Twenty Thirteen

{2013}

Twenty thirteen was a year for us to gain our footing and find rhythms in navigating life with two toddlers.  The (I'm going to say it) struggles of having two small children were very challenging to say the least, but there was also a lot of cute and beauty and humility and growth.  We found ourselves in many ways, and are so happy to have had the year we had together.  We moved into a great little place that we will call home until we find a home to buy, and as we settled in, gaining confidence in our abilities to be flexible and adventurous, we decided that "We do stuff now." After a year or more of feeling "grounded" in the whirlwind of welcoming a second child, what seemed like one reason after another to stay in and forego the stress of getting out with our two lively Boys, we decided to stop making excuses and we went.  And we did stuff.


{WINTER}

What I love about this photo is how finding it brought such a smile,
knowing how this game of cushions off the couch romp would become such a huge
part of our daily life.  I love seeing this capture of one of their very first adventures. 

jasper's first birthday candle

{SPRING}

moving day, may 

This scene.  Every Morning.
Every night, Between us they sleep.
It won't last forever.

a visit from my baby brother Gage

{SUMMER}

One of the greatest joys for me, looking back on this past year, is the progress I've made in my (amateur) photography.  As time goes on and I see the evolution of my attempts and my ability to frame a shot and find the good light and document little moments- I just don't know if anything else has ever felt like such a good fit in expressing my creativity, in Making an Art piece out of my life.  My dad gifted me a DSLR camera mid-year and I've loved working with it.

it was great year for thrifting: journal page from the 1800s. $5, Goodwill

the grandest sunflowers, and the sneakiest tomato snipe

half-birthday boy

walks to thai food and boys in sandals

frozen yogurt at bedtime, while the sun still shines 

Fayetteville Roots Festival- photo by Meredith Mashburn Photography

{FALL}

CHICAGO

photo credit: stranger

LAKE MICHIGAN

***

husband said this was his favorite moment of the year
seeing his boys play his grandma's organ, in Indiana

baby boy sleeping under a quilt his great grandma made out of his grandpa
and great aunts' and uncle's clothes- on the bed his daddy kept when
he stayed summers in his youth

****

peppermint falls at the walton family persimmon seed spit

private air show on the top of a mountain, deep in the ozarks on a chilly fall day

HALLOWEEN

HORSESHOE CANYON RANCH, JASPER, ARKANSAS

Thanksgiving scene

our Big Boy Turned FOUR

and one to grow on...

{WINTER, again}

Real life- the trials of toddlerhood.  it's beautiful in its own rite

winter essentials

my last thrift venture of 2013 ended in my finding old coin and movie ticket stubs in a 30yr+ old pair of slacks

new year, new feathers.

My Goodness was it a lovely year.  We are looking forward to what the coming weeks and months will bring.  There are a lot of changes up ahead in our growing family restaurant business (including my joining the staff) and I look forward to sharing bits and pieces, photos and words with you here on this little Blog.  Thank you all for joining along and we'll see what more we can get into around here. It's an on going catch-phrase with my partner in crime and me: "We do stuff now."  And I'm so glad that it's so.  Happy New Year Friends.

Love to you and Yours.

Favorite Instagrams of the year: {@ozarkmamadeer}

  

gregory alan isokav at cooper chapel