Branding, Bathtubs, and Bundt Cakes

Not necessarily in that order.

Today, Mary and Tom came over to hang for a bit and help with a few household handy items.  You should all know by now that Tom, aka "Gangsta Tom" is handy with EVERYTHING, so when our light in our basement stopped working, and it wasn't due to a bulb, we knew who we needed to call.

Tom helped Brian fix that light and install an extra one in our otherwise pretty dark basement.  We are now chock full of light down in the depths of our house which will totally make the basement less threatening and laundry more enjoyable now that I can see what I am doing.  #nomoreredsandwhites

Tom also helped us re-caulk our bathtub for the third time.  The first time lasted about 2 years, and then it started cracking.  The second time started cracking the very next day after Tom and Brian caulked...  We're hoping this go round holds up a bit longer.  Time will tell.

Speaking of Tom, since he has created many-a-masterpieces around the ole homestead, we got him a brander for Christmas.  It has his initials - T.M.E. - so that whenever he puts his handiwork together to create something spectacular he will be able to initial it.  I mean, Tom built our floating shelves, our bathroom shelf, our picture frame, and most recently a doll house for Kate, just to name a few, so while he was here we were able to see the brander in action.  It was awesome!

He heated the brander on the stove top.

Then pressed it on the bottom of the dollhouse.

It smelled like a campfire in our house and it turned out so well!

Since we were having [wonderful] company over and since I had just gotten a new bundt pan for Christmas, Kate and I decided today would be a great day to try out our very first bundt cake.  We made a lemon bundt cake and topped it with a delicious glaze and it turned out amazingly!  I am so excited to experiment more with this pan and hone in on my prowess as a bundt cake baker!

Little Miss with our first bundt cake!

Last but certainly not least, was tub time.  Because our bathtub had just been re-caulked, we decided against bath time in our tub and opted for an unusual bathing of the girls in the infant tub at the kitchen sink.  This worked out pretty well with Maya, she's still small enough to fit in the tub kinda, but Kate and I made a mess... Each time I poured water on her it spilled over the edges!

We were both cracking up and I was even able to throw in some slap-stick fake slipping humor in.  Kate was dying of laughter!  It was the cutest!  Girlfriend is all about slap-stick these days!  If ever you find Kate in a poor mood, just pretend to fall or bump something and she's falling over laughing and asking you to do it again.  I humor myself with these antics just to hear that sweet girls laughter.  It makes my heart smile every.single.time.

We also got to play with the ladel!

So that was our Saturday, in a nutshell...er, in a blogpost, I suppose.  The very best of the branding, bathtub event, and bundt cake trial!  All successes, more or less!

Ringing in the New Year

We spent the last day of December 2015 and the first day of January 2016 with our family.  My Mom and Scott drove in from Maryland and arrived late on the 30th.  We had yet another Christmas on the 31st, spent the day around the house together, and then watched the ball drop to commemorate 2016.  Twenty Sixteen.  It seems so unreal that it is really 2016.

Kate went to bed at a semi-normal time, and so did Maya.  But Maya woke up around 11:45 pm and decided she didn't want to go back to sleep until the new year, so at 11:57 pm she and I came downstairs to join the ball dropping party.  And by "party" I mean all of us sitting on the couch.  We did celebrate with a bit of champagne when it was officially time and having our littlest one awake to ring in the new year with was really wonderful!  If Kate would've slept in I would've been happy to have her up as well, but Mama's been down this road before and no matter what time we go to bed, it seems we still get up at the same time...so Kate stayed in bed!

Pop Pop and Gramma with Maya.  Kate did not care for photos...
...only presents.

So Mama jumped in instead.

Aunt Amy scored with best present again!

Gramma helps Maya open one of hers!

A hippo popper!?  SO EXCITING!

Our little night owl!

Cheers to a new year!

Captivated by all the lights and sounds of the
dropping ball!

It was like nothing she's ever seen before!

One last glimpse at the Christmas tree.

Jackie Bones slept through the whole thing.
It was past his bedtime too.

The next day, the first day of 2016, we hung out with Mary and Tom for a little bit during the Ohio State game.  While we were there, we had a little mishap which required needing new pants for Kate.  I haven't had a spare set of clothes for Kate with us in over six months, so I didn't have one then either.  Kate and I got creative and I slipped my cami off and lent it to her to use as a skirt.  I tied it in the back with a hair tie!  I swear she looked like she was headed to work in a pencil skirt!

Cami Pencil Skirt!

Girlfriend can pull off anything!

My Mom and Scott headed back to Maryland on Saturday, so today we got busy putting some Christmas stuff away and exploring some of our new toys!  We decided it wouldn't be quite an official new year without a party in the tub, so we busted out one of Maya's new toys and thoroughly enjoyed our bath party!

They both loved this bath light!

PSA: I picked up this little extra from Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $2.50.  It was on clearance, and then an additional 50% off, AND I had a coupon.  It's the coolest little bath light and for $2.50, I'm not complaining!

After bath, Kate adorned herself with her Frozen nightgown and NEW Frozen slippers.  Once again, Aunt Amy takes it home for the win of best gift!!

Just like a princess.

Celebrating the new year with our families was just where we wanted to be.  Low key and at home, that is right up my alley these days. 

With the new year in mind, I've been doing a lot of thinking.  I don't love New Year's resolutions, but I do love New Year's.  There's something about a new beginning, a fresh start, that just makes me happy and optimistic.  With that being said, I've decided that my main focus for 2016 is going to be letting things go.  I'm going to choose to do less and invest more in the things that I do choose.  I'm tired of "to do" lists, especially those that span years.  YEARS.  I don't necessarily mind "healthy/realistic to do" lists, but not ones that continue for years.  (For example, I still have making Kate's 2nd birthday video on the ole "to do" list.  That was from 2014...)

Unfortunately, I just don't have the time or the energy to keep dragging these "things I want to do" behind me.  I'm going to have to set realistic goals by reminding myself that I am a stay at home Mommy of two now.  And uninterrupted free time just doesn't come that often.

I want to be HERE, in the moment, in the now.  I want to snuggle and cuddle and capture all those little moments from my little loves that are happening right before my eyes.  Kate and Maya are both growing insanely fast and Heaven knows these little ones don't keep.

For 2016, I choose to just Let It Go (Thank you, Elsa!) and be Here.  I am determined to make 2016 about a happy, healthy balance, whatever that may look like.  Hopefully, by January 1, 2017, I'll have a clearer idea on what that is.

2016!

Happy New Year, everyone!

The Doll House

I got some inspiration from Young House Love on how to build a doll house and loved the sleek look and simple design so I thought it'd be easy and fun to build one for Kate.  I consulted with my master wood worker, Tom, about the ease of said project and he seemed to think it was completely doable, he just needed some plans.

So I sat down and drew up some plans...

That year of architecture in college DID come in handy!

...that was three months ago.

Tom got to work, in September, and completely built this beautiful, sturdy doll house for Kate.  I, on the other hand, completely dropped the ball in getting it papered and lovely for a princess to play in.

He is a master builder.

Progress!

Tom even added this wonderful shingled roof!

Today, however, I got to work.  I NEEDED to get this done...for Kate.  (Especially since she had already found it several times in the basement and again in the garage.  #parentingfail  I must get better at "hiding" things.)  In my defense, I selected paper to use and when I asked Kate if she liked it she plainly said, "No.".  No.  She didn't like what I had initially selected.  So then I had a major complex about the wall paper.  I ended up taking her with me to the paper store and asking her what she liked to get a better feel for what she was looking for.  In the end, and with her assistance, we were able to compile a perfect combination of papers to complete this masterpiece!

It's a beauty, right?!

Kate picked the happy stripes and I picked the floral.

It's become a perfect princess palace!

I am so pleased with how this beauty turned out and Kate has been playing with it non stop!  I love an inexpensive, homemade project that will be used for years to come!  I know Maya will get plenty of use out of it too!

Thank you, Tom!

Ginger Bread House Party

Last season, Kate and I met up with one of my coworkers and built a gingerbread house.  I was newly pregnant with Maya so she came along too only in utero!

This year, we looked into doing the same thing but prices were outrageous, so we brought the party to our house and invited a few more friends!

It has been so warm this season that we even got to play outside for a little bit!

Surely this will be another holiday tradition that we keep up with!

The table is set up and looking good for gingerbread house building!

And there are lots of toppings to choose from!

Little Miss waiting for her friends!

We set up a little paint your own ornament station too!

In the thick of decorating!

Quality control!

Looking good!

Our house this year was a lot less "organized".  You see, I'm still
learning the whole mom of two thing.  Here's a line of frosting, now
decorate.

Sammy gives us a candy grin!

Kate's final house photo!

And the other side!

Maya Giggles

If anyone could do it, it would be Kate.  Maya's forever idol.  Love those little laughs!

Breakfast with Santa 2015

We've had this tradition of meeting up with a few of Kate's cousins and doing the annual Breakfast with Santa at a church near where they live.

I say this every year, but this is a great tradition that I'm so excited we've been able to be a part of.

This year, to sum up the highlights, Kate was not in the mood to participate in pretty much anything, that includes sitting on Santa's lap, and we got an EPIC picture with Santa.  It was also just Kate, Maya, and Gina this year because Courtney and Wyatt couldn't make it.  So it was a smaller crew.

Doughnuts for breakfast.  Yes.

That means Kate wants me to hold her and is not
interested in participating in the dress up.

Yep, not interested.

...and, still not interested...

The puppet show did capture both Kate and Maya's
attention for a little bit though!

And now, what you've all been waiting for!!!!  Our picture with Santa.  What is wrong with this photo?  First, Kate would not even sit next to Santa. I had to literally sit next to him and hold her next to him... Second, if Kate wasn't going to enjoy sitting next to him, she certainly wasn't going to smile.  Third, Santa is looking at Maya and it makes me wonder if he's got a good grip on her.  Fourth, the photographer literally said, 'SMILE', took a photo, saw that 1 of 4 were smiling and then said, 'GOT IT'.  Um, last I remembered it was my kids here to see Santa, not me.  But, I digress...

Epic, I tell ya.  EPIC.

This photo will surely make us all laugh in years to come!

To see previous Breakfast with Santa's click here!

Annual Christmas Cards

People.  I'm about to share with you a whole lot of family photo AMAZINGNESS!  These are just too good to only share a couple.  We had these taken the day before Thanksgiving at a local park area right near us. 

We love all of them!  Especially those with our girls!

Thank you, Monty!

Family photo with Jack.

And family photo of humankind only!

I will always cherish those little cheeks!

My littlest love.

I love you, Maya!

I love this one of Kate!

My blue-eyed babes!

Silly girl!

Family photo take II!

Yummy shirt!

Infant love!

Little girl love!

Sister love!

And, all of this to say, we have officially completed our Annual Christmas Cards too and we think this years is the BEST ONE YET!  #soproud

The front!

The back!

A bit of Hendricks Family infographics for your year 2015!

To see Christmas Cards past, go here!