our truest life is when we are in dreams awake - henry thoreau

We escaped for a little getaway to Hilton Head and couldn't have had a better, more relaxing time if we tried. I just love doing life with this guy!! And that he's free from the 9-5 grind and able to play with me during the week like this...

We capped off our stay with the perfect date night!

1. Fresh seafood dinner by a fire pit with no one to talk to but each other

2. Waves crashing in the background

3. A call to explain our nutrition to a smart 18 year old

4. Lots of water to accompany lots of wine

5. Said wine in a to-go cup for walk back to resort

6. S'more roasting around fire pit

Not pictured - sangria and salsa, foosball showdown, cornhole

We missed the boys like crazy and came home to them better parents than when we left...

start your life

She's a dreamer, a doer, a thinker.

She sees possibility everywhere...

wine tasting is always a good idea

 Reason #4,512 of why I love my life:

Bryan and I can get my kids favorite babysitter... drive an hour north to take my parents wine tasting..... on a quiet Wednesday afternoon......... gift them a bottle of wine and lunch.... whip out my trusty Team Anchored notebook and cell to squeeze in a little 'work' from the bar............. all without either of us having to use a vacation day or worry about being able to afford this outing.

Love love love doing life by my own design!

And I kinda sorta love Raffildini Vineyards also!!

new years eve 2015

gimme a burst energy and i'll love you forever

A couple of weeks ago I led a conference call for all of Team Anchored and totally needed this shot of natural energy in a bad way to pump me!

Side note: this extra large close up of me is terrifying!!

toddlers are fun

He wanted cookies and ice cream for lunch... I said "no"

my cousin, chase, came to visit with his fiance

free groceries

About to sit down and watch the Bachelor and do a little online shopping. Online shopping = best invention ever! Clothes or kids stuff -- I'm always finding a coupon code, going through ebates and buying online.

Same goes for my food! So love snooping through the different categories and having the time to actually read the ingredients without wanting to kill my kids as they're screaming their way through a store... not that that ever happens to us ;)

And superfood groceries like THIS strawberry glass of goodness delivered to my front door? With FREE shipping... Total no brainer!!

(I wrote this on facebook and instagram a couple weeks ago)

christmas 2016

Photo credit: You Make Me Shudder

Christmas morning was so much fun this year! Landon loved the wrapping paper - no surprise there - and Trace understood that Santa was coming and squealed with excitement when he looked through the banister to see all of his presents that "Ho Ho" brought him...

Bryan and I absolutely loved watching the kids rip through everything and really got to take in the expressions on their faces, the excitement in their voices and all of the playing with new toys. It was special to us to have our 1st Christmas as a family of 4 to be just us on Christmas morning and we wouldn't have had it any other way. We've actually had long talks about it being like this for years to come, just us soaking in these precious fleeting moments with our boys...

After we opened presents my parents came over for a large breakfast feast outside on our back patio. Yes! It was that warm out... I was in heaven.....

The afternoon and evening were very low key, just how I have always envisioned Christmas' at my house to be. It was all about the kids and we love it!

With the help of my mom, Trace and Landon surprised me with a pretty drawing...

Who knew baking cookies could be so fun? Well they are when you have a super silly Nanny who encourages you to get creative and dirty, all in the name of good fun!

 The best sugar high taster tester around!

Bryan allowed Trace to grab a freshly iced cookie and smash it on his face. The things we do to make our kids laugh :)

We had such a relaxing and fun day! Christmas 2015 that's a wrap!!

family pictures - winter 2015

Family pictures, phew are they ever exhausting!

We came with an arsenal of candy to pacify and reward the toddler.

I was a sweaty mess and Bryan needed a drink, but we made it through, haha!!

Our photographer is incredible with kids, has a natural eye and captured our circus just beautifully!

We have several pictures of the boys together and separate that I hold so close to my heart that I don't want to put them on social media, but just know these little guys were champs and Emily worked some major magic to get the priceless shots that she did :)

Photo credit: Emma Loo Photography

santa claus has come to town!

Listening to Trace yell "OH my" over and over again as we drive the 4 mile route past 1 million lights was just the best... And then we had a perfect visit with Santa & Mrs. Claus followed by some hot chocolate and s'mores. Bryan wore the silliest outfit and the kids stayed up hours past their bedtime! So proud haha!! We seriously just had a magical night and Bry might have caught me crying happy tears at one point. Just so love this stinkin' family of mine and am finally understanding the whole "Christmas through the eyes of a child" thing... It couldn't be more true!!

magical moments

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas