Monday, December 24, 2012

Greetings from Luke and Abbey...

We wish you a Merry Christmas...


 We wish you a Merry Christmas...


 We wish you a Merry Christmas...
 

...And a Happy New Year!


Good tidings we bring...


...to you and your kin...


 Good tidings for Christmas...
  


...and a Happy New Year!

    Just look how much we've grown!! 2010 and 2011  

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Christmas Lights, cozy-style

We experimented with a new Christmas venue this year, and I think it may just become tradition.

You may remember last year, when we attempted Zoo Lights, which is a stunning display, but freezing cold. Our kids couldn't handle being up on the windy hill where the Zoo is located that late into winter, and spent the majority of the evening crying. We went back and forth on whether or not to try it again this year, but ultimately decided on going to Portland International Raceway instead.
The big selling point was that you get to stay cozy in your car and drive around looking at beautiful light displays. Yes please.

So we bundled up in our jammies with blankets and lovies, and Daddy even made us hot cocoa!


All ready to go!!


 We drove slowly around the winding raceway and took in all the displays, which were pretty impressive!




The kids loved the lights, and Dave and I loved that even though it was drizzling outside, we stayed dry and warm inside the car =).

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Hi

It feels like it's been forever since I've written.

I don't quite know what I have to say tonight, but it simply feels like it's been too long since I've cleared my head and documented our life on the ol' blog.

Where to start...?

Things have been a little nutty around here. 

We found out two weeks ago, quite unexpectedly, that the clinic I work at will be closing at the end of the year. As in, the end of this month. I've been granted a position elsewhere in the hospital that will start as soon as this one ends, for which I am incredibly grateful. But, it's made for a crazy two weeks at work.

Also about two weeks ago, my best friend's husband called me out of the blue and asked me if he bought me a round trip ticket, would I be willing to fly to their state and surprise her at her baby shower?? Um, YES.
So, I was in New Mexico for four days. 
It was all kinds of fun.
I got to surprise my friend and spend some much needed time with her. 
So, so, SO good for my soul. And I'd like to think hers too =).
 
But the getting there - and back- was a little stressful. 
Have I told you that I hate to fly?
Like, HATE it.
Also? I hate to leave my babies.
HATE. IT.

But who turns down a once in a lifetime opportunity like that? Not this girl.
So I prayed a lot and popped a few anti-anxiety pills and last Friday morning I boarded a plane, trusting my babies would be perfectly fine at  home with their Daddy and the pilot knew what he was doing.
I took our laptop with me, anticipating I'd take time to write or surf the web during layovers at various airports. 
Then, during my first layover, as I started to dig my laptop out of my carry on, I glanced up at the giant flat-screen TV in the waiting area and saw the headline "BREAKING NEWS...SHOOTER AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CT".
And that was that.
My laptop never opened, and it remained shut the rest of my trip.
I knew that if I was going to remain calm and able to enjoy my trip, I could not become immersed in the tragedy unfolding. I simply could not hear or know about it while I was so far away from my own babies.
After all, I do live less than five miles from the Clackamas Town Center shooting that had happened three days before I left, so I was already on high alert anxiety-wise.
So I offered up a silent prayer for whatever was occurring in Connecticut, and thumbed through my People magazine instead.

I got home late Monday night, and spent Tuesday lovin' up on my babies. I missed them so much! It was great to have them at an age where they can tell me all about what they did while I was gone. Dave made them this "calendar" so they could keep track of their days while I was away...



Pretty cute, huh?

Which brings us to the last several days of this week...gearing up for Christmas, winding things down at the office, and simply being Still. Well, being as Still as time allows. Perhaps a more appropriate wording would be hunkering down. When tragedy occurs, such as that in Connecticut, a reverence usually follows. A sort of silent recognition for all that so many are going through right now. As well as a desire to be near my family. To be off the computer, and engaged. Grateful for the mundane tasks of folding laundry and washing dishes, as it means I am Home, and there is no tragedy occurring here.

'Night all.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

With the Tree up and the house decorated, Christmas is in full swing at our house!
 
 
Luke and Abbey are so into every part of it this year, and I'm trying to soak up the Magic through their eyes.
 
We've been reading Christmas books every night before bed, wearing our cozy Christmas jammies, and rapidly filling up the calendar with fun events and outings.
 
I've got most our Christmas shopping done, but I'm going to wait until closer to the 25th to actually wrap presents and put them under the tree...I feel like the less time the twins have to stare at brightly colored packages under the tree, the better chances of not giving into two-year-old temptation =).
 
One big thing left on my December to-do list is create and order our Christmas cards. I need to get on that so both so I can send them to friends and family, and so I can participate in Faith's Christmas Card Carousel!  We are ordering our cards through TinyPrints this year. I haven't used them before, but they have some super cute options for really reasonable prices! (Right now they even have free shipping with promo code: FREESHIP12.
 
I always love creating our Christmas card and then comparing it to previous years...our little family changes so much over 12 months! I love receiving cards from friends and family too. I found a fun new way to display them this year (thank you, Pinterest) and love that they serve as a decoration now too!
 
 
Hope your Season is Merry and Bright!