Living in the Moment

So, I have to start by confessing...I didn't really get ANY pictures of our Christmas Eve...or Christmas Day! I know, last year I had a billion and one pictures...this year...about 5...maybe! Here is the reason why, instead of being so focused on making sure that I got perfect pictures of everything, made sure that Landry was posed just right, documenting every mintue, thinking about the blog post every step of the way...I threw that all out the window and just enjoyed the moment. Yup, instead of worrying about what was going to happen or what I was going to do with the pictures, I decided to soak in the amazing love and happiness that I was surrounded by. I lived in the moment. And I LOVED it! So, I apologize for the lack of photos...but oh well! :o)

Christmas Eve was spent at Chad's aunt and uncle's house. Gary and Mary are always such gracious hosts. Mary is an amazing cook and always has tons of yummy food and Gary LOVES our little man. Everytime we go over Gary has some kind of toy for Landry...and Landry ends up falling in love with them each time. We enjoyed the evening with the Lofgrens, Tighs, and Krusers...it was so much fun!

Christmas morning we woke up and I was so excited for Landry to open up his first stocking. Have I menioned that my child is an EXCELLENT sleeper? I mean, he really is amazing...I know we won't be that lucky when baby #2 comes along...which isn't going to be any time soon...back to the point. Landry slept in until about 9:30! I was dying. I almost went in and woke him up. Let me also say that Chad...well really just me because Chad had nothing to do with the stocking...or Landry's gifts at all...that I win the award for giving my child the most boring stocking in the history of the world! Yup, boring. Why? Because let's be real...he is not going to remember this stocking at all...plus I didn't really think he would understand the whole idea of Santa bringing him gifts...but I was wrong! When he finally woke up, he walked into the living room and immediately went for his stocking. I didn't direct him, I have never even told him that it was his, nothing! He noticed that it was sitting in front of the fireplace instwad of hanging up, and he dug in. Inside he found a coupls of packs of fruit snacks, goldfish crackers, animal crackers, a new toothbrush, and two new sippy cups. He immediately fell in love with the toothbrush...and insisted on digging into the fruit snacks. He ate all four packs!!! I really think that h understood that Santa brought him his stocking goodies because everytime he eats his fruit snacks now, he goes and points to his picture with Santa. Oh, I can't wait for next year! :o)

Christmas Day we spent at my parent's house with my family and Chad's parents. We talked, ate, talked, ate some more, and eventually got to opening presents. I think that Landry has gotten way too used to having me around all day long because he was very clingy all day long...which also was a reason why there were very little pictures taken. :o)

Landry was really into the gift opening this year. It was so much fun to see him get excited about the bags, paper, and tissue...which were of course his favorite parts! Every time he opened something up he would say, "OOOOHHH!" Too funny! He even liked to watch me open my gifts...and then he would grab them and run away.

Here he has stolen my highly coveted caramel corn that my Aunt Judy makes. He knows already that you have to grab your bag and hide it...if not...someone else will eat it! :o)

Popcorn is very serious business as you can see!

Landry also loves the way things feels against his skin. Here he is with a pair of new pajamas from Nawnie and Papa...and of course he is saying, "Cheese!"

G.G. and Poppie got him an adorable hat that will be perfect for his first trip to the snow...which will hopefully be this year! :o)

 No, I couldn't get him to turn around and face me...little stinker!

You all know his love of glasses...so Nawnie and Papa got him a new pair! You also know that he has his "own" way of wearing them. Here he is...glasses, smirk, and all!

 This is the only shot I got of the three of us. As you can see...not the best shot...and someone is so not happy to be taking a picture. Oh well!

 After a fun filled day and night, everyone kind of hung low the next day. Chad's parents were going back to Redding on Tuesday, so we had them over to our house on Monday night. Here are two cute pictures I got of Landry and Todd...a.k.a. Poppie (Chad's dad) playing with the kitchen sink faucet!

Oh how his smile melts my heart!

Again, I apologize for the lack of pictures...but I enjoyed my time with my family and lived in the moment!

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa,

   Well, since I don't really know how to write yet, I am asking Mom to write my letter for me this year...hope you understand. :o) I wanted to start by saying that I really did enjoy meeting you the other day...even if the picture shows something a bit different.

   I can explain. I was excited to see you...I'm sure you heard me saying "Santa, Santa," when we walked into Pamela's studio. But then, Mom just kind of plopped me on your lap and I was afraid you were going to take me with you to the North Pole. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the North Pole is an amazing place...but I REALLY love my mommy and daddy...and I'm not quite ready to leave them yet. So, I just wanted to say sorry for crying during our picture. Just ask Mommy...everytime I see you or even your hat I call out your name with a big smile. Mommy keeps telling me that you're going to come by our house tonight and leave me some presents in something called a stocking. I have no idea what she is talking about but I am excited about it...plus I think it makes her feel better if I respond to things with, "Ohhh." She always smiles and starts laughing when I do that...so I do it a lot. :o)

   Mommy told me, that since I am almost 20 months old...which apparently is "unbelievable" to her...that I should tell you some of the things I like to do now. I mean, I am almost two you know!

   My new favorite thing to do is talk and repeat whatever anyone says. I think that Mommy was worried for awhile because I waited a long time to start talking. You want to know how I know that...well, she talked to every speech therapist she knows...and she knows quite a few...and guess what they all told her? They said that I was going to be okay...but I don't think she really believed them. I have to admit...it was kind of fun not saying anything. She would try so hard to get me to say words...but I wouldn't give in. Nope, I would just give her some funny looks...she always knew what I was thinking with my looks...I think everyone knows...I get that "talent" from my mommy!

   Now...I love to talk. Here are all of the words I know and use a lot: momma, daddy, nana, papa, g.g., ka-ka (Auntie Kaitlin,) kitty, dog, fishie, bird, moon, cow, eyes, ears, feet, butt, brain, mouth, chin, cheeks, gunk, truck, mess, ew, hat, glasses, waffle, pancake, water, bottle, up, please, thank you, car, go, ball, book, juice, bathroom, vacuum, bye-bye, hi, cheese, fruit, snacks, pretzels, banana, jacket, shoes, diaper, gorilla, brush, lights, bear, bed, ny-ny (night-night,) candy, popcorn, hot, ca-ca (coffee,) and I think that's it! Oh ya...I also know Santa and tree.

   Now, for the things that I love to do. Well...there is a big clue in my picture...yup, I LOVE to do hair!!!!! Every morning I watch Mommy do her hair and I love to try and help. I have my own hair dryer that I carry around with me. Whenever I can, I ask Mommy to sit on the floor, I grab her brushes, my dryer, maybe even a few curling irons, and I go to work. I love to flip her hair around, dry it for her, "curl" it, and everything.

   When I am not doing Mommy's hair, I love to throw balls and water bottles at Daddy. He keeps trying to show me how to catch them but I'm not really interested in that. I also love to ride around in my wagon. Here is a picture of my friend Amy and I taking turns in my wagon.

   I love to chase the cats around the house, vacuum with my toy vacuum...don't even get me started on the real thing. I love to play outside, wear my sunlasses...or anyone's really, eat any kind of food, make a mess, bang on things, try to fix things like Daddy does, color, dance, read my books, snuggle, love, help clean up, throw things in the trash, dust, sort laundry, and pretty much anything. Mommy and Daddy say that I am a really good helper now.

   Oh, and I also love to take pictures! I like to strike a pose and say, "cheese!" I told mom not to even worry about this next picture because my eyes were closed...but she insisted...and you know there's no use arguing with that. I like to grab the roll of component video cable, put it on my arm...kind of like Mommy does with her purse...then I run around waving and saying, "bye-bye." Mommy tried to get a picture of it...so I stopped and said, "CHEESE!"

   Well, I think that's about it for now. Oh, here are two more pictures for you to see how much I have grown from last year. Mommy says that it is just crazy. I think she is the one that's crazy....crazy about me of course!

                                                       Lots of Love,

                                                                   Landry Tigh Lofgren

Christmas 2010

Christmas 2011

Pantry Redo

So, if you know me at all...you know that I LOVE to organize! When I say love, I mean like madly, deeply, passionately, LOVE to organize. It brings peace to me and there is nothing better than seeing color coordinating bins, labeled, resting nicely on a shelf.

Since my new addiction started...a.k.a. Pinterest...I have been wanting to organize everything in my house. What better time to start than during vacation? Just to let you know how crazy I am...a majority of my vacation "to-do" list is organizing different parts of the house. I am two days in...two projects down! :o)

Here is what my pantry looked like before:

Notice the oatmeal boxes on the floor...I had an "assistant" who wanted to help. :o)

Now, even though I love to organize, I hate to spend a lot of money on bins. I am often torn because the OCD in me so desperately wants everything to match...so many times I end up spending more than I want on matching bins. Well, move aside matching bins...I have a new trick up my sleeve! :o)

Here is what I used:

Yup...banker's boxes! I bought a pack of ten for about $13. Then I decided to paint them black so that they all matched and coordinated with my kitchen...with is red, black, and white. I just poured the craft paint...which I already had...onto a paper plate and used a paint roller to paint the four sides of the boxes. This was so quick and easy...seriously, I had six boxes painted AND dry within 30 minutes!!!!

Then I cut vinyl labels with my Silhouette craft cutter. Two boxes fit on each shelf...but it left a gap in the middle. So, I went and grabbed some empty baby wipe boxes that I was saving for a different project. They were a perfect fit! I decided to cover them with a damask print fabric that I had, added a black vinyl label, and voila!

 I am sooooooooo excited with the way it turned out...and so is my "assistant!"

When I went to take the picture my "assistant" came running over, put his hands on his hips, and then said, "cheese!"

Here is another shot...without the cutie!

Oh...and did I mention that my only expense was the set of boxes? Yup, a whole woppin' $13 people! Everything else I already had on hand!!!!

From Our Family to Yours...

HUGE thanks to the super talented Whitney Frank of http://www.whitneyfrankphotography.com/ for capturing our family...and the AMAZING Kristine Schroeder with KDS Designs for creating a beautiful card...just for us!