Happy New Year 2012!!

On the way home from church this morning, we children were saying how old we'd be next year...I'll be 19!! And behind me, Matthew said, "I'll be 16." Good grief! I mean, I'm sixteen, well, I was a couple days ago. Where has the time gone??

Happy New Year's Eve!

A lot has happened this past year!

-Gracie was born

-Daddy got the job at Azure

-Our move

-The summer working on the house

-Hunca Munca and Sin'kin joined the family

-Betty was born

...a few of the big highlights of 2011! What were some of yours?

'Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house...

...not a floor was uncovered - no place to slouch!

Time to get to work cleaning up! Hope all your Christmasses were merry!

To all our dear blog readers...

Today...

...after cooking and packing, we are going to head to Grandpa and Grandma Scoville's for our second Christmas this year. We'll spend the night, and have the party Christmas Eve. We're disappointed the Sarah and Stephen and Gracie can't make it, but are looking forward to seeing Jon, Kelsie, Betty, and Phil. We'll come home that night and then it will be...Christmas!! =)

Are you all ready for it? =) Merry Christmas!

17...

Our First Christmas This Year

I'll start from the beginning. =) On Thursday, Momma, Sarah, Laura, Matthew, Lydia, Gracie, and I headed up to Lynden so we girls could go to the chiropractor. We got to the Lynden house at two-thirty a.m. Friday morning and headed straight for bed. The next morning, we slept in late, then rushed around, trying to get ready for our appointment at ten. After the appointment, we came home, laid down for a while, then went to Second Chance...and bumped into the Van Cleves! It was so good to see them again! The next day, we cleaned up the house while Momma and Matthew did gardening outside.

When we finally pulled away from the curb, it was mid afternoon. We stopped at Little Caesars for lunch, then drove the Bothell for the extended Criss family Christmas.  We got there as they were finishing up dinner. After eating, they cleared away the tables, and opening gifts began! Each of the children fifteen and younger got a "stocking" (stockings got too small...now it's gift bags.) Then, the older ones had a white elephant gift exchange. I ended up with a pretty tea cup, chocolate hazelnut tea, and a devotional. We visited for a couple hours, then packed up the stuffed van. Since Daddy, Hannah, Rebekah, and Joe had come later in Stephen's car, we hadn't noticed that  the van had only eight seats (two missing benches), so I ended up riding in Sarah and Stephen's car. We went as far as Grandma and Grandpa's house in Lacy where we spent the night.

The next morning, after a delicious breakfast and visiting, S&S&G and I headed back home. We made a couple stops, then arrived at our house a few minutes before the rest of my family. When they got here, we unloaded the van, unpacked ice chests, and made Daddy's lunch, then headed to bed.

Let's see...one birthday party (Bekah's, celebrated on Tuesday instead of on her birthday), two actual birthdays, and the Criss Christmas; this week - celebrate Daddy's birthday (tonight), my birthday (Wednesday), Pastor and Mrs. Keeny come for lunch (Thursday), leave for Grandma and and Grandpa Scoville's house (Friday), the extended Scoville Christmas (Saturday), and our Christmas (Sunday) with the possibility of Phil coming sometime this week. Phew! We're going to be busy!

A Little Belated...

Happy birthday, Daddy!

Happy 19th Birthday, Bekah!

A Few of My Favorite Things

The towel drawer packed with fresh, clean towels and washrags, giving you a choice between the nasty polyester fiber ones (hair towels) and cotton.

Trees covered with frost (snow is even better, though) and when the mercury in the thermometer shrinks down to the 20s.

My birthday in 10 days!!  And Christmas in 14 days!