52:52 A portrait a week has come to an end

Montana Creek winter hike

This was such a great challenge and I'm so happy I saw it through to the end.  As some of my regular readers know I have sputtered towards the end to finish this project, but what's important is that I finished!  It's wonderful to see how the year has played out and marvel at how much Cecilia has grown.  I think in the upcoming year the Portraits will be a monthly issue since we will be undergoing even MORE change.  We are expecting our second baby due in June!!  Thank you to all who have followed us through this project and I encourage you all to give it a try.

Happy New Year to you all,

xoxo

51:52

Cookies, Milk, and Reindeer food…. Now to get some sleep

50:52

Every Christmas Eve when I was little my cousins and I would gather on the sofa in front of my Grandmother's afghan and have our pictures taken.  This is a tradition I will carry on with my family.

49:52

2nd year of Not Crying!!!! What did she want for Christmas? A candy cane =)

Patiently waiting for her candy cane 

48:52

Enjoying a winter frolic in our backyard

New Thanksgiving Traditions

Today I've been enjoying some quality time with my little one prepping for Thanksgiving while watching Gone With The Wind.  We are trying Pioneer Woman's Brining recipe for the first time and the ingredients smell delicious.  This will be the first time we host Thanksgiving and plan to celebrate it with our Juneau friends.  It's been fun piecing together the menu; anticipating tried and true family favorites that of our friends and some of our own.  

One family tradition we have (that many other families have) is sharing what we are thankful for.  I encourage you to give it a try if you don't already.  What are some things you are thankful for this year?

I am thankful for:

My loving husband

For our children

Family- passed and present

God's presence in our lives

Our church family back home

Friends- the kind that time and distance cannot corrupt

The opportunity to stay home with my kiddos & to raise them in as BEAUTIFUL a place as Alaska

For prayers answered and unanswered 

Happy Thanksgiving

47:52

"For in dreams we enter a world that is entirely our own.  Let them swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud."  -Albus Dumbledore

46:52

There's no place like home

45:52

Sunny winter days at the beach

Harvest Fête

Cecilia has changed so much in just a year!  Where has the time gone?  Last year she was my sweet little Madeline; this year she was my spunky Vanellope Von Schweetz!  

It's difficult to get Cecilia to hold still let alone look at the camera

I made her costume out from clothes I found at Fred Meyer and some old finds.  A Carters sweatshirt I accessorized with hot pink shoe laces. I transformed an old brown shirt into the drawstring skirt.  I was most pleased with this because when it gathered it looked as though it had pleats.  Her leggings were $5 Fred Meyer brand.  I sewed on cut up tights to make them look like candy.  The candy clips were made from Martha Stewart stickers hot glued to bobby pins.  

I really LOVE how it turned out.

Cecilia and some of her darling friends at her preschool's Harvest Fête.  They had loads of fun collecting candy down trick or treat lane, trying their luck on the cake walk, and conquering some carnival games.  I'm so happy she had a good time with some early Halloween fun because a few days later she came down with a cold that kept us home on the actual day.  But I must say…. This is my favorite costume of hers YET!

44:52

"Let her tell stories, and dance in the rain,
Somersaults, tumble and run;
Her joys must be high as her sorrows are deep,
Let her grow like a weed in the sun…"
-Neil Gaiman
Blueberry Girl

When we first found out we were pregnant with Cecilia I did what many new moms do; I hopped online to see what size my baby was that week.  She was the size of a blueberry.  Since it would be a long way off till we knew her gender this was her nickname.  

I was so pleased when we found this locally made Blueberry beanie, and it suits her well.  While she is growing up so fast…. She will always be my blueberry girl.

-xoxo

43:52

Celia's Book Nook

It's been a minute since our last installment of Celia's Book Nook.  Our latest find is Playful by Merrilee Liddiard.  I first saw this craft book on one of my FAVORITE blogs Design Mom as a giveaway, but I was so excited by the book that we went a head and ordered it.

There are a couple templates for some fun finger painting projects.  Cecilia is really into painting lately so it was the perfect activity for her on this rainy day.

There are loads of GREAT ideas for all sorts of projects for you and your little one to enjoy together.  It's just as much for parents as it is children.  I can't wait to try some others.  If you have this book tag us on instagram @thisway_thataway We'd love to see what you're up to.

One of the projects I'm most excited about

42:52

I can hardly believe we're 10 portraits from our goal of 52.  Out of all these portraits I've rarely captured a photo of Cecilia looking at the camera.  Here's one for the books.

41:52

My little Explorer

The other day we went out on a scavenger hunt.  We have been trying to decipher a riddle that has sent us to two different locations.  Even though we've yet to be successful in our search, we have seen some beautiful new places.  Nothing better than a little Family Time in nature.

Down The Rabbit Hole: Hozier "Sedated"

I've featured Hozier before on Down The Rabbit Hole, but he is such an exquisite singer songwriter with his bluesy gospel saturated melodies, he deserved another spot with his latest release "Sedated".  With a gift for story telling, he disguises brilliant lyrics with infectious and haunting consonance.  A heart throbbing drum beat opens the track and leads you through a cinematic performance I had previously only ever experienced when listening to Bjork or Jeff Buckley.  Just about EVERY song by Hozier takes you on a journey, and I love every minute of it. 

The self titled album is available for pre-order on iTunes and will be fully released October 7th, 2014.  If you enjoyed this song I would recommend you check out his other tracks:

"Jackie and Wilson"

"From Eden"

"Take Me To Church" (recently covered by Ed Sheeran)

&

"Cherry Wine"

40:52

October has arrived and the seasons change quickly here.  It seems as though the leaves just turned and now are beginning to fall.  We have already experienced the first frost, which I am told means only a matter of weeks before Winter is here.  I will savor this moment watching you ride your bike during our first Fall in Alaska.

39:52

Enjoying the Arboretum.  It's one of our favorite spots in Juneau

Best Day Ever!

It's hard to believe that it has been four years since this little one came into my life and changed it for the better.  It's a strange sensation watching your heart dwell outside your body.  I feel so blessed to know that feeling.

2014

First let me start by saying, I never thought I'd be throwing a princess party.  But here I am…. putting on a Rapunzel party.  It was the first time she'd been able to ask for a themed birthday so I wanted to do my best and make it as special for her as possible.  

Flynn looks a lot like Prince Eric in B&W

Rapunzel's magical glowing hair adorned the hallway.  At the end of the hall were princess dresses waiting for Cecilia's guest to arrive.  Once they had selected a dress they got to pick out a floral crown.

Painting is a shared pastime by Cecilia & Rapunzel

Cecilia & Alba 

Then There Was Dancing!

Cecilia and Charlotte

Cecilia & Raina enjoying the glowing balloons

Cupcakes

Presents

Every Rapunzel needs a Pascal 

One of the biggest concerns I had when I found out we were moving to Alaska was that we wouldn't have enough time for Cecilia to establish genuine friendships before her 4th birthday.  I'm so happy to see that she has made some great friends to celebrate her day with.  Thank you to all her friends for making it the BEST DAY EVER!!!