This sweetie little boy is now a three year old. Holy smokes. It was a simple and sweet little party in the backyard with a couble decker cookie cake and a tableful of presents.

I am one lucky lucky mom, and I realize it everyday.

My sister and her clever husband are in town so we are pretending to be on vacation and enjoying Hawaii like tourists. I’ll check in once we’re back to real life next week.

xo
elle

There seems to be no limit to the things that you know how to say and do. You’ll repeat any word or phrase that we ask you too (this morning it was, “rolling with the homies”, “alright stop, collaborate and listen”, and other funny rap songs. You’re always astounding us with your new vocabulary and your Dad and I have had to start spelling things out to one another so that you don’t know what we’re talking about. Current catch phrases include, “that’s funny right there”, “that’s not funny right there”, “breakfast? yucky!”, “going to school? yucky!”, “it’s my birfday? yucky!” (everything is yucky sometimes), “gigi, not nice. not nice gigi.”, “where dada go? Dada at work?” “rub a back mama”, “mama, nuk a’dis!”, “you do it”, and in increasing frequency, “I do it myself”. Your skill set has improved by leaps and bounds. You can undress and mostly redress yourself. You are part Spiderman because you can climb things rather quickly (a 5 foot stack of pallets in 15 seconds and the stove with the help of a chair are examples of recent feats) and you love being so tall when you’re up there. When you’re done with a meal you know to put your dishes in the sink and with each little accomplishment you want to inform us and celebrate. We always comply. We are so proud of your abilities and your curiosity.

You are pretty much a Mama’s boy- you like having me around and can’t really go to sleep without me tucking you in half a dozen times. I don’t really mind. Although- sometimes you do call me into your room after bedtime (and several tucking-ins) in a panicked tone and then quietly say, “rub my back” when I arrive. You know what you want. You also adore your Dad and often ask me where he is if he’s not with us. You like to do what he’s doing. You love to be involved and help in the projects that we’re working on and you insist that we explain what we’re doing as we go along.

You are a picky eater, and I wish that I could blame it on you, but it’s really my fault for using cheerios and fish crackers as the first reponders to your toddler cries. Foods that you will eat: pizza, crackers, cookies, cereal (you always demand milk and a spoon), cake, candy, popcorn, nuts, cheesy roll ups, chicken nuggest, fries, dired fruit, raisins, yogurt, peanut butter sandwiches, donuts, cookies, and most recently fresh pineapple and apples. Everything else you usually reject without hardly a glance. We’ve been blending fruits and veggies into smoothies for you to give you something healthy for at least half of your life.

For a three year old you have lots of hobbies. They include putting stickers and band-aids on yourself, watching “nudies” (your adorable name for movies) on Mom’s iPhone, playing with cars and trucks, and figuring out how things work.

And you love the trampoline. We went to visit Grandma and Gramdpa (you know them as grammie and gram gram) last summer and played on their trampoline everyday. When we came home we bought one too. You spend some time out there almost everyday and love pretending to be a dinosaur. This might be a good place to tell you that you’re kind of a wimp too. I mean, we knew that we were jinxing you by naming you Danger- but we could never have forseen this. You’ll climb on things and run fast and fall down and not cry- but if Ginger leans on you, you’ll fall over sobbing that she’s hurting you. If she holds onto your shoulder to stabalize herself you’ll turn red and in face and cry. If she falls on you on the trampoline you’ll lay there under her, not moving, shouting to me for help. I guess your little sister is your kryptonite.

We feel so lucky and blessed to be your parents and it is exciting to rediscover the joys of the world with you. Here’s to another hundred or so years cute pants.

ps. As requested, I am now going to the kitchen to make your HUGE HUGE cookie in place of a birthday cake.
pps. look how far you’ve come! When you were two, one, and the day you were born

love you a million times over, and more.
xxxoooooxoxoxoOOOOOOOOOOOxxxoxoo
mama

We celebrated the new year the classic way- fondue (cheese for dinner and chocolate for dessert) and sparklers. That was pretty much it. The kids went to bed at the normal time and Garth and I probably would have retired early if it were any other night. Here’s a little of our front yard popper and sparkler fest.

A few days later we celebrated Garth’s 33rd by going on our first date of the year while the kids were at school. We just had lunch and went to a movie but it was so sweet and nice and it sorta felt like it did when we were dating/newly married. We were even able to drive around with the top down since Jack wasn’t in the back to complain. We were sure excited to see them later that afternoon though! Cutest. kids. Ever.

There are some crazy exciting things happening in the xoelle bow tie world right now- but nothing that can be spilled just yet- and of course, crazy awesome things happening in real life too (like a dishwasher!!!! after a year of handwashing in hotel rooms and bathroom sinks we have a dishwasher! I just got a few extra hours each week!).

I can share with you the awesomeness that is the xoelle swatchbook though- they’ve been in the works since last summers Indie Wed, when my parents skipped almost an entire night of sleep to help me assemble them. They have been fine-tuned and tweaked and are now in the shop to delight and seduce potential bow-tie-owners. I lub dem.

ecks oh.

elle

Christmas is magic. We had such a sweet little understated Christmas. Strawberry shortcake & orange juice punch for breakfast. Cars, choo choo trains, accordians, pettiskirts, and ponies for the kiddos to open. Lots of candy & snacks. And an afternoon, dressed in red & green, trying to keep the little ones quiet for an hour of church, almost successfully. I’ve included the last photo just in case there’s too much sweetness and cuteness here and you miss the real lifeness. Garth still had his pee bag to carry around on Christmas and there’s a ripped-up couch (more on that later), broken a/c unit, and moldy high chair just hanging out in our front yard, waiting for the bulk trash day. This’ll be our life for the next year or so while we try to renovate this tiny home, raise two sweet kids, and keep our jobs. Thank goodness for these sweet & happy times.

Hope yours was just as sweet friends.
much love,

elle

The kiddos are in bed after a long day of movie watching, ornament & cookie making, trampoline jumping, and late night light tour bike riding. The Mr. and I are soaking in the Christmas eve magic in the living room, waiting for Santa. Christmas Eve is the best. From our rainy little hideaway to you- merry Christmas- hope it’s lovely & awesome.

Just got back yesterday from a week in the desert with Garth’s parents & family. It was a little chilly at times and we loved it. We left 2 cans of spam and like 15 strange sodas when we left (including egg nog fizz and lilikoi). Yes, we will leave spam at your house if you invite us over too.

The giant bow tie sale is winding down and has been a huge success. Today is the last day to get as many bow ties as your heart desires for $25 a piece, including shipping. Well, as many as your heart desires up to 65 or so.

happy new week people. =)

elle

Oh it has been a marvelous holiday, my friends. Garth had 4 days off in a row and I tried my hardest not to wander into my studio (the living room) and work. Mostly we stayed in our pajamas ( we each got two sets this year!), watched movies, and drank hot chocolate. And egg nog. And ate cookies. In fact, we’re still eating cookies.

We took our annual Christmas Eve bike ride through North Hill Pensacola to look at the lights (even though it was a chilly 40 something degrees) and upon arriving home we changed into our jammies (after Jack peed on his playroom floor and then cried about it). After the kids were asleep Garth and I started on the adult assembly required that we had been looking forward to all week. It is some sort of rite of passage for parents, right? And, it only took until 3 am or something.

Santa brought Jack a Radio Flyer trike (that he’ll have to grow into since his feet can’t reach the peddles yet) and Ginger a tuff stuff toy sewing machine (every four month old needs a pink toy sewing machine). Garth made me a pair of flip flops out of some special order foam, webbing from an old backpack, and tread from his old motorcycle tires. They rule. I got him a vintage Gillette double edged razor (every few weeks for the past three years we’ll be riding in the car and he’ll tell me that he’s always wanted to shave with one of those old razors that uses a real razor blade.)

And now, it’s Wednesday and Garth has one more (short) day of work before another four day weekend. And then there’s one short week until several strange men will come into our home, pack up all of our stuff, and place it on a ship to be reunited with us in approximately 40 days. holy smokes.

Hope your holidays were just as sweet.

ps. a million thanks to the family that had this message in lights on Christmas Eve. I surely miss my Bob so very very much and your lights made me smile.

xoxoxox

elle

If I don’t talk (type) to all ya’ll before then, have a super extra double Merry Christmas!

elle

more Easter photos here.

It’s looking to be a sweet one for us. We will be at the Port City Market tomorrow enjoying the mid-70′s weather and Sunday will be filled with Easter Egg hunts, pastel madras pants, delicious breakfast food, and LDS general conference streaming right to our front porch. I hope all ya’ll are just as excited as we are.

xo
elle

ps. the illustration above is from a late 1940′s Easter card. More here.