Newness

It's been a while....and we've had some new things happening at our house.

(Disclaimer: I know I've missed blogging that past few months, but the task is too overwhelming to catch up, so this is what you get :))

Lindsey had reconstructive bladder surgery at the end of November. She pulled through like a champ. The recovery was difficult (mostly for Clint and I), but she quickly bounced back.

This was our Christmas tree. We found it on the farm like this and knew it was meant to be. Blake didn't even find the water hidden under the tree skirt.

This little boy doesn't spend a lot of time doing this....but he is super cute when he does sleep! He spends an hour crying before he falls asleep for his one 45 minute nap a day and an hour crying before he goes to sleep at night (and then usually wakes up 1-2 times a night). He does NOT like to sleep and we are all feeling the exhaustion around here. I think that is why I have been so crazy the last few months. Good thing he is so cute....

And he turned 1 on Dec 27th! Not a great day for a birthday I've discovered, so we may be headed the 1/2 birthday celebration route. He loved his chocolate cupcake and being sung to! I'm not sure where this last year went....

I have WAY too many Christmas pics to post, so here are a few....

the 4 cousins

our twist on the nativity story

picking up Chad from the airport....Happy "Vestivus" (Clint's downstairs with the Festivus Pole)

Botanical gardens

I haven't seen a lot of my husband the last few months (lots of long hours and studying), but I did get some action under the mistletoe with Santa :)

We ended Christmas break with a visit to the Great Wolf Lodge.

I've been in a funk the last few months and I'm tired of feeling that way, so I am going to try super hard this year to be more positive and grateful for what I have. Life is hard and it's supposed to be hard. It really isn't going to get any easier, so I need to buck up and enjoy the journey. I'm going to try not to complain so much and instead laugh much more. Here's to sleepless nights, a stranger bum pinching 5 year old with a blood curdling scream, a 7 year year old with never ending energy, a busy husband and a mommy trying to keep sane. Here's to 2012!