Trying to start the year off right!

I'm not one much on resolutions because inevitably I break them. But I know that is no reason to not strive for aspirations and to mold our character. So this year I'm trying to start the year off right.

I spent some time on New Year's Eve praying and deciding on a few goals.

Here is my 2012 goals:

Spend consistent time with the Lord.

Finish 2010 & 2011 scrapbooks

Memorize 12 verses

Drink more water

Do something creative each week

Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger with the kids

Spur Scott on toward love & good deeds

MOVE - walk, dance and just be active

Find creative ways to teach & play with children

Keep a clean, organized and PEACEFUL home

Find better/cheaper ways to cook *healthy

Take pictures of our life EVERYDAY

Conquer breastfeeding

Find my niche to serve more fully at church

READ more - don't let kids be an excuse

Try to be more on time, remember appts. and keep promises

Have a garden & blueberry bush

Stay on top of laundry (instead of all in one/two days)

Write more letters or cards...handwritten

Better get to know our neighbors

Learn to take better pictures, book a few more weddings and be more confident

CHOOSE.JOY.EVER.SINGLE.DAY.

I put them right here in my handy dandy journal/planner so I could keep a fresh look at them all through out the year. Do you remember me talking about my journal?

I have already January laid out. {Thanks Honey, for such a great Christmas gift}

On the first page of the month, I have my monthly memory verse, prayer requests and monthly view. Then I have a day already dated at the top for journaling, to do lists, doodles and other random things of my day!

I'm hoping this works because I LOVE it so far and I think it will keep me on track each day.

It will also be fun to look back through after the year is finished!

I'm hoping to work on a book list too. My friend got me thinking of this and I have to really think through what I want to put on it. Any suggestions on how you are getting prepared for this new, fresh year ahead of us?

Happy 2012!

Just a small recap.

I've been MIA for the past week for one beautiful reason:

I've spent the whole week just hanging with my family!

We've slept a lot, played tons, watched movies, spent time with friends and just yesterday celebrated the birth of our newest niece.

She is precious and I'm full of joy after such a week.

I thought before the New Year rolled in, I would show a small recap of our home at Christmas time.

I know I've said this before, but most our decor has been given to us by family.

This one was passed down this year from Scott's grandmother, Key.

It's just an old box that had glittery Christmas message.

Here is our tree Christmas morning.

Complete with a dollhouse and Aircraft Carrier Ship below it for two very excited children.

: )

I loved how our mantel turned out.

I kept meaning to add a wreath over the mirror, but completely ran out of time.

Here is our most precious Christmas decor to remind us of the greatest gift of all.

We enjoyed breakfast together before church.

I love these glass candle holders by Pfaltzgraff that I got for a complete steal our first Christmas married.

They really dress up our dining room.

Here is a picture I caught of two of our blessings!

Now on to the New Year where we will get to meet the third blessing!

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus!

Snapshots of our days before Christmas.

Our days have been so full lately and blessed in so many ways.

Here are a few snapshots of all these precious moments:

This sweet lady that goes to church with my parents where I grew up, gave us this amazing gift for our Livingston. I haven't seen her in a while and did this out of the goodness of her heart. What a great surprising treat!

She gave us a nice Christmas box decorated with an ornament and note on top. The note suggested that we continue to get an ornament every year for Liv and give them to her in the box when she gets married. What a great idea! I'm going to also go back and do it for our other two! She also included a Christmas book and stuffed animal in the box. I can't tell you how special that gift was to me.

We've also been making and baking lots of treats for our different holiday parties.

Obviously, the kids want to help with the process.

I hate to admit it, but I'm not the fun mom I had hoped where I let them help making big messes smiling the entire time. I'm more like stressed out and trying to keep them from dumping sprinkles all over the floor. I try to make myself chill out and let them have fun.

I did however find this cute little treat, whoopie pies that were super easy and the kids LOVED helping with. Try them!

We also ended L's school semester with a Christmas program from his class.

They sang a couple songs with funny little motions.

It was adorable and he was so proud.

He even had a fan club cheering for him.

I've found multiple reasons to love my iphone, but here is one I discovered this week.

It helps out a tired, pregnant mama who wants to do our Jesse Tree devo, but doesn't want to run upstairs to get the computer.

I know technology isn't all great, but I sure find blessings in it!

The kids tree between their rooms.

It's just soo cute.

I really want to freshen up this corner of our home after the holidays.

It needs some organization and I've thought about adding some color too!

Another blessing this holiday and always is my husband.

He worked three last days of school and then turned around to work wee morning hours at Great Harvest the last two days of the week. He is always working hard to provide for our family and has been such a help with the house too!

I love you, babe!

I want to talk more about this later, because it is soo cool. But I had to mention that I have such a great friend in Rachel. She always listens to me rant on about everything and remembers little tid bits for gift ideas for me. She spoils me not only with gifts, but with being such a loyal, fun friend!

Do you know what this is?

Lastly, we've been trying to suck all that we can of these last few days of Christmas.

Storybooks, Christmas songs and reminders of the coming of Christ has really put me in the spirit this season.

Hope you are enjoying these few final moments of such an exciting time of the year!

Two down,,,, one to go!

I cannot believe I've already been through the first two trimesters.

CRAZY!

I remember finding out I was pregnant and just anxious to make it to the second one.

Now here I am, large and in charge.

and already READY!

I have a feeling this last twelve weeks will be the LONGEST of my life!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 28 Weeks

Size of baby: 16 inches long, and weighs in about

2 1/2 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Wearing ONLY maternity clothes. Where I used to get by with wearing some shirts that weren't maternity, it now has become quiet clear that can no longer happen. Mainly due to them being too short in the front. So thankfully, my sister *who will deliver NEXT WEEK : ) has gradually passed me things she is either tired of or growing out of. It has been soo much fun being pregnant together.

Gender: GIRL - Name: Livingston Ann

It's getting rather fun around here as we've gotten a few Christmas presents for our newest little girl. I have to say I love me some girly, pink stuff. And my other girl loves it too and is having a hard time understanding the newest pink blanket isn't her blankie or the sweet little dress we were given won't fit her! : ) This should be interesting!

Movement: I LOVE feeling her move, but this is one stubborn baby. She mainly stays pretty still during the day and has parties all through the night. Especially feel her from about 8 til midnight. I'll rollover in bed and she starts doing flips! : ) Ok...so why I call her stubborn is because when she is moving and someone lays their hand on my tummy to feel, she immediately stops. Little stinker.

Sleep: Sleeping, what is that?!?! Ha Ha! I guess it's not that bad, but I do have some sleepless nights. Last night being one of the them. That is why I've been up since 4:30 and posting a blog at six in the morning. Most of my friends/family who know my sleeping habits pre-baby or better yet said pre-children know that is completely strange for me. I'm normally a night owl who loves to sleep in. But generally, if I'm not just uncomfortable, I'll still wake up for no reason. I guess it's God's way of preparing me for late...through the night feedings!

What I miss: Moving with ease and comfort. I've had some rather weird aches/pains specifically in the last week that makes me miss my pre-pregnancy body and health. I won't go into to much details, but lets just say I feel like I've rode a horse all day. It hurts to walk fast, go upstairs and even roll over in bed. I actually googled {pregnant and feels like i rode a horse all day} and figured out I wasn't alone. By that hysterical description, I actually found SPD, Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. Which is something that happens to your ligaments and pelvic area as your body stretches to prepare for birth. It's lovely, to say the least!

Cravings: Still craving orange juice! That's my top most odd craving for me. I've always loved orange juice, but I could drink a jug a day (don't worry, I don't). I also have fallen in love with Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, Sea Salt kettle cooked chips and pretty much anything involving cheese (that last one is pretty much nothing new for me. haha)

I'm so thankful to God for keeping me healthy and the baby growing as we enter this last stage. I'm praying for continuing this pattern for the next few months and that she'll arrive safely. We cannot even grasp what is happening to our sweet little family and how everything is about to change, again! We are so thankful for the support, prayers, help and just love for all three of our blessings from above.

A special thanks to my great friend and partner in crime when it comes to all things photography for capturing these photos of us. They are actually from a few weeks ago, so I'm even a little more out there than these show. But not too much different. Thanks Jess, you always do such a great job capturing exactly what I hope for.

Favorite time of the year....

I have to say, Christmas is a lovely time of year.

But it still stresses me out and I have to make sure I steal some quiet moments for myself.

Since there is so much to do, I'm trying my best to accomplish a few holiday tasks during these times.

I love to write letters and Christmas cards are still not all done.

There is more to that story, but it's a long one. Needless to say, I still have more to address and send.

However, I have got a few done because I set up camp in front of the tree during kids' nap. Christmas card station included my holiday book, addresses, cards, lots of pens and pandora playing my favorite Christmas tunes to set the mood.

I have to say there is some bonuses to owning a photography business with your best friend. She is so talented and I'm so thankful!

So now to put my feet up and enjoy some "She and Him" holiday album.

Love them : )

from the root of Jesse....

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—

the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and of might,

the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD

Isaiah 11:1-2

So I was encouraged by our Pastor during our last mop to make sure our home and children are seeking Christ this season.

Specifically, he encouraged us to be like the Magi.

To seek Him, find Him and WORSHIP HIM!!!

I'm amazed at the bombarding stories of Santa, reindeer and other children's magical holiday fun. While that's fine, should we allow it to over cloud our homes. Should that what our children think of when they hear Christmas?

I hope that is not true for my home and children.

I want them to seek Christ always and use this season to further their understanding and love for Him.

One was I've discovered we can do this is by having the Jesse Tree tradition in our home. It is special devotions that lead you to learn different parts of God's story and especially unveiling more of Jesus everyday! The FREE book we are using also has little ornaments you can print for your kids to color and hang on a special tree. Or you can make some out of felt or other materials. Since we started this a little late this year, we opted out of the tree. Instead I made the kids a book and when I read the stories, they color the picture. My kids are young and I'm not sure how great my teaching skills are... but they do remember parts of it. One day I hope they look back to remember this as one of their favorite childhood Christmas traditions.

Here is the link to the Jesse Tree material we are using from Ann Voskamp. She invites anyone to download it as long as they are personally using it.

Here are a few pics of my babies enjoying our new tradition.

E coloring her pages!
I never printed the whole book, just have it saved and read from my laptop!
L proudly showing off his book. I love that it doesn't take much to make my kids excited.

A more detailed shot of our coloring sheets.

We actually got these from some place else (a friend recommended them going along with the journey). When I find that link again, I'll post it here.

What are other ways you try to make Christmas about the coming of our King?

I love learning new ideas and welcome any suggestions!