A New Year

We have arrived--the year 2012 is alive and well and we entered it in unusual warmth (sidewalk chalk in January?!) but also with yet another bathroom under construction! (for those of you who don't know, we "made over" our master bath last spring) Christmas break has been anything but a break it seems, thanks to my ever-so-hard-working hubby. Sortof on a whim, we decided that since we had the time and materials, why not renovate our other scarily outdated bathroom?! We bought a few essentials two days after Christmas and Andy put on his hard hat and tool belt and went to work! The boys and I have helped here and there with painting, moving things, etc and the boys really enjoyed laying the first few tile squares this afternoon! All kuddos go to my amazing hubby who is simply put, quite the handy-man. A jack of all trades!! It's not 100% complete and I will be sure to post those pictures, but for now, here's the work in progress!

                                          "The Before"

Tiling begins!

Lookin' good!

With the start of another new year, I can honestly say that I'm not really one for resolutions. I won't keep them. I might come close and I have great intentions, but why set myself up? I do remember a particular resolution I made when I was in high school--not to eat chocolate for a year. I know, right?! Can you believe I even dared such a test?! Me and chocolate are like peas in a pod...or coffee in the morning....you really can't have one without the other. Much to my surprise, and I'm sure to all of you reading, I nearly made it! Ok, more like halfway made it. I was doing quite well and had avoided chocolate all year....until I got to camp. Yep, that good ol' GLBC (the BEST camp on the planet btw). It was July and those cookies just got the best of me. To my defense, I thought it was oatmeal raisin...but to my chagrin, it was oatmeal chocolate chip. That was the end of me and my crazy resolution. Needless to say, I made up for those lost months the rest of the year. Ha! :) The start of a new year also usually brings with it a lot of reflection on the year that's passed. I've done a bit of that here and there, praying that I've "grown up" a little bit from all that God has taught me. Along with the reflection comes looking ahead at the prospects of what the new year might hold. I, for one, am excited about what God has in store for the five of us. I haven't a clue what's on His agenda, but with Him steering the wheel of this family, the ride has got to be exciting!!

enjoying a mild December day

a "play-dough taco" :)

For tonight and tomorrow, I'm enjoying these last hours before the school craze begins and we once again enter into the routine of "daily life." We're reveling in the final tastes of those Christmas goodies, watching the twinkling of the colored lights before they're put in the bin for the next 11 months, and finally opening the last of those gifts we received a week ago. (yes, the boys STILL have a few gifts that have remained in their original packaging...makes it last a little longer. And keeps us parents a little more sane with the bombardment of toys happening a little slower...)

Mason--just chilaxin'

McQueen racecar!

Austin enjoying a candy cane--in springlike weather?!

gotta love sidewalk chalk in January!

New Years with my man!

Happy New Year from our home to yours!