Better Late Than Never

Ok, I know it has almost been a month since Christmas.  But, in my defense, we didn't have Christmas with Robbie and Angelina until January 13, so these aren't that late. :)

So many of the conversations we have had over the past year revolve around how much difference a year makes.  You look at a year ahead of you and sometimes it seems like SO FAR AWAY.  But looking back on a year, it's like "Where did it all go?!"

Christmas of 2011 was a good one with exciting new stuff happening in my life, despite how the rest of the year played out.  I went from dreading that Christmas to really looking forward to it.  Then once the holiday season of 2012 approached, I was just plain giddy.  Things were (for the most part) stable, and there was a lot of love to be shared.  It was fun decorating with 2 kids and getting new stuff that will represent a new time and new things and new traditions.

 

 

 

Did you know that you can shoot down mistletoe from trees?  I, for one, had no idea.  I have always lived in neighborhoods where you couldn't just walk out your front door and shoot down stuff out of trees.  The idea sounded crazy to me, but it is definitely possible and also super cool.  And these three were determined to get that mistletoe down.

SUCCESS!

(Of course, after searching the entire front yard and the woods next to the house, we find TONS of it in trees down the road.  Dad even has some in his yard!)

We made reindeer food.  She painted the paper plate to make it more festive and so that the reindeer would have a bright color directing them to the house.  Then the boy brought in deer corn, dirt, leaves and rocks for the "food".  All sprinkled with some glittery fleur de lis' to give it a little "extra".

She also left Santa a note asking if he liked his cookies and also asking for his signature and his reindeers' signatures.  Santa did pretty good, because he got Rudolph to sign it for her!

Ginger and Brice always rack up at Christmas, too.  They have got to be some of my favorite kids on the planet.

 Uncle Robbie and Angelina gave all the youngsters fireworks from Angelia's family firework stand.  

 

Mom made each of us an AWESOME scrapbook this year.  It has things in it from when I was a kid and notes I had written all the way up to high school and college.  It is something I will keep forever, and I absolutely loved it.  (P.S.  When making these, Mom determined that Robbie and I did NOT get along as children based off some of the things he had written as a child.  Things like "I love all of my family, even Sarah sometimes."  Or "Sarah gets away with everything and it make me mad."  The feeling was mutual back then, but thankfully, we grew out of that!)

A dirt bike helmet to go with a dirt bike that we HOPED SO HARD Santa was going to bring.  Otherwise, she would have had a nice helmet to ride her brother's dirt bike.

Like father, like son in their matching camo.  Such dudes.

You know it's got to be something cool if it's bigger than you are!

My first pair of Costa's!  Thank you, JD!

And Lo and Behold Santa came through on the dirt bike!  The colors even match!

Putting together deer stands...dressed the same and sitting the same.

And without further ado...

 meet Eve:

Ever since Nick died, the youngest has thought I needed another cat.  The note below was folded up with a bow on top as a gift.  She even had his dad make a beautiful cedar box that she wanted to wrap for the present, but she forgot it on Christmas Eve.  So this note was the next best thing.  The smaller writing at the top says "and a box sorry at Mama Ann's house".

Eve was a little skiddish at first, but has finally come around and is just as you would expect a kitten to be....like she immediately checked out the aquarium and scoped out the fish.

She is as lively as ever but also as sweet as can be.

Here's a little "Sarah's Life" trivia for you:  All 3 of the cats I have had have been named after Christmas. And since I got her on Christmas Eve, Eve as her name just fit. :)

New Year's was wonderful as well, complete with delicious homemade wings, a ton of finger foods, good friends and fireworks.  It was fun preparing since I was preparing for a LSU game, too, but based on the outcome of that, I wasn't a happy camper there for a little while.  I will admit that I tried really hard to not spend the first day of a new year mad at a football team.

 

 

All in all, things are really looking up on my end.  It's a new year with new beginnings, and this girl is pretty excited about them.  Bring it on 2013!