Looking Back

2014
A year of change.
A year of emotions and decisions and tests.
A year that I wouldn't want to repeat, but wouldn't give up either.
We are praying that 2015 is a year where we feel more settled. 
A year that we are blessed because of the hard choices we have had to make. 
But we know God is filled with unfailing love, and faithfulness, and because of that "with all of my heart I will praise you, O Lord, my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great." {Psalm 86:12}

Family Time

Christmas Eve with the cousins was awesome.
Lots of laughter, lots of kids ripping into gifts.
Lots of loud fun.
And of course, the only picture that isn't blurry is the 'silly faces' one.
Go figure.

 Christmas morning was really mellow.  Santa left a few things, and the kids enjoyed tearing into all the gifts.

 Nolan got this chair from Bama and Papa and is just a little bit obsessed....

 I got a lens for my iphone camera.  It has some really cool modes, but I don't know if I am going to keep it or not.  While I'm deciding, I am going to take a few pics with it....
(fisheye lens)

 (macro lens)

 Lilly got a new dog bed.  She's officially part of the family now.

 Nolan and his portable recliner.

 Afterwards, I had a minute just to sit and be grateful for all this. 

 We went out to Gigi and Papa's afterwards.  Rich got these beauties. I think he was rocking them with the duck face photo....

 The cousins after a full day.

"Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed." {Psalm 85:10}. Merry Christmas

Dear Santa

We seem to have had a miscommunication.
"Give a dog activated charcoal for ingesting poisen" was *clearly* not on my wish list this year.
Thanks for that tho. {All things considered, I do think it went well!}
Sincerely,
Angie

Growing Up

Sometimes I look at her and think "my goodness...she's getting so big! She's almost as tall as me!"

This girl is seriously cool.  And she cracks me up. And I kinda can't wait until she wears the same size shoes as me so that I can borrow her cute ones!

Christmas Parties

Nolan's school went caroling around the neighborhood.
And then they saw Santa on the roof...and mass chaos broke out.
There was screaming, and yelling and kids falling and scraping knees.
Pure awesomness!

 
 
 
PHCS had their christmas party as well.  They did a gift exchange within the grade levels, and then a cookie feast.  The kids had a blast!

 

 

Traditions

We have some christmas traditions that I love and some that I don't.
I wish that we didn't do the elf.
I mean, seriously, wish he never showed up.

But I do enjoy advent, and St Nicks.

I really tried to keep everything simple this year.  I am trying to cut back, and not crowd in things just "to do them".
I'm over being busy.
Totally. Over. It.

The kids got UNO in their shoe this year.  They love to play, and its a non-parent involvement game.  

 Nolan decided to go big and use all his goodies at once.  3 milk straws (can't imagine what flavor that ended up tasting like) and peppermint stick in his hot chocolate.  Way to go!

 Making gingerbread houses.
Frosting and candies galore.
And every time I hear another round of those stinking candies falling on my freshly cleaned floor I want to scream.
{confessions from a neat freak}

I'm trying to make the chore of wrapping gifts more fun by using pink tape....
In retrospect, I think a glass of wine would've worked better.

Cousins and Christmas lights! Traditions at its' finest!