Made Me Smile

The final hours of 2014 are winding down.  I'm feeling blessed.  And grateful.  While this blog was sadly neglected much of the year, my camera was not.  Channing just spent the better part of an hour snuggled on my lap as we browsed ALL the photos in the photo library from 2014.  The number is astounding.  There are photos I'm incredibly proud of from an artistic standpoint and then there are those photos that simply made me smile.  They brought me back to a moment, some just ordinary everyday, some more of the milestone type.  Regardless.  I smiled.  I hope you do too.

Channing is turning into quite the little artist.  We've gotten a few books with the words 'how to draw' in the title that have offered guidance and inspiration.  My favorite drawing has graced the refrigerator for much of the year.  It's of me.  It says 'I Love You Mom'.  I've got crazy curly hair and glasses and I'm wearing my favorite yellow and white striped t-shirt.  My cheeks ache from smiling every time I see it.  Every.  Time.  

My folks spent part of the winter enjoying the sun & sand on St. George Island in FL.  We couldn't go that long without some quality grandparent time.  The boys and I made the trek sans Michael which was a little bittersweet.  We had a great time.  He would have too.  Maxwell quickly mastered the art of throwing shells back into the ocean.  Channing was a blur of activity, bounding in and out of the waves, making sand castles and exploring tide pools.

WM & I celebrated our birthday in March with a trip to the MOA.  Even though it wasn't his birthday, Channing obviously had the most fun.

Milestone-Channing lost tooth #1.

We traveled to Tybee Island, GA in May to celebrate Kath's birthday as well as Walt & Kath's anniversary.  The trip was spectacular.  

In June, the boys & I spent time in Duluth.  There are not words for the magic of these few days.  My heart just feels full.

Mom, why can't we go out and play with water balloons RIGHT NOW?  That was so much fun.  Can it be summer RIGHT NOW?  (As I type, it's bitterly cold outdoors.  -25 with the wind chill.  Not a good day for outdoor play.  Definitely not.)

Summer evenings are best spent sitting on the porch eating ice cream cones with your big brother.  

In September, we left the boys behind and spent an extended weekend in Phoenix.  Despite the heat, we hit the golf course a couple of times.  WM enjoyed his game & I enjoyed the scenery. 

Channing originally wanted to be  a zombie for Halloween.  We settled on Angry Birds.  He was OK with that decision provided he got to be Bomb Bird.  They were the cutest Angry Birds I ever did see.

November came with a heavy blanket of snow.  We groaned at the thought of an EXTRA long winter.  Then December came and it all melted.  Believe it or not, we did not have a white Christmas.  Channing's anxious for more snow to arrive.  He's quite good at clearing the driveway with his Tonka Trucks.  

This picture cracks me up.  Maxwell was totally into Santa until he realized there was a camera in the room.  Then he was all smiles for the lady behind the lens rather than the man in the jolly red suit.  

And there you have it.  2014 in a nut shell.  Happy New Year!