P365 {Family Journal}

It.is.finished.
I did it. I am done.
This is one of those projects I love to hate.
I love having a sort of a diary of our year--just capturing the day to day moments that don't always get special digi scrapbook pages or blog posts.
BUT, at times it became a chore to stay caught up on.

Will I start all over?
Most likely. How can I not?! Now that the ground work is laid and I have a system I think I will do better. Also, my awesome hubby got me an iPod touch for Christmas so capturing our day to day will be easier. I don't live in the 21st Century and GASP! I don't have a smart phone. I am just one step up from the Zach Morris phone. :) So for me the iPod is the next best thing I can have.

So let's raise our iPod and/or phones to another year of P365!


{weeks 40-41}


{weeks 42-43}


{weeks 44-45}


{week 46}



{week 47}


{week 48}


{week 49}


{week 50}


{week 51}


{week 52}


2013 has come to a close.
It has been a great year filled with lots of memories, joy and sadness. Our life together is a beautiful and thrilling story. The best parts are yet to come. We trust the author, we know that He has brought us to and through each moment. This year we all have grown and changed. God is changing each of hearts and I can't wait to see what 2014 brings. The Story of Us is still being written and at the end of the day when you stop and look around this life is pretty amazing.

Christmas Recap {Pt 1}

Christmas Eve.

Izzy started the morning off right with Birthday cookies for Jesus. No better way to kick off the Christmas festivities than with a sugar filled breakfast.

To kick off these Christmas memories is Lo receiving her yearly ornament. This ornament is from 1993. We happen  to be at my friend's house the week before where Lo spent the entire time admiring her two heart shape locket ornaments. When she got home she just went on and on and on about that ornament and why on Earth do we not have one...long story short I searched and researched and found that Hallmark ornament. I couldn't wait for it to arrive to surprise her. I think this picture sums it up. 

Before bed Izzy left his final progress report and good-bye letter. Saying good-bye is always so hard.

 Then we wrote our letters to Santa and

got our cookies and carrots out for the jolly ole elf and his 'deer.

 After our Santa letters we all wrote out our gifts to baby Jesus and

 laid them in the manger.

Christmas eve photos. 

Christmas Morning.

Baby Jesus arrived and we sang Happy Birthday. I love that the kids were thrilled to do this and had no interest in seeing what Santa brought. 

 The moment of truth. MW got a tool bench. He wanted a choo-choo, but we already had several of those so...well, Santa had to make the tough choice. Good call Santa, good call.

 Leighton got her new bike. The one with the basket AND doll carrier. YAY!!

 Izzy decided to help Santa out and set up one of MW's trains he already had as to "ease" the choo choo disappointment. Win.

 Up next gifts. We don't give our kids a lot for many reasons. But all they really wanted was these light up, star pillows.  Again, Lo's face says it all. She is THRILLED.

 No she didn't get a wedding veil. I made her a canopy like she asked me too, although, she seems to not quite get the gift. I made MW a fort kit which evidently I don't have photos of...bummer. He also didn't get it but later when we set it up he loved it.

 Then there was my gift. An iPod touch. Chad gets me every year. I cried. Most of you wouldn't care about this, but I don't have an iPhone nor will we be getting one anytime soon, so for me this is the next best thing. I love it and him for doing this for me!

 After presents we loaded up and headed to Grandma Rachel's for Christmas day.
MW got a basketball goal and apparently really needed a belt! Geez. :/

 Lo and her razor scooter. Poor Lo {first world problems} only got out door toys and couldn't quite try them out right away.

 This makes us laugh because all the Carter clothes has the #33 on them. MW is never wearing pants, like ever. So whenever we leave the house daddy says "33 put your pants on!" So when he got a #33 KSU jersey Lo shouts "hey, 33 put your shirt on!" That girl and her comedic timing. Priceless.

 MW made out like a bandit in the tool department. He now has more tools than daddy. ;)

 I was spoiled this Christmas and got all the things I wanted. Like a sewing machine. Can I sew...nope. But I am dying to learn. So here goes nothing!!

 A few days post Christmas.
FINALLY getting to test drive her new bike!! She can ride so much better on a bike that fits her AND she loves! that baby JuJu can come along for the ride. She is one happy little girl.

The Story of Us {10 Years}

Today at about this time {130p} Chad and I said our "I dos" 10 years ago.
TEN YEARS.
Wow.

Honestly, I can't believe we have been together that long. As Chad says "time flies when you are having fun."

I wanted to write something profound, meaningful, and sweet about our marriage. But I just can't get it right. We have been through 10 years of ups and downs. "In good times and in bad--sickness and in health--richer and poorer." And here we are. There were times when I wasn't sure we would make it and times when I know we will grow old together. Marriage, it isn't a walk in the park. It is a choice. A choice we choose daily to love one another and to support each other and ultimately put up with one another's quirks. Of course, mine are slightly less annoying. ;)

Do you ever wonder why my blog is called The Story of Us?
Because I love that movie. And because the greatest scene is when they pick their kids up from camp.



This sums it up to me. We have a history together. A life, a story. We made two beautiful kids together. There were no people there before and there were people. Amazing. We can read each other and sense one another; that's a dance that takes time to learn and perfect. We may drive each other nuts with some of our quirks, but at the end of the day we compliment each other. His strengths for my weaknesses. We are a team.

That is why this is the Story of Us. There is no one else I want to write this story with--just you.

I love you Chad and I love our family.
Here's to the next 10 and beyond.