my weekend in pictures.

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{I picked up Aaron from work on Friday afternoon, we grabbed lunch, & headed east for a night away together. We stayed at Salish Lodge up at Snoqualmie Falls & it was so gorgeous! That is the lodge to the left of the falls.}

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{Meanwhile, Eloise was at home with Grammie having SO much fun. And apparently making a mess!}

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{Eloise & Grammie do lots of fun arts & crafts including coloring & clay.}

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{Back at the Lodge, Aaron & I enjoyed a couple’s massage – the best! – & this awesome sundae after dinner.}

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{I decided since it was date night that I should class it up with my fancy pants (which are old J.Crew to those who have asked) & heels. It was my attempt at pattern-mixing & I think it was a success!}

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{Our view from lunch on Saturday before we headed back to town. This is downriver from the falls & you can see three little waterfalls splashing down.}

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{Eloise is loving coloring these days!}

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{After brunch with a few girlfriends, my mom & I headed to U Village for some retail therapy, & Madewell was having a sale. Score! I have been eyeing these Skinny Skinny jeans for a while – to replace my beloved Paige jeans that just stretch out too much during wears! – & they were marked down, plus an additional sale. Basically it was meant to be! I have a good feeling these are going to be my new favs!}

We had such a fun weekend, thanks to my Mama who flew into town so that Aaron & I could spend a night away. It was my first night away from Eloise & there were only a few tears when I left (mine, of course!). The Lodge & the Falls were so gorgeous & even though it was a little cold & I didn’t bring the warmest clothes, we had the best time together & even got in a quick hike on Saturday afternoon. This morning started with brunch with one of my best & oldest girlfriends who was in from Boise at, of course, Portage Bay. Pretty much any meal spent there is a good one! And the rest of the day has been just hanging out which is much-needed going into the new week.

How was your weekend? Also, how is it already February tomorrow?

M

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my weekend in pictures.

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{We had a morning playdate with Amanda & Elliott on Friday which pretty much wiped Eloise out after lunch!}

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{After having some leaking issues with diapers, I finally bit the bullet & ordered some extras for the stash, along with some refresher kits (to replace the old elastic & Velcro tabs). I am loving these bright, bold colors!}

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{We had dinner at Gorgeous George’s in Greenwood with Uncle Ben & Aunt Sarah on Friday, & Uncle Ben & Eloise were having fun playing with her long bangs!}

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{After picking up my friend Ash at the airport, we stopped in Capital Hill to venture around & to have lunch. It just so happened that the new Starbuck’s Roastery is in the same neighborhood, so we stopped in for a cup of coffee & to catch up. It is pretty tourist-y but pretty cool too!}

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{Eloise made her Auntie Ashley read SO many books. Luckily, Ash was such a good sport. Those two hit if off immediately!}

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{When out-of-town guests mention a craving for dim sum, we are always happy to nosh at Din Tai Fung. The food is awesome & it was pretty early, so the wait wasn’t horrific!}

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{Lately Eloise has liked to join me right at the table after she finishes her breakfast. Apparently it is easier to then mooch off of my breakfast if she is sitting at the table! Sidenote: when did she get so big?}

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{A local Seattle blogger & her husband recently started a kombucha business – which is a drink if you aren’t in the know. I had never tried it before, so when I saw it at Whole Foods, I thought I would give it a try, plus Earl Grey is my jam. Most people I know who drink it are really “crunchy” if you know what I mean, so I was a little scared, not going to lie. It is definitely sour, but I liked the lightness of it (since it is carbonated) & it went down pretty easy once I put ice cubes in it. Not my very favorite drink, but not awful!}

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{Eloise is so sweet with Sadie. She loves to help me let her in thru the back door & wipe off her feet.}

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{Aaron taught Eloise how to give Sadie treats today (even if she doesn’t obey the command, apparently!) & it is pretty darn cute!}

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{So after the Cardinals loss – seriously, what happened? – was the first episode of new X Files series. I, surprisingly, really liked the show as a kid & would watch it with my mom, so I had to watch. Anyone else?}

We had such a wonderful weekend seeing family & lots of friends! On Saturday (which was, of course, super rainy & grey) one of my best girlfriends came into town for a really short trip & it was so lovely to see her (it’s been probably four years!) & have her meet Eloise! We got hardly any pictures, but that speaks to what a fun time we had being totally engaged in conversation & disconnected from the rest of the world (our phones!). Today the sun came back out & it was so lovely, even though it felt like I didn’t get a single thing done. Well, laundry, I got laundry done. And Aaron let me sleep in, despite having to get up super early to take Ash to the airport – thanks love!

How was your weekend?

M

my {new year’s} week in pictures.

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{my parents & sister drove into town to celebrate a late Christmas, & Eloise wanted to open presents immediately!}

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{Loved this #bestnine posts for Instagram – obviously I post a lot of pictures of Eloise…}

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{Eloise & Grammie coloring while we waited for lunch. She is just at the age where crayons are more fun to color with than to eat!}

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{Eloise & Grammie doing yoga. Cutest thing ever.}

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{The only picture I got on New Year’s Eve was the cupcakes, ha! We were so lucky this year to celebrate at our friend Jerry’s who has the absolute best views of the city, including the fireworks off the Space Needle at midnight!}

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{Aaron & I got away for a day date, & headed to work on some projects. We wood-filled, sanded, & primed an old cabinet for our bathroom that Aaron has been restoring, & a learning tower stool for Eloise that my dad & Aaron built this week.}

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{Eloise had the BEST time spinning in our chair with Grammie! Her laugh makes my day.}

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{After playing in San Antonio, we have been waiting for people to visit that would play Catan with us! Thankfully my family didn’t mind playing a few games while they were here.}

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{Aaron & I finally watched Inside Out last night. It was SO good, but I cried. A lot. Go watch it if you haven’t, you won’t be disappointed!}

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{Today Eloise ripped apart all of her quesadilla to find & eat the turkey. #toddlershenanigans}

We had such a great week with my family in town! There was a little bit of Christmas celebration & a little bit of New Year’s – it was so wonderful! Eloise loved having Grammie, Grandpa, & Aunt Yay around to play & for cuddles. We also watched SO much football! Most of the games weren’t very interesting (blowouts!) but there were some good ones (like watching TCU take down Oregon in triple overtime!).

This weekend was a bit of a doozy (which is why there are almost no pictures) since I came down with food poisoning on Friday night! Luckily none of my family got it as they were traveling on Saturday, but I was out of commission until this afternoon. Thank goodness for Aaron being home so he could watch Eloise & I could just sleep!

How was your New Year’s weekend?

M

my {long Christmas} weekend in pictures.

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{Our little elf loved wearing her Santa hat around & also discovered the jingle bell on our Christmas tree! I would like her to wear these Hanna Andersson Christmas jammies for every Christmas!}

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{Aunt Cari – Aaron’s sister – sent Eloise this doll whose name is Misha! She came with a finger puppet that Eloise loved.}

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{Look what Santa brought Eloise for Christmas this year! I will be sure to share more details of this Ikea hack soon since a lot of people have already been asking.}

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{I think the kitchen was a hit! I was a little nervous she might be too young for it, but she loves to play with it now & she can grow into it too.}

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{Aaron made Christmas pancakes for Christmas breakfast – a new Lower family tradition!}

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{We went to a Christmas brunch & Eloise charmed everyone there.}

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{Even though it was just the three of us at Christmas dinner this year, I couldn’t help but decorate the table!}

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{We watched the Huskies win their bowl game in Dallas. Go Dawgs! I will be so thankful next season when the quarterback is a sophomore so I don’t have to hear the commentators say “true freshman” one more time!}

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{Uncle Ben & Aunt Sarah joined us for dinner the day after Christmas to continue the celebrations. There were lots of shenanigans happening!}

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{& once Eloise was asleep, we had to play a few rounds of Fibbage & Drawful which are pretty much a requirement if you come over for dinner at our house!}

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{Aaron was showing Eloise a magic trick. Now you see it, now you don’t! She LOVES it!}

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{Apparently Eloise got tired of sitting on the floor & reading books because she pulled her little chair over to her book stash & started reading!}

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{Eloise’s Nana sent this ornament handprint kit & we were able to sneak it in before bed tonight. It isn’t the best handprint ever, but it still captured that little hand & we will cherish it every Christmas!}

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays, if you prefer)! It was lovely to have Christmas be at the end of the week this year so that the entire long weekend felt like Christmas! We had such a wonderful time celebrating with Eloise, & creating our own holiday traditions for just our little family. Thank goodness for FaceTime so that we could catch up with family all over the country. My family is headed into town & will be spending the next week with us, so it still feels like Christmas at the Lower house, & I intend on leaving the decorations up until the New Year!

How was your long, holiday weekend?

M

my weekend in pictures. 

   
{Eloise was on a napping strike Friday at daycare but fell asleep 3 minutes into the car ride home!}

 
{Our office is a little Santa’s workshop as I am attempting to hack this IKEA kitchen for E for Christmas.}
  
{putting my advent calendar to use as overflow for hanging Christmas cards!}

 
{Aaron made mini salted caramel cheesecakes for a Christmas party we went to in Saturday. They were so delicious!}

   
{The holiday party we went to on Saturday was a “bite” party, everyone brings a bite of an aperture and dessert, and then everyone votes on their favorite! We didn’t win but were a crowd favorite!}

 
{We ventured on for a family walk on Sunday before it got too dark. It was a little cold but E didn’t mind being all bundled up!}
 

{These two cuddle bugs watching some football.}

How is it already Monday, and really Christmas is at the end of the week? I am excited to celebrate but where did the entire month of December go? We had a good, pretty low-key weekend with a good amount of hanging out with friends and also just hanging out in our jammies. I got to take a nice long nap on Sunday afternoon and the Seahawks won, so I call that a win! How was your weekend? 

M  

my weekend in pictures.

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{Eloise had her first mini-sleepover* at our friend’s house & she had the best time! Thanks Lauren & Andy!}

*For most of the day on Friday I wasn’t feeling well but by late Friday afternoon, I knew I should go in to get checked up since most of what was going on was chest pain. So we pretty much didn’t mess around. Aaron got home early from work, we dropped off Eloise, & headed to the ER. I was admitted & had bloodwork, chest x-rays, & an EKG, all which ruled out anything serious (no heart attack, no pneumonia, no blood clot) but the cause of my pain was (& is still) undetermined. I was discharged from the hospital & got to have dinner with a good friend before heading to pick up Eloise. I have been feeling better & have had minimal pain, so I am hopeful I am on the mend! Thank you to all of our friends & family who were so supportive & loving this weekend.

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{on Saturday morning we got together with our PEPS friends for breakfast & sang Christmas carols with the kiddos. so fun!}

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{Eloise LOVED wandering around Target holding her Papa’s hand! When did she get so big?}

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{We went to a fun friends gathering on Saturday night & Eloise loved the little wooden rocking horse & the Christmas lights.}

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{We ended up all dressed in plaid for the party. It was pretty festive!}

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{We watched this great little documentary on Netflix called Twinsters about two adopted girls from South Korea who were twins separated at birth! One of the girls was raised in the US, the other in France, & they found out about each other from YouTube. So crazy!}

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{She loves knocking on doors & windows these days. Oh, & carrying bags on arm or over her shoulder.}

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{Aaron made the best cheesecake with salted caramel sauce this weekend! It was so delicious & I don’t consider myself a cheesecake fan.}

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{As some of you may have seen from Instagram or Facebook, Eloise had her first piggie (pigtails) today. The sweetest!}

we had a really low-key weekend which was good since we all definitely needed some down-time, & it was pretty rainy & gross. I was in my jammies all day today, what? I am gearing up for a busy week getting ready for Christmas! How was your weekend?

M

my weekend in pictures. 

   

{delivering our holiday cards to the neighbors in matching snowman hats! thanks aunt Kelly!}

{finishing up addressing our annual family cards. phew!}

  

{hanging up lights on the tree and decorating the house while E was at day care on Friday!}

  

{I love the tradition of giving Eloise a new ornament each Christmas. This one from Anthro is hers for this year!}

  

{Christmas Joe-Joes? The best!}

  

{she loves reading with her Papa!}

  

{finally getting these cards in the mail!}

  

{we needed new lights for the house… so many decisions to make!}

  

{this represents a lot of our weekend: watching football and enjoying the Christmas tree!}

  

{we had SO much rain this weekend, so soup was perfect!}

  

{Aaron got some of our outside lights up in between showers this afternoon. I can’t wait to see all of the lights up!}

 

{this adorable Santa hat that my sister-in-law made for E last year still fits! Eloise will be donning it and that snowman hat all month long!}

A super soggy weekend kept us inside but gave me a chance to get up all of our Christmas decorations. Eloise shares my love for a decorated house and I wish it was this festive all year long! And we are finally all over our terrible colds we had over Thanksgiving – wahoo! It is finally feeling like Christmas but crazy that it is already December?!

How was your weekend?

M

my {thanksgiving} week in pictures.

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{Eloise & her new friends – the Browns!}

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{we got to see my friend Paige who I have known since pre-school – we were 3! – & we haven’t seen each other in about 20 years. it was so, so good to catch up & meet each other’s families!}

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{Eloise & Grammie playing with some pom poms. About 3 seconds after this picture was taken Eloise grabbed that tube off the wall!}

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{Also playing with pipe cleaners & a colander.}

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{Eloise rocking at Grammie & Grandpa’s! She loved it!}

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{We had a reunion dinner with my very BEST girlfriends from high school & their families. I wish we could do this every week. Thank you for all of these amazing years of friendship fellow CBC ladies!}

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{Eloise & Grammie reading a new Pout Pout fish book. It has flaps which is E’s favorite!}

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{Cuddles with Papa on Thanksgiving & watching football. Eloise was not feeling well but she was such a trooper!}

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{The Thanksgiving table! We used all of my late grandmother’s china & silver, but I didn’t even think to bring all of my décor from Friendsgiving!}

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{Eloise reading with her Aunt “Dollie” who is my eldest sister.}

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{Happy Thanksgiving from the Lowers!}

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{Playing with Aunt Yaya.}

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{Thanksgiving leftover sammie. One of many I consumed this weekend!}

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{An old family friend came over to watch the Boise State game & Eloise loved her!}

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{We watched my beloved Huskies win the Apple Cup this year!}

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{Reading books with Aunt Yaya.}

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{A baby friend came to play & Eloise wasn’t sure at first. Soon enough they were playing together & Eloise mostly shared her toys!}

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{Gobble gobble.}

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{Aaron’s sister Cari sent this turkey costume for Eloise to wear. All three of her kiddos have worn it & it has become quite the tradition.}

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{A good reminder in my fortune cookie!}

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{We left Boise this morning around 5:30 AM – partly to get on the road early so we wouldn’t arrive home in the dark & partly because Eloise refused to go back to sleep around 4:45 AM! We stopped in La Grande, Oregon for breakfast & Eloise was in a pretty good mood. She is finally feeling better!}

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{Eloise took a few naps in the car, but this one was particularly memorable since she fell asleep looking at pictures of herself. That picture is one of her & Aaron on a swing.}

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{We stopped in Yakima for lunch & thought Eloise might do better in a booster seat rather than a highchair since we were in a big booth table. She looked so old sitting there with her crayons. And 5 seconds after this photo was taken, she was out of the seat & walking all over that booth seat!}

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{I fell asleep shortly after lunch – I wasn’t driving! – & woke up to see we were already making our way thru Snoqualmie Pass. It is breathtakingly beautiful up there & pictures do not do it justice!}

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{The realities of a car trip – all of the things to be put away!}

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{We finished the weekend with more football & were so excited – & surprised to be honest! – that the Seahawks got a win over the Steelers!}

We had such a FUN week in Boise for the holiday, despite all three of us being sick the entire time! We are all on the mend now after runny noses, coughing, & me losing my voice for a few days, & fingers crossed we didn’t get any one else sick too! There was lots of catching up with family & friends, & it reminded me just how much we can be thankful for this year. We also got hair cuts (I still go back to Boise to see O’Dell at Graeber & Company if you need a recommendation!), a movie date to see Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part II, & watched SO much football!

How was your Thanksgiving weekend?

M

my weekend in pictures.

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{yay for the Broncos game being on ESPN Friday night. boo for a tough loss!}

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{Eloise likes to take apart the Xbox remote, it’s one of her favorite things. On Saturday she took it apart & then hid the back. When we asked her where the back of the remote was, she went into the kitchen & laid down on the floor, looking under the stove. Aaron got a flashlight to look, & sure enough, the back of the remote! #toddlershenanigans}

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{The entire Lower family came down with a cold – thanks Eloise! – & we made a pit stop at Bartell’s for necessities before hitting the road.}

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{as we started into the Blue Mountains in Oregon, it was so, so foggy! & then we were above it & it was so pretty!}

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{Eloise has a large noggin’ & it is almost big enough to wear an adult hat (like mine)!}

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{we arrived at my parent’s house in the dark & close to bedtime, so once we fed, bathed, & put Eloise to bed, we enjoyed a pizza & cable (football)!}

Towards the end of the week, Eloise & I both started coming down with colds, & by Saturday night, we were all sick! Not horrible, but E’s two days at day care the past two weeks has definitely effected the Lower house. Immune systems building! We had zero plans for the weekend, which ended up being fantastic, except for driving to Idaho for Thanksgiving. We are hoping to be all on the mend by Thursday for the big feast! How was your weekend?

M

my weekend in pictures.

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{Eloise liked pointing at the fish while we waited for her 15 month check-up!}

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{reading stories while we waited for Dr. Susie.}

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{working on the dessert table for Friendsgiving.}

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{Eloise & Aaron had a music/dance party on Friday evening. Eloise loves holding the phone up to her ear!}

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{making cranberry sauce – so, so delicious!}

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{trying to get a picture of all the kiddos!}

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{Friendsgiving after-math. I need to get bins to store all my décor!}

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{after washing, I organized all of my brass flatware.}

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{that is Eloise waving at me while I try to take pictures of the yard – for a future post!}

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{Eloise snacking at her new table & chairs. I am working on getting her to sit still while she snacks; it is going as well as you would expect…}

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{Eloise discovered she could hold this colander up to her face & see thru the holes. She loved it!}

On Friday Eloise had her 15 month check-up & it went well. She is right on track with development, & has a 95th percentile head (!) & is in the 50th percentile for both height & weight. Her doctor (she’s really an NP) was pleased with her growth, her walking, her teeth, & the fact that she is weaned from a bottle. Eloise had two vaccines & barely even cried. Tough kiddo!

Almost immediately after her check-up, Aaron & I dropped Eloise off at day care. Yep, day care. First day ever I haven’t been with her. It was really hard. I cried, but Eloise didn’t, when we left. I made sure she was distracted when we left so she didn’t see us walk out the door. Apparently though, she only cried one time; the kids were outside on the playground right before lunch, so I am sure she was cold & hungry. She slept just 20 minutes (!) during nap time (there is only one nap for toddlers) but ate a great lunch! The teachers told me she was happy & socialized really well (even for a kid that stays at home with mama all day!). When I got to her room to pick her up, she didn’t see me at first. Once she figured out I was there, she started to cry. And then I started to cry. But it was really good, the entire thing. We are proud of our little E! I am still going to stay home with Eloise, but day care will be a sometimes thing, so I am glad it went well for all of us.

And during the time when Eloise was away, I got to getting the house ready for Friendsgiving. It took me nearly three hours, seriously, to set the tables, but that included washing all of the flatware & ironing those darn tablecloths! Plus, I took my time because I knew I wasn’t on the clock (like I usually am during nap time). And then I took a shower & washed my hair, & it was glorious! It was wonderful to have a “day off” but I sure did miss that little bug!

Saturday was busy & Friendsgiving was SO fun! There is a big post to come later this week, so stay tuned. Today was such a lazy day since we were completely exhausted from the week, but was much-needed so I am trying not to feel guilty about doing next to nothing!

How was your weekend?

M