january...

can i just say that i love the month of january!  first of all, some of my favorite people are celebrated in janurary-- my dad, my precious friend ashley, and my gram lois all have birthdays in january.  i love january because it moves at slower pace compared the craziness of december (well, let's be honest, september- december).  and i also really love that january challenges me to set goals and look ahead at what i desire for myself and my family in the new year ahead.  granted i usually don't end up accomplishing all of my goals, but i do love the idea of a fresh start and the excitement of a new challenge. :)
this january has been all of these things.  i have celebrated with family and friends.  i have spent SOME quiet, restful evenings at home.  and i have set some goals for myself and my family that we are off to a pretty good start accomplishing.  one of my goals every year is to read more and spend more time with the lord.  this book...

has been such a gift to me.  i know that TONS of people have already read it.  and it came highly recommended from so many trusted sources, but just after the first of the year i finally had the time to pick it up and start reading it.  from the very first page i have been encouraged and blessed by this story of gratitude.

hopefully soon i'll be back with more stories about my sweet family, darling pictures of olivia and jack, and lots of juicy details of our life, but for now i am enjoying the moments of free time and nothing going on that is "blog worthy" yet i am incredibly grateful and humbled by the thousands of gifts the lord gives me each and every day.

"God gives gifts, and I give thanks, and I unwrap a gift: joy." 

-Ann Voskamp 

a little r & r in mexico...

was the absolute perfect christmas gift!  after the craziness that is the month of december, we headed to the maya rivera for four nights and five days of rest and relaxation.  seriously, we did nothing but relax and enjoy uninterrupted conversation for five days.  it was perfect!!  here are the ONLY pictures i took, but they completely capture our vacation.

mark soaking up the sun.  i am now over 30 and very aware of my wrinkles so i love the shade.  :)

my favorite part of the trip was our little beach cabana where we spent most of our time.  it even had our name on it.  

here it is-- shade, a little bit of sun, the ocean breeze, the sound of the waves, and the most friendly staff.  perfection!!

and here was our view.  can you tell i loved it?

ok, i'm ready to go back.  so mark if you are actually reading this, let's start planning our next beach vacay.  thanks babe, for know me so well and spoiling me with great trips like this.  love you!!

2011...

i love looking back on the year and remembering all the fun we have had.  here are some of the most memorable moments of the year for me.

january...

my computer was stolen on valentines day, i don't have any pictures from this month! :(  my favorite memory was celebrating the new year with the herridges and the bowlin lakehouse.  we did have a scare when olivia fell and cut her lip very badly which required a trip to the er and some stitches, but it was still a great way to ring in the new year.  

february...

SNOW! and lots of it.  we had so much fun playing in the snow.  such a rare treat of us.

march...

olivia lost her first tooth!!

went to fiesta texas with the herridges during our annual spring trip to san antonio.  fun!

april...

my mom took us all to see disney toy story on ice at the american airlines center.   jack's reaction to seeing his favorite characters in real life was priceless.

second set of tubes for jack, plus adenoids taken out again.  

easter with family.

may...

more visits from the tooth fairy.  no more front teeth!!

dance recital.

we love supporting and watching our little dancer.

spending mother's day with multiple generations of fantastic mothers.  i am blessed to have these incredible women in my life.  didn't ever imagine it would be my last mother's day with gram millie. :(

olivia's last day of preschool.

jack's 3rd birthday.

june...

love spending lazy summer days at the lake with my family or the bowlins/fifers.

fun, relaxing trip to north carolina with blanchettes.  amazing house, precious friends, good times.

july...

olivia LOVED every minute of cheer camp with ms. marr.  go all-stars!!

summer fun with friends at the pool.

the start of the kitchen facelift.  new granite countertops installed.

august...

trip to vegas with mark.

september...

soccer for o begins.  go team lyon!!

jack starts pre-school.  such a big boy!!

soccer saturdays begin.

october...

trip to the state fair of texas with b & pop. we loved seeing big tex and eating a fletcher's corny dog.

said good-bye to my sweet gram millie.  what a special person she was to me.  

november...

baylor homecoming 2011.

olivia's 6th birthday party.  the rainbow art party.

thanksgiving at the farm with the entire blanchette fam.  

december...

christmas on 5th @ baylor with the herridges. 

jack takes the stage and sings sweet christmas songs with his preschool friends.

the everitt/lewis/bitsybug christmas party at our house.

waiting for santa and all that the christmas season brings having kids at these fun ages.  

i am confident i left out some major events, but these were the stand outs when quickly going through our pictures from 2011.  looking forward to many new and exciting things in 2012.  may the lord continue to bless our family with love, health, happiness, and JOY that is found only in seeking Him every day!!  happy new year!!