i mean really people.

ok. so i am a bad blogger. like, really bad! the thing is, i needed a break. big time! the christmas photo rush was nuts, plus getting ready for a two week trip over christmas, plus finishing our basement (yes, it's DONE! the carpet went in over new years!), i have been needing to just plain check out for a while. i mean for crying out loud, i haven't even mailed my CHRISTMAS CARDS! and they are killer i might add. =) don't worry, i will probably still send them out. yes, really. tacky huh? but i worked hard on them and printed them all, so i WILL do it! even if they show up around valentines day.

as you already saw (thanks to my baby sister- that stinker!), our christmas was just perfect. we were so spoiled to spend so much time with our families! no gift was better than that, to be sure. though max thought the gifts were pretty cool too! as usual between everyone, he got too much stuff, so we didn't even open half of them, we're saving them for his birthday. i hate when kids get so much that they don't get to enjoy each thing. you know? less is more, i say.

anyway, we are back home and getting into the swing of things again and it's so nice! we worked really hard on getting some of the basement organized this week, and wouldn't you know my mom came out and helped us do EVERYTHING! you would not even believe how much work she did, we can not thank her enough! we really are so lucky. pictures coming of the basement soon, i promise! i am just waiting for my wide angle to return from the nikon hospital. =)

however, here are some darling little shots of my sweet max. he is getting soooo big and saying the darnedest things. and to top it off, he is officially out of his crib this week! he has been doing great and hasn't gotten out once. yay! i won't lie, i maybe cried when we were setting up the big boy bed. just a little. =)

aww. i just died over this one. basically, we adore him.

he thinks he's so funny. and really, he is.

wrapping up in his choo choo towel, and of course coloring while sipping some chocolate milk in my room.