A + A: 2012

Monday, December 31, 2012

.thank you 2012

2012……. you blew me away with your wonderfulness and fulfillment. Looking through these pictures it’s so difficult to choose only one from each month. We had so many wonderful experiences and accomplishments this year.

Lets just get right down to it here. 2011 sucked, okay? It just wasn’t very good overall. There were great moments, of course. But I was secretly depressed trying to get pregnant and being plagued again and again each month with major cramps just to rub in the fact that I wasn't. Once I was pregnant, I just got more illness for the first while. The lovely 2012 showed up with all kinds of promise. So many changes happened and we're exiting this year happier than ever before. A perfect little boy. A home of our own. We are so blessed.

Here's hoping that 2013 is more lucky than its name suggests.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

.we 've been loving

1. bow tie (thank you Aunty Tracey)

2. books (thank you Niki)

3. first time in a shopping cart (loved it!)

4. saucer (thanks kijiji)

5. candy cane lane (Christmas lights)

Saturday, December 29, 2012

.baby's first Christmas

We considered having a peaceful Christmas in our new home with our new baby for the first time this year. Sure it would’ve been nice and quiet. But, you know, I don’t really want a quiet Christmas. It’s always so much fun to have family around to play with. That’s what makes it special for me.

Maybe next year.

On Christmas Eve we ate and played games and frosted cookies then went to look at lights before the pajama elf showed up. You know, the usual wonderful traditions.

Tam and Jadey were with his fam, and Tara and Tom were in Hawaii (where they live), so it was a smaller group this year.

*****

We had the BIGGEST surprise EVER on Christmas morning when Tara and Tom showed up at the house! We were all in total shock since we expected to be talking to them on Skype from Hawaii that morning.

Tam and Jadey came over too and we had the whole family together again.

We love our family and had such a wonderful Christmas. I hope yours was just as great.

Friday, December 21, 2012

.Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to the readers of our little blog!! I love you!

Since you are so awesome, I thought I'd share a few of our outtakes? Don't judge us.

and a few new Christmas songs that I'm loving this year...

She and Him - The Christmas Waltz

Badly Drawn Boy - Donna and Blitzen

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

.joy to the world

2008-2010//2011

I taught a lesson to the primary children in our ward earlier this month about Christ’s birth and about why his life was a gift to each of us. As we read through the story in Luke, we pulled out of a box each part of a nativity to set up on the table in the stable. The children were so enamoured with the completed set that they wanted to each come and see it up close. Their favorite piece by far was the baby Jesus.

As I watched the children stare at the tiny baby Jesus figurine, trying so hard not to touch it (and failing pretty heavily), it occurred to me that they love Jesus as a baby the most. They love to know that Jesus was a child just like them. He grew up and went through difficult learning experiences the same way they do. Before he became the Savior, Jesus was a little boy with a Mom and Dad to teach him how to become a great man.

This year, I am celebrating babies and children. Especially my own baby blessing—and how similar he must be to that baby in Bethlehem. Still perfect. Adding so much love and purity to the crazy world we live in.

*****

Some more happy things:

Air seems to be nearing the end of this crazy illness that's taken him out for the last few months. Its especially nice to hear his voice coming back today.

We have loads and loads of beautiful white snow.