Hump Day Nuggets: Eight Years

I had a whole post written for today. It was good. All about a new groove I'm searching to find for myself, the self of me that's still wholly mine. My plan was to tweak it tonight after the girls fell asleep, add some nuggets and "bada-bing!" done. Then Ian came home and after exchanging our typical smooches and smiles he looked me in the eyes and said "happy eight years".

Eight years? December 7th. Eight years. Eight years since I said yes to being his and he to being mine. Eight years since the moon eyes across the cafeteria and obvious "accidental" encounters in the dorm halls. Eight years since this journey with the man of my dreams began. Amazing.

So of course my mind was sent reeling down memory lane. Fondly remembering that flutter of new love and excitement. Reminiscing about the dates spent in painting studios, sipping coffee, and pretending I liked film noir as much as he did. Feeling thankful for this amazing love that I've found, this easy comfortable amazing love.

Eight years.

Eight years later I still feel every bit of that flutter. Truth be told most days around 3pm, just before the girls stir from their naps, just when I decide that I've done enough to mark naptime as productive, I stop. I pour a cup of coffee or tea, sit, and think for a moment about my man. Not as a dad, or even a husband, or a scientist, but Ian. Smart, handsome, kind, steady Ian, and how utterly blessed I am, and the girls are, to have him in our lives, for ours.

It's been an amazing eight years.

Nuggets::

We're finally able to get a few things done to the house that have much needed doing. One was to remove the mulberrys that were taking over our back porch. The tree guys were amazing. in and out and cleaned up in under a half hour. The girls LOVED watching all that loud chainsawing action.

::and I love watching them share the stool::

Nuggets::

Louise is erupting. Literally, new words and tricks and and preferences emerge every minute of every day. I am totally in love with this adorable hands on all smiles and chatter chattering 15 month old of mine. Can she stay this way forever?

::totally into cutting out graham crackers with Ainsley::

::giving me a little sassy sweet face, after chattering away::

::look mom, I'm behind the kitchen, you can't catch me!::

Nuggets::

I found my old camera in the basement (aside, you know you need to do a good clean out when you find an old fully functioning camera in your basement that you didn't even know still existed, yeesh). It's become Ainsley's camera and she LOVES having it at her beckon call. I need to upload her latest photos, but here's a group shot she took on a typical auntie sonya's over for dinner night. Those are some of our favorite nights.

Nuggets::

Ainsley went to her fist movie this week! Ian and I both wanted to see the muppet movie and we decided it'd be a great first film for our girl. We all three held hands, nearly skipping down the street. We bought the biggest popcorn and coke that money can buy and munched and laughed away. She did so great, fell asleep for 20 minutes on Ian's lap and then woke up laughing and clapping at the finale. Ah, another sign my girl is growing. I saved the ticket for her baby book. Of course I took no photos. The theater was too dark for Ian's camera phone.

::a few morning shots::

Nuggets:

the girls are really getting into the christmas spirit with me. Louise is enthralled with the bright packages and paper, definitely choosing which package should be wrapped with what. Ainsley has single handedly cut and taped most of the presents. They are such little helpers.

::snowscapes with tempera paint and christmas tree branch stamping::

::the magic of the christmas village continues to entrance::

::blurry I know, but I had to include it because check out their expressions, they WERE playing nicely with the village, then promptly began devouring the gingerbread house. Louise at the whole gumdrop roof section in about 30 seconds. Is it wrong that I'm a little proud?::

Ah. What a great day. Happy Hump Day out there!