Oh, the Places You'll Go

Has anyone else seen this image floating around the internet?  I saw it the other night, at the end of my second day in a row of all-day pajamas, completely unaware of what day it was, and got quite the chuckle out of it.  We've been in full on post-Christmas hibernation mode around here, living off of leftovers, cheese, and chocolate, building Legos, playing board games, and staying up much too late watching season 2 of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.  I'm not sure if it's how Christmas fell this year, but our break seems extra slow and we went from full-on jingle-all-the-way to that familiar purgatory when the festive fades and we haven't quite stepped into the energy and productivity of another new year.  And I've cherished every second of it!  I've still got another couple weeks of break and have so many plans to page through this past year's journal, clean out the pantry, and reset with some new intentions for 2019, but this past week has been full of lots of rest and lots of time to sit still and be present with all the gifts of a Christmas season; namely, a girl who just wants to play Wellie Wishers and a boy with a lot of Legos to build.

I don't really get into the whole NYE thing too much, but do love a good opportunity to reflect on what was and reset for what's to come.  Beau helped me pack away Christmas yesterday which gave us a good part of our Sunday to engage in lots of conversation as we packed up ornaments and made several trips up and down our steps.  And while new budget goals and meal time routines and plans for another January Whole 30 came up, we had the most fun talking about travel.  Talks of where to go and what we want to see and experience with the kids before they leave the house, bucket list places we might check off in the year to come, and favorite trips both near and far left us both plotting and dreaming and feeling the familiar desire to get out and see this big and beautiful world of ours.

2018 was a big and fun year of travel for the four of us.  Beau and I made our first ever trek "across the pond", visiting thrilling London and dreamy Ireland.  The four of us spent ten days in sunny California, falling hard for San Francisco and Lake Tahoe.  And when we weren't across many states or even an ocean, we were adventuring in our own backyard, whether it be Decorah or downtown Cedar Falls.  And while home will always be my favorite place, what I love most about adventures near and faraway is that I always bring back experiences, memories, and feelings that help me home even better than before.  2018 gave me my favorite gray hat from Portobello Market and a special post-London early morning royal wedding with Mila, a porcelain cup of tea, and a Magnolia Table scone.  It gave me Galway Girl, black currant syrup in my Guinness, and a newfound appreciation for Iowa green grass that rivals Ireland's green.  This year gave me a weekend in the Mission District, a fascination and appreciation for culture, stories, hard work, and street art.  It gave me a love of being on the water, preferably in a kayak, where my fingers and toes can skim the surface.  It gave me a thrill for spontaneous weeknight dates to concerts, autographed vinyls, and Ray Lamontagne's Just a Simple Thing.  It gave me Java John's Driftless Smooth, eggs cooked over a campfire, and countless late night dreams shared with good hearts under a blanket of stars.  Whether it be the very hairy edge of those magnificent Cliffs of Moher, the Golden Gate bridge overlook, or Big Woods Lake at sunset, I long for more opportunities to sink in to the beauty of a place, to interact with the very way God formed it like the great potter He is, and to take pieces of it with me to live this one life with great purpose, appreciation, and beauty.  Looking forward to more chances to sink in and experience new, near, far, and favorite places in 2019.  But first, some favorites places and memories from 2018...

Portobello Market - Notting Hill, London

Dishoom - Carnaby, London

Tower Bridge - River Thames, London

West End, London

Cliffs of Moher - County Clare, Ireland

Galway, Ireland

Connemara, Ireland

Great Wolf Lodge - Bloomington, Minnesota

Mall of America - Bloomington, Minnesota

                   
The Painted Ladies, San Francisco

Baker Beach, San Francisco

Acqua Hotel - Sausalito, California

Mission District - San Francisco, California

Muir Woods, California

Lake Tahoe, California

Truckee River, California

Emerald Bay - Lake Tahoe, California

Kayaking at Big Woods Lake - Cedar Falls, Iowa

"The Cut" at Pulpit Rock - Decorah, Iowa

Malanaphy Springs - Decorah, Iowa

Luna Valley Farms - Decorah, Iowa

The Mill - Iowa City, Iowa

Wilson's Orchards - Solon, Iowa

Hartman Reserve - Cedar Falls, Iowa

52/52

"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2018."

Cruz: Last portrait of 2018!  I didn't get one of you all dressed up in your "decent" clothes on Christmas Eve, so one in your Christmas comfies will just have to do.  You had a wonderful Christmas, full of all your favorite things.  When I tucked you in bed Christmas Eve night, I asked you if you were excited to see what awaited you under the tree the next morning.  Your reply?  You were most excited to get to see your little cousins the next morning.  Melted my heart, sweet boy.

Mila: You were into all things Christmas, baby doll.  You especially loved the water baby you received from Santa and proceeded to carry her in your arms every minute of the next day.  I loved when you opened a package from Grandma last night and shouted, "Grandma nailed it!" as you discovered a cute stuffed kitty and an new outfit for your Bitty Baby.  So cute!

And just like that, another year of portraits!  I knew I had started them the January I was pregnant with Mila, but had to count on my fingers to determine that meant for five years of weekly snapshots of these two.  There was a while when I thought I would be done blogging in 2019, but we shall see!  For now, I'll keep snapping the pictures, keep writing the memories, and keep reliving these sweet and super fast days with my favorite wildlings.  

Our first portrait of 2018.  Both of their jammies still fit them!  Maybe my wish came true and they've stopped growing???      

51/52

"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2018."

Cruz: I somehow missed a week of these portraits, so I'm throwing in an extra shot for Christmas week.  You came down with a 12-hour stomach bug the Saturday before Christmas, which left your mom in a bleach-armed tizzy.  You, however, were pretty much the sweetest sick kid I ever did see.  You took it all like a champ, slept a lot under those big cozy covers, and read your Big Nate book.  And by Sunday morning, you were ready to go!

Mila: You thoroughly enjoyed the extra attention you received from Dad while Cruz was under the weather.  You did a Koala Crate together, helped me put together a puzzle, and played several games of your favorite Guess Who.  

50/52

"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2018."

Cruz: Jorgensen Top Chef 4.0 happened as a kickoff to winter break and we once again declared it one of our favorite traditions, forever.  We keep improving, too!  This year, you were dead set on making ham balls and you took the entire process very serious.  The night before I was going to get all the groceries, you took it upon yourself to write out the entire recipe word-for-word.  I kept telling you I could find it online, but you insisted on writing it for yourself and for me.  I'll keep that handwritten recipe forever, buddy.

Mila: And then there was you!  You didn't so much look for a recipe you wanted to try, but spent most of your time thinking up something that would get you the most votes.  You chose chocolate tacos because 1) your daddy LOVES tacos and 2) you made sure the dessert was on you.  You had every intention of winning, but when it came down to it, you felt pretty bad for dad and the faces you made at his cleverly created "fryders."  

Merry Christmas 2018

'And there, in the stable, amongst the chickens and the donkeys and the cows, in the quiet of the night, God gave the world his wonderful gift.  The baby that would change the world was born.  His baby son.  Mary and Joseph wrapped him up to keep him warm.  They made a soft bed of straw and used the animals' trough as his cradle.  And they gazed in wonder at God's Great Gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.  Mary and Joseph named him Jesus, "Emmanuel" - which means, "God has come to live with us."  Because, of course, he had.'  

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.  Today I am thankful for laughter, for warm beds to snuggle in, for family to gather around the Christmas tree, and for my favorite three, who will always and forever humor me with Christmas pjs and smooch sessions.  And most of all, I'm thankful for a loving God who gave us His precious Son.  May the story of that first Christmas always bring a tear to our eye and a smile to our face.  And while we'll never know the true magic of that night until we all celebrate in Heaven someday, may we find ways to share glimpses of it here on earth.  And today, on Christmas day, is a perfect place to start.