Christmas

It's January 6th and I'm still working on getting Christmas out of my house. I enjoy putting up decorations - well, I did this year! It was a lot of fun to decorate our new house for the holiday. What I don't enjoy is taking them down. Big time bummer. I'm not sad Christmas is gone, I just don't want to do the work. So, here I sit deciding to do a blog about my decorations and presents I made for the holidays. Will not help get my decorations down faster but will make me happy.

We did not get a tree this year because we went to PA to be w/my family for Christmas. I love my photo ornaments though that date back to way before we had kids. I figured I would display them on our little shelf so I could look at them all through December - even w/o a tree.

I had fun decorating the mantel this year!!

The Cannon Ladies (3 out of 4 of us only Cannon's by marriage) get together every September to make the best salsa you've ever tasted. It makes for a great gift for the men in my family too! My brother in laws (Crandall side) enjoyed getting these for Christmas this year.

I was feeling a little crafty this year and wanted to do a few other homemade gifts. I decided on a Lemon Sugar Scrub and a Brown Sugar Vanilla Scrub for the ladies of the Crandall side (Cannon adults don't do the gift thing). These were super easy to make! I have used them myself and they work great too!   All in all it was a great season! I hope you got to do a little of what you love during it!

 

 

 

2011 and All it's Wonder

2012.... Oh My!
January 1, 2012. A new beginning. It always feels nice to start fresh but I also love looking over the year and remembering the highlights. Here a few that pop into my mind when I mentally scan through the months...
In February I had a cousins Valentines Party. I love Valentines Day and I love my nieces and nephews. I had so much fun planning for the party.

Then I think of St. Patrick's Day. See, I'm not a fan of the huge holidays where a lot is expected of me. I like these little one day holidays where I can surprise and have fun with very little expectation. :) On St. Patrick's day we made our own pizza's and talked a lot about naughty leprechauns.

In April I went for my 3rd year to help run Answers WorldWide's International Training Seminar. It's a lot of work but so rewarding. It's one of those things that after the week is done, and I've met Christian's from all over the world, I sit and think... "And I get paid for this!?" 

Then in late April I made a 10 hour trip in the car with my two little boys. Brian was not able to get the time off work and I was itching to get outta Dodge. The boys and I packed up the Malibu and headed to Pennsylvania to visit my parents for the week of Spring Break. We had a great time!

In late May my boy Aidan finally decide to trust enough to learn to ride his bike. It had been such a huge ordeal and bone of contention amongst us all - as silly as that sounds. But finally one day he just decided to listen to the instructions of his father and then, wonder of wonders, it worked!

June brought on the end of school for Aidan and family vacation for the rest of us. We had a wonderful week in Grand Haven, MI at the beach. Ahhh.... really miss that at this moment!

 Then summer zoomed. We went to the zoo, to the museums, we had baseball, karate and playdates. It was a great summer. I planned lots of activities to keep us busy and out in the warmth. It was great. VBS came and went along with Aidan's birthday and a visit from my parents. It really was glorious! (Have I mentioned how much I love summer?)

Aidan, at just barely 8 years old, decided he wanted to show the world he believed in Jesus. He was baptized the end of August. Nothing really can make Christian parent's hearts happier.

Throw into August a trip to Cedar Point w/Brian's brother and family and all in all it was magnificent.

 September came with a new school year. Aidan for second grade and Ezra his first year of 'real' preschool. Where does the time go  - why are my babies old enough for school??

And then it happened. Late September after lots of stress, worry and frustration... we bought a house. US!? A HOUSE! It was so scary but kept praying that only the Lord's will be done. A nd here we are, in a new, real, house! Craziness!!

Fall brought on field trips and apple picking. It was a nice fall which helped my transition from summer fun to school and fall a bit easier! :)

In came October and my babies birthday. He turned four and somehow that made him more sassy? Oh, that boy is a trip! 

And who doesn't love a little Halloween? We had a good Halloween w/Aidan as Anakin Skywalker, me as Queen Amidala and Ezra as the evil counterpart to Mario as Wario. Honestly, dressing up is the best!

We spent Thanksgiving at home with the Cannon Clan. I am no fan of Thanksgiving but it went well and was almost relaxing.

 And then Christmas. Oh, how December was full of craziness, planning and parties. Spending too  much money, eating too much food and trying to capture the season. For all my dislike of the craziness and expectations... it was a really nice season. I made an advent calendar that kept us doing little things together or doing things for others. It really helped keep me grounded. The kids loved it. We traveled to PA this year to be with my family. It was great. So much love and insanity abounds when we all get together!

What a great 2011. Of course, we don't take photos of the bad things - but that doesn't mean they didn't occur. But with so much good, I really can't complain. The Lord has blessed. And every year that I can make it through with my family in tact is good... no, great!