2012 simplified

I thought I would would start a new tradition on my blog... logging down some memories of the past year on the final day of it.  A simple bullet list of 20 points in chronoligical  order to look back upon. These aren't exactly family points, but more My points of the year.  Feel free to leave a comment and share your list....

1)  My addiction to pinterest was in full bloom
2) Started weight watchers
3) Started to change the style of the house, lighten up on the heavy prim
4) Finished more projects than I realized(pinterest was inspiring)
4.5) Somewhere in here I gave up on weight watchers
5) Slacked in my blogging, lots of big issues
6) Had our annual yard sale(realized how much crap I accumulate)
7) Began to really become concerned about the future of our country(and still am)
8) Got into the Goodwill habit again(not a good thing)
9) Started redoing the camper
10) My school volunteering picked up, back to the bulletin boards
11) In the midst of a crocheting frenzy(pot holders and washcloths)
12) Trying to eliminate the chemicals from our lives
13) Major emotional processing of my oldest baby leaving the house for Marine boot camp(still processing this)
14) Trying to deal with the emotional toll of having major baby fever(for over a year), with no baby to resolve it.  Adopted a crazy wacky kitten, she's great(in her own way), but it didn't help.
15) Watched my 19year old baby grow up through the letters he is wrote me from boot camp
16) Did something for myself, threw a gingerbread house decorating party with friends, it was great
17) WATCHED MY BABY GRADUATE FROM BOOT CAMP!!! Can't even begin to explain how proud I am of him
18)  Successfully survived a long car trip to and from Parris Island, SC with all the kids
19)  Had what I think was the best Christmas days that I can remember, it was absolutely perfect
20)  Still the very proud mother and wife of the best family in the world.

Happy New Year!! I wish you all the very best for the upcoming year and may God Bless you and watch over you.

Tiff

Picture Perfect....

Merry Christmas!! I hope you all are having a wonderful day.  Ours has been just perfect and I couldn't ask for a better Christmas.

We have a tradition in our home... the kids camp out in our room on Christmas eve, then on Christmas morning they have to wait for us to get out of bed and wake up, this usually is around 9am(this year it was almost 10!).  Then I take pictures as they are coming down the stairs....

They get to have their stockings and santa presents(which is usually one large present that isn't wrapped that shows up on Christmas eve) but nothing else.  Then we head to the kitchen and prepare a big Christmas breakfast..... 

 After we eat and clean up from breakfast(yes, everything has to be washed and dried!....I like to make the day last as long as possible)... we all head to the family room.... group photo....

 We then go around one by one and open gifts....

 We had to convince Mason that it was OK to rip open the paper :)

 Warm fuzzy Marine jacket from big brother Cameron...

 Cameron bought us all presents this year and spent his own hard earned money. He did an awesome job picking out the perfect gift for each of us(I think he did better with the kids than I did!).  I was the last one to open my gift from him.  I had no idea what the package could be and all he had told me was that it took awhile to put together.  All I can say was that I was literally brought to tears when I opened the package.  Not only did he get me a beautiful collage of frames, but he took the time to have prints made of pictures of us and put them inside all the frames.  Wow! I totally did not expect that. The Marines definitely made a man out of my boy, not that hubby and I didn't play a part in that, but I think they made him realize how important family is.

 And if they day couldn't be more perfect, it snowed all day... a beautiful soft snow. We had none on the ground, now we have a pretty light covering....

 Nothing better than opening up presents around the tree while pretty white flakes are falling....

 Somebody is wiped out from the day....

But the day isn't over yet, we still have a birthday to celebrate!! My youngest daughter is 15 today. Happy Birthday Becca!! She gets to choose her birthday dinner, which will be chinese this year(thank goodness they are open). Then we will have cake and icecream followed by more presents for her birthday.

I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!! 

Tiff

Christmas Eve...and so much more

Once again, December has flown by. It's been a whirlwind of planning, preparing, journeying, doing, making, and enjoying.  Last you heard from me, we were on our way to graduation. We made it, had a wonderful time, saw family, and most importantly...brought my baby home!!

I know you are probably overwhelmed with home tours, but for my own sake of remembering, I'll share my home this Christmas....(sorry that I didn't edit the photos, I'm lucky I got the energy to blog this, suffering from a major head cold the last 4 days along with getting ready for Christmas. Oh and I haven't looked at anyone's blog in almost two weeks, so I hope to catch up sometime this week, I hope everyone is well)....

The foyer....

 The half bath...

 The kitchen....

 The front hallway...

 The family room...

 I decorated the game room too, but forgot to take pics of it :(

The weekend we left for South Carolina, two of my children were in the community play...Twinderella.   My youngest daughter was the fairy godmother....(70 yards of tulle in that dress!)

 And my 12 yr old son was "Lou the ups guy".  They both did an awesome job!!!

 And here are some photos from our trip....  we took hundreds but I won't bore you with them all!

South of the Border in South Carolina....it was like a ghost down, no one there.

 Here we are waiting Thursday morning in the cold for our first glimpse of Cameron during the motivation run. We made big signs, he saw them and so did his whole platoon!!

 His platoon... he's somewhere in there...

 Later on that day we got to have him for the first time for a 5 hour liberty.

 Visiting his barracks... it wasn't as bad as I pictured it. He was in a newer building and it was bright and airy.

 All of us!

Some pics of the island....

 How they first see the island, a long line of palm trees(funny for us to see from Maine)

 The island is actually very pretty. The kids loved all the moss on the trees.

 Friday morning... graduation....6 platoons of 90 or so men each.

 My sons platoon.

 The band....

 The colors....

 My son, my Marine :)

 Three generations....

 My parents...

 My children....

 Mason was beyond happy about having his biggest brother again. He held his hand and didn't let him out of his sight.

 Me, my mom, and my sister Shelly.

 Cameron !

 Thank you to all who have served, are serving, and will serve. Your courage to protect our country and our freedom is immeasurable.

All my love,

Tiff