happy 30th birthday amanda!

on our last night in portland we went out to benihana's to celebrate amanda's 30th birthday. amanda is actually a christmas baby, but her wonderful husband put together this surprise dinner and we were so lucky to get to attend. 

shanny and i made her this funfetti cake. classy on the outside, party on the inside. 

yes we laughed at ourselves for that one. 

the birthday girl with sweet daphne. 

family pictures never happen, thanks aunty shanny! 

the three of us have been friends since elementary school. isn't that amazing? i think it is. 

happy happy birthday amanda, we love you! 

gingerbread houses are the best houses

we had a wonderful dinner with the gilman's and coen & daphne had a blast building a gingerbread house together. even though we live so far away, i love that daphne and coen have gotten to grow up with each other. we always make a point to visit with them and they are always such wonderful hosts. 

sprinkles, sprinkles, sprinkles. 

daphne approves, it's looking good!

 coen's not quite sure, yet. 

candy canes are delicious, but you knew that. 

oh trader joes, you add magic to every season. 

 elton needed to be in on the project too. 

late night story time.

we love the gilman's and are really hoping that they come to visit us soon {hint hint}!

alex & coen reunite!

coen had a very special date with alex last week. it was so fun to see the boys all grown up and to meet alex's new baby sister sierra. we were so busy playing and chatting that i totally forgot to take any pictures. sad. i stole this picture from alex's blog alexanderarmstrongsjourney.

we had such a great time visiting, and can't wait for our next visit. 

we heart the birchard's!

while we were visiting portland we were blessed to have dinner with the birchards! this was a milestone event for us, as it was the first time coen ran around and played while we ate and caught up. no joke, we didn't play with him, watch him, or have to be sitting right next to him. i think this is because aiden in SUCH a good friend and has SUCH cool toys. wes and i are still talking about it. 


i took only this one picture, which is a shame because they also have an adorable daughter and a beautiful new home. 


thank you birchard's, it was so so good to see you! 

coffee with caryn!

we were so so so lucky to get to have coffee with our sweet friend caryn today. it was way too short of a date, but i am thankful for every minute of it! 

caryn, you are just wonderful. thanks for hanging out with us!

also, why is coen's head the same size as yours?! 

auntie doctor shanny

auntie shanny has taken coen's game of doctor fireman to a whole new level. after hearing lots of giggling from the back bedroom, i walked in to find coen bandaged up from head to toe. 


we LOVE you auntie shanny! 

finn's latest tricks

here is a look at what our elf, finn has been up to the past few days. 

playing the guitar. 

swinging from the chandelier. 

also known as, "i am heading to bed and forgot to place finn, i will just throw him up in this light."

coen thought this was just too silly...perhaps i over think our elf's shenanigans. 

or maybe this is also super fun for me.

snow ball fight! 

we {heart} trader joes

sometimes it's nice to reunite with stores that you never realized how much you loved till you move to the middle of the pacific and do not have them any more. 

did i say sometimes? um, i mean always. 

also, does this make coen look like a wino? 

finn cleans up his act

thankfully finn found his way to auntie shanny's house, but was apparently in need of a bubble bath after a week in the city.