peace out, 2014.

just like everyone else and their dog, we have to end this year with a little bloggy post. but frankly, you've been reading about us all year... i'm sure you're exhausted and bored out of your mind. so let's just dump it all here and leave it until next year, yeah??

cool.

since we last "spoke", we've been partying hard in the beehive state. here's the evidence:

>> "what'd you say about my mustache?!.. that's what i thought........ yeah, i know it's awesome."

>> an artistic series called: remie and the clementine.

 >> "you two! scratch my belly. rub my feet."

>> christmas morning: could not be more in love with her toys.... ?

 >> YEAH! remikins first time meeting her uncle ammon who is on a LDS mission in singapore! we only get to skype with him twice a year, so this is a real treat and [R] was smitten.

>> we haven't been to the temple since Remikins was born (shhhhh, i know... that's terrible...) so we got to go TWICE this week! amen to that!

>> this year we started a new tradition: the annual hanks racquetball competition. here is what we were competing for. after holding the champion title for a week, my youngest bro had to relinquish it to secret... he was thrilled. who wouldn't  be? that trophy is BOMB.

>> so our flight home got canceled... so naturally we decided to just extend for another week. (naturally... lol) that means for FHE we took Remikins swimming for the first time. although she was Crank Sinatra at first... she ended up really liking it. so a WIN for us.

>> the following is a little series i think you'll enjoy. we encourage you to laugh with us at our child. she does these faces intentionally to make us laugh.

 

in order to motivate me more, i've decided to make my resolutions public knowledge:

1. be more christlike to everyone, especially strangers. i often catch myself thinking unkind things about strangers on the street... and i hate that about myself. so i'm going to change that.

2. better hone my inner french woman. i'm going to re-do my wardrobe and re-vamp my eating habits. hopefully by the end of 2015, people will be coming up to me saying "excusez-moi, ou est..." THEN I CAN DIE HAPPY.

well, that's it, people. the mister, the babe and i are ready to end this year. au revior, 2014. it's been real. 

dang it.

that feeling when you get engaged.

that feeling when you win the lottery.

that feeling when you step outside after a rainstorm and see a double rainbow AND a unicorn.

that feeling when they put the new baby in your arms.

that feeling when you experience NYC at christmas time.

do you get me? seriously, for family night  this week we walked down 5th avenue to see all the lights and at one point i felt like i was going to burst with joy at how freaking much i loved what was going on. tears were 1mm from the surface of my eyeballs. it was a plethora of things, let me see if i can impress that feeling upon you...

1. turn on the christmas music.
2. find a big christmas tree and stare at it intently.
3. immerse yourself in people you love and/or complete strangers. immerse.
4. get caught up in the hustle and bustle and fun of giving.

did you almost burst/cry out with joy??

well if not. i'll try again next year. but for now, let me just get these pictures outta my system:


>> bryant park tree lighting: it was our warm up to the rockefeller tree lighting the next night. but after hearing about the hoards of crowds i chickened out. on my own: totally! with a bebe: uhhhh...

>> i show you this because i want you to look at those delicious arms of hers. confession: sometimes when i'm playing with her i'll pretend her arms are corn cobs and we both love it. i. just. can't. resist.

>> rockefeller tree, baby!! okay, okay, it is pretty impressive. good work, new york. round of applause.

^^ how awesome does saks do christmas?? all these big, fancy department stores.. they're doing it right.

it's short. it's sweet. it's christmas time, folks. you'll hear from me again though. because these feelings of christmas are too much to keep to myself. 

dang it, nyc. you've done it again. i love you.

joyeux noël.

photo dump.

you know that day/week/month where you just think "ugh, just get outta my face!!" (just like a 14 year old girl.) for no specific reason! you're just over it. like everyday it's just like:

well november was one of those months! the weather started to turn, the holidays came running at us in full force, and i was just really anxious to burn the balsam candle.

and this "bleh, november" attitude spilled over into the blog, therefore, we've been MIA. so let's just get november out of the way so we can more fully enjoy december...... (big grin!)

>> although slightly dreary, it really is beautiful! i love putting on my rain boots and dragging this little one all over the city. 

>> family picture time! these cheese balls are coming to a fridge near you in the next couple of weeks! if it weren't for christmas cards, we would've never put on deodorant or blush... so that's cool.

>>> we REALLY took this whole food thing by the horns with this child. and she is clearly LOVING it. she eats anything! i think the biggest hit thus far was bruschetta- she started crying when it was all gone.

 >>> answer me this: why are doctors so intent on having babies do tummy time so early on?? they'll do it when they're ready! remikins HATED tummy time for so long, but now she hates boring back time. so we spend all of our days either outside or on our tummies.

>> maybe someone read my last post and took offense to it, because a couple of weeks ago we came home from brunch and my wreath had been snatched! of course, i was livid. would you steal martha stewart's wreath?? i don't think so. so why would you steal mine?! we're practically the same person.

so of course i went down to the office, watched the security cameras (waste of time), then had them look in the garbage compactor.... lo and behold, there it was. glowing like a beacon of homemakers warmth.

i hope you learned your lesson, wreath snatcher. homemakers triumph. again.

>> because sometimes it can get a little boring around here... i took remikins to a "mommy and me music" class... i dont know who had more fun, me or her... she was totally in love with the teacher. like so in love.

 >> another way to kill time: tours at the MET. we've been doing one a week, and it's been an educational time killer. fortunately we have lots of time to kill before spring arrives, so we'll practically be docents by the time we're done.

>> look at those rosy little cheeks and nose!! i feel awful taking her out into the "polar freeze" (as the dramatic meteorologists are calling it these days), but we're not hibernating bears!

>> NOOOOO!! she learned to sit up on her haunches and i hate it. i might as well drop her off at high school tomorrow.

>> so we drove to D.C. for Thanksgiving.. we'll never do that again (liars: we already have our trip planned for April.. haha)! it only took 90 minutes to get out of manhattan, but we lived. barely.

(don't worry. the snacks came out 3 blocks/45 minutes from home. we were desperate.)

>> we made it to secrets sister's house, and the dogs were... well they were dogs... haha

>> ALERT: polar freeze brings snow! while everyone was all up in arms about how disastrous this storm was, we were out exposing this little babe to her first snow. i know we're horrible parents.

>> favorite pictures from this week:

 >> i know what you're thinking, "are amanda's nostrils really that intense??!" sometimes. i was flaring them. i tried for a goofy picture, but clearly no one else got the memo.

>> while the rest of D.C. was laying half-conscious in their sweats (breaking a sweat) because of all the turkey from the previous day, we were at the national gallery of art! please take note of the various bald spots on the left side of my head. postpartum hair loss has really been treating me well.

OKAY! finally! DONE! i hope to never see another november until next year.

but... guess what... december here is tomorrow and this is how i feel: