Happy New Year! 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We spent our New Year's Eve celebrating with neighborhood friends!

Lindsay was rockin' it to Justin Beiber....with all the kids!

Party people!

Hostess with the mostess!

Our parties have changed over the years...from too much cheap champagne, beer and wine to SPARKLING APPLE CIDER and the cutest bunch of little people I can imagine!

 CHEERS FRIENDS!

Party Poppers!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

33 Years!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JUSTIN!

We celebrated Justin's 33 years of life...what better way to express my love than through his favorite meal...PIZZA!

And a homemade cake - chocolate, chocolate...and 33 candles of course!  Whew!

MAkE a WiSh!

The family!! 

What a great group to celebrate with!

Who likes cake?!?

Kenzie does!

Emma does!

Addie Does

Brody does!

Okay...Noah couldn't have any but that look says, "Can I mom?!?"

Now for some games!  Look at the talent...can you hover a ping pong ball in the air?

Looks like an intense game of Foosball...so many little hands to help!

Ping-Pong!

GAME ON sisters!

Kenzie giving it a try!

I think I can, I think I can!

Bean bag toss...action shot!  (I'm surprised they didn't aim for the camera woman!)

Say "ChEeSe" Birthday Boy!

Lainey and Grandpa...she was still a little under the weather :(

Okay show-off...playing with two paddles now!?

When all other games have been played, why not end the night trying to hit your head on the ceiling?  (Huh?!)

...and the winner...
JUSTIN!! 
Happy Birthday!!

40 Days

My challenge is set!  Thanks to my friend Amanda who read this blog and threw it out there (with the offer to help no less) I am going to begin 40 bags in 40 days!  I thought about waiting until the 40 days of lent to do this as the post suggests but let's get real, my spaces need help NOW!  And, I'm sure I can come up with another 40 spaces before April to do this again anyway. 

So....starting January 1st I am making this one of my "New Year's Resolutions" to get  - and stay - organized in  2012! 

Here's the list...let the fun work begin!!

Counting our blessings at Christmas time

I love Christmas and one of my favorite things is getting Christmas cards from many of our dear friends and family.  I love to see the creativity, the smiling faces,  and how much each family has grown and changed over the year.  There are some who include Christmas letters - many of which are funny and many quite infomative.  Some send photos of just the kids while others show moments captured during family vacations throughout the year.  No matter what, I look forward to each one!

Here's a look at the simple way I display the cards we receive - a ribbon on nails near our dinner table.  I can look upon the display several times a day and smile and be thankful for each one of these families in our life!  I pray for each one and am reminded of the memories we've shared together and what a blessing each one is to us. 

When Christmas has come and gone it makes me a little sad to take these photos down - this year they won't be forgotten though! 

I have a crafty idea up my sleeve, just you wait and see!

Until then, I'll leave you with a look at one of the photos on our card this year...

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Taken at Red Rocks in Morrison, CO
(Photo by MG Photography used with permission 2011)

Christmas is so SWEET!

I love to bake anytime but Christmas time treats are so fun! 

With so many parties to attend it's a great chance to share my creatvity and my sweet tooth with others! 

Last year for Christmas, my older sister (who knows my love for baking and creating!) gave me a fun book: Cake Pops by Bakerella. So, for our church small group Christmas party I whipped out a batch of  these...

I loved how the trees turned out and I placed them on a bed of giant "snowballs" inserted in some cotton batting for a winter wonderland display of deliciousness! 

They were a huge hit!