What's New With The Carter Family

It's been a super busy month for us....December usually is.  I have neglected this blog for far too long....so here is an update, and some Christmas memories from our first Christmas as a family of 4! Merry Christmas to all xoxox

Hmmmm....definitely brother and sister, there's no denying that.  Twinsies?  I dunno....what do you think....do they look a lot alike or just a little?

Was playing with Miss Fin in her room today....and I couldn't believe how big she's getting :( My little baby....sooooo big!

I tried my hand at cookie decorating again.  I really enjoy doing it, but sheesh it is a TON of work and takes forever to do!  I keep plodding away though, mostly because I am planning on making Fin's birthday cookies in a month's time and I want them to look somewhat decent.  And it doesn't hurt that they taste absolutely amazing (thank you to my BFF April for the AMAZEBALLS recipe).   So here are my snowflakes.  I love the colors I chose, but once again, I had issues with the outlining.  You can see it in almost every cookie, it does NOT follow the exact shape.  Why?  Because it's so stinkin' hard to get the icing to go where I want it to go LOL.  But I will keep trying.  Practice makes perfect, right?  These cookies are destined for my kiddos at church tomorrow.  I know they'll love them and won't be so worried about all the imperfections :)

If there ever was a blizzard inside our house, our Fin Fin would be good. No need to worry with THIS hat, right? Can't believe how stinkin' cute she is in this...can't wait to have her pictures taken with this hat and matching outfit!

  It was with disbelief and overwhelming sadness that I heard the news of my Nannu’s passing – for though he was 93 years old and in declining health, I had convinced myself that he was always going to be with us.   God, however, had a different plan.     While my heart aches for the loss of my Nannu, I am grateful for the time we got to spend together and the many wonderful memories I have of him.   It is my honor to share some of these with you all today. Let’s face it:   you always knew when Nannu was around.   Mostly because he would announce it himself, at the top of his lungs, every chance he got.   “Nann-u!” he would yell.   Just randomly throughout the day.   And it wasn’t just his name.   He used to have lots of little sayings that he liked to call out.     “Et Boti?”   It makes me smile just to remember it J   It’s these little quirks that made him unique.   Our Nannu was not your av...

  Mornings are always happy times!  She especially loves playing in her bedroom....must be the brightness in there, or maybe she likes all the pink -- oh wait, that's why "I" like it in there!

I took some pictures today of Miss Fin....who is now (can you believe it) 10 MONTHS OLD.  It's kind of crazy how fast this year has gone, and I'm sitting here shaking my head, thinking about how in less than 2 months time we'll be celebrating her first birthday.  Crazy.     My little Fin has been such a great blessing to our family.  She is like a whirlwind - constantly moving, most of the time vocal, and always loving.  She screams, she complains, she does what she wants LOL  She's my little spitfire.  She gives me a run for my money, but I would be utterly lost without her.  Love her to pieces, my little Finley girl :)

We get some amazing sunrise and sunsets in Washington.  This morning, after taking the dog out, I ran back outside with my camera and got this shot of the sky.  It was beautiful - shades of orange with bright streaks of light....just gorgeous!  

Halloween didn't exactly go as planned this  year.  I "wanted" to take Finley out, to trick or treat.  I "wanted" to make a special spooky meal for our family, in honor of the day.  I "wanted" Brandon to take Jem out to do the house to house treating.  I didn't want Finley to be sick, for it to rain buckets today, or for Brandon to be home recovering from surgery.  Nevertheless (as my dad would say), the kids got dressed up, we ate some grilled cheese sandwiches and mac'n'cheese for dinner, Jem had a blast as a ninja even if he DID have to put up with me taking him trick or treating, and we got rid of a whole lot of candy to the steady stream of kids that came out tonight :)  A good day all in all, but I am DEFINITELY looking forward to next year! HAPPY HALLOWEEN, 2012!

THIS is teething.  Sloppy, drippy, constant DROOL.  Cute little teeth poking out from the gums.  Fin now has four teeth, top and bottom middle two.  She has two more trying to come out on the top, hence the renewal of drool from her mouth.  It's not a fun time for her to be sure, but she is getting her teeth a lot faster than her older brother ever did!

Every year we head to a local pumpkin patch.  We are so lucky to live in a part of the country that is so beautiful, and has so many great farms!  The past few years we've travelled all of a mile or so LOL, to a great farm closeby...Carleton Farms.  We started off with some photos of us all...     ...then  headed to the patch to pick our pumpkins!  There were so many great pumpkins to choose from.  We all had a really tough time choosing....   ...all of us except Brandon of course :)  Within 3 minutes Brandon found "the one" and proceeded to add it to our wheelbarrow.      Next was Finley.  Mommy spotted HER pumpkin and Fin gave it the pat of approval.     Mommy had a much tougher time choosing.  There were so many there, and she wanted to get JUST the right one.  Which to choose, which to choose..... A hint:  mommy ended up going with th...

Finley LOVES to play!  She loves toys, she loves books, she loves to look at them, chew on them, drool on them.  She doesn't have a very long attention span with any one thing....but she definitely has her favorites.  She loves the Leslie Patricelli books the most, and Big Little is by far her book of choice.  She loves little things - anything that fits in her hand and consequently in her mouth, like the Little People figures and animals, or a sorting block.  This is definitely a fun age, and I love watching her play!   

Love my boy!  I can't believe how fast he's growing up...and how much older he's been looking lately.  He reminds me of my dad in this picture :) 

It was time.  She's been standing up and trying to walk for a few weeks now, and if that wasn't enough, it's starting to get colder outside.  No more putting it off.  It was time for shoes.  Expensive, outgrow sizes at alarming rates , baby shoes.  Of course they're cute as can be :)  And I did have to get a second mortgage on my house to pay for them.  More on that later.  Here she is with her spiffy new shoes.  I hope she enjoys them (all of what, a month or two).

She loves it.  We probably shouldn't encourage it......but it's so darn cute!  Watching her grab it in her hand, manipulate it and shove it back in.  Feel around for another one and stick that one in instead.  So stinkin' adorable!  She loves her "binks"  :)   Actually, she loves all 4 of them ;)

Ok.  So technically this is her birthday present.  Which I wasn't going to give her until, well, her birthday.  But I couldn't resist.  It was so nice out today, and her birthday is in the middle of winter....so....I asked daddy to put it together and off we went for a walk!  Or a drive :) Finley LOVED it!  She kept her hands on the steering wheel (like a good driver does) and enjoyed driving around the neighborhood.  Brother Jem and daddy both took turns pushing her, while I (of course) snapped a million and one pictures.  Happy early birthday Miss Fin xoxox

I was really wanting a Sunday lunch like my mama used to make. Roast chicken, peas and carrots and cream potatos. Mmmmmmmmm. So yummy! We made it for lunch today and it was so good - even Finley enjoyed it! I love that she is old enough now to eat what we are eating....in small, tiny pieces of course :) She ate a good amount, though most of it ended up in the chair (underneath her bottom). Nothing like some crushed peas and chicken stuck to her pants when we were done haha!

Time is FLYING by!  Little Miss Fin is now EIGHT months old.  Yep!  Can  you believe it?  Look at her!  She is now crawling around EVERYWHERE, still tries to stand up all the time and walk while holding on to things, and can say the words Mama, Dada and GO!  Such a smart little cookie :)  Love her to pieces!

Ahhh....my oldest niece.  River.  Crazy, zany, makes me laugh, love her to death.  Pretty as heck.  Harass her for photos, to which she so sweetly still obliges.  A month away from turning 13.  Yikes.  The teenage years.   Love you Riv xoxox  

I'd been looking at buying a baby swing for Finley for a while now....I thought it would be so fun for her to have a little outdoor swing to....well....swing in :)  I almost bought one last week (on sale!) but chickened out at the last minute - seeing as we don't even have a level back yard yet, it didn't seem like a smart purchase.  But then I saw it.  At a yard sale down the street.  A little infant swing.  It was like a sign, telling me it was OK to get one.  So I did :)  Three dollars, a trip to the hardware store for some mounting accessories, a few more dollars later....and the swing was mounted to our porch.  We put baby in it, and SHE LOVED IT!  Just look at her face...priceless!    

I am lucky enough to know, and count as a friend, one pretty awesome photographer :)   Heidi Lawson, of Wishful Thinking Photography  .  I absolutely LOVE her style, and I think she captures my children in the most amazing way.  Just look at some of the shots she took of Finley, to celebrate her being 6 months old.....these are my favorite ones....