i heart faces!

So this is my first entry in i heart faces...thanks to my friend Julie (ck out her blog - http://www.justjuleseveryday.blogspot.com/) ... not only do I love reading her blog but LOVE her pictures so thought I'd post one of my own of my sweet Hannah, on the left and my two nieces, Peyton & Jaidyn....what a sweet threesome of girls!

People's Choice Photo Challenge ~ Best Face Photo in January



3 sweet cousins who are more like sisters!





My brother's in town!



Eric & I two years ago!

 I'm so excited my brother Eric is in town ... it's been 2 years (I can't believe it!) since he's been back in KC. He's been living in Bend, OR for the last 15ish or more years (I lose count in my old age) and gets back here once in a while. The cool thing about this visit is not only is he here but more of how he got here! Back in November, one of the radio stations was doing a "Home for the Holidays" contest ... send in a letter/email of why they should fly your loved one "Home for the Holidays" ... well, after hearing one of the more emotional stories one morning on the way to work .... I put my own emotions to the test and sent off an email. Lo and behold a few weeks later, I received a call on the way to work .... and ... the good news was ... they were flying Eric "Home for the Holidays"! I couldn't believe it ... I had to pull over ... and the news came on Eric's birthday! Of course, I had called him the day before to say Happy Birthday and now had an even better reason to call him again!

So ... Eric arrived in KC last Thursday and is here until this Friday ... it's been great ... just like he never left! We had a big family day @ my Dad's Sunday (lots of football, food, beverages and the like) ... lots of old family stories and belly laughs ... the good stuff!

Yesterday I took the day off and Eric & I just got to hang ... had a blast and more importantly just caught up on life in general. The best part (so far) was last night when we (my fam & Eric) were watching old home videos (my dad took all his big super 8 tapes & had them converted to DVDs for all of us) from pretty much my birth until 2nd grade or so and had of course both my brothers and sister too. While I was watching all of this ... of course it brought back amazing memories of my mom ... but the part I loved the most was really seeing how much my mom & dad loved us. Most of the videos were around birthdays & holidays and for every occasion, my mom or dad was up close with me or Eric or Adam or Emily ... I could just "see" how much love, compassion & excitement they had for each of us. What that showed me is that I want to carry on that same love, compassion & excitement in my family ... for my husband, Torie and Hannah & Hank. Life is short and it's really about the simple things and being together. I'm so blessed to have such an amazing husband and two amazing kids who are healthy & happy.

Happy New Year & all that jazz...



Christmas morning @ 14612



Santa goodies!









Well ... here we are in good 'ole 2011 .... can't wait to see what the new year brings, although I already feel so blessed and want for nothing ... well, most of the time! It was so nice to be on vacation for 2 full weeks during Christmas & New Year's and just do pretty much nothing. We slept in til 9am (most days & including H&H), watched a lot of movies and of course there was a fair share of eating too!



Peace & Love from H&H

 For those of you following the basement finish ... it's nearing completion (minus the bar & some french doors) (@ least there's carpet & tv/surround sound/wii & Santa brought the XBOX - I think for the kids but maybe more for my husband since it came with 2011 NCAA College Football ... can you say Huskers? Also, I must add, in the bathroom, there is a urinal, yes, I said urinal ... since my husband works for Kohler, we only have the BEST fixtures in our house ... thanks babe! Not to mention the sweet cobalt blue porcelain sink for the bar ... will look awesome with the granite! 



Hank & Daddy



Hannah & Daddy

 









But enough about the basement ... guess what I'm trying to say and or reflect on is that it was so nice to just do nothing and hang together with the fam (we had lots of fam @ the house over Christmas) and I'm so thankful we could all be together. It was especially great to just do whatever with Torie, Hannah & Hank and of course, the constant entertainment from those 3 is non-stop. I love what Hank said when he opened a puffy vest for one of his gifts ... he said, "mom, I don't get it ... it's like a tank-top coat!" All I could do is laugh ... I love how Hank puts everything into simple terms. Speaking of simple, I'll leave you with this ... we were talking about New Year's @ New Year's Even dinner and Hank so simply says, "God tells my heart what to say". I love that. I want to be loving like that and have God tell my heart what to say .... could it be any better?