One of my goals this year is to finish the master bedroom.  We have lived in our house for 6.5 years and the master sits there neglected. When we moved in, Mike painted it a lovely caramel color and that is all we've done.  I bought some new bedding this past weekend, and ordered some curtains.  When we re-did the family room, some of the furniture got moved up to our room, so now it's looking less like an exercise room.  Our room is really big and I have tons of wall and floor space.  So this is the first phase.  When I finish I will have to get pics. I have many walls to cover.

It's a pretty shade of red.

Silly Karsten. All 3 boys (Taylor, Brendan, Spencer) started basketball and played against each other on Saturday

Mike and his mob of dogs.

What a slacker I am.  I have had no motivation.  I call it post-holiday slump and cabin fever mixed together to make me one lazy mama. 

Anyway, here are some really recent pictures...NOT!  It's Christmas, New Years & Hannah's birthday.  Now I can say I'm all caught up.  Lets start with Hannah's 9th birthday!

She picked spaghetti and meatballs for her b-day dinner.

Birthday crown made by birthday girl herself.  That bottle of wine in the picture really adds to the ambience, don't you think?

She looks to be in deep concentration.

Beautiful sunset

What Hannah looks like when opening up an iPod touch on her birthday.  What did we do?

 Now onto Christmas and New Years!

My three brothers on Christmas Day.

Brittany and Arianna opening presents

Just Dance was a big hit!

Geordie and Lizzie on Christmas morning-it was a mad house!

Santa brought this monkey a sock monkey!

My sweet niece Elizabeth

Taylor was so excited to get whatever he was opening...lego star wars i think.

Uncle Sean reading A Night Before Christmas to Hannah, we are really going to miss him!

Hannah and Ginger Christmas Day.  Note the sunshine and lack of snow.  Grrr.

More present opening!

Happy New Year!  Like their hats?

We tried three times with two cameras on timers and this is the BEST we could manage.

The pink elephant gift exchange. Mike liked his gift because it included CASH!

Rendi is hoping someone trades for the pooping santa.

Sean picked...some lovely lotion and shower gel in a Victoria's secret box and he couldn't get rid of it!

My silly brother and sister and a helpful kid with rabbit ears!

Lots of photos to share.  What a great time we all had.  My whole family was here.  It was noisy, chaotic and so much fun.  We ate LOTS of incredibly fat-laden goodies & meals, played games, even snuck in a Christmas day football game, and just had a chance to catch up.  Mike spoiled me like always.  We set a limit and only do each other's stockings and EVERY year my stocking is full AND presents are under the tree.  Sometimes the dogs manage to go out and do some shopping for me as the gift tag says,  but I know who's behind it.  It was lots of fun to watch all the littles: Ariyanna, Karsten, Lizzie and Kiera (all 2 years old by the way).  They had to get used to one another and then were hugging and kissing on each other by the end of the visit.  Time always go by MUCH too fast!  The kids loved all their presents, even the weird ones requested...Fijit Friend?  Really?  Lalaloopsie doll?  Oy.

Our fun was cut a little short by a nasty little virus my dear brother brought with him.  It was the gift that kept giving until we were all puked out! It literally hit EVERY family member!  Good thing it only lasted two days.

So here are some unorganized photos off my phone.  The rest are on my camera and I just haven't had ONE minute to get them off.  That will be for the next post when I get to it.

Just a sampling of what I made for Christmas goodies.  Peppermint bark, chocolate covered pretzels, roasted almond toffee, christmas cookies...oy-too much!

The kids at the annual winter lights parade in our town

Us at the parade-sooo cold

The kids getting candy

Mom's birthday

Grandma and Karsten blowing out the candles on the cake

One of my favorite activities: Christmas cookies!! Hannah is a pro!

Hannah with Karsten and Kiera-my niece and nephew.  She had fun pushing them on their cars, playing with them AND giving them baths.  She was like a little babysitter and they listened to her!

Guitar Hero

Hannah watching Kiera for me while I cooked

Hannah entertaining Kiera

Football game Christmas Day

Hannah's rockin outfit from Grandma Linda-a fur vest, neon green shirt and super cute skirt

Those cousins love each other!

Oh how I love this month.  I've made a promise to myself this year, though.  I am calling it my season of simplicity.  This year I will relax and enjoy, take time to look, smell, and see all around me.  Make opportunities to be joyful of all this time of year means to me.  I will only pick the things I want to do and if it's too much...I'm not doing it.  In years past, I have a tendency to take something I enjoy and then stress myself out about it.  What fun is that?  I have decided to scale down yet some more on my kids gifts.  Why oh why do they need more stuff?  Yes, they love it but they don't need it. I am more than half the problem.  I see everything they would love.  But again, do they need it?  I have to stop myself, and I'm sure I could give them even less.
I made my gift list short this year.  Not because I'm stingy or don't love to give (I'm actually the opposite), but because we just put too much importance on gifts this time of year and since everyone gets to choose what gifts mean to them and how to give them, I choose to not just give stuff.  I've made some little things here and there I'll give away but this time of year just isn't about gifts.  Its about traditions, time with family, love and sharing.  Enjoying all we have to enjoy.

I have much to be joyful about this year. For the first time in 10 years, all of my siblings and family will be together.  It's hard when everyone is scattered everywhere to come together for Christmas but it's happening this year, and I don't even have to go anywhere!!  We are looking forward to much food eating, game playing, talking, and catching up on all the things we are busy with our lives.  I can't wait.  Let the season begin!!

And now a catch-up on photos:

Isn't that hat adorable? My mom made it.

Taylor in Taekwondo stance

Goofing off during the week off for Thanksgiving

No biting nails=pretty shellac french manicure...my hands look so strange in this photo though.

Taylor and hannah made our thanksgiving table centerpiece-a tree branch with leaves pressed between clear contact paper and hung with threads (family fun magazine idea)

Oh the food was so yummy!

Flowers made for headbands and barrettes

making me have a heart attack: Mike and Taylor putting up lights

Alley cat's favorite napping place

Taylor's excited to have the tree done! Silly kid.