A big blog catch-up at last!

At last I have time for a big blog update! You want to know the first people I think of when I sit to write? It's my Grandma and Papaw, always my number one blog fans. So hello to them! As for anyone else reading-I'm so very glad you're here too.  Let's start with the excess of snow pictures I took today! 

First, this is Anna watching for snow. We woke up just looking for it. I was sitting alone at the table after breakfast, watching the birds on the back deck and just waiting expectantly for snow.  Then, I saw one flake fall and more quickly afterwards! I savored the miraculous moment just for myself for a minute before I started yelling for the girls.  

What a treat! Let's be honest, 2020 has probably been the hardest year of my life yet.  It's just so much all the time, but you know what? So was this snow today. Such a surprising end to this year.  Such joy!!

I made the girls hot chocolate but wanted to get a picture first.  This is Betsy trying to be patient with me. 

Seriously, magic. We made snow angels, a snowman, went sledding, threw snowballs, hiked around, and listened to the crunch beneath our feet.  Today, I wasn't thinking about the coronavirus for once. We were just enjoying the simple pleasure of snow.

Happy to be together and healthy. This year has put that into perspective. Do I have some personal things to work on in the new year? Yes, absolutely. I bet you do too.  For now though? We're going to celebrate the miracle that we are all in one piece and getting to enjoy building a snowman together. :)

And yes, Brett and I both sang the Frozen song "Do you want to build a snowman?" while we did this while the girls rolled their eyes. 

I'm going to look up into 2021 with this kind of hopeful look in my eye.

The music group Johnnyswim has been using a hashtag on Instagram-#hopesup2021.

As in, let's get our hopes up!!

In other news besides just the snow, caught one of the girls working on thank-you notes. We might not be prompt with these, but we do try to always write them. :) I always say "better late than never!".

That sun one day stopped me in my tracks. This table is the hub of our entire home. It is rarely tidy.

This weekend I did a whole lot of wrapping and packaging little gifts up for all the special people in my life. I am lucky to have double the wonderful bosses, library aides, and secretaries. Plus, the girls teachers! All my absolute heroes.  The hardest working, most positive, creative people. 

The skies have been dreamy lately! Sometimes I catch a bit of color in the sky on my way to work and there's a speed trap where the speed limit goes from 50 to 30 in a second so sometimes I snap a pic of the sky after I've slowed down.

Those shadows and light caught my attention and to keep things real life, let's not forget to mention the giant stack of clean laundry that needs put away. Does anyone get their laundry washed, dried, folded, and put away all at once? I never do, despite doing a load or two of laundry a day!

An outfit I liked recently.  This is the new mirror Brett got me! It is so pretty.  The light is still challenging this time of year though. Either it's too bright or too dark.  But, this will pass.

Still loving these maxi dresses (I have several in different prints) from H & M! Although the static was quite the problem with my tights this day. (lol) My mom-in-law gave me a dryer sheet to rub on my tights and I must say, it helped. Just a tip for you! I bought these fake Dr. Martens, because I honestly wasn't sure if combat boots would be my style. But now that I'm wearing them with SO many outfits I'm wishing I would have bought the originals. Do you invest in shoes? Or buy cheaper ones?

I created a bunch of circle ornaments that could be hung anytime of year but then still haven't gotten around to sewing them.  I will though. These were super fun!!

An at home outfit.

It's the time of year for hot chocolate! I make myself homemade hot chocolate by putting a bit of honey or pure maple syrup in the pan and then adding some unsweetened cocoa powder.  Next, add whatever type of milk you like.  I'm currently on an oat milk kick.  On extra special nights I cover the top with marshmallows. 

Meet our new family member! He sure is naughty and silly. Makes us laugh on a daily basis!

Got this jacket at Wal-Mart recently and I really like it!! I am loving their Time and Tru brand.  So far it seems very true to size for pants-I am typically a size 10. I haven't bought a lot of their shirts, but this jacket and the shirt I bought were either a medium or large I believe which is a little bigger than normal for me, depending on the brand. 

Back when it was a big deal that we had frost.

Another birthday!! Celebrating with sweet cousins. 

I had so very much fun making these.  They're a sort of surprise for someone, but I've never been good at keeping surprises secret.  All that color makes me so happy! Do you have something you do, just to make you happy? I hope so.  Life is too hard without it! 

With only a few weeks of December and 2020, I'm left to wonder what the new year will hold. 

Last year I knew I was starting grad school and Brett and I both had plans to travel by plane to see friends, as well as going on a big family vacation to Washington D.C. 

Almost everything, besides the grad school of course, was shut down or canceled.  I'm going to be honest, I can't really even take too deep of a dive into all that last year held.  It's just too much.  Makes me cry. Yet, here we are and I'm feeling hopeful, ready, and excited for the new year.  Something I learned last year was resilience-I bet you did too.  I also learned that things like light, candles, music, nature, kindness, other people, Jesus, coffee, books, and art in all its many forms, matter deeply. Also, can we just stop and recognize how I am living my DREAM JOB!!!! I love being librarian. I love my students. 

Am I needing to work on some personal things in the new year, reign in my eating choices, set some goals, talk some intentions over with Brett?  Absolutely.

In the meantime, I'm going to take the next few weeks to sit cozy by the fire, reflect on all of the blessings that DID come from last year, enjoy all the yummy food, and be thankful over and over that we've almost made it to 2021.  Our God is still so very, very good. 

Hopes up, ok?!