Goodbye 2010

2010 has been extraordinary and horrible year in this house. Actually, I'm not sure I want to say horrible. It was a learning year for us...yes, learning sounds oh so much better! We've had some bumps and bruises in our 15.5yrs of marriage but this year, it seems to have been the worst for us. But, with God and our Aaron and Hurs, we made it through. Not that I didn't doubt we would but it was tough! God remained faithful and just and loving through it all. And thats what I'm choosing to remember about this year....God is always there, faithful, just, loving, a shelter, strong tower and ever present help in time of need!

We are leaving this year so much stronger than it started....physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially! We'll be ringing in the new year at church with some of the nicest, caring people I've ever met. They, our church family, are wonderful and I thank God for them every day! Our oldest will be playing tonight with the praise team so we're very much looking forward to that.

So goodbye 2010 and hello 2011....I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for us this coming year!!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer.29:11

The End of 2010

 I found these on another blog and thought I'd fill them out as well......

1. What did you do in 2010  that you’d never done before?
I let the Lord pick and choose my friends and I'm ever so thankful that He had some special ones for me!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't do any new year's resolutions last year but I am making some up for this coming year!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My neighbor across the street gave birth Thanksgiving weekend to a beautiful baby girl!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No

5. What countries did you visit?
I didn't leave the USA

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
I can't say that I(we) lacked anything in 2010. But, I am hoping for a new car(ours is too small) and some bedroom furniture!

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May...my hubby's emergency surgery and 7 day hospital stay, June...having to make the decision to walk away from my mother, Aug...realizing that its a good thing to be me, Nov....really getting that God LOVES me and getting set free from past hurts, Dec....all of ours first white christmas and how peaceful the holidays were and most of all, reconciliation with my sister!!!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Just letting go and letting God do what needed to be done in me! Surrendering and having such joy from it!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Realizing that my actions from past hurts affected my kids more than I thought :( BUT its turning around...God is good!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I broke my toe in April

11. What was the best thing you bought?
 a new car for the hubster...he really needed it!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
my kids when they were replaced in an awkward situation not long ago....they behaved the way we had taught them to!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
my mothers

14. Where did most of your money go?
bills, clothes and food

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My hubby got me a really, really nice camera for Christmas!!!

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
I love your presence by Bethel

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
Happier, alittle bigger but I'm working on it, richer in every area of my life!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spent more time in His presence and meditating on His word

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Dewelling on things that I cannot change!

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve, we had a beautiful candlelight service at church then we came home and opened presents from hubby's mom. Christmas Day, got up and opened presents, then went to my dads and then on to my aunts for Christmas dinner

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Oh yes!!!!!!!!!!

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Happy Days, Cake Boss, The Office

23. Do you hate anyone now that you did not hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone!

24. What was the best book you read?
The Authority of the Believer

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
none

26. What did you want and get?
A Nikon camera!

27. What did you want and not get?
Nothing

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Toy Story 3

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Spent the day with our kids, hubby surprised me with an ice cream cake, went to a Ladies Night Out at our pastors house, where I was surprised with another cake and they sang Happy Bday to me! I turned 37!

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Although this was the worst and best year of my life...looking back it couldn't have been more satisfying...God was good!

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
More in fashion than I have been in in a long time :)

32. What kept you sane?
God

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
George Clooney

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
No comment...LOL

35. Who did you miss?
my father in law...he has been gone for 10yrs and I still miss him

36. Who was the best new person you met?
We moved here in Nov 2009 and in the past year, I have met the nicest, most positive, uplifting, caring people I've ever known!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010?
Relax and just let God do what He needs to do in you and the rest will fall in place!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
This song sums it up....Everything by Lifehouse


"Find Me Here
Speak To Me

I need to hear you
You are the light
That's leading me
To the place
where I find peace, again.

You are the strength, that keeps me walking.
You are the hope, that keeps me trusting.
You are the life, to my soul.
You are my purpose, you're everything.

And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

You calm the storms, and you give me rest.
You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall.
You still my heart, and you take my breath away.
Would you take me in? Take me deeper now?

And How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

Cause you're all I want, you're all I need
You're everything, everything
You're all I want, you're all I need
You're everything, everything.
You're all I want, you're all I need.
You're everything, everything
You're all I want, you're all I need.
You're everything, everything.

And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better, any better than this.

And How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"

Well..its all over!

I'm always surprised at how fast the month of Dec goes. I think its partly due to all the festivities but I think its because there is so much to do....all the baking, cleaning, buying, wrapping and cleaning some more! We had a very nice Christmas and it was a WHITE Christmas at that! We started the festivities with a phenomenal Christmas Eve candlelite service...it was beautiful! Got up Christmas morning, opened the gifts, had a big breakfast then headed to my dads house for more gift opening and lunch. All of us then headed to my dads sisters house for hanging out, dinner and more gift opening. But, we didn't get to stay for the gift opening...it was completely white outside so we headed out the door for 1 1/2 drive back home! And it was extra wonderful to wake up on the 26th to 9inches of SNOW!!! It looked like a winter wonderland....absolutely beautiful!! The kids are outside playing it in right now. I LOVE snow and it is almost unheard of to get snow in NC in Dec, if we even get any at all!

It was a wonderful Christmas....hope yours was too!

Its 4 days till Christmas!!

I am so excited about this Christmas! My kids are going to be oh so surprised and happy! But, I haven't gotten a thing wrapped except presents from each other and they are already under the tree. I have no idea when I'll have time either to get the wrapping done. We have something EVERY night this week! I have a feeling, myself and my other half will be up Christmas Eve wrapping..haha! This year has been totally different than all the other Christmas' in the last 15yrs. I usually have everything done and am just sitting back and enjoying the holiday season. And while, I am enjoying the season, I don't have everything done. I just finished up getting stocking stuffers this morning. I still have to tweak the oldests big present, which is going to be so fun when he opens it! I wish I could slow down time, just a fraction then I'd get it all in!

It looks like an ice kingdom outside

We, the kids and myself, are hunkered down inside today with educational movies, crafts and hot cocoa! We have refused to leave this house. You see, we were *supposed* to get up to 3in of snow last night and all we got was a light dusting and ice! We have netflix livestream so I found wonderful documentaries on what each child has been learning in school so we watched one today. Next up is crafts. I have a ton of christmas crafts so I figured we'd tackle some today! And we have an abundant supply of hot cocoa! Its cold outside! So instead of our nice winter wonderland, we have an ice wonderland that is keeping us indoors.

Finally......making new friends

We moved to where we live alittle over a year ago. It has been a wonderful and horrible year at the same time. We have been through alot and I can see God's hand in every aspect of the good and bad! He has been oh so faithful to us this year. I really don't know what we would have done without Him! I am His beloved and He would move mountains to do for me! But while I knew God was with me, it was a difficult time because I didn't have any close friends....you know the ones with flesh..haha. I've learned to sit back and let God bring friends to me instead of rushing out and making any friends I could because not all people are meant to be "my" friends, the ones that I let into my close circle(if that makes sense). So, I waited and waited and prayed and prayed some more...just bearing my heart to God. And you know what? He did it again.....brought me several close friends that are the best. I couldn't have picked them any better. I'm so thankful that I have a God that loves me so much that He chose the best friends that I could ever have. Its simply amazing when we allow God to do what is best for us!

I got together with 46 other strong women of God at our Pastors house last night for the Ladies Christmas Party and is was amazing. I laughed more than I've laughed in a long time! It was a wonderful time and I'm so glad that my friends were there with me. We had a ton of food and desserts and then we did an ornament exchange that was SO much fun! As we walked in, one of the ladies put a number on our wrapped ornament and then later we got to pick a number out of a bowl and we got whatever present had that number. I got a beautiful silver dove with three blue stones and 2010 on it! Here are a few pictures......

                                            Myself and my friend Monica...she is such a blessing!

 Me and Rachel....she is the funniest lady!

And us 4 Kims! We rock...LOL!

So....are you ready for Christmas?

I'm almost done with all my shopping, just got stocking stuffers left to get! I really hit online the day after Thanksgiving and then went out and braved Black Friday! But, I go out every Black Friday....I love it! I don't get up super early or anything crazy like that. I usually head out about 9ish and come home around 8pm! Since we moved just alittle over a year ago, I didn't get to go shopping with my shopping buddy and I was alittle upset about it. We've done it for years and I missed her alot that day. Well....I miss her alot anyways, it was just more felt that day. We just meshed so well together and worked as a team getting all the goodies that we set out to get. But, hubby's cousins wife went with me since they were here for Thanksgiving and it was good. She got an amazing deal on a computer!!! And I got everything that I was after so I'll call it a success! So, are you ready for Christmas?

Much better

We are all soooo much better in this house! Thank God! I know I wouldn't have made it another night not getting any sleep(H was up about every 2 hrs from Tues night until Sun night). Makes me wonder how I made it with 3 newborns! I came down with something on Saturday night so I got to stay home with the little girl on Sunday, instead of going to church :( Mine was all in my head but its almost all gone. Now, I'm praying it didn't leave there and head to my chest. H is feeling much better, although she still has droopy eyes and has lost her voice! She went outside for alittle bit of fresh air Sat and it started snowing(Yes, snow in NC in Dec!) so she stayed outside alittle bit longer than anticipated and came in with no voice. She was so upset too. She said "mommy, where'd my voice go? Did I leave it outside? Did someone take it?" I reassured her that it was none of that, that it just sometimes happens and she'd get it back. We only got a dusting of snow and it was gone the next morning but it was so pretty as it was falling! I'm hoping this means a nice snowy winter!!

So, we're back on schedule this week and I'm hoping we make it to Co-Op tomorrow. But, I'm not sure I want to take Hannah if she is still droopy eyed. I guess we'll see. It was just going to be a fun day with crafts so if we can't make it, we'll do them at home!

I'm going to leave some pictures of the snow and our Christmas tree....I think both are really pretty!

                                                              This is out our front door

                                                                Off our back deck

                                                                     Our Christmas Tree

Our 2010 Christmas card

I finally finished our Christmas card for this year and I love it! I did for them for free, well minus s/h, which makes it all the more great! I chose a folded picture card so that I had the liberty of putting a personal message on the inside! I love that it has a picture of everyone in our family. I can't wait to get them and send them out to our friends and family!

Here is our card for 2010......

With Love Chartreuse Christmas 5x7 folded card

Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Sickness

We have all been alittle under the weather at our house! It started with C and I. He had a little intestinal issues along with a head and just not feeling well on Sunday night through Monday. I had a tummy ache, which was worse if I didn't keep something in my tummy, headache and just blah feeling. Tuesday, C and I were much better! But, Tuesday afternoon, H started running a fever! A fever of 102. She was just miserable. I took her to the dr on Wed because I thought with a fever that high maybe strep, ear infection, etc....nope, whatever she has its viral. Even with motrin and tylenol in her, I could only get her fever down to 100. My little girl was sick! She had a rough night last night. I got up with her every 2 hours. I felt like I had a newborn in the house and she's 5yrs! But, this morning when she woke, she had a light fever and looked oh so much better! I really dislike it when my kids aren't feeling well. Its just miserable for everyone! Well, I'm off to put her in the bath. I know that I always feel better after taking a hot shower or bath when I don't feel good!

Ever heard of Shutterfly

I have heard of Shutterfly through friends and online but I have never used them before. I saw a post on a fellow blogger about receiving 50 free photo cards from them if you blogged so I rushed right over to see about it.


When I got there I saw all of their products and was really impressed with what they do. I'm super excited about the calendars that you can make. I thought they would make a great Christmas present for grandparents or aunt and uncles!

They also have canvas wall art. I think that is really neat. I have some pictures that I would love to do that with for our den. And now I know where I can get them done at! They have several sizes to choose from too!

But, the one thing that I am most excited about is their Christmas cards. They have so many to choose from. You can get  a photo card or a holiday card. A photo card will be just that....a card that just has your photos on it and maybe a holiday greeting with your families name. And the Holiday card will have your photos and it can open up so you can personalize it with more photos and./or your own personal greeting!

I'm really excited to be able to send our friends and family a quality card that has photos of our family from the year! Its a great way to share your family with others.