Where did the year go?

New Years...it comes every year even if I'm not ready. 
Not ready for the kids to be a year older.  Not ready for me to be older...
As much as I am enjoying everyday, I just hate that time seems to be flying and the girls are growing up so fast....I looked back at some pictures from Christmas a few years ago today and was just amazed at how much the girls have changed.

 I was sad this year when Santa had no toys to assemble... only jeans and such to buy...

But, it has been a very good year.... in a non eventful way...

We spent this New Year's eve with our sweet neighbors. Katie is out of town on a church trip and Kellie joined us..... She was as good at the dominoes game as the adults...And we stayed awake past midnight...something I can't say most years...

My resolution for the new year is to simply be purposeful with my time with my family.  Even if that means I have to force my way into the teen's room more often (she'll love that), play more games, etc...
We are all blessed beyond measure, happy and healthy.

What could be better than that!

Catching up

I am glad to be home and spending a few days of down time. I spent the morning working on my Dec. daily project and got all caught up! 

Now I just need to finish scraping the year to do in a book...
I'm spending the evening with a girlfriend tonight and maybe taking down Christmas tomorrow...good times...

The most enjoying traditions of the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of kith and kin

The girls and I headed to Dallas for a few days of family and friend fun before Christmas...

We braved the cold in Ice at the Gaylord Texan

Dinner with my friends from my old school

ice skating at the Galleria

Jennifer took me out for a fun evening of fondue and to a place where they help you paint a picture...

Lunch with our sweet friends who are moving back to the Dallas area... now, I just need to be there...

Everyone got just what they asked wanted...

And since she got a new phone, this is what she did the rest of the day...

and we enjoyed getting to be with all of Mike's family....

I love the holidays and it's even better when we get to see everyone we love! 

Now I just need to get it all in scrapbooked to finish the December daily...

Blessed

Today was a wonderful birthday!

• I ran in Walmart first thing this morning and got to see the soldiers there buying and loading the HUGE trucks with an unbelievable amount of toys for Toys for Tots...What a sweet scene
• A wonderful coffee bar at school on a day where I really needed a cup...
• A copy of the Carpenter's Christmas CD on my desk from a sweet teacher
• Wonderful treats from families and my secret Santa
• Finishing up the Angel Tree at school - what a blessing to get to hear from parents who are so thankful for help with Christmas
• Seeing an amazing act of giving... You need to read the Christmas Jar... You'll want to do this every year!
• A date with my hubby...

What a wonderful day!

63 Snowmen

Choir Concert #2

We went to the high school choir concert tonight...

The list

December is going way to fast

I am staying caught up so far on the December daily...

nothing went on Thursday...

I can't post the 10th as it involves a gift...

As the page above says, Sat.I wore my boots that I got last year and had only worn a couple of times... I put them on and have decided I want more, I want to wear boots all the time if they are as comfortable as these...I forgot how much I like them...

I was going to wear them to church today with a long brown skirt but it seems that made me "look like an Indian or an Indian Amish person" per the fashion police at my house....and I sure didn't want to look like all of those Indian Amish people so I wore them with jeans.  I've never done that.  Lots of other people in our church wear jeans...  So, not only did I wear jeans, I wore jeans and boots. In church.  I did it. 

The sound of my mother rolling over in her grave interrupted my worship...

I hope I haven't lost all sense of right and wrong... You know I don't want to forget and wear white after Labor day or something crazy...

Today after church we all did a little of our favorite thing... you know, putting on PJ's and staying in...

The new camera is very popular with the girls...it made me a little uncomfortable today when I looked outside and saw the girls with jumping on the trampoline and using my new camera at the same time...

They discovered the action setting...143 pictures of themselves on the trampoline later... oh, and maybe 30 of the dogs...
They are really good pictures of the dogs though...you know we don't have many pictures of the girls or the dogs...

Late to the party

Jennifer and others are doing 'December Daily' and as much as I wanted to make a new scrapbook for it, I didn't get it done... Then I looked at Little Wonders and decided I could do it digital and maybe keep up...
Now, Jennifer's album is beautiful and I will regret not having made it the scrapbook way and Little wonders digital scrapbooking is what I aspire to but I started it and am glad I am trying to keep up...

Some days I can't post because it would spoil some Christmas gifts... and some days are just what ever I took a picture of when I played with my new camera... like the dogs above...
Have a wonderful weekend!

Elf #4

Yesterday Mike told me that he thought I should open my birthday present early...
His reasoning was that tonight and next Tue. the girls each have a choir concert and I might want my gift...
He really just can't wait is the real reason...
But, I opened it last night when everyone got home and I got a new camera.  A fancy, I don't know how to work it kind of camera...
I'm so excited...

And tonight, I actually got a few decent pictures of Elf #4

And the Christmas season has begun

We have been busy busy lately it seems....
We have started shopping and made a good dent in it...
I've very very proud of a major deal I scored on an expensive item the girls each wanted!  I never seem to find a bagain and not only did I find a bargain, I found a $10 coupon for that store! 

Every year Mike buys Jennifer a gift just from him... I can't be involved in picking it out... a gift just for being his favorite niece...Every year that we will be with the whole family I remind him that it can't be obvious to the other niece, like this year...
So, for a few days now he has been asking me about gifts...His first idea was an i pad... that would be a BIG NO I assured him... he didn't realize how much they were he explained...(and that wouldn't be the least bit obvious to the other niece.  Here's you wine bottle opener, and Jennifer, here's your i pad...)
His next suggestion was a Wii.  Then a treadmill.  I explained that she might kill him if he bought her a treadmill, he didn't understand...So, he and Kellie went out today and did that shopping... a few phone call questions later he came home with his gift.  Not an i pad, but still, a gift of uncle love...

My favorite part of this season has actually been at school.  We are doing an 'angel tree' for our students who are in need and I have absolutely loved working on it.  What a blessing to help others at Christmas.  As Phoebe from Friends said "there is no selfless good deed" because it just makes you feel too good to be a part of things like that.

The house is decorated, it was cold out today so after church we did some baking.  Several pounds of butter later, we have a large quantity of cookies baked.  I think the dog has licked up a pound of powdered sugar off the floor today.  Kellie and Katie are still doing a little decorating in there...

stop by for cookies...