Christmas and Lots of Snow!

We spent Christmas 2012 at home this year. We Skype'd with family and lazed around most of the day. It was great. Here are some of my favorite pics:

 Merry Christmas 2012

SO excited!

Lego Castle

This Monkey hat is now her favorite hat to wear!

The aftermath round one

We also got quite a bit of snow which delayed my MIL's flight giving us a few more days to play in the snow! This was the first year Mia really cared about playing in the snow and she loved it!

Nashville

We have had quite a lot happen in the last few months, and since I find myself in a rare position: Mia is asleep before 9pm. I find myself with a little me time :) This is a miracle since she normally doesn't fall asleep until 11:00pm or later! So, I thought now would be an excellent time to sit down and update my blog (since paying bills didn't sound quite as fun!) and it has been since November since I have blogged about anything!
Thanksgiving and Christmas were a whirlwind. Mostly d/t finding that the projected plan for my mom's cancer treatment took a turn toward a more extensive surgery, we had to make many adjustments including bumping up our celebration of my mom's 50th birthday in February! She had never been to Nashville so we loaded up the car and headed to the Country Music Capitol and the Opryland hotel!. But here are a few of my favorite pics:

 Decorating  a Gingerbread family

Mia got her first Cowboy hat and a 'Patar" aka guitar for Christmas

We got to hear a live band and see the Rockettes at the Grand Ole Opry

And to top it all off this kid was SO excited to go for a 'horsie' ride!

Happy early 50th Birthdays MOM! 

Thanksgiving Day 3

I am thankful for Doctors who give up their lives/families to take care of sick people, who are up well before me and stay at the hospital later then I, to make sure that their patients are taken care of. They sacrifice so much and I am grateful for them.

Thanksgiving Day 2

I am thankful that my mom's surgery went well and that she is in Ohio where such a great team of Doctors and nurses are able to take such good care of her.

Thanksgiving Day 1

I have alot to be thankful for this year, so I am doing 30 days of Thanksgiving on my blog again this year. I have to forewarn you that I may post several days at a time just because my life is slightly hectic right now :)
Day 1: I am thankful for my husband who continues to support me, know what I need, and loves me anyway!

Vacation 2012

Be forewarned, this post will have lots of pictures! For two weeks this summer my little family joined our bigger family for a beach family vacation. We had a blast. The first week we pretty much went to the beach every day. On the second day, Mia got knocked over by a wave and was terrified of the water, she didn't even want Patrick or I to go in. We also went on surrey rides, went to a Phillies game and stopped at Pat's cheese steaks, visited with the Cotters and rode some rides. Pam and Jared came down mid way through the week, we went jet skiing with them and Pam taught Mia all about sand fiddlers.

 Fetching water from the Ocean

 Our camp

 Surrey rides 

 Before the Phillies game

 Learning all about sand fiddlers

 Returning the sand fiddlers to the sand

 Mia was definitely in her happy place at the beach! She still asks daily when we can go to the beach house

 Notice the sleeping baby in the tent! Pleasantly surprised she slept on the beach!

Mia reading ALL her books

On the rides with her friend Drew

 This is my favorite picture!

The second week, Lindsey, Abram, Royce, my mom, and grandparents joined the crew. My cousin Matt and his family came down for a trip to the boards, we went to Storybook land, rode Lots more rides, went para-sailing  and to the Cape May Zoo. Overall, best family vacation we have had to date. Can't wait to do it again next year!

 Royce Bean

 Grams helping Mia feed the goats

 Mia cruising with Grams supervising

 The sign says it all

 Mary's little lamb. Mia was so concerned because she wasn't with her mommy and daddy

 The best picture of multiple attempts at a group shot

 Nothing better then cousins in a hole, with some water and sea foam

 'Catching stuff'

 Sea foam

 More rides!

Finally saw the Giraffes and Zebras at the zoo!

In the moment

I have recently been reading the book, One thousand gifts by Ann Voskamp. It was a little difficult to read due to the different writing style, but it has been full of lots of little nuggets of truth that have been helpful to me in my current state of life. I feel I am in a constant state of 'what's next, what has to get done, what can I sacrifice in order to be able to get to the next item on the list?' basic survival mode. Instead of focusing on the task in front of me, I find myself constantly looking ahead, trying to avoid the next crisis and survive the next day. Here is the problem with that: I am missing this current state of being in the present. I read a quote recently (I think from the book but not sure) that says, 'wherever you are, be all there'. I don't want to miss out on the current joys of life all the while just trying to survive. I have started changing my way of thinking, trying to focus on the here and now and wherever I am, being solely focused on that person or task. For example, when my daughter wants to read a book first thing in the morning, we read; when my husband tells me about his day, I listen without making a to-do list in my head; when I am at chemo with my mom, I try to spend time with her in quality conversation and listening to her needs, not just playing on my phone. For those of you who know me, know this is a challenge for me. I feel hat I always need to be productive, in control and taking care of everyone but sometimes taking care of everyone means just stoping and playing at the sand table with my daughter.
Psalm 39:6 says, 'we are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in NOTHING. We heap up wealth for someone else to spend.' Wow talk about an eye opener! So in the midst of the day to day, wherever I am I want to be all there!