paint & peek

new experiences for busy little hands...

 smiles of excitement...

 painting is better without pants...

 i could watch his hands all day...

taking his art very seriously ...

sitting back to contemplate his creation ...

So this is a little corner of our kitchen.

Behind the curtain is an interesting little open space where the previous owners had shelves.

I'd like to turn it into some little kid-craft station, I think.

 But for now it makes a pretty sweet hiding spot.

christmas-ing

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Our Christmas season started Saturday after Thanksgiving,

going over to County House Road to get our Christmas tree!

|2| 

What's Christmas tree hunting without festive snacks?!

|3| 

Bo was happy to see Dudley at County House Christmas Trees...

so happy he tried to share his hat.

|4|

 Serious search for the perfect tree.

|5|

 Jim helps Bo peek at the snowmobiles.

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 Bo's Charlie Brown tree...

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 Beast mode Em, carrying our tree to the car.

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 We forgot to get a picture while our tree was still standing. Oops.

|9|

 Whatever Doug does, Bo must also do.

|10|

 Lights in windows. Forever my favorite Christmas decor.

|11|

 Love our house.

|12| 

Admiring the lights on the tree.

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Love having holly berry on our property.

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Little touches of holiday cheer.

|15|

Early morning snow angels with my little snow angel.

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Warming up by the fire.

 |17| 

I wish this picture had sound effects - the slurping noises are out of control.

 |18|

A very Perhardt Christmas celebration.

 |19|

Getting holly & jolly with some of our favorites.

|20|

Christmas Puppy Chow.

|21|

'Tis the season for Excelsior Chocolates!! 

I'm hoping to do a post solely about these exquisite treats.

|22|

Getting ready for snowy fun: "Help Daddy shovel."

 |23| 

A cute pic, interrupted by an over-eager beast.

 |24|

My boys playing in the snow. Bo still laughs about "snow daddy head", 

which is happening in this picture.

 |25|

Excited for some Christmas cookies.

|26|

I told Bo to stir the "M's" in, and this is what happened.

The weekend before Christmas, we went to Michigan to celebrate with the Partons.

We got to see several friends, and Bo was reunited with lots of little buddies.

|27|

Musical activities with Caleb.

|28|

Jungle Java with the Van Winks!!

|29|

Love the work that God is using these sweet friends for, but hate how far away they are.

Sidenote: I did not notice until I saw this picture up close... 

apparently my son is wearing a midriff-baring shirt...

 |30|

Best holiday smell? Quite possibly. 

 |31|

We got a little snow.

 |32|

Christmas mantle + laziest dog.

|33|

'Twas the Eve of Christmas...

|34|

Trying to enjoy a Christmas tradition... but it went... much like last year.

Except we didn't even make it through the book this year.

Bo was sick, and only wanted to read his Christmas Carol book.

Ah. Maybe next year.

 |35|

This year, Bo quickly understood that there was STUFF in his stocking.

 |36|

AND, Santa brought Bo a "tar". 

 |37|

We went to my parents' for Christmas dinner.

Poor Bo wasn't feeling well, and needed some quiet Daddy time.

|38|

Mom's annual Christmas "schedule".

|39|

Zach, Michele & Sam came for Christmas and we enjoyed a nice visit with them.

They asked me to take some maternity pics of their family. 

|40|

I spy PeeWee.

We wrapped up the Christmas season with Bannister Christmas on New Year's Eve.

(could I include any more holidays in that last sentence?!)

And that was Christmas 2013!

2013: year in review

This is a little late. 

Our house was stricken by a pretty nasty virus shortly after Christmas, 

so that's the excuse I'm going with. 

Here's a brief glimpse of some 2013 highlights in the Parton family. 

January 2013

- Celebrated the new year with my family in WNY

- Dad finished chemotherapy and radiation

- I turned 28. Doug & I went to Roast for my birthday.

February 2013

- Started and shortly thereafter stopped an intense burst of Insanity

- Went home to visit my Pops.

- Took a trip to Chicago to meet Mayes Fraol!

March 2013

- 6 months as a family of 3

- Celebrated St. Patrick's Day with the Kings

- Doug got a job in New York

- Bo started walking

- I broke my right foot running down the stairs.

- We celebrated Easter with Doug's family

April 2013

- We announced to family and friends that we were moving to NY.

- Doug resigned from his job of 6 and a half years.

- Robert & Bailey got engaged!

- Bo & I went to our first Opening Day tailgate for the Tigers.

- Doug started training in Detroit for his new job.

- We put our house on the market.

- Three days later, our church had their Women's Outreach, raising over $10K for orphans in Africa.

- The next day, we accepted an offer on our house.

- The next day, we moved to New York where we lived with my grandma.

- The next day, Doug started his new job.

- Dad was declared cancer free!

May 2013

- Celebrated my first Mother's Day.

- Went to Emily's graduation from SUNY Cobleskill.

- Doug & I left Bo overnight for the first time... to go back to MI to get the rest of our stuff.

- We went and looked at what would become our house.

- Enjoyed several bonfires and evenings at the pond.

June 2013

- Made an offer on a house and the buyers accepted!

- Bo got his first haircut.

- Ethan moved to Texas.

- Celebrated Doug's first Father's Day.

- Sprained my left ankle falling into a crawl space.

- Took a [business] family trip to Boston where I had a reunion with little friend Megan!

July 2013

- Celebrated the 4th of July at the Bannister-Nesbitt reunion.

- Celebrated 6 years of marriage!

- Took our second annual trip to the ADKs with the Gerhardts.

- Went to every.single.night of the county fair for the first time in years.

- Had a bridal shower for Bailey.

August 2013

- Moved into our new house!

- Visited Michigan for the Stickls' bachelor[ette] party

- Celebrated Jayne's 16th birthday

- Enjoyed several bonfires in our backyard

September 2013

- Celebrated one year as a family of three!

- Went to my second Bills' game.

- Celebrated Robert & Bailey's wedding!

- Celebrated Bonsa's 2nd birthday!

- Celebrated Troy & Maria's wedding!

October 2013

- Took a family vacation to the Adirondacks, where I climbed my first high peak.

- Made cookies with Bo for the first time.

- Flew to St. Louis for a business conference.

- "Helped" press cider with the Farwell/Dudley clan.

- Bonsa was "Little Lion Man" for Halloween.

November 2013

- Zach, Michele, Sam & Doug's mom came to visit. This is a picture of our breakfast.

- Celebrated Kade's first birthday

- Went to California with my family.

- Found out that Robert & Bailey are going to be parents!

- Celebrated Thanksgiving the day after we got home with my parents and sisters.

- Got our Christmas tree.

December 2013

- Helped my father make his delectable truffles.

- Went to Michigan for Parton Christmas & got to visit several friends.

- Celebrated Christmas at our house & my parents', with Zach, Michele & Sam visiting.