HAPPY NEW YEAR! A YEAR IN REVIEW!

Well as usual at this time of the year I have found myself reading past blog posts and reflecting on this last year...soo much has happened!  I had every intention of going back over each month and picking a picture or two to highlight the year without many words...[I know, no words would be weird for me!] but honestly it was a lot harder then I thought.  I did have quite a bit of time though so I made a stab at it as hubby and I both came down with a nasty stomach bug last Mon and I am still under the weather some.  I was sooo glad that we didn't get sick until AFTER all of our celebrations were over, but lets face it, stomach flu is right up there at the top of the list of things we almost all hate the most.  I am also grateful that I can sit around and just be sick and take it easy instead of having to stress about missing work or having kids to care for.  But that's about all I can come up with in terms of gratitude over that, lol.  I will try to just post two pictures [ok, maybe 3] per month so this isn't as ridiculously long as most of my posts are but I am not going to promise anything.  I'll do my best. Honestly as I gathered my pics I realized that MOST of my year and time was spent either sewing or enjoying family in some way, so I apologize in advance for what might seem kind of unexciting, or even repetitive.   OK, lets go back to last Jan.  Honestly I couldn't find a post that WASN'T all about my latest sewing adventures.  I did learn to put together little baby shoes, which was a first, and it was fun.

February brought two birthdays...Six year olds Donatella and Cody.  And lots more sewing, lol....

It also brought my daughter's baby sprinkle and our 40th wedding anniversary celebration

March brought LOTS more sewing, lol

April brought a trip to New Mexico and the birth of Claire Elise...

May brought another trip to New Mexico....did we really go again soo soon?  lol  And another birthday.

June brought more sewing and some summer beginning fun...and an eighth grade graduation and a couple of KG ones as well.

July brought Melody to California and a big family gathering, a birthday, and 4th of July fun...and of course MORE sewing, lol

August I began my Christmas sewing projects in earnest, and another birthday...

September brought LOTS more Christmas sewing, a beach trip, and a couple more birthdays...

Oct. brought more sewing, a new daughter in law! A first dance, and a new hair do! a high school volleyball player,

Nov brought another trip to New Mexico and Thanksgiving!

And FINALLY December with more trips to our house, Disneyland, birthdays,  Christmas and snow fun!

Well that was WAY WAY WAY longer then I intended it to be,lol.  And yet even then you have no idea how hard it was to pick and chose and eliminate and exclude.  Yes, this was a busy year of sewing and a full year of family and love and I am more then grateful for it all.   The new year lies in front of us all ready to fill it's pages with our memories and happenings.  No one knows what those might be.  No doubt there will be hard times as well as happy, sick days as well as well days, laughter, tears, and everything in between.  But through it all I pray we all keep our eyes on Him, and remember from whom all blessings flow.  Happy New Year to you all!  Many blessings to you in the coming year!  Debbie

JUST for fun I decided to go back and pick 4 of my very favorite pictures of the year!  This will be VERY difficult just so you know.  I need to point out here that I by no means took all of these pictures.  My kids are responsible for many of them.  But that doesn't stop them from being some of my all times favorites....ok, here goes....

ok, I lied....these are my TOP 12! lol  And from there I'll chose my top 3....starting with

AT NUMBER 3 FOR THE YEAR, MY KIDS....LOVE THIS PICTURE AND ALL OF THEM.  IT WAS JUST SUCH A GOOD ONE!

COMING IN AT NUMBER 2 IS THIS ONE OF MELODY AND SWEET CLAIRE...JUST CAPTURES THIS MOMENT AND SEASON IN TIME SOO WELL.  AND TAKEN BY A 3 YEAR OLD BTW!

AND COMING IN AT NUMBER ONE I THINK IS THIS ONE OF A GIRL AND HER DADDY.  I JUST LOVE THIS PICTURE AND THE MEMORY WILL STICK WITH ME FOREVER I AM SURE!

What about any of you [if anyone is still even here after this LONG LONG post, lol]  Any favorites?