HAPPY NEW YEAR'S 2012

WOW!!! The last day and last post for 2011 is here and I'm ready to say good-bye to 2011 and HELLO to 2012. I love this time of year, a new fresh outlook on life and a clean slate to work with. So many ideas that are in my plans for this year, new and old and better. This will be my 3rd year on my blog and I can still remember the first blog post and it taking me like 2 hours to figure out. My dear hubby sat right here helping me and it took a few tries but by the end of the month I could get a post done in 20mts. thank goodness!! I still have lots to learn about blogging and adding new looks to my blog which is what I will be doing this year.

I had planned on doing a re-cap of my fave photos of the year but we have been busy here and I only got to April so this post will come tomorrow or during the week. It's hard to pick just one for each month, so many cute ones to choose from.

Here are some things that are going on in our house right now...

1. NO SNOW, what's up with this!!! We are waiting and wanting it to play in while on break. The weatherman says SNOW AND 20 degrees next Tues which is back to school day for us. I can see a SNOW DAY in the near future. Just my luck right!!

2. Working on my OLW "BELIEVE" hoping to show more of this thru the year and into my project life.

3. Sam got a awesome remote control truck that drives over everything so for 20mts he kept having it go over his his feet and laughing each time. LOVE THIS!!

4. Renee learned to use her video camera and is loving it. Hoping to learn how to post some videos with it here for you readers.

5. Summer loves her new Adele cd and constantly plays it VERY LOUD in her room. The same songs over and over and now they are in my head all day.

6. Rich got a new car HOORAY. A real pretty blue PT CRUISER!! Pics coming up later

7. I have been making my list of goals and getting notebooks ready. Looking forward to some new classes/ new art/ new organized scrap/art space/ new OLW/ NEW YEAR

8. I told the kids to think of projects we could do one on one and Renee and Sam have picked theirs. Renee and I are going to read the same book and rate them and write what we think about them in a journal. We started with her new Justin Bieber book. Not sure how many books a month we will do, still working on the plans. For Sam he and I will sit and read his A/R or library book in bed few nights a week before bedtime. No pressures of writing or talking about it. Just being a buddy beside him is what he needs. Summer is still thinking.

9. We made plans to go out tonight, we never go out on NYE, so do add some fun this year we are going COSMIC BOWLING. Should be fun and keep us awake. The fun part will be bowling without the bumpers that the kids are use too, I see many balls going into the gutter, including mine. I told them it's all in fun and having a good time. Not a competition!!

10. I actually wish it was the beginning of break for the kids, it went by waaaay to fast and there is still things I wanted us to do. Going to squeeze in what I can the next few days. I don't need the Christmas back again just the free time with kids is all.

11. This is so typical of me right now, falling asleep in my chair by my twinkling tree and the video of a fire glowing on my TV screen. It really does make me relax more then normal and every night I nod off in my chair, so unlike me. Thank you Ann for this beautiful video!!

Hope some of you stayed with this long list.

Happy New Year everyone, have a safe and fun Day/night and looking forward to sharing another wonderful year with you. Thank you for being so supportive and following along as I share a little bit of our lives.

HELLO 2012!!

CHRISTMAS 2011 (picture overload)

Christmas at my mom's that night. It was so pretty and festive with decorations of all kinds everywhere. We all had a great time and lots of laughs and yummy food. My mom gave me the best present of all, will be sharing it this week.
these two are soooo happy basketball is on today, they each had a game to see
Look what Santa brought me, another item with my OLW on it, love it!!
I love getting this shot each year, the room after all the presents are open and what the kids are enjoying now. It was a great morning and now we can just play all day!!



Let the fun begin, we started about 6:30 I think, not to bad.
I love doing this every Christmas eve, a last picture of what's under the tree. Seeing all these colors and wrapping paper and tags and fuzzy stockings. Oh and a new little stuffed animal that Summer is going to LOVE!! Can't wait till morning now.
LOVE LOVE THIS GIFT FROM MY ONE SISTER, A PRETEND FIRE GLOWING FROM OUR TV, SO RELAXING AND PEACEFUL ISN'T IT. MUCH BETTER THEN JUST SEEING THE BLANK TV SCREEN AT NIGHT. WE ALL LOOOOVE THIS, THANK YOU ANNIE!!
having all four of my kids on Christmas eve, just relaxing and enjoying the tree lights. my oldest is half asleep, been a long day for her. my other 3 have just read books by the tree and told the Night Before Christmas story out loud without a book. LOVE LOVE THIS MOMENT AND DON'T WANT TO EVER FORGET IT!!
my dad got them matching shirts in their fave colors from our new fave frozen yogurt shop. the kids were actually shouting they were so happy and surprised.
my cute niece loves bubblegum and was beyond thrilled when grandpa got this for her
my hubby wrapping a just picked up special gift on way to my dad's for Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS WISHES AND OLW 2012

BELIEVE

THIS WORD HAS KEPT ME IN MERRY SPIRIT ALL MONTH. THIS IS MY WORD FOR 2012 AND IT'S BEEN SPEAKING LOUDLY TO ME FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW. SO WHEN SHOPPING FOR FAMILY GIFTS RECENTLY I SAW THIS CUTE LITTLE GUY AND WAS THRILLED THAT IT HAD MY WORD ON IT TOO. IT WAS HALF OFF SO OF COURSE I HAD TO BUY IT.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE THIS WORD TAKES ME IN THE NEW YEAR AND MY SUB WORD TIME IS GOING WITH IT THIS YEAR AGAIN TOO.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT THIS YEAR AND LOVE AND COMMENTS. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY WITH YOU LOVED ONES. MAY IT BE FILLED WITH MAGIC AND PEACE.

LOVE AND HUGS FOR ALL OF YOU,
DAWN

Happy photos

Who is melting my heart ??? Little Colt big enough to stand in window (sigh)

Places we've gone.... THE LIBRARY !!!
Our new family member... HOLLY JOLLY
crafts with the kids, more on this coming

SNOW SNOW SNOW AND MORE WEEKEND FUN

I was as excited as Sam about the snow that finally came for him. We got about 2 inches which was enough to play in and make some snowballs. I took pictures all thru the weekend capturing it's beauty and the fun it brings. Soooo happy I got these and that Sam finally got to play in it. Hoping it will come back again for Christmas Day.


My boy's houses, Rich loves making these and did awesome this year. My Sam man did good but ate more candy/frosting then he put on his house.
The girls houses, I have a photo like this from 4/5 years ago and can't believe how big they are now. They were just little then and so giggly and girly back then.
These were so much fun to make and the kids did a great job this year. Each year they get more creative and better at standing them up. One year we did the kit kind and did horrible at it. For us it's all about homemade and making it out own way, the less perfect the better.
these 3 monkeys are the light of my life, she is sooo excited about Sam when he comes home. Has to be near him and talks sooo sweet to him. She is now saying she wants to be 10 like him. Little Colt man finally hang out on the side and watch with envy.
received happy mail from dear friend Tracey, she filled this box with oodles of paper heaven goodies. she is queen of tags, doilies, banners. this came all the way from Australia and made my day!! Thank you dear Tracey I loved every little bit!!
Renee dressed up for her holiday chorus concert, so grown up and pretty and sparkly!! We had the best time, so much talent at her concert.
I went shopping at a little place called "VANITY" at our mall, love love everything in there. The saleslady helped me for over an hour. Due to my being on the short side it was hard to find the perfect jeans but 13 pairs later I bought 2 and LOVE the way they fit and look. I picked this top out and another one right away. Planning on doing more shopping from this store in the new year. Wore this tonight to Renee's chorus concert. Wish this picture came out better.

Christmas random happenings

It has been a busy week for me with holiday shopping, cleaning, babysitting. So far we haven't had any big snow which is making my little Sam man sad. I'm hoping it doesn't snow till Christmas eve and just a little to make it more magical. We want the roads to be safe for traveling. How is everyone doing on their holiday plans, shopping, baking, cards and all the hoop-la?? How about a random post on how my plans are going. Feel free to share yours in the comments.

1. Most of my cards are mailed, need stamps to do the second set. I buy mine each year, a box with different ones all mixed in. LOVE THESE!!

2. We are baking later after Christmas this year, we don't go crazy just a couple dozen. Remember I'm not a good baker.

3. My shopping is more then half done, finding lots of good things this year and enjoying shopping this year.

4. My wrapping is almost done but will still have more to wrap when I shop again.

5. We haven't driven to look at lights yet, hoping to this weekend.

6. I bought the movie Mr. Popper's Penquins to surprise the kids so we can watch sometime this week. WE LOVE LOVE THIS MOVIE!!

7. I still have more decorating to do and the kids trees still aren't up yet. We have been very lazy around here this month. This is a good thing, just hanging and enjoying our time.

8. MY OLDEST WILL BE HOME ON TUESDAY, HOORAY HOORAY!! WE MISS HER SOOO MUCH!!

9. The girls each had holiday concerts this week and did a wonderful job. The Christmas concerts are always my favorite.

10. The kids are on break now and who knows how my time will be spent these next two weeks. Hoping for some good times, laughs, movies, wrapping, shopping, getting along with each other.

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays and getting some relax time in between all the hustle and bustle of the month. Thank you for visiting and leaving comments. They make me happy. So let me know how your doing on your plans!!

WEEKEND PICTURES AND PROJECT LIFE IS HERE

PROJECT LIFE ARRIVED TODAY IN MY HOUSE!!! SOOO EXCITED AND WILL BE PUTTING IT TOGETHER TONIGHT. THIS WILL BE MY 4TH YEAR. I GOT BOTH NEW CORE KITS AND THE COBALT ALBUM FOR NOW. MERRY EARLY CHRISTMAS TO ME!!
I watched the special Christmas White House where they decorate the whole White House. It looked so cool this year, so many pretty ideas. Would love to tour it during the holiday season.
Renee and Brianna reading from the Bible for the first time. I love this, these girls are getting so big.
Sam and my Uncle Cliff, he also has the best hair in the family like Sam. Well we were surprised that he cut his awesome hair too. I miss both their long hair.
Dressed up for a family Christmas party, love that I got us two. She looked so cute in her dress today.
I bought this sweater jacket at a yard sale this summer and finally pulled it out. LOVE LOVE IT!! Kept me warm and toasty all day. This was the only pic that came out.
We got a light dusting of snow/frost on the ground. Love the way Lucky is running with his tongue hanging out. He loves running with his "BOYS"
Renee looked so cute wearing the old coat of Kristin which I wear now. She took Lucky out for a much needed run/chase!!
My mom took this while we waited in line for Renee's play. Doesn't it look pretty and spooky at the same time. I love it!!
It kept raining/snowing all weekend but didn't really stick. I like the image of this on my window.
Renee was in the school play "Christmas Carol" which we got to see Thurs, Fri,Sat night. Each night they got better and louder. She is the one with green jacket on and blue hat and skirt. She did a great job and is already trying out for the next play this week. It will be a murder/mystery one.