And We Danced Anyway

Friday, January 6, 2012

2012

I can't believe we're already here at 2012. I seriously have no idea where the last month went. I know that I had a good time and lots of fun in December but looking back it all seems like a blur. I love the holidays but am excited to slow things down a little and get back to normal (at least, as close to normal as we can get). I haven't sat down and made any official "resolutions" but as always I am thinking of ways to better myself and my cute little family. I felt last year was a year of organization for me. I feel as if finally I have things working in an orderly fashion that in past years I was unable to achieve. I start up school again next week so lets hope that I can keep my order together for the next few months because I expect this semester to be harder than the last. I guess if anything I resolve to do more this year. I want to laugh more, travel more, read more, blog more, help more, listen more, and spend time with family and friends more. I want to challenge and stretch myself every day because I know that when I do put myself out there, I always feel so much happiness. There is always something out there new to learn or try. I know myself, the busier I am, the happier I am. So lets get going with 2012!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Friday, December 30, 2011

Oh Santa!

December was a month full of fun. I had such a great time celebrating the holidays with family and friends. This year we did a few new things, we made an advent calendar and I put a note in each day that told the girls what fun thing we were going to do that day. The girls were very excited every morning to pull out the paper for the day and see what Christmas activity we were going to do. I'm definitely going to have to do this again. Some of the things listed were - make a Christmas craft, watch a Christmas movie, go see the lights, buy presents for Toys for Tots, make a Christmas treat, have a cookie party and invite the neighbors, and a lot of other fun things. It kept us busy and we had so much fun doing it. The other thing new this year was we were visited by an elf. Same idea as the Elf on the Shelf, but it wasn't exactly THAT elf. Anyway, he was always making mischief for us as he was watching to see if we all were being nice. We also had a few family Christmas parties which always are great. I love spending time with family because of their unconditional love and ability to make me laugh. I love he holiday season!

We saw the lights at Thanksgiving Point. My girls are such good friends.

I like seeing all the lights from our warm car.

The elf (our kids named him Howie) came and made some trouble.

He was roasting marshmallows one morning.

He must have been trying to get himself some cocoa.

Bryan and baby Kayson.

We saw Santa in the morning . . .

. . . and we saw Santa later that day.

We had a great day full of family parties.

Elf was being silly again.

And he was playing games at night.

The girls got their new PJ's on Christmas eve.

Christmas morning was so much fun.

Dan wanted this GIANT Reese's PB cup, don't ask me why.

They girls LOVED what they got for each other so after they opened their gifts to each other they got up and started hugging, it was too cute.

The girls in the mess of Christmas.

At my parents house on Christmas day we had an ugly sweater contest. Dan and I had so much fun making our ugly sweaters. We all voted and I even had prizes for the winners.