Cousins for Christmas

The past week's been ...... one. of. those. weeks.
My heart's been heavy with the weight of some things I hadn't expected, and it's been an emotional rollercoaster. Everything from my soul to my skin feels tired, strained, and in need of some rest and healing. (Don't worry guys, it's a temporary lament - I'm not going anywhere, just being... human.)

I needed a break in the waves, so it was with a heart insanely full of gratitude that I headed out after church to catch up with my Ate Caridel, in town from Arizona for the holiday. To say that I needed the company of these women (& little women!) is an understatement.

I am.. so, so thankful for these ladies.

♥ ate caridel & maricor

♥♥ my heart was so happy to see them ♥♥

just add frappucino ;) 

pinsan ♥ | [cousin]

ate caridel ♥

Aaaaaaaaaalso, I'm not sure why I'd put off watching Crazy Rich Asians until tonight, but I couldn't have picked better company for a viewing party. I loved it, I love them, and I feel immensely recharged.

We're on the homestretch of 2018. I'm thankful for this season, as it's mixed with both anticipation and exhaustion. It's a strange blend, but 2018 has taught me more in one year than I'd expected or hoped. Today was a much-needed, much-appreciated chance to slow down and be present with some of my favorite humans.

I hope you're taking those moments this Christmas season, too - to slow down.. and just.. be :). ♥

xo | cmd 

Cousins Day at Kings Island!

This was a day meant for pictures, not words.
So with that being said....

suuuurprise! 

I surprised Sydni with an orchestrated trip to King's Island. She guessed that part of the surprise as we were turning into the parking lanes, but the bigger and better part of the surprise came when we strode into the dining hall and were greeted by none other than... cousins!

Maricor came down with the little girls and Shawna, along with some of Shawna's friends. We had the day at our leisure, and we took full advantage of it.

m&s deciding our course for the day.. 

 

why are we still sitting here?! 

Okay, okay, enough of lunch... it's piiiicture time! ♥

starting the day with sophie girl!

love these two

the big girls on the first ride of the day with the teenage girls 

gosh, i love these girls!
#cousins #sisters #family

Shawna & her friends soon split off on their own route for the day, which left Maricor & me with hours of fun at our fingertips with the girls.

carousel

so much fun! 

Syd usually spends her cousin time more predominantly with Madison, but today provided some solid bonding time with Sophie, which was thoroughly enjoyed!

s&s! 

silly faces!!

little monkeys! 

But of course, it was a pretty wonderful day all around :) 

hahaha

the "twins"

syd & mads

all legs!  

Hangin' out with Snoopy & Woodstock!

It was getting hooooot outside.. 

... so we decided to take a spin on the water ride ...

love love love it!! 

The girls loved it, and they had good reason. On a day like this, I think getting doused was part of what kept us all in good spirits :) 

sophie was upset because it took us so long to get back on the ride... again.. 

In between three rides on the water ride, Syd and I took a break to ride one of the bigger coasters; she's currently the only one of the three girls tall enough to ride it, so I indulged and soaked up every second of time with my girl!

roller coaster time! 

silly girls! 

sophie talking business... the older girls listening.. 

Our last stop of the day: Bumper cars! 

I was very much impressed by the girls hanging in as long as they did today, what with us zig-zagging from one far end of the park to the other, and then back again. Over, and over and over again.

cousins - love, love love you, woman! 

The day wound down, and we eventually filed out of the park about 7 hours after we'd arrived. Maricor and I had bets on how far we'd each get before the girls were out cold. We made it aaaall the way to the first stoplight.. haha.. 

zonked. mission accomplished! 

Fast forward to the drive home, immediate showers, a book read, dinner eaten and some night-ending snuggles to top off the perfect girls' day out. We are happy to be back home with Rob, who spent the day catching up on the list of things he's been stretching to get done for weeks now. We're a happy, tired little bunch tonight, and 110% thankful for it. 

Now bring on the...... work week. 

Tomorrow, that is ;) 

G'Nite! 

xo | cmd

More Family. More Food. More Fun!

We managed something of an "early" start this morning, even without rushing through breakfast or the multiple attempts at a family photo :).

it's been a long & incredible weekend ♥

cousins ♥

With promises to see each other within the next few weeks, we parted ways, with a pitstop destination in hand for Maricor's. It's been way too long since we've seen each other, so how appropriate it would be for us to swing through to celebrate some Christmas time with the James family.

Sydni took to her cousins as though no time at all had lapsed since their last visit; the girls took off at once to their own little world, leaving the adults to catch up on life and all the recent and upcoming things of life that will shape 2015.

My cousin is one of the few women in my life who knows me backwards and forwards, and past the point of where even a best friend can identify. She's been there for me through nearly every insignificant struggle I've ever faced, and without a doubt every single one of my major celebrations, let-downs, trials, mistakes and achievements. I am thankful beyond words to have the kind of connection that we do, and despite our infrequency in getting together, we, like the girls, can pick up right where we left off as seamlessly as though it was just the day before when we last saw each other.

[So Merry Christmas, Maricor! LOVE YOU!]

cousins! 

The girls of course had a mini gift exchange:

sophie. madison. sydni
cousins ♥

Major kudos points to her too; I couldn't tell you the last time I had pancit [Filipino dish], but I'm about to change that this next year, because it... is delicious.

pancit!
[masarap, masarap!!!]

We finally loaded up for our last leg of the trip back home, where we are now. I'm a little worn out but completely content with how the weekend panned out!

hi pup pups!! 

OH! I finished this tonight, too! This two-tone guy is for Maricor's sister, my cousin Caridel, and I'll be shipping it out in the next week or so. Phew! 

o-h.... i-o!!!!

And that's a wrap, folks. I'm outta here to switch spots with the laptop & snug up to these two ♥

love 'em. 

Happy Sunday to you & yours - Go take Monday by the horns!

xo | cmd

Sophie's 2nd: The Party!

Sydni and I woke up fairly early, preparing ourselves for the standard bustle before a party here with the James clan. Sydni got to spend all morning with Madison & Sophie, while Maricor and I ran our errands: picking up the cake, balloons, food, etc.

Sidenote: Thank you, Costco for the new lifejacket for Sydni! We've been talking for a while now about gearing up for boat season, and since we're regulated to have this on board, it may as well be a pretty one that she'll love ;)

itty bitty lifejacket! ♥

Back on track, Maricor and I managed to gather up all the day-of necessities and head back to the house to wrap up decorations and food prep before the guests started arriving. Like an idiot, I had loaded up the car yesterday while it was raining, and in my rushing back and forth, left the fully-packed camera bag sitting next to the door... but didn't bring it. GAH!

That didn't stop me from capturing some super sweet moments from the party, which, as always are better shown than described. Enjoy!

prepping with the birthday girl! love you, sophie!

happy birthday, sophie!

lots of love (:

the little guests (:

little family cutting the cake with party guests!

sophie girl

cake!!!!

We figured something out about piñatas today, too: They do in fact make them with pull strings, as opposed to only bashing them to pieces with a stick. We didn't realize this back in the fall when we picked out a princess castle piñata for Madison's party and let the kids smash it to bits. That one, too, was a pull string. Haha. Never too late to learn! (:

pull... strings.. haha

the munchkins & their spoils!!

In the midst of all the party activity, I managed to snag up my little monster for a goofy face photoshoot as Sophie opened her presents. I'm glad I did, too, because halfway through gift-opening, Sydni decided she was taking a nap [hahaha], and disappeared upstairs to snooze in Sophie's bed.

my one & only ♥♥♥

opening birthday presents!

As I just said.... this happened about halfway through shredded tissue and wrapping paper:

just... wanna..... sleeeeep...

It's okay though, because the nap only lasted about 40 minutes, and then she was back downstairs bouncing around with the rest of the kiddos.

happy birthday, beautiful girl!!!!!

It wasn't too much longer before the party started to fizzle out; parents with yawning little ones started filtering out the door, and once the house has become quiet [well, less noisy, rather], Sydni and I stayed for a couple more hours before we packed up and hopped on the road back to Cincinnati.

zonked.

^ She finished up her nap on the way home.

I started developing a belly ache somewhere between the chai tea from this morning and the time we left for Cincinnati. Shame on me; I know better. Chai and I have never fully agreed with each other, but it looks as though I may lose this round. We made it home about an hour before Rob rolled in from his weekend in Illinois, and I've slept for nearly the full five hours since that happened this afternoon.

Chai tea- 1. Cori - 0.
At least we had an amazing weekend with amazing people. I love them.

Happy birthday again, Sophie girl!!! ♥

xo | cmd

Got up, ran errands w/ Maricor - all over the place & back to set up for the party

Sophie's party

*Party pix

Hung out for a bit, stomach started really hurting.

Drove back to Cincinnati, went to bed as soon as I got home.