january... how did that happen?

how is it possible that it is already january... a new year... holidays are over. where has the time gone??

i'm extremely excited for this year. hopeful for all sorts of good to come from the major changes we will be going through.
here's the run down...
luke is getting out - is a woohoo inappropriate here?:)
i'm going back to work -yikes & yippy all in one!
l is going into kindergarten - just yikes on this one!! how did that happen?? i was just changing his diapers;)
e is starting preschool - holy smokes! i'm pretty sure he'll be in a full day/full week preschool/daycare & i'm really hoping that it will be good for him! fingers crossed.
oh and we're moving... no big deal!
oh and we'll be buying another house... another no big deal;)
did i miss anything? i'm sure i did:)

here are the important things...
we will be very close to family!
we will be back with ri friends! on the flip side we will be moving further away from some super friends - but we know we'll see them often:)
we will be together!
luke will be home a lot more!! - this one could go either way... just kidding!!

so here's to it all... the good - because i think it's all going to be really good!!

xoxo

catching up

it seems like a lot of my most recent posts have a very similar title... always playing catch-up around here!

here are a few favorite instagram pics from the holidays. hope you all had a merry merry!
xoxo

we decorated our tree with cinnamon applesauce dough stars.
love, love, love the smell of clove studded oranges.
l celebrated his 41/2 bday with birthday cake pancakes:)
we had snow for our holiday parade! (mama wore her furry boots:)) and we finished the day with hot cocoa in our jammies.
love quiet days spent making legos & doing art projects.
Hanukkah dinner made complete with latkes! yum

harmonicas for christmas.

cookies & milk for santa.

snuggles with daddy & a new puzzle.

mama & daddy in their christmas jammies.

l & his harmonica

daddy & l going out to sprinkle the reindeer food.

more harmonica... BIG hit!!

mama's christmas pressie!

our gingerbread house.

one little word 2013

so... my word for 2012 was peace. anddddd i am seriously happy to say that in my eyes i achieved peace by the end of 2012! some of the things i  had to do to make this happen were easy. some were really hard & definitely took a toll on our family for a little while. but, we came out of it a stronger unit & i am at peace with my decisions!

moving on to 2013... 2012 went by waaay too fast by the way!
the word that i have chosen is change. 2013 holds some major changes for the marland family. luke is getting out of the coast guard. this is a huge one!! after the decision was final things just started happening that solidified that this decision was absolutely 100% the best decision for us. love it when that happens!! we are so excited and a little scared for the road ahead but i'm pretty confident it will be full of positive changes for us as a family. i am ready to embrace all the changes heading our way in 2013 and hoping for a bright year full of wonderful family and our awesome friends. happy new year to all! may you all be surrounded by lots of love all year long.
xoxo