The only word I can use to describe this year is...whirlwind.  I plan to take some time to reflect properly on 2011, but in the meantime, I feel like I've missed out on enough of this year by waiting for what's next, and I'll be darned if I'm going to miss my favorite holiday.

Eric mentioned to me today that Christmas is really starting to set in for him.  My response to him was basically, "I'm jealous."  Maybe I can blame it on the fact that I've fallen asleep by 9:00 more times this month than I care to count.  Perhaps it's the fact that I finished all of my Christmas shopping early and did a lot online, missing out on the holiday crowds and all of the tinseled stores.  Most likely, it's the fact that I've become some kind of constant doer, devoted to crossing off to-do lists and keeping myself busy every waking minute.

This month in review...

We decorated the tree with all of the traditional ornaments, along with this little cutie Eric and I picked out together last year at Crate & Barrel.
























I took a little time, between all of the rushing to go home for my family's Christmas last weekend, to make some chocolate spoons for an exchange we had.  Actually, minus the mug I gave, I made the whole gift (including the bag) and was pretty stinkin' proud of the result.


Throw in two Christmas parties with 20+ people hosted at our house, and it's no wonder December has passed me by.  Actually, of everything that has gone on, my favorite memory from this month is a simple one. I took a moment to sit and rest in the new glider for the nursery (which was graciously and lovingly given to us for Christmas by Eric's grandma).  I sat down with How the Grinch Stole Christmas, my absolute favorite book growing up (which was graciously and lovingly passed down for Christmas by my "Mimi"); Eric came in and joined me, and although we know the baby shouldn't be able to hear us yet, we read to it.  Man, do we love us some baby.

So I'm taking a cue from this moment over the next few days.  Less doing, more resting...resting in the true reason for the season and taking some time to just express my thanks for God's grace and love; resting with my husband and taking some time to ourselves to hang out together, maybe play a little Xbox Kinect (graciously and lovingly given to us for Christmas by my parents...yes, we've been spoiled rotten this year), and definitely watching a little Elf, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone and A Muppet Christmas Carol.

...and maybe, just maybe, I'll finally reconnect with a little lost friend of mine, the old blog.  After all, it is about time I start documenting this pregnancy.

does fashion blogging mean you have to post your outfit even if you're not so sure anymore that you really like it, or if it's not as flattering as you thought it was when you looked in the mirror, or if your hair won't do anything today?

i thought so.  crap.

isn't it pretty?  watch out world, louann and i are sticking together from now on.  the best part?  i can fit enough of my other crap essentials inside of it that it'll suffice as my only bag/purse.  thanks hubs!

now, if only i had time to actually learn to use my camera.

details.

dear Jesus,

happy birthday.  i know the actual day has passed, but there is nothing wrong with extended celebration of this event.

the most amazing part of Christmas for me is being able to celebrate as a part of your Kingdom.  i realize more and more every year that while receiving gifts is nice, and giving gifts is even nicer, my true happiness and holiday joy comes from having an opportunity to find some rest in you and celebrate the miracle of your birth.

thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of the Christmas eve service at my family's church.  it truly was a celebration in every sense of the word.  i know i got a little choked up when the children's choir was singing, and that may have been a little goofy, since it wasn't really what the world would deem a tear-worthy moment.  i was just so overwhelmed when all of their little hands lifted to you and they sang with every ounce of gusto they had. 

when is it along the way that we lose our child-like faith?  i'm not sure when it was for me, but in that moment, i knew that i want to live like that in my daily life.  "Lord, i surrender all i have to you and i love you without condition."  i want this to be my daily affirmation to you; a mantra, if you will.  so when we sang Jesus Saves, by Travis Cottrell, i gave it all i had.  i stood up, raised my arms to you and sang with total abandon. 

i have never felt your presence more.  this was your affirmation to me that, "yes, lauren, if you live with a child-like faith, i promise to reward you; not necessarily with material gifts (although we did get a lot of those too), but with more love and peace than you can imagine."

thank you for the greatest gift anyone could ever know, given to me on your birthday. 

i love you with all that i have and all that i am.

your daughter,
lauren


Jesus Saves - Travis Cottrell

Hear the heart of heaven beating
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
And the hush of mercy breathing
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
Hear the host of angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King"
And the sounding joy repeating
Jesus saves

See the humblest hearts adore Him
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
And the wisest bow before Him
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
See the sky alive with praise
Melting darkness in its blaze
There is light forevermore
Jesus saves

He will live, our sorrow sharing
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
He will die our burden bearing
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
"It is done!" will shout the cross
Christ has paid redemption's cost
While the empty tomb declaring
Jesus saves

Freedom's calling
Chains are falling
Hope is dawning
Bright and true
Day is breaking
Night is quaking
God is making all things new
Jesus saves

Oh, to Christ, how great a debtor
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
Are the saints who shouts together
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
Rising up so fast and strong
Lifting up salvation's song
The redeemed will sing forever
Jesus saves

click on it to see the close-ups.  i dare you.

i've been a busy bee the past couple days, preparing for santa's arrival.

and let me tell you, santa got creative this year.

friday night was my office's christmas party.  can i just be the first to say...the hubs?  he was smokin' hot.

i truly apologize for the quality of this picture.  it's atrocious.   atrocious.

please don't laugh at what i'm about to tell you.  promise?

okay, here goes.

i believed in santa until sixth grade.  and i fully believed that he lived next door to my great grandma.  this guy had a full white beard and a jolly belly and was just generally awesome.  i used to tell him what i wanted for christmas while he raked his yard in the fall.

i believe i was in third grade when my grandpa and i were spending some time together and he revealed to me that he would be dressing up as santa for our extended-family christmas gathering.  he asked me to keep it a secret.  i was so excited to have such exclusive insider information.  i mean, my grandpa was going to be playing the big guy, and none of my cousins were going to know!  that's power.  so when i spilled the beans to them, i immediately felt overwhelmed with guilt that ate away at me. 

and when it came time for santa's visit, i could tell it wasn't my grandpa behind the beard.  still, thinking about it now, i feel awful for taking that year away from him.  he wanted to keep the experience magical for the younger grandkids, so he found a stand-in.

it was after that year that i realized this wasn't the first time my grandpa was going to be the guy in red.  i began to look at pictures from years past and recognized those eyes.  and then i realized my grandpa had always, amazingly, managed to be off somewhere doing something else when santa came to visit us.  he always managed to miss santa, and now i understood why.

but you know what?  the magic wasn't lost for me knowing that the real santa never came to visit us personally.  in fact, there is so much more magic in the memories that i carry of my grandpa in this role than any real santa would have ever provided. 

so here's to my santa, whom i still very much believe in and miss with all of my heart.  the magical part of you will live on in me until i'm old and gray.



this picture doesn't need editing.  it's perfect just the way it is, in all of its 1986 glory.



•  felt - i used some scraps from two pieces, but i believe one whole piece would suffice
• heart/apple shaped patterns in three different sizes.  i just free-handed these.  it doesn't have to be perfect.
• glue gun - the best ones are pink!
• elastic headband
• scissors
• small beads/pearls
• needle and thread (not pictured)

 

i know the quality of this picture is sad.  if you buy me an slr, i can make it better :)


step three:  once all of your petals are glued, create a circular base for your flower out of felt and glue all five of your large petals to it, slightly overlapping, as pictured:

hint:  i made my circular base larger than it needed to be and then trimmed the excess off after i had glued down my petals

step four:  now glue all five of your medium petals to your base, arranging them so that they are staggered with the first layer of petals:


and voila!  now, this flower ended up being a wee bit big for headware (unless you're making it for a baby, in which case i believe bigger is better/cuter).  rather than use it as a headband, i think i'll pass it along as a really pretty bookmark.



if you're my mom and you're reading this, i borrowed your book about three years ago.  i have every intention of finishing it within the next three years or so and returning it to you once i do.  i love you!

i know, i know, i've been seriously slacking this week.  but i'm pulling double-duty today to make up for it, including a tutorial for a floral headband.  just a little teaser to start your day off right.

our little photo session on saturday went well...cold, but well.  i haven't gotten all of the pictures back yet, but this one is the clear frontrunner for our christmas cards, which i still haven't ordered.  you say christmas is next week?  well, poop.

last night was our sunday school christmas party and, yup, you guessed, it was tacky-christmas-sweater themed.  our sunday school class is filled with an amazing group of people and i love them all.  we always have such a great time when we get together.

this might be one for the christmas cards...

check out the intense blame-game going on here.  this game isn't for the meek.

there was also a white elephant exchange.  wifey managed to be the hero and seal the best prize for her hubs.  was it the functioning bread maker?  nah.  was it that statue of a basketball-playing santa?  nah.  there's only one prize eric had his eye on, and who could blame him?

ohhhh yeahhhhh.

i continue to learn the joys of being a blogger on a daily basis.  the newest one?  free stuff.  shutterfly is currently offering 50 free holiday cards to bloggers.  all you have to do is blog about your favorite holiday cards from their collection.  i knew there was a reason i've been putting off ordering cards.

this isn't even a chore.  i love shutterfly.  i used their site to create amazing photo books for our parents as a wedding gift.  my cousin falynne has also created photo books and collages of the adorable owen (remember him?)  do you have family that you're looking for a personal gift for?  if so, make sure you check out all of shutterfly's photo gifts here.  they have such a wide variety of quality products; there's really something for everyone. 

initially, all of the cards have such a visual appeal that it's hard to narrow down the field.  i mean, seriously, take a peek for yourself.  however, i am adamant about the fact that my christmas cards must say merry christmas.  no happy holidays, no peace & love; Christ is the reason for the season and he has to be present in my well-wishes for others.  so that helped somewhat.  eventually, i came up with my top three: