26 December 2009

letter of love

i heart USPS & our mail carrier: the day after christmas, mr. mcphee & i ventured out {without our little tiny} to spend some of our christmas cash. we were successful, of course. on our way home, we stopped at the mailbox {an event i look forward to everyday} and found this...





enclosed inside,
a letter that warmed my soul.
we get to dress
in
white.

my family can be together forever.

25 December 2009

christmas morning traditions

CHRISTMAS MORNING in the mcphee home: nora wasn't too interested in opening her presents {maybe next year she will understand}. i showed her how to start unwrapping... but she got bored. she headed over to the cupboards & played with a water bottle instead.

mr. mcphee unwrapped the rest of her gifts while i filmed him {i think paul still feels like a little kid on christmas eve & morning}.







{we didn't bring the camera & missed out on some photos...}
we headed up to my parents house & opened more presents there. nora got hooked up with lots of super cute clothes. then went to mimi's house to eat my grandma's famous christmas morning breakfast, homemade biscuits & gravy. yummy yummy. {this is my absolute favorite christmas meal, i only like my grandmas recipe.}

our morning didn't end there... we went to grams & peeps to open more gifts & eat yet another breakfast {i skipped this one, but the cinnamon buns looked scrumptious} we hung with the fam, talked about what santa brought the children {ellie was hooked up to her ipod all morning}, & chased my little tiny all over the house.
finally we went home
{spent the whole day in our jammies}
&
took a long
winter's
nap.

i cant imagine what christmas would be without my family {& extended}. i love being with my two mcphees. they are wonderful to me.

merry christmas 2009.



24 December 2009

home for christmas

twas the night before christmas: we spent {the first part} christmas eve with my family. my mom, grandma, & aunts always prepare a wonderful christmas feast {yummy roast beast, homemade rolls, & cranberry pudding}. every year my mom sets the table with her seasonal plates, silverware, & beautiful crystal. i love an empty set table, especially my parents.

{ my family table & the glowing fireplace}


{granny takes a fabulous photo & most the kiddos eating the christmas feast}



{aunt mogen with miss G & iza blair}





my mom got nora her christmas jammies {my mom is the BEST}. enclosed with her jammies was a little baby doll.
{i love the way
she is holding her
new doll
&
checkin
her out}



after opening jammies & wishing everyone a merry christmas, we mcphees made our way to grams & peeps. we arrived to a house stirring with children in christmas jammies too. we snapped a few shots & hurried home because santa was coming!
{ellie & nora}


{nora, ellie, jack, chloe, & jane}



{nora made the nice list, so santa came early}



i love christmas.
i love my family.
i love my husband.
i love my Savior.

Happy Christmas to all, & to all a good night





21 December 2009

my christmas card




merry christmas from ours to yours:
sneek peek of the photo shoot for our christmas card.
{a special thank you to aunt shelly for being our photographer, thank you!}


christmastime



christmas time in her little red dress: my grandparents {blairs & nora's great-grandparents} got nora this cute christmas dress. she looked so adorable on sunday. paul {luckily} managed to get a couple of shots of her before she {crashed out in her crib} went down for a sunday afternoon snooze.

thank you
{great} grandma
&
{great} grandpa
for nora's first christmas dress.

sleeping beauty


my little girl is sugar & spice & everything nice- especially when she's taking a nap: every sunday {& mid morning & mid afternoon} my little tiny looks something like this. she is one wild woman {60% of the time, ALL the time} she is all business until sleepy time & then she crashes. lately paul & i have found ourselves in the hallway {at church} trying to catch our {skilled speed walker} 10 month old. she squeals as she cruses up & down the hallways. i'm pretty sure everyone thinks she is super cute {or super annoying},
all the same i think
she is
perfect.

sweet dreams little tiny.


12 December 2009

last call!



merry christmas
& a happy new year:
love the mcphees
&

{contact us at paul@shutterfreek.com}

11 December 2009

chris kringle




seeing isn't believing. believing is seeing:my miss G met the big man, santa claus, a few nights ago. {we went to my parents ward christmas party, JUST to meet santa} she didn't sit on his lap for very long. i am so excited for christmases to come, when she is a bit older. i love the magic of the holiday season & the fun spirit of giving & receiving that he brings.


merry
christmas
santa!



we mcphees believe.



10 December 2009

christmas with mcphees






first we'll make snow angels for two hours, then we'll go ice skating, then we'll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse Cookie-dough as fast as we can, & then we'll snuggle {Buddy the Elf}: mr. mcphee & i set up our tree on nov. 30th {but i haven't been the best blogger as of late} & it is beautiful! i love my christmas tree. this year we have a fakie {last year our tree was real} & its a good thing. miss nora was a little apprehensive about our tree at first {just stand & stare} but as these december days fly by, she has gotten braver. {my ornaments have moved higher & higher & the lights have been pulled from the bottom layer}. i am positive there would be sap & pine needles stuck to my babe's hands if it weren't for martha stewart's fakie christmas tree. {thank you martha}


i love the christmas season.
i love being with my two mcphees.
i love christmas lights dangling from homes.
i love decorating my home.
i love nativity scenes.
i love my parents house during the holidays, especially their fireplace crackling with heat.
i love spending time with loved ones from near & far.
i love drinking hot chocolate.
i love space heaters & warm footed jammies.
i love getting christmas cards in the mail {ours will be out after the new year}.
&
i love watching christmas movies {couple of my favorites:
Muppet's Christmas Carol &
Home Alone}.

it truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

the best way to spread christmas cheer,
is singing loud for all to hear.

03 December 2009

ten fabulous months


my nora grayce is:
{10 months today}
crawling,
standing,
walking {like a pro},
almost running,
climbing the stairs,
pushing our {loose} doors open,
munching up books,
chewing up her crib {evidence soon to be posted},
cutting more teeth {7 teeth totally through},
claps when we sing "patty cake",
says "ma-ma-ma-ma" & "da-da-da-da" {we love this},
banging on the trash can,
SKYPE-ing with her daddy {even though he is just upstairs},
gives BIG wet kisses {but only to a chosen few},
yells or babbles or hums {when she is eating, walking, sitting, reading a book...},
loving to play with cousins {chloe, ellie, olivia, hannah, & iza},
loving to look at herself in the mirror {or at her own reflection in the dishwasher & oven}
following oscar & abby around at grandma & grandpa's house,
pulling all the dvds out of the cabinet,
opening & shutting every cabinet door {over & over & over again},
& all other things she has perfected over the past few months.

i know i sound like a broken record {from monthly update to monthly update} but my little tiny is getting so big & isn't really a little tiny anymore. {i feel like she is growing over night & there is nothing i can do to slow it down}.

i love her laugh, her smile, her voice, her teeth, her bum cheeks, her chubby feet & hands, her little belly, when she sucks her thumb... i love her everything & always.

my baby.

02 December 2009

Ben McPherson

{Mercy Street Benjamin McPherson}



Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, & the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life & eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son {The First Presidency & The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints}:
my brother in law, Ben McPherson, has been in the process of organizing an art company called Global Christian Art. he is currently featuring his amazing art along with another talented artist, Chris Young, at ldsartgift{click on the link}. he is offering an exclusive Christmas discount of 25% OFF any of the works. {simply use the promo code: merrychristmas when checking out}.




01 December 2009

gratitude




Our realization of what is most important in life goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings {President Thomas S. Monson}: with the thanksgiving holiday having come to an end & the christmas season already beginning i have such a full heart of gratitude for
my husband,
my daughter,
my family {both extended & in-laws},
my husbands job,
my testimony of the gospel,
& for my Heavenly Father & Savior Jesus Christ.
my list could go on & on, but off the top of my head these are probably the most important to me right now.

i love mr. mcphee & everything about him.{& i love this picture of us} he is my best friend, my man, my provider, my love.

my cup runneth over.

{yes, updates are coming, i've been a HUGE slacker}

19 November 2009

ruba {dub dub}



a little tiny soaking in the tub: every night my little tiny looks something like this in the tub {she & i share a passion for this time of the evening}. she is loving to splash, playing with the faucet when the water is running, munching on a few tub time toys, & drinking the tub water from the dunking bucket {yes, my little tiny is kindof yucky, but i love her none.the.less}. she is perfect.

i am behind on posting {there are a few updates in the making, so check back soon} because i have been so busy chasing my baby around the house. she is walking all over now {not quite a skilled walker yet} & is constantly running into things. she is also climbing everything {& has a new bump or bruise or scratch everyday}. life is perfect.

a little tiny nice & shiny.


also shutterfreek {website has contact information} has sessions available for holiday family portraits. check back for more details!

13 November 2009

10th picture


this baby is my life: i was tagged by my aunt shelly to pull up the 10th photo from my first photo album. this photo brings me back 9 months ago, to one of the most wonderful days of my life. paul got this shot {and many others, that i wont ever share on my blog} seconds after she was born. i am so grateful that the love of my life was right by my side {with camera in hand, of course}.
she was so small,
so swollen,
so loud,
so perfect,
&
so loved
{already}.
& my life is {most of the time} perfect.