apple ring dinner 14'

the tradition as been in place a while...in january, the welshes gather to enjoy the annal apple ring dinner and celebrate my mom's dec. 30th bday.  cousin ellen has been hosting for a while now and it is always a fun evening.  this year, ellen broke out questions for everyone to answer...you know like "would you rather win an Olympic metal or the Pulitzer prize and why" type questions which made the gathering all the more lively :)  plus, the food just cannot be beat...fried apple rings {covered in powder sugar and cinnamon}, breakfast sausage, and grits - yum!!

 my cute parents

 cousins meredith and michael

 apple rings!

 katie mae and curt

 enjoying the apple rings

 katie mae and ellen

xoxoxooxoxox

back to teaching!

by: dash age: 5

"things that go" lesson plan

eric carle style collage with their own painted paper

well, i decided to ease myself back into the world of teaching and it feels great!  i truly missed the classroom with all those eager students.  i'm teaching at a place called love of learning and it located literally minutes away from our house.  it is a charming little after school organization and it totally reminds me of my days at chaw.  i'm teaching on monday afternoons to a bunch of five year olds while the grandparents take turns watching logan. 

the classroom set up is much different than what i'm used to {ie the kids wonder from teacher to teacher depending on what art project they want to do that day - very montessori!} so i feel like it is forcing me to think outside the box.  which is always a good thing.  

so far - i'm two weeks in and absolutely loving it!

xoxoxoxoxo   

becca's baby shower!

yall - i'm going to be an aunt!  i am so pumped, as this is a new role for me!  and logan is going to have her first cousin!  jeff's sister, becca and husband chris, are expecting their first babe at the end of march.  they are driving us all crazy and not finding out the gender.  okay maybe just driving me crazy :) 

so the aunts and some aunties gathered this weekend to throw a little baby shower for baby wilkinson!  the theme was turquoise/robin's egg blue and yellow since those are the colors they are using in their nursery - cute right!  it was a wonderful celebration of the baby to be.  i just cannot wait to meet that little nugget!

 the spread

 presents!

 handmade blanket by omi

 the grandmas!

 the aunts!!

 the hostesses!!

xoxoxoxox

january in texas.

is pretty amazing i must say.  this week has been stunning!  blue clear skies and crisp, chilly days.  we have been spending all our time outside and loving every bit of it.  i know the time will come in august and september where i will be very jealous of the weather up north.  but right now, i'm so very happy to be in texas. 

ventured to the zoo this am with my dad and aunt, dianne - in town from atlanta!  good times indeed!

xoxoxoxoxoxox

a few photos from xmas eve.

after we attended the children's church service on xmas eve, we headed over to the ainsworths' family friends celebration at the semmlers.  this tradition has been in place for many years and since i have been around {in the ainsworth fam} for manyyyyy years - we have gone almost every year.  here are a few snapshots....

xoxoxoxoxox

logan at two.

my sweet girl,

you are two {actually two and a month and half, but who is counting}.  and you are a spitfire my love.  you are very opinionated about things these days and it is hard to tell if that is just being a toddler or if that is more of your personality that is starting to shine through.  your grandmas have used the term "strong will" to describe you.   

your words have exploded over the last few months.  and honestly, we are a bit relieved.  you weren't doing much talking.  i guess just taking it all in.  but now, you are talking.  non-stop and repeating everything we are saying.  we are really having to watch what we are saying around you.  one of your dad's proudest moments is teaching you the word fart.  which you use all the time and put a name in front of the word fart anytime you hear that lovely sound.  it is cracking us up and you are calling everybody out. 

your favorite things at the moment are: ELMO {you ask to watch him all day long. everyday}, your bears {you have some favorite ones, but never met a bear you didn't like.  you are also being wonderfully loving towards your bears - making sure they have socks and a diaper at all times}, your love of books is still going strong and would love to read with mama or dada at every moment.  you current favorites are corduroy, green eggs and ham and the napping house. 

we are thinking you might be a night owl.  you come alive and are at your happiest from around 6 to 8pm.  but, maybe that is just because dada is home.

we love you sweet girl.  you bring us so much joy and we are so very thankful for you - just as you are.

all my love,

mama

santa fe in pictures.

like i mentioned before....we were wayyyy sick for our time in santa fe.  being sick on vaca is just the worst.  towards the end of the trip - we were able to make it out for a lunch here or a dinner there - but that was basically it.  the rest of the time we were cooped up in our back room.  really wish we could do a santa fe trip "redo" once we are back to feeling 100% (this illness is still kickin').  so here is to good health all around for 2014!!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

life {according to instagram}.

 "washing dishes" aka inside water table

 santa's new stop!

 am LOVING this book!

 a walk with pawpaw in santa fe

christmas morning 2013.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

happy new year.

greetings from texas,

we just returned from santa fe, new mexico with my family for a little after xmas family trip.  sadly, the ainsworth clan was sick.  wayyyyyy sick for our vaca.  jeff got the flu, i got bronchitis {and the flu even though it didn't really feel like the flu - just bronchitis, and logs got something in there too - a bad cold?  upper respiratory infection?  who knows.}  but nothing is worse than being sick on vacation when you are away from your comforts, doctors and trying not to get everyone else in the house sick.  luckily, we were successful in not getting the swanson clan sick.  so we are home now - resting and trying to mend. 

i couldn't be happier about 2014 finally arriving.  2013 shook us to our core in its last few months and i'm so happy to be putting that year behind us.  it was THE. HARDEST. YEAR. ever.  and hopefully it will stay that way - never to repeat again.  so we welcome you with open arms 2014.  please be kind to us - we kinda need it.

pictured above is our cutie on xmas day.  trying on mimi's glasses along with her new snow boots {that she lived in while in santa fe}.  and isn't that dress just lovely!  hand made from laos and given to logan from our pals the buckleys.  i just love it.  we also have another more "springy" one that i plan to dress logan in for easter/spring festivities.   it is so very special. 

we hope everyone had lovely holiday celebrations and are starting the new year off right!  cheers to a fabulous 2014!

 xoxox,

the ainsworth fam 

 

welcome welcome!! x2!

welcome welcome

jacob anderson marzen!!

born on december 21st at 8:30pm.

weighing in at 8 lbs and 14 oz.

proud parents are moira and jeff marzen!

welcome welcome

waylon james buckley!

born on december 22nd at 3:45 am.

weighing in at around 6ish lbs.

proud parents are carol and sean buckley

and big sister willa!!

Friends - these boys are just the sweetest!!  We hope we can meet them sometime very very soon!  Hope yall had a wonderful first christmas with your newest additions!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo