New Year's Eve at the beach

I am a week late in posting about our celebration with good friends at the beach ... we couldn't have asked for anything better to ring in 2014!  Lots of silliness, delicious crab cakes (pizza for the kids), fun decorations, hours of games, and just having a good time pretty much sums up the night.  It was a great party that I'm sure none of us will be forgetting.  What a blessing all of our friends are!

Christmas gatherings

I usually forget to pull my camera out during all of the Christmas festivities, especially because we host a lot of it.  I at least managed to snap group shots with the timer this year though.  There were a lot of laughs involved, but I think I managed to at least capture the people there :)  Christmas is my favorite holiday for many reasons, but I adore all the family time.  We spend two days together, and it's really just wonderful.  Lots of chatting, coffee, and eating.  Ohmygoodness, the food.  So. much. food.  We will have leftovers for awhile.  We are also still digging out, but I am beginning to see more of my floor.  It was a magical day for the kids, it's so fun to see Christmas through their eyes.

Tin

It's amazing to believe that I have spent almost half my life with my husband.  We dated for five years, were engaged for one, and now celebrate 10 beautiful years of marriage.  We met when I was just 17!  I was such a baby, and totally in love.  When I reflect on all the blessings God has bestowed upon us, wow I am simply speechless!  Three children, three houses, two dogs, so many amazing friends, a supportive family, multiple businesses, and a whole lot of love through the years.  I am honored to be sharing life with this man, God sure knew what He was doing!

I was looking through some pictures of our early beginnings, and thought I would share ... from the very first picture ever taken of us just a month after we met, the years we dated, our engagement, our beautiful wedding, and our most recent family portraits taken in front of the very same chapel we were married in :)  Sixteen years together, 10 years of marriage.  Happy Anniversary, babe!  I love you more every day!  God is so good!

A too-quick weekend getaway

We took the opportunity for a quick trip to the beach this weekend.  It had been planned for awhile, so naturally we found out it was going to rain all. weekend. long.  No matter to us, we still intended to go.  Although it was definitely wet, very windy, and way too short of a trip, we had a wonderful time relaxing.  And we had perfect Fall weather on our last day - even making it to the beach for a treasure expedition.  After particularly rough storms, it's miraculous what you can find washed up on the beach.  So many tiny, intricate, perfect little sea shells and other cool finds that are an awesome representation of Our Father's artistic eye for detail.

Sporting the iPhone again :)

He's back

And all is right in my little world again.  It's just not the same in the house when your husband is on a short-term mission trip.  Two weeks on opposite sides of the world with very limited communication is tough.  But also quite beautiful.  I am absolutely amazed at how He has worked through this experience in so many more ways than I thought possible.  Too many ways to recount.  The snowball effect from this one short trip is overwhelming to watch unfold!  And I know He's not finished either.

His Little Princess

She is a true princess.  She is His princess.  Every day of the year, whether she feels like it or not.  Her King is Our Heavenly King, who loves her and cherishes her more than she can possibly comprehend here on earth.  Last night, she felt like the true princess that she is.  This was her second year going to the Father Daughter Dance with her daddy, but it was the first year that we really did it right.  The dress, the hair, the nails, the makeup, the shoes, the corsage ... the whole nine.  And oh she was glowing, a smile from ear to ear.  And stunning.  And so ... ummmm ... grown up.  My goodness where does the time go?  I love this event hosted by a local church.  It's a perfect way to show her what it feels like to be His princess, and to show her early on how she should be loved and cherished.  Her daddy showered her with all kinds of princess goodness, an earthly example of how her Heavenly King showers her with love every day.

"I have loved you with a love that lasts forever." Jeremiah 31:3

Harbowl BABY!

Not letting go

This girl loves her Daddy.  Adores him.  It's an ever-developing relationship that was slower to form, but ohhhh she is smitten.  She still prefers me when I'm around (especially for bedtime), but she cannot get enough of her Daddy.  Took her awhile, but she finally figured out how fun he is, and I'm pretty certain she's not letting go anytime soon.

Ringing in the New Year

This was the first time the kids stayed up to watch the ball drop.  So. Much. Fun.  Sunshine didn't make it, but it was awesome to watch the older two experience New Year's Eve for the first time.  Some of our dear friends from church celebrated with us and it just made the night so sweet!  Of course not going to bed until 3am will take it's toll on us parents, but oh my goodness what a wonderful night we had!  We feel so blessed to have found such good friends and kindred spirits in the E. Family.  The kids get along swimmingly and it sure helps that the parents feel mutual too :-)

It was an awesome celebration and I gotta say ... I am super excited for all that's in store for us in 2013.  So many blessings and so many things to be thankful for.  God is good!  Happy New Year to all of my bloggy friends!