Here are my babies a year ago…

{candid shot at LA Zoo}

Ah, Holden looks so little…

LOTS of milestones this year.

Maybe that is why the past 12 months seem to have gone by SO gosh darn fast!

Each year gets more fun with these kiddos. Introducing them to new places, foods, traditions…each year they “get it” a little more.

It’s such a treat to see them with their little friends ~ flourishing older friendships and cultivating new ones. Holden has been saying “Happy Holidays” to everyone he comes in contact with. I love that.

I want them to {LOVE} the holidays as much as I do. To love to bake goodies to deliver and cook hearty meals to share with family and friends. To shop for just the {perfect} little trinkets for our loved ones ~ it doesn’t have to be much ~ just well thought out and meaningful. To wrap it with care and sign the card with lots of love.

To GIVE.

And expect NOTHING in return, but JOY.

As I was out and about {alone!} last night in the rain, I ran around to several places picking up little things on my list. It felt like Christmas ~ cold, rainy, hustle & bustle, little white lights in trees lining the mall streets, shopping bags.

Last week I was complaining that it was too warm here in So Cal….now it’s getting to be too wet! Jay just called and said that there is lots of flooding and that it’d be best to stay in today….that’s just fine with me. I’ve got things to wrap, grocery lists to put together and more toffee to make.

We’re having lots and lots of out-of-town visitors this year. Two of them are already here from NYC and then we have my in-laws coming in from The Carolinas, my Uncle & Jill coming down from Marin County and Gramma coming up from San Diego. I am praying that with all this rain that everyone gets out OK and has safe travels.

Looking forward to {wrapping it up} in the next couple days and getting all my reindeer in a row.

Much holiday goodness coming up…

A happy, but WET Wednesday to you!