My own little fairy tale

EIGHT years ago today I fell in love. I went to a my little sister's boyfriend's concert in a tiny little cafe in downtown Albany and fell in love. I was sitting so far away that I couldn't see the guy's face but he sang a song and suddenly I had this feeling of absolute emptiness- like my body had just discovered that it was missing a piece that it didn't even know existed. After the concert, I made an off-hand comment to my sister "I think I am in love."

One year later, that guitar player who had won my heart before I could even pick him out of a crowd, proposed to me in an old, one room school house in the middle of the forest. I am a lucky girl.

It's a boy?

Well, I have officially passed the point in my pregnancy where I threw up with both of the girls... without throwing up! I never thought I could be pregnant and digest all of my food. I haven't even had really bad nausea, which is also amazing. So if only I could get over my CONSTANT need to eat and falling asleep on the floor while playing with my children at 3:00, I wouldn't even know I was pregnant!

Happy Pie Day!

My sister in law posted on facebook today that it was National Pie Day. That was all the excuse I needed to bake a pie.












So Happy Pie Day from the Saemenes Family!

Sorry you weren't here to share it with us D!

My Year of Reading with Intention

I read a total of 40 books this year. I am proud of myself for the number and for quite a few of the books I read. Not all of the books would exactly qualify as "intentional" and I didn't read all of the ones off my list... but I count it as a success nonetheless.

My favorites-
The Help- Kathryn Stockett
The Picture of Dorian Gray- Oscar Wilde
The Raging Quiet- Sherryl Jordan (This is actually a YA book that I have read a few times but is still one of my favorites)
Pride&Prejudice & Zombies- Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen
Watership Down-Richard Adams
Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins

There were some others that I read that I liked, but these are my favorites. I am excited to start my 2011 book list. Let me know if you have any recommendations!

Christmas!

Christmas was a lot of fun with lots of family time. Christmas with kids is so much fun.

Other Christmas Break Happenings...

We have had a fun, busy, two weeks off. Elie and I both started taking horseback riding lessons.



Elie had her first dentist appointment. They gave her a "Belle" toothbrush so she is a fan.



New Year's Eve we had a fondue picnic while we watched "Beauty and the Beast."



I found a dog and brought it home for my sister Heather. I then puppy sat for a week and am now cured from wanting a puppy ANY time in the near future.



Lainey got her first pig tail.




If Elie hears Lainey wake up from her nap before I do, then she runs into her room and plays with her for a as long as Lainey allows her to. It is so fun to hear their little giggles coming from her room.





Lainey is running everywhere. She is very mischievous, opinionated and independent.



Aunt Kari made Elie a cape which is multipurpose Belle, Little Red Riding Hood, Elf or Just Really Cool.



We went "sledding." We drove up to the mountain, got stuck in traffic and turned around to just play in the snow. The kids didn't seem to mind though.

Peak

After a weekend away (just Nick and I) of wine tasting and McMenamins, the first day of my break was spent in Corvallis with my girls. Friends of ours rented out Peak, a gymnastics facility, and the *girls* had a blast.