Some things worth remembering...

November, December, January, and now...half of February got away from me.

I never had time to document. 

And for me this is what this blog is all about. Dedicated to remembering. 

And like I always say...I'm so grateful for these silly little iPhones and cameras and blogs to always remind me how much I really do have to be grateful for. 

NOVEMBER

Lanterns

we went down to the beach with some friends and sat around a camp fire and lit of some lanterns over the ocean. Every now and then there are those glimpses of your own childhood fleeting back. This was one of those times. Although I have no memories of lighting lanters above the ocean it was kind of magical. The magic that you feel when you are a kid. 

Dawn Patrol

For a little bit a couple of friends and I would wake up before sunrise and go surf. I felt like I finally started getting the hang of it and really started to enjoy it. But then the girls got pregnant and with morning sickness it just wasn't happening. Maybe after babies :) But soooo fun. 

Grandma and Grandpa

The greatest thing about living in a huge tourist spot is getting our families down here. It makes being away a lot easier. My parents are able to come down quite often and we just love that. They are such good parents / grandparents and we are so beyond grateful for their love. 

 

Santa Barbara

This was the first time after Ella had been born where ben and I spent more than 24 hours together...alone. It honestly felt more like 5 years since we had been together alone. I realized after this little 2 day vaca that being together is sooooo important. We had so much fun together! Like we were dating all over again. And I remembered...we do make a pretty good team! Just the two of us :)

Also...BENJAMIN deserves to have a good old fashioned shout out! Because he is a pretty amazing event planner. And made this weekend so special for us. When we arrived we had massages. Went straight to eat some indian food. And laughed our heads off at how relaxing it was to eat without ella. Walked home. Woke up the next day to farmers market breakfast, a hike, pedicure (for me), the old mission, walked around downtown santa barbara, went to a movie, ate dinner at this brilliant cajun restaurant...take me to Louisiana already!, sang some songs (while eating), went back to the hotel and sleeeeppppttt in!! YEA. Went to a coffee shop for breakfast, walked around the pier / coast/ harbor, went to an art gallery and cruised back home. We did SO much in two days!! And I still felt like we had hours inbetween each event. How does one kid change so much about life!! IT WAS SO FUN.

 

...I LOVE YOU BEN

Fishing
One of Ellas very favorite things these days is 'shishes'
So went to try and catch some off the pier. We weren't very successful but it was still super fun.


The PARK
So much time spent here. That's all.


Disneyland
During the holidays is pretty sweet. SO happy Benj is able to come with us every now and then.



DECEMBER

Beach (Emerald Bay) yes...in December!
Kind of a dream. And kind of bizarre to me really. But now that we have been here three winters it's kind of getting...normal. Going home and getting my snowy/wintery fix DEFINETLY helps.




Parties
That's what December is good for right?! Getting together with all your loved ones.
This was our friend craft/gift exchange. We all made one another gifts and exchanged them after dinner. I'm so grateful for these girls and meeting them has definitely made things in California pretty great. Friends have always meant a lot to Ben and I. And we feel really blessed to have moved to such a friendly place.


Ugly Sweater Party (with husbands) not pictured. These are always a good time right? Especially when you have dance parties and indoor volleyball games involved.


Boat Parade at Balboa


Christmas Tree Lot
Hello...favorite christmas tradition. I could LIVE in a christmas tree lot. I love trees. I always have. And the smell and bringing a good fresh christmas tree home is just the best.
Ella was absolutely intrigued this year. Which made it extra special. Kids do that.

 
 




UTAH

This post is getting crazy long winded now...
So I'm just going to throw a bunch of photos up from utah.
You already know how much fun we had there. It's home.

Okay maybeee a brief explanation (wink).
Snow.  80 somethin yr old Grandma playing minute to win it and nailing it. Nutcracker (every year!). Ellas tent we made her. waffles and friends (love the Winegars!!). PAULS WEDDING (basically looks like this in my memory...big blur of a dance party). But so thrilled for the newest team castleberry.
 
 
 

Christmas Eve




Snowboarding/ Cabin with the cuz'ns
Felt sooooo good to be in the mountains. SO GOOD.












New Years
Ruths Chris, family, games.


See! Isn't life great when you look at it in the form of photos! Makes it seem so flawless right?! It is a good life. I tease. Just always want my children to look back and know that there were always the times of struggles. And to keep their heads up. Because i'm sure when one day they go through this blog. It may not seem like that. But how fun to look through their life this way!! xox.