Growing Up!

These pictures are from February. Wyatt was starting to stand on his own. He is growing so fast. You always hear that it goes faster with each one, and it really does. I am trying to enjoy these baby days and love on him as much as I can! He is so full of life! He is active and really funny. I don't know how someone can be so funny without being able to speak, but somehow he pulls it off. You light up my life, Little Man. Now stop growing so fast! :)

Why This Picture Makes Me Happy...

This picture reminds me of the faithfulness of God. After years of struggling to conceive, our friends Johnathan and Brooke welcomed Hudson Grant Akin (the one I am holding) into the world in October. We were blessed to be able to share the journey with them, and had been petitioning God for so long (along with so many others) to bless them with a child. Hudson is absolutely precious and wonderful, and God has done so much through their experience. I am excited that he and Wyatt will get to grow up as buddies, and I am so thankful to get to share this journey of motherhood with one of my dearest friends.

Snow Days

We had a lot of snow days this year! The kids and I had fun playing in it. We built the world's tiniest snowman once, and a big snowman another time whom the kids named "Frosty". They were so proud of him. I remember the excitement of snow as a child. I try to hold onto that, but it isn't quite the same. I am glad to see it in their eyes every time!

Christmas Morning 2010

If you have known Brian and I for very long you know that we both have large families. You also know that we adore them and enjoy spending lots of time with them. At Christmas time we are constantly around extended family members, and it is such a blessing. However, Christmas morning is the one time that we have just as our little family. I treasure those sweet few hours every year. We get up and see what Santa brought, I cook breakfast, and then we play with the new toys the kids opened. It is so much fun. For all the days that I wonder if I will survive the years of the kids being so little, there are these beautiful days when I just want so badly to freeze them right here at these ages. They get so excited about the little things. They still think their parents are great. They trust, and love, and play wholeheartedly. Things are more simple now than they will be when the diapers and baby food and preschool days are over. Christmas morning this year was one of those times where I was just overwhelmed with thankfulness for my family, and I tried to soak up every moment and live only in the present.

Christmas Family Festivities

I have always loved Christmas for as long as I can remember. Even now it makes me downright giddy. There are many things I love about the ways in which we celebrate, but my one of my favorites is getting to spend time with our family celebrating Jesus, our Savior. We are so blessed to have two families that we really enjoy spending time with, and who share our faith in Christ. Here are lots of pics from our various family gatherings this Christmas!