Recent Discoveries

1. Recently I read this: "Our humanity makes us leaky people.  Truth comes in and fills us up but our cracks and crevices and circumstances are like drains pulling the truth out and leaving a hollowness that can haunt.  Daily, hourly, moment by moment we must stand in the reality of our identity before we resume our activity."
Don't know why (except yes I do know why) but this slapped me in the face and then it pointed at me like I should feel ashamed of myself.  I'll admit, I've been spending a lot of time lately absorbed in some negativity that has been swirling around me.  I don't really like it and I don't want it, but I've reveled in it and let it take over too much of me.  Now I'm standing in the reality of my identity, and I think I'll walk away from myself and toward what I know is Better!
2. Recently my husband and I decided to start looking for a new home so that we have a little more room to grow as a family.   While I'm super excited at the prospect of owning a larger home, I've found that I do not enjoy house hunting!  Call me crazy, but once the idea of moving started becoming more of a reality, the process itself became slightly overwhelming to me.  Who would have thought there would be an instance in which I didn't enjoy shopping?!?
3.  Three words: Old mix CD's!  In connection to discovery #2, I've started going through the stuff that we've accumulated in the past five years (which is a disturbingly large amount of crap!) and I found a set of CD's that I made for a crazy group of teenagers a few years back and I can't stop listening to them!!  Here's to small groups with high school girls (and to one no-longer-teenage-girl in particular who I know still shares my love of these old hits) and to the fun, cheesy music they require!

SNOW DAY!!!

As a kid, I can remember waking up very early on certain winter mornings and praying like crazy that the news channel would flash my school's name across the screen along with the precious words "Closed - No School."  Well, now I'm a grown woman and I still do the same thing... I'm just lucky enough to work in a profession that still has snow days!  Teaching can be so tough, but getting to stay home and snuggle up with my family for a day of rest and respite from the weather is definitely one of the perks!! 

Adelyn was such a tiny baby last winter that we kept out of the cold weather as much as possible, but this year we actually got to take her out and let her explore the snow.  I'm not sure it was her favorite thing, but she looked so darn cute all bundled up and she got to take her first sled ride.  Again, not her favorite thing but I guess at least we can say she tried!

Aunt Kaity and Braeden came sledding with us.

Ronnie loves his snow-baby!

Not quite sure about this stuff!

Here we go!

 Happy snow day!

Playing on the Farm

One of our favorite things about winter time is making the short trip to Clay Center where Ron's aunt and uncle are cattle farmers.  Their home is a warm, inviting place surrounded by open fields and big beautiful skies that seem to never end.  Ron tells stories of being a kid and running around the farm, getting in trouble with Uncle Veryl because the kids scared the cows with their rowdy antics, and climbing atop the rows of hay bales just to run and jump off again.  It's been about 11 years since the first time I joined Ron's family for this annual winter tradition and now we are able to share the beauty and fun of it all with our little girl.  I mean, let's face it, she makes everything seem brand new and more fun than it used to be, so having her with us at this place and being able to do all things that Ron did as a little guy is so special for both of us.  I love that the farm is so full of sentimentality and sweet memories!

Lovin on Aunt Kaity! 

Kaity was one year old the first time I visited the farm and now she's all grown up...

... and the one year old is my baby!

Party time!

Parties definitely have a whole new meaning since we joined the parenting crowd.  Where there used to be loud music and conversation in crowded rooms...well no wait, we still have both of those things - just with a little kid twist!  So needless to say Ron and I spent our New Year's Eve with close friends being entertained by some of the small people in our lives.  We actually did make it to midnight, however by that time my child was raving mad and desperate to be in her bed (don't worry people, we usually don't keep her awake that late).

Mak and Add doing the spinning dance!

Ad and the spoon - she couldn't find her usual hot dog to carry around in her mouth.

Two sweet Ad's

I swear they're always perfect angels like this...

Someone invited that guy from American Pickers to the party...

Sweet baby Delaney...just go ahead and say "Awwww!"

Londy Lou - we love you!  Sweetest girl!

Even though there was no glitz and glamour to the evening, we had a ton of fun and loved being able to hang out with all the little people!

New Day

I feel like January 1 is the sneakiest day of the year - it always has a way of creeping up on me and I never really feel ready to start the new year.  Maybe it's because I've never been much for resolutions.  Let's be real people - I'm the worst at following through with anything that requires long term discipline and personal accountability.  I mean there are a handful of things that I've found "success" in, but if I'm honest, those are things towards which I have a natural inclination and don't necessarily force me to dig deep down inside to achieve.  So I must admit, I avoid making resolutions because I definitely don't like to fail and who can fail if they don't set a lofty goal to begin with, right?  Instead this year I think I'll try to take it one day at a time, and remind myself that with each new day comes the opportunity to be a better mom to my beautiful daughter, a better wife to the man who accepts me and loves me no matter how nuts I am, a better friend to all the lovely ladies in my life who fill me up with laughter, joy, and love - and even a little crazy drama from time to time - you know who you are ;) ...  Last of all I think I want to be kinder to myself and allow myself the room to make mistakes without being my own worst critic.  I want to be able to laugh at myself more and to enjoy this time and place to which God has brought me.  Because when I step back and look at all His blessings in my life, I have so much to be thankful for and every day He brings me more and more.  I want to appreciate each new day for the simple gift that it is!  So, January 2 is soon to come and I'm ready to face the day!

Love Hate Relationship

Yes I know it's frrrreeeeezing cold, but we love a good popsicle no matter what the thermometer says outside!  Well, I say love, but it's more of a love hate thing... when Adelyn saw my popsicle, she had to have a bite, but the cold and the tang from the fruit shocked her every time she went for a bite and from the look on her face you would think I was forcing her to eat something awful!  Her expressions are priceless!

Christmas Fun

This wasn't technically our first Christmas with Adelyn, but since she was only a few weeks old last year, it felt like this was the first one.  She just turned one on December 7, so she'd had a little experience with the whole present-unwrapping business, and she got the hang of ripping those packages open with very little trouble!  Ron had built her a beautiful rocking horse so she didn't really open that one - we just stuck a bow on top - but she was careful to make sure that her horsey's bow was returned to its head if it fell off mid-rock.  I think her other favorite present was a tricycle from Grandma and Papa.  She definitely had a blast riding it around the house on Christmas day!  The holidays can definitely be overwhelmingly busy and a bit too commercialized, but it really was special this year sharing the day with our little girl!  Here are a few pics from the festivities.

I hope your family had a happy holiday!