Goodbye 2011

Tomorrow is the last day of 2011. A great year. Filled with a million memories.

In the quiet of a late night on the couch with a computer full of pictures I reminisce.

We had some great belly laughs didn't we?

and some times we tried something we didn't like...

or something made us sad, or scared, or worried...

but we found something to smile about again. art projects always helped.

of course high fives from dad help too.

and paint! messy glorious paint with glitter. that makes us silly.

sometimes we felt crazy. we screamed. sometimes loud.

but we found ways to get up again. toys help!

this year we learned alot.

we played and hugged and cried and rode our bikes.

we worked and played and went to the beach together.

we went to parks. lots and lots of parks.

we made really good friends.

we tried to get more sleep.
we watched babies grow up.

we had a party for iz biz!

bodes walked, talked...grew into toddlerhood.

iz started preschool (2!), and was fabulous.

g traveled and swam with sharks.

shell worked crazy hours, but had an impact on families

we had iz and mom dates at the museum

we had neighborhood happy hours

we went to starbucks and had chocolate sprinkles

we drove to see friends, flew to see family

we said welcome to the family oliver

we welcomed visitors, saw cherry blossoms in the rain

we took a scary trip to the ER

we swam, ran, biked

we packed up and moved

we said goodbye and hello

we gave up jobs and started new ones

we danced and did art projects

we were together

Reflecting on 2011, first a sadness comes over me as I look at the last pictures I took of our days in DC. Beautiful times in a beautiful area with my kids. I miss our parks, our walks, our smoothie shop, our friends. Even our crazy tiny little old dirty townhouse I miss sometimes. What amazing memories we had there. The life you had made, the groove you had gotten into. Did we have fun and friends? Yes! Was it hard? Yes! Did I seek a slower pace of life? Yes! But I think it's still okay to say I miss it.

What I most look forward to in 2012.... time with my kids and watching them grow up. Being together. Getting into a groove here in this area, making friends, setting down roots in some form. Family time! Love my g, and am so lucky to have you as my partner in this crazy parenting game. Outside time- can't wait. Seeeing my big family more and watching my oli grow up. Work? hmm...thinking more on that. Feels like a good time for the new year.

Whew, writing that down feels good.

Goodnight and goodbye to 2011. You were very good to us.

See ya on the flip side.

Ayres-Wilhelms out

Christmas morning pictures

Christmas 2011

I adore Christmas eve. We had a beautiful tree this year. By Christmas eve, the ornaments were all on the upper 1/3 of the tree to avoid toddler snatching, lol. Looks so funny but made me laugh everytime I looked at it. The presents were the perfect touch to balance it out, =)On Christmas eve the anticipation of the month is finally at a head and the final preparations for Christmas morning are ready to be completed. I love digging out the bags of presents that I've stuffed in the back of the closet, in the trunk of the car, and that we've received for the kids and getting out the wrapping paper and getting to work while a Christmas movie plays on tv. I buy 2 different rolls of paper just like my parents did to differentiate between the kids' gifts. The last few years g has been assembling toys for the kids, and I'm starting to enjoy this being part of the Christmas eve tradition.

This year g wanted to get the kids bikes from work, so iz got a pink bike with pedals (as requested), and bodes got a tricycle. I wanted to get the kids shopping carts, so the tree was exploding with gifts this year. We also received huge boxes from the grandparents with amazing gifts for the kids (and us!). Thank you so much grandma and grandpa ayres and nanna and papa!

*pictures will be posted in next posting, currently not working to put into post (boo, hiss!)

On Christmas morning iz woke up first and was exploding with quiet excitment and she exclaimed, "there are presents under the tree!!" She walked around looking at everything before quickly unwrapping all that were hers one after another. Bodes woke up a few minutes after iz had started and seemed a bit overwhelmed at everything, happy but not sure what to do. I grabbed the cameras and fumbled around trying to take pictures and mostly just watching the kids enjoy the morning. Didn't end up with many great photos, but that's ok! Iz helped bodes unwrap some of his gifts...and after about 30 minutes all unwrapping was complete! Wow...and all before my coffee, only Christmas morning could carry me through.

After the morning gifts the kids played around with their toys and bikes (and went a bit crazy from early morning chocolate), while g and I cleaned up and started getting ready to head to see mel, chris, and oliver!

I made an apple pie, marshmellow "fruit salad", (failed) cinamon rolls, and (forgotten at home) peppermint bark, to bring along. We had a delish dinner in St. Paul with mel and family and enjoyed more gift opening, but mostly time together.

It's so easy for me to get carried away with gifts this time of year. Just part of my nature and personality, especially now for my kids. With the recent move and changes we (mostly me) are working at being more fiscally responsible. It was hard to not shower people I love with gifts, but I'm working on small tokens (handmade, etc) and with verbal and written appreciation to make sure the people in my life know how important they are to me and how much I love them.

I feel truly blessed and reflect regularly on what I have to appreciate in my life. The list is long...very long. Feeling grateful today for all those blessings.

Holiday card 2011

We made a holiday card this year, but because of the crazy changes over the last couple months we decided not to send them out this year. I loved it, so had to take a picture. I hope that all of our family and friends know how much we love and appreciate them in our lives, even if they didn't get this card in the mailbox. We hope everyone had very merry holidays and cheers to the new year!

3 1/2

Iz started writing her name and had to take some pics. Was out of nowhere as we don't practice writing letters or anything. Maybe her preschool does? It was so cute when she wrote mom! (of course asking me, what comes next? Ok now what? For each letter) I proudly displayed it on the fridge of course ;).




Izzy( y is a little confused as to where it belongs) and Bo.




Next came my favorite. Mom. ;)




Followed by dad.




And then a whole mis match of all our letters together. Appropriately held to cover baby nudist. ;)

The next day or so she wanted to make a story. Had to get a few pictures. I always think these memories I will never forget and then I look back at some pictures and think- thank goodness I took a picture I didn't remember that at all!
So after she drew her pages of pictures she had me write the story. Consisting of being happy when it's sunny and they can go outside and also dad taking a shower and mommy going potty. Gotta love the three year old brain.




I'm hesitant to write this ( knock on wood) but I think age 3 1/2 and I are getting along. Less tantrums ( better knock on wood again) and more conversations, listening, brother hugs and kisses, and just pleasant moods. She is really liking school and is all smiles when bodes and I pick her up. She did say one day she wants bodie to go to school and do she can stay home with mom. I'm sure her teacher wouldn't mind she keeps saying she can't wait until bodes is three and can be in her class ;).

Iz at 3 1/2 you are creative, energetic, fun. You give great hugs and love to dance and wrestle. You love art. You love books and the library. You love to make snow angels. You really enjoy school. Cooking is also a favorite activity. You can tell us whats on your mind and are so interested in the world around you ( but why is the fish yellow?). You are potty trained- yippee!! You hate to wear underwear and currently refuse any pants except jeans, and prefer to be nude. Even in the Wisconsin cold!! You like to sing and are so excited when bodie understands your games and plays with you. You love to ride your bike and play with your animals. You make me smile. I love watching you grow up. It's probably not fun being the first kiddo sometimes when you realize your parents don't know what they are doing in parenting some ( or most) of the time, but we are figuring it out together , I think. ;) I've loved spending more time with you.

Thanks for making me smile.



You are adorable.



Gotta love our tea parties



And pancake making.



And crazy play time in mud puddles.







Followed by baths.




(hi bodes. Love u too buddy. )
can't wait for you to see your Christmas present. ;)



Here's to more fun on our adventures from age 3 1/2 and beyond!

Hugs and kisses ( and my nose in your ear)
Love mom

Christmas tree farm 2011

Today we ventured out to Haans Christmas Tree Farm in Oregon (!) Wisconsin. ;)



It was a near perfect day. Weather was high 30s and sunny and the kids had a blast.

We started off at the hay playground. How sweet is that?!











(poor bodes with mismatched hand me down mittens)


So adorable with his festive red Christmas hat.

The last two years iz has cried when we went to cut our tree so we weren't sure if this year would be similar. I'm happy to report... No tears! She loved it.


Headed off to pick our tree!









Found it!! We splurged for a giant tree It's pretty perfect.

Thanks babe for hauling it out!


Iz had to have a little tree. ( a bottom branch we cut from ours was perfect to her)


Bodes says- hey this one is perfect for me mom! Just my size!








We planned ahead and brought hot cocoa and candy canes, a perfect treat!

We also saw Santa and mrs Claus and bought a tree topper star, stocking for bodes, and a pink candy ornament for Izzy's "tree".

I spy with my own eyes something that doesn't belong.



Proof that it was giant. heading home to put it up...


Only pic of me from the day- taken by izzy ;)
Perfect fit!


G trying to straighten the tree. With 2 monkeys. So easy.






Lights and star! Izzy loved helping with the ornaments. Of course decorating a tree with two toddlers is hysterical. One step forward and several back. Remember to hang all the ornaments high. And stringing the lights around to look back and see them off the tree or bunched up in a different spot. Lol. Have to laugh. I love taking all the ornaments out and remembering when/who, etc goes with each one. One of my favorite traditions.


Bodes with his stocking. (will post better pic again)


Yeah to such a great day! Can't wait to go back again next year!