Catching up on 2011

Hello friends.

I have failed at keeping you all up to date as of late. I apologize.

What has happened since Christmas Eve…

Why not start with Christmas? Christmas was oh so lovely. Not so much the scenery, as there wasn’t a single snowflake on the ground, but the feeling in the air was perfect.

Denver and I stayed at his mothers’ house after gorging ourselves in the delicious feast at my parent’s house. We stayed up late playing farkle and watching movies. (I stayed up super late- like 5am-because it was too weird for me to sleep there..)

In the morning we opened gifts there and then went home to let the mutt out. We then went to his Dad’s house for more gifts and then to my parents.

There were so many great gifts this year. I was mostly excited about what I was giving. I got Denver a car stereo for his Passat. It’s a super nice one with a bigger screen for movies and what not. (What I didn’t know was how much it costs to install the dang thing… :/)

I was also excited for what I got my mom. Her mother was is in the WASPS- the Woman Air Force Service Pilots in WW2- which was an extraordinary feat for women in that day. I found a picture on Etsy of a painting of all the planes the WASPS flew. It is a 46 (if I’m remembering correctly) year old print. The timing couldn’t have been better when I gave it to her. All of my siblings and I had just opened gifts from her consisting of a history book made by my cousin about my grandma in the WASPS along with a pair of my grandma’s wings and a miniature version of her congressional gold medal. My mother was already in tears expressing her gratitude of the knowledge spread about the WASPS and my grandmother specifically just un the last five years and how we know now so much more about my grandmother than she ever did growing up. There couldn’t have been a better moment to give her the picture. It was a beautiful moment. We went to Hobby Lobby last weekend to get a frame for it and I can’t wait to see it up.

Denver’s gift to me was also very exciting, though not nearly as sentimental. He got me a Kindle, which I have been wanting oh so badly. I can proudly say that I’ve started and completed a novel since my last post on here.  (If you haven’t read The Lost Symbol, DO! It’s so good!)

Then there was New Years. We went to my sister, Kim’s, for New Years and brought our friends, Lindsie and Daniel, along with us. It was a good time filled with games, laughter, and good food. What more can you ask for? I’ve found, at least this year, that I really think of everything I’m grateful for and what the last year has had to offer around New Years instead of Thanksgiving. It’s amazing to look back on all that’s been accomplished and contemplate what the New Year might bring. Here’s wishing everyone a year filled with happiness and confidence.

On Saturday I went to take pictures of my friend, Jes Wilson Pettreiss’ adorable 11 week old girl, Avery. I’m nowhere near done with the editing process, but here’s a good handful of some of the finished pictures. Tell me this baby isn’t adorable.

I love it!! :)
Hope everyone has a good week.
Happy Monday.