Family Photo Outtakes

 We took the tri-pod and camera to our "backyard," the golf course. Here are some shots we got without the tri-pod. This one was the perfect shot about 7 seconds before I could actually get there to take the photo.

 Because 1/2 a second later, she was gone. I do love this shot of her at mach speed, though. The girl can run.

This is kind of a rare moment of genuine hugs and love  from Sienna.

Don't worry, she let me know I had gone to far when I requested a kiss. DENIED.

 Noah is a total mama's boy. But a little too wiggly to get a good shot. Oh well. I like our spots and checkers together.

We made them hold hands. Sienna pretended it was okay for a small moment.

 These are my favorites of the kids. Adam took these two.

 The vein on Noah's neck, it's been there since the day he was born, bulging out for all to see. I love this shot the most. They make a lot of noise.

 Always has a rock or ball in his hand.

 Practicing her golf swing? Not bad, Bird!

 And the kids with dad..... I love these.

Christmas Happened

...And here are the pictures to prove it.

Christmas Card

We didn't send out very many cards and letters this year so don't be sad if you didn't get one. Here's the virtual version, which is just as good (or lame or boring or whatever you really think about Christmas cards and letters).

Merry Christmas to you! December 2012 finds us warm and well in Phoenix, Arizona. We’ve had an eventful year and, as usual, are counting our blessings during this time of reflection on Christ’s birth.

Adam graduated from University of Washington with an MBA in June and started work as a financial analyst at one of Amazon.com’s fulfillment centers in West Phoenix. He has no affinity toward extremely hot weather … that was his wife giving him the nudge to take the opportunity in the middle of a dreary Seattle winter, looking for any excuse to see the sun for one full year. We moved into the ward of Adam’s old college roommate and it’s been a blast to hang out with him and his family as well as get to know the other wonderful people of Ahwatukee. He has been working long hours but manages to ride his new mountain bike occasionally and, yes, even spend time with his wife and kids if we are lucky.

Martha (that’s me) still doesn’t know what to say after 3 ½ years of stay at home motherhood. I’m just guessing as I go and hoping it all works out in the end. I must say it’s gotten easier. When the little tikes can finally do a few things for themselves and even communicate properly, it helps me understand that this daily grind is not all in vain. Having open heart surgery in September (to replace a faulty aortic valve I was born with) has helped me see things even more clearly. Life is finite. And now I relish picking up and holding my children and have even found new joy in doing dishes, dinner, laundry, sweeping and vacuuming. Open heart surgery: it’s a good thing.

Sienna (3 ½) continues to charm and frustrate in equal portions. The charm: she is a smart little whipper snapper, has the most beautiful singing voice complete with vibrato, holds her arms out for a forgiveness hug after mom gets mad at her, and loves to discuss owies, broken objects, and Ariel. The frustration: She pesters Noah incessantly. Okay, back to the charm part now that we’re in full-on-Christmas-newsletter-brag-mode: She also runs around the house giggling with Noah. Music to my ears. She will be starting preschool in January.

Noah (1 ½) has turned out to be the happiest little chill guy. At the beginning of the year he was testing our sleep training with a vengeance, and now he is over the moon to be put in his crib for the night. He is a busy little wiggle bum and will whine all morning until I let him outside, at which point he is as happy as a clam. Rocks, sticks, and balls are his domain. We have two little opposite children and feel lucky every day that they are part of our lives.

We love having you as part of our lives as well. Thanks for that. We don’t see any of you often enough, but maybe this picture and letter will remind you that we exist? Remember? Us?

Love,

The Wares

A Thanksgiving Report

How was your day of eating? Ours was surprisingly wonderful. This is the first Thanksgiving we spent by ourselves, no extended family in sight. I knew it would be hard, but I didn't know it would also be really fun and great and satisfying and just basically wonderful. I started baking/cooking a couple days ahead and tried a few new things, and most of the food turned out pretty well. I enjoyed the whole production of it, too. I can't remember enjoying cooking/baking as much as I have the past month or so (post kids, anyway). It's definitely thanks to the post-surgery high I'm still experiencing. I don't take much for granted anymore. I'm just happy to be here, doing what I'm doing. Here was the plan I posted in the kitchen to keep me on track.

This morning's humor brought to you by Adam and Nobers:

Adam had to work from home all morning until approximately 10 minutes before chow time, which was 1 pm. It was the pits, but whatevs. We invited about 7 people to our Thanksgiving, a mix of Adam's co-workers and random people in our apartment complex that the sister missionaries recommended. One showed: Rahul. He was awesome. He works with Adam and he's just a great guy all around. I thoroughly enjoyed his company. He entertained the kids perfectly while Adam worked (Rahul works at a functioning Amazon warehouse, Adam works at a messed up, insane Amazon warehouse, hence Rahul not working all morning and Adam working all morning), and while I finished dinner (which always takes longer than planned).

Here he is...

 Camera switch, and here I am... Hot, sweaty, oven-on-all-day-and-it's-80-degrees-outside look and all...

Ahhhh, dinner is over and Rahul has gone and we are watching Beauty and the Beast, the best Disney movie, in my estimation (Belle, the bookish heroine, she's my favorite).

Some day I'll laugh about The Bird always having her finger up her nose, but, man. I wish she'd just stop. Oh well. Hhahahah. Ha. Ha. See? Maybe I can laugh about it right now.

And now, a couple videos taken today while we were still in our jammies.

Here's Sienna telling us some random things she's thankful for. (The mac & cheese reference is to this Mormon Messages video.)


Here's an agonizingly awful video of me telling you some things I'm thankful for. I need to teach my kids to include me in the videos and pictures so it doesn't look like they just magically existed by themselves and with their dad all these years. So, this is where I'm starting, with agonizingly awful videos taken by my child who can hardly pull down her own pants to go pee. Gotta start somewhere.


And finally, the kids' eyes are glued on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while Adam asks them to state a simple two words.


Happy Thanksgiving! We missed you!