Elk, Jordan's broken toe, saying good-bye to our cousin Logan who is a missionary now, our failed winter family photo shoot in the cold/rain/snow, Christmas countdowns all over the house made by my darling children, Jordan singing another solo with his guitar in the assembly at WHS - he rocked!, losing 10 pounds and buying my first pair of skinny jeans, spending time in the temple with my darling young women and my two boys!, a December full of parties and festivities spent with people we love, the biggest pizza you have ever seen, a beautiful and wonderful and delicious and quiet Christmas eve with my favorite people, a magical Christmas morning filled with wide eyes and surprises and yes, some happy tears.... , and our amazing trip to California where we spent our winter holidays.
As I reflect on this past year, I am filled with gratitude for all the blessings that fill up my life to overflowing. We are filling every year with some pretty amazing memories and traditions. After all, that's what its all about, right? Living your life. I am so truly blessed and I am thankful for every single bit of it. I am so proud of what we have accomplished this past year! I get so excited as I write my goals for the new year, and think of all the amazing possibilities that are waiting for us. Happy New Year!!
(our Happy New Year card that will be mailed out today!)
Today.
Reading with my little Shaye-Shaye. Its a favorite part of my afternoon. I watch her face. She is beautiful. She is smart. You can almost see her brain learning. She is my baby. And my heart loves her so much. Its a wonderful winter afternoon when I get to curl up with her and read a few good books on my big king size bed and let the afternoon sun pour in on us and warm us a bit.
Now off to finish the rest of my day, which includes:
~ cleaning up the house
~ picking up the children from various places around town
~ making dinner
~ listening to some of my favorite Christmas songs, while I work around the house
~ helping little Gabi with her science experiment
~ pondering on my upcoming talk in Sacrament meeting
~ bathing little girls and kissing them and tucking them in tight
~ starting another load of laundry, and thinking about the mounds to be folded and put away
~ doing another load of dishes
~ admiring my lovely Christmas tree glowing in the evening hours
~ and hopefully ~ curling up with Chad to watch Survivor from last night
How do you spend your afternoons? Are you as blessed as me?
(Shaye reading to me - "If you give a Cat a Cupcake" - one of our favorites.)
Now off to finish the rest of my day, which includes:
~ cleaning up the house
~ picking up the children from various places around town
~ making dinner
~ listening to some of my favorite Christmas songs, while I work around the house
~ helping little Gabi with her science experiment
~ pondering on my upcoming talk in Sacrament meeting
~ bathing little girls and kissing them and tucking them in tight
~ starting another load of laundry, and thinking about the mounds to be folded and put away
~ doing another load of dishes
~ admiring my lovely Christmas tree glowing in the evening hours
~ and hopefully ~ curling up with Chad to watch Survivor from last night
How do you spend your afternoons? Are you as blessed as me?
A Thank You and Some Holiday Magic.
First off - a BIG thank you to all who voted for me in my photography workshop contest!
I didn't win... but hey, it was worth a try, right?
Thanks for letting me beg for some votes!
And now...
The magic of Christmas morning.
Is there anything quite like it?...
Seeing the EXCITEMENT and JOY in the faces of your sweeties.
Knowing that your little girls won't be little girls forever...
And wishing you could freeze time so these beautiful, magical memories (and music) last forever!
The Holidays. Part Three - Each Other.
CHRISTMAS EVE.
A very fun night for us. Its a night Just for US.
Just us and our kiddos - and for just being with EACH OTHER.
We have some really fun and fabulous traditions for this night -
and its a night that we look forward to all year!
and its a night that we look forward to all year!
We start the night off with:
A traditional Swiss Raclette Dinner
(with our splurge of Raclette cheese at $18 per pound - and YES it is so worth it!)
For the little ones who don't have the taste buds for Raclette yet -
we have mini-pizzas with some good ole American cheeses.
This dinner is an experience because we cook everything right there at the table
with our Raclette Oven smack dab in the middle.
SO MUCH FUN.
*on a side note: I used to have to drive to Salt Lake City to purchase this cheese at a specialty store,
but this year we found it locally at Harmons! Woot Woot! Gotta love Harmons!!
*on another side note: Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to eat this cheese cold - it is for melting only!!
*and yet another side note: LOVE how this tradition teaches about our heritage and cultures from Chads mission!!
Our night with each other also includes:
lots of eggnog, tons of laughs, gifts from mom and dad to kiddos- (new jammies),
a new Christmas book to read together, reading from the scriptures,
gift exchanges from sibling to sibling - (which for the little ones includes gifts from their own bedrooms wrapped up for each other and it is seriously the cutest thing in the world.),
music from our own in-house musician, baths, lots of photographs,
and then leaving cookies/milk/carrots and a note for Santa.
Seriously. Does it get any better than this?!
Thanks for re-living my holidays with me. They went way too fast.
Stay tuned tomorrow for my last holiday post: The Magic and Our Loved Ones.
The Holidays. Part Two - The Sounds.
It's the Most Wonderful Time of The Yar!
Music is a HUGE part of my family - and a HUGE part of our holidays.
Every year we get together to sing carols - our favorite one being -
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Yar!
Are you wondering why I keep spelling Year - Yar?
Because we actually sing it Yar!
Years ago when we started this tradition, someone (my mom?) spelled year wrong on this song when she was typing up all the words to the songs.
We always get a good laugh at it... and we LOVE singing it that way... ITS OUR TRADITION!
We always get to hear and sing Matt's BEAUTIFUL original Christmas Carol.
And the kids (and adults) have lots of fun playing the chimes.
We finish up the night by decorating some delicious gingerbread men.
And Chad and I are feeling INCREDIBLY grateful for the beautiful SOUNDS of the Holidays.
PS. No pics of this, but, Michael McClean's The Forgotton Carols Concert is another great "sounds" tradition. We go every year thanks to Chad's fabulous Mom - It is also one of our favorites!
Stay tuned for Part Three - Each Other.
The Holidays. Part One - The Sights.
We spent the holidays enjoying.
Enjoying the sights, the sounds, each other, the magic and our loved ones.
One night, we spent an evening in the city with some of our favorite people,
enjoying the sights and the spirit of Christmas at Temple Square.
It was cold and beautiful!
enjoying the sights and the spirit of Christmas at Temple Square.
It was cold and beautiful!
What a special place to take in the sights of Christmas!
I am always amazed at all the millions of lights that surround this beautiful place-
And the spirit of Christmas - that is to say - the spirit of Christ - that is abundant here.
Stay tuned for Part Two - The Sounds.
The Frasier Family
I posted a sneak peek from the Frasier's shoot over HERE on The Shoot Shoppe Blog!
January in St. George
A film job took Adelle and I to St. George in January.
We have now decided that we should be spending our winters there from now on...
Yes, Yes. I could handle winter if it was 65 degrees.
We spent 3 days there for the job and couldn't bring ourselves to leave.
We missed our families and all, but the weather was just too amazing.
So, we called and said "We are staying 3 more days - Come join us!"
And that's exactly what they did. It was a BLAST.
We spent one day in Zion National Park.
It was beautiful.
They even had a picture of Caden on their caution signs.
Yes, he slipped a lot. It was funny.
Here is my boy. My friend. My sweetie. My cutie teenager.
I can feel him growing up and slipping away from me...
It makes my heart hurt. Man I love this kid.
And this is my partner in crime and her darling little family.
We have way too much fun together.
If you ever get a chance to see Zion in the wintertime, do it.
You won't regret it. It is so beautiful.
Speaking of having fun together...
These two are great friends.
What? You didn't know I had twins?
Ok, twins that are 3 years apart...
Both of the resorts we stayed at had great outdoor pools.
Thats right. I said outdoor.
We swam outside in January. In January people!
We soaked up as much sunshine as we possibly could.
I just love getting a suntan in January. It's the best.
We also did some hiking in the red rock country.
My family loves the red rock country.
It's like a natural playground for kids.
They hiked and climbed and ran
and hiked and climbed and ran...
It was a brilliant, blue sky, sunny, wonderful kind of day.
The kind you never want to end.
And it was awesome until Adelle forced me against my will
to squeeze myself through this crack in one of the canyons.
She forced me, I say! Gave me no choice!
(And that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!)
And don't tell her, but I can't wait for next January,
when she forces me yet again to
squeeze myself through the crack...
And for all of our sunny adventures that await us down south.
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