Tommy and I just spent an amazing week in Kauai. It was our first vacation without the kids, and I'm already thinking of when we can plan another one. :)  

It was seriously a dream. I was able to have peace and quiet, a chance to pause and reflect about life, about me. And wherever I went, so did my camera. So please forgive me for posting a million photos...but I don't want to forget a moment of the trip.

I'm already dying to get back

This is the secret to getting a wiggly, antsy 3-yr-old to sit on the potty for #2's every day. :)

It finally snowed. And for the first time I was cheering along with Sydney as we peeked out the windows in the morning. This has been the warmest, snowless winter (much to my delight!) but Sydney begs every day for the snow to come. So before it melted, she quickly ran out with Haley to relish in her favorite weather.

My sisters spent New Years Eve with us, and we had a little party with movies and games and lots of treats (actually, I mostly just remember lots and lots of junk food). 

my first time counting down to the ball dropping!

Even Haley joined in on the celebrations. 

Afterwards, I snuck upstairs to check to see if the kids woke up from all the cheering and horns blowing. Sydney slept through it all, and didn't even stir when I kissed her forehead and wished her a happy new year. But Max was sitting up in his crib, quietly talking to himself. I kept the lights off as I took him out and cuddled with him in the corner of his room and wished him a happy new year. A celebration just isn't a celebration without my babies.