Princess for a Day-2014

Campbell was offered a ticket to Princess for the Day last weekend.  Girls got to spend time with their favorite princess, have their nails done, makeup done, build crowns, build wands, etc. As much as we dislike the whole princess notion, we can't help but indulge it because she loves it sooooo much.  She went with her buddy Sloane and they had a lot of fun. 

Finally...a tooth

In case anyone has forgotten, Noah lost his first tooth the hard way. Gravity, inertia, and the density of a wooden barstool are lessons lost on a 3-4 year old. It seems like forever ago, but he is finally about to have a full set of chompers again.

 <I know the video is vertical. Yes I know it's my pet peeve. It didn't rotate on the ipad and after it was captured I didn't want a different take because his smile is just so genuine and sweet. Love that boy.>


10 Years

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Jenna,

Wow. Ten years.  A decade.  On one hand it seems like we met, blinked, and here we are. On the other hand it feels like we’ve lived a thousand lifetimes crammed into my little life.  At least the part of my life that makes sense.

I don’t feel this old. Not in my soul.  My ankles and knees feel old. Not my soul though. I think back on the past 10 years and the incredible moments we shared. Some joyful, some terrifying, and some that truly changed who we are. I don’t feel old because in a way life only started ten years ago.  Life before was different.  It was awesome in its own way but different. Not full of wonder. Most certainly not as fulfilling. 

People say marriage is hard. I disagree.  Marriage isn’t hard; life is hard. Life is full of ups, downs, congratulations, and condolences.  This applies whether you are married or not. Marriage doesn’t create these things in itself, but what it does is lay the foundation for what life throws at you. If your marriage isn’t solid, you have nothing to stand on when life smacks you in the head. If your marriage is empty then life’s triumphs are hollow and meaningless. 

You have given me everything. I can face the tribulations of life without fear and I can face the triumphs of life with purpose. I don’t deserve you; I never have, but I’m not letting go. Not after ten years.  Not after a hundred. 

Ten years.  A blink and a lifetime. 

Thank you.

All my love,

Chad

Won the battle but lost the war

During the many snow days, Noah's ATA school said if the kids practiced for an hour they'd get credit for a class.  We invited Banks over so they'd both get credit.  Somehow, my male brain thought it would be a good idea to let them spar.  I wanted to document their practice so I caught a few rounds on video.  In this video, Noah finally wins the point with his left foot only to leave himself open to lose the war.  Ouch.

The adventure continues off the beaten path

It took me multiple years to convince, her but finally Jenna saw a Jeep was the only way to fulfill our lives.  I joke but we are crazy excited.  We've been looking for almost 2 years and the bullet was bitten this past week. Somehow the weekend offered us a reprieve from the arctic vortex for 2 days and we actually were able to the doors and front t-tops off. 

Can't wait to see where the spring will take us.

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Devil's Den-Winter 2014

We took advantage of a slightly warmer weekend to get out of the house and into the woods.  We went down to Devil's Den for a Sunday jaunt.  The cave's were still closed. In fact, they've been closed everytime Noah's ever been and he's starting to think they are a myth. It was a little wet but the kid's soldiered on. Devil's Den is one of my favorite parks in the winter because you can see the vistas.  In the summer it is so heavily wooded the views are limited. It was a nice day and hopefully will be a sign of what 2014 hold's for the adventure. Pics are linked below.  Sorry for all the selfies :)

Campbell turns 4

It was a rough few weeks for the Sullivan clan and I neglected to wish Campbell a happy birthday.  Our little girl turned 4 right before Thanksgiving.  This year the holiday was later than usual so she didn't have to compete with the turkeys. Her party was at Hopes and Dreams gymnastics and her friends came out in force.  She always loves being the center of attention and people did not disappoint for her.

To Campbell,

Happy birthday baby girl. You're growing so fast your daddy can't catch his breath. I'm so glad your day was special.  All my love.

Dad

Uploaded by Chad Sullivan on 2013-12-19.

Empty

We do pretty well for the most part but we have moments where the house seems so empty.  So incredibly empty. We lost all 3 so fast it's almost impossible to comprehend. We have so many pictures of them curled up sleeping together, but this is  my favorite pic.  Before kids this is how we travelled.  Luggage crammed in the back seat and dog beds in the back. Miss them so much.