bucket list…

 We got to stay at the historic cottages at Crystal Cove!  

I can’t wait to tell you all about it!!!

a quick hangout…

 This last weekend, our Mia and Papa came to go to church with us as well as take the kids to lunch and hang out together before the break was over…

It’s so sweet to watch the kids have that time carved out for them… We love you Mia and Papa!

23 years

 Yesterday on January 4, we celebrated 23 years of marriage… We are more in love with each other today than we ever thought possible the day we got married… I’m so grateful for this man and the life we are allowed to live together!

Snapshots of the kid’s on break…

 Look at what Ryder got over break?

And look who was in town to see it!

We also got our grandparents on the sidelines:

We also got some house projects done:

Eden got her haircut, went shopping with her bestie, got new contacts, and had a slumber party:

Claro’s deli never disappoints:

So many things…

Welcome 2026!

 We welcomed 2026 after a day of work and while the kids celebrated with friends, I came home to Kit, a clean house, and bowls of ramen:

(I did make them take pictures all together before we all headed in different directions…)

I don’t know what 2026 will hold, but I love that I get to journey it with my people…

December books

I closed out the year with rereading a book that I’ve enjoyed previously.

Let Them teaches a simple mindset shift: stop trying to control other people and instead focus on your own actions, boundaries, and emotional well-being. By adopting the “let them” approach, you free yourself from stress, improve relationships, and create more space for personal growth. It is filled with mental tools that have been so helpful for me.

Christmas Day 2025

Christmas morning was spent in Tustin. Kit and I were both off and we lived just getting a lay-low morning. The night before, we had done our tradition of setting out presents and setting the stage for Santa magic:

We read the Christmas story, opened presents and stockings, then ate an amazing breakfast that included cinnamon rolls from our Futrell’s! The favorite gifts this year were a kindle for Eden, soccer kits for Spain and Jordan’s for Ryder, and upgraded phones for both kids.

Eden loved her gifts from Ryder that included a jelly cat teddy bear…

We headed to Redlands to be with family for a couple of days:

Spending time on the rainy days after Christmas day:

It was such a sweet time closing out the Christmas celebrations. We are now relaxing as we head into the new year.