Project Life 2012: Weeks 45, 46, and 47

WEEK 45

Election week. Birthday parties, soccer games, gym time…and the week I discovered kids yoga workouts On Demand. The boys LOVED. And I swooned while watching…a new staple activity in our house.

I actually ran out of photos for this week, shocking, I know. Luckily, I keep a little box of goodies nearby and was able to include a letter from one of the subscription boxes I received. Don’t throw those things away, they help tell a story…

WEEK 46

A super busy week where I struggled to find any semblance of balance. Parent/teacher conferences meant a full-time work week for me, without full-time kid care. The boys and I were exhausted by the end of the week. Add in cold, rainy weather…one of those tough weeks all around. The “Happy Mail” helped for sure, but it was hard to see it sitting on the dining room table and not having the time or energy to open them up…

A double nap Friday afternoon, meant some much needed crafty play time for Mama: I LOVED the “Mason Jar Soap” kit from Amazepack. So much fun. Also love that I was able to squeeze in an impromptu girls night out and hair cut Saturday night…little things:

Right side without insert:

WEEK 47

Thanksgiving Break week…much needed downtime for all of us.

We started the week off with our salt dough ornament making…while they dried, we danced, played, and walked the Rez. Once ready for paint, I put on the Christmas music, made myself a cup of coffee, and the boys went to town painting away:

Love the concentration, the tongue, and his love of helping me in the kitchen. The boys did nearly every step on their own this year:

Our finished product, makes me smile. I love how it reflects how much they’ve grown since last year and incorporates some of their new likes (Star Wars):

And then we did something we’ve NEVER done, a spontaneous, last-minute decision…to drive down to Anaheim and surprise the boys with a day at Disneyland. On the weekend after Thanksgiving. All kinds of crazy. But then we saw those smiles and Disney done up in all it’s holiday glory:

Despite the crowds, we managed to ride just about everything on our list…

A way to keepsake/journal our favorite rides:

I have had these pages FOREVER and have never used them, I kind of love them. A lot. They fit the 4 x 4 Instagrams perfectly and were the perfect sized insert for our Disney fun:

The right side of actual layout:

THE DEETS:

Had to share in case you’ve never heard or tried: for long road trips, especially those at night, running headlamp for the kiddos!! Genius tip from a friend. The boys could read or play their games and the light allowed the other one to sleep if need be…

I am not a Disney hater, but thought the boys weren’t ready yet. I didn’t think they’d handle the wait times and long lines. Wasn’t sure if Jake was tall enough. I assumed we would wait a couple more years…I am so glad we decided to take the chance and go. The boys surprised me and did so well in the lines. Jake was able to ride everything. By far, the most special moments of the trip are those spent alone, one on one, with Ty. We left the two tired boys at the hotel and headed back just the two of us…and stayed until midnight. The holiday decorations, the absolute MAGIC of Disney was extraordinary. Many happy memories were made…and I am an admitted reformed Disney fan.