So it's 2013...

So it's 2013.. Today is the first day of February 2013.. I had planned to write two posts earlier... but I have been going non-stop... Literally.

At the beginning of January, I felt like the Lord was telling to me "take a break" from a few things I was doing... Community Bible Study every Wednesday morning which the girls and I LOVE.  Working out at 6am in the morning at Crossfit Gym with a good friend.. which I strangely miss...

My calendar is not necessarily "full"... just "full" with my three girls and taking care of their daily necessities.. and I thought I could handle more.. but apparently not. I have been feeling run-down and exhausted the last few months.. and I knew I had to make some changes in my "routine".  Part of the reason why I am exhausted is because of my part-time job which keeps me up late in the evening... This is something I'm still praying about...whether to continue.  It's great having some extra money on the side.. but I'm not sure if it's taking away time for me to rest and concentrate on homeschooling.

All this to say.. it has been a challenge to get on the computer, sit and write a post for this blog.. which I love doing.. Mainly to have as an on-line journal. To jot down some important and memorable moments.

I am excited to see what God is going to do this year.. with me, with the girls, homeschooling, our home, and Bryant's work!

The Garden

It was a beautiful day at my favorite garden/ nursery in the area.  I started a Christmas tradition a few years ago.. where I would purchase an ornament for each of the girls for Christmas (my mother-in-law used to do this for her children).  And since this garden has a gift shop that has some of the prettiest ornaments...and they go on clearance after Christmas... I thought it would be fun to go pick out ornaments with the girls after Christmas. :)  The girls loved it...and we walked through the beautiful nursery together afterward..

 

Pianist? Surgeon? Firefighter? Mommy?

Big Sister has been showing a lot of interest in piano.. One day, she asked me to show her how to play (I don't know how to play so I just taught her from a piano book).. and I was surprised by her determination and concentration!   

She has always been really good with her hands... I remember how she would impress us with her hand coordination and use of utensils when she had just turned 1... and even now, she loves putting things together and taking things apart, cutting, tying, etc.. 

There are a few things Big Sister has mentioned that she desires to be...1) a surgeon, 2) pianist, 3) firefighter and 4) a mommy.  I think she would be great at any of these things.. She is one smart and talented little girl.  I'm excited to see all the things God has planned for her! 

December Happenings..

I am going backwards here...but there are some December events that I didn't want to forget posting about..

First and foremost, we celebrated Biggest Sister's 6th birthday at the beginning of the month! Since we threw a party for Big Sister this year, we celebrated Biggest Sister's birthday as a family. On her actual birthday, Bryant took time off of work and took her boat riding and whale watching for the first time! She loved it! Especially because we purchased her a used digital camera (off of craigslist for $30!) for her birthday... so she was able to take any photos and videos she wanted!  We also went to Cheesecake factory that evening just to have dessert and (as you can see in the photo below) she ordered a gigantic cake (which she of course shared with her sisters). ;)

Birthday Breakfast! I just love her two missing front teeth. :)

We were also invited to go to "The Nutcracker for Kids" ballet performance with girls' favorite ballet teacher Miss. Kitt! They have been learning ballet since the beginning of Fall and we also learned the orchestra, instruments and all the goes into the ballet performance so the girls were very excited to see it in person!   It was especially neat for the girls to meet the cast members and learn to play some instruments before the show!  Santa was there, so they were able to take a picture with him too! :)

Our dear friend Ashley took our family/Christmas photos for us this year.  We knew her since before she launched her photography business and it has been neat to see how it has flourished and how God has blessed it in the last few years (she is also a hairstylist and makeup artist). She has watched the girls grow up and is so sweet and patience with them.  We love her and pray that God will continue to bless her and her endeavors!  I will be posting more photos later!

Also this month, their Poppa retired from work so we all went to the San Diego Safari Zoo to celebrate!   That was his choice and his 6 grandchildren obviously loved celebrating his retirement by going to the zoo!  Making fun memories with the cousins!

Watching the baby elephants!

Family ride!

Love this photo of Biggest Sister and Nana. 

Here are some other photos.. 

Girls painting Christmas ornaments...

Biggest sister performing in front of her audience.

Love the iPad... Love netflix...

I feel like we have done a lot this month...but at the same time, it has been a very relaxing month.  We are grateful for healthy kids... a warm home to live in....God has blessed us with more than we ever imagined.. Christmas is tomorrow and I can't believe the new year is around the corner.  This time of the year is always bittersweet to me, to leave the year behind but I also look forward to the new year and what is to come.  :)

Merry Christmas!! And Happy Birthday Jesus!!! 

Urban Barn...

I love this place.. I recently went down there for work...and every time I go, I just want to stay all day.  I didn't buy anything for myself...nor did I find a whole lot of items for work..but it was still so much fun to window shop because there are new items every time I visit! Here are some fun items I saw this time...

Christmas this Year...

Christmas this year has been different in many ways.. We have met so many new people and have made so many new friendships.. through our church, our neighborhood, through homeschooling..  I definitely feel like God is molding and shaping us... into what.. I don't exactly know.. but He is surrounding us with a wonderful community of believers.. and we are so thankful for that.. because we definitely need the support and prayer, and we are so happy to be able to do the same for others.

Also through this process of molding and shaping, God has been opening my eyes to my love for art, design and creativity.  Again, this past year, He has been surrounding me with like-minded artists and opportunities to use my creativity.. whether it's helping design the backdrop for our Sunday church services, working as a buyer and picking out unique and beautiful vintage items, and planning for and creating art projects for the girls... This has all been an answer to prayer that I prayed several years ago. Even Bryant noticed that my artistic side is becoming more visual..

With this being said, I have had a lot of fun creating and decorating our home for Christmas with the girls.. We have done many projects..making ornaments, a nativity scene, garlands, and more.. The girls absolutely LOVE doing projects.. Perhaps this is another reason why He gave me girls... to help me understand myself more...because He is so good like that..

Anyway, here are some photos/happenings around the house this Christmas.. :)

Paper and twine garlands.. and the bottle is a vintage find.

Snow globes made with mason jars and salt...and little trees from Walmart.

Red and white felt garlands..

The nativity scene made up by the girls. Notice the "pink donkey". 

The girls acting as Mary and Joseph and their doll as baby Jesus..

Biggest sister has been in total "Mary mode."

Vintage finds...

I love having real "greens" around the house.  The decoration on the tale was from a party the night before..

 

Another vintage find (letters by me)..

 Found some really inexpensive and fun pillows from IKEA.

For years I have used fabric scraps as the tree skirt.. And last year a friend gave me a gift card to Anthropologie and found this tree skirt on clearance.  I had to put it away for a year.. but I am happy it is under the tree this year! :)

And here is Big Sister who is quickly growing into a very intellignet and independent 4 year old! ;)

Good Friends are Hard to Find

Good friends are hard to find...

I hope and pray that our girls will grow up to cherish their friends...

that they will not be best friends with each other...but find friends that they can lean on, ask for prayer and receive encouragement...

I pray that they will make have wonderful friends like this neighbor/friend...who has such a sweet heart, loves God, and is such a wonderful example to our girls. :)