Looking Back on 2012

 I can't believe we're almost an entire month into 2013!!!  I look forward to what this year will bring with excited anticipation!  But, I thought a look back on 2012 would be nice.

For 2012, what I called "The YoFS" (The Year of Finishing Stuff), I made a list of all the tasks and projects I had started in previous years and wanted to finish.  I'd say given that I made the ambitious list when I was unemployed and then found a full time job almost exactly a month later, that I did pretty well at accomplishing several things.

Also, considering that we traveled 30 out of 52 (!) weekends in 2012 (meaning less time at home to tackle said list of projects), I'm gonna call "The YoFS" a success.  No, I didn't finish everything on the list, but I'm patting myself on the back for the things that I did finish.  It's not about perfection, it's about progress.

Speaking of those 30 travel weekends, most were to nearby places to visit friends and family in C-ville, L-ville, MKy & O-boro.  Here were our other more "major" trips last year:

New Years Eve - Cincinnati with Mike & Shannon
April 12 - "Blue Like Jazz" Red Carpet Premiere
April 27-29 - Brandon's Illinois Marathon
May 26-June 1 - 1st Anniversary Trip to San Francisco
4th of July - Annual "4th" Trip to see Scott & Lish (with a trip to C-ville first)
August 18-19 - Cincinnati with Kim & Billy
October 5-20 - Europe Trip

What a great year 2012 was - we got to go so many places, see so many neat things, spend time with so many wonderful friends and family, and make so many awesome memories. 

2012 was a year to remember! 

New Years Eve!!

After traveling all week, we landed back at home on Friday evening December 28.  We were both off work until January 2, which meant we had four glorious days at home with hardly anything scheduled!

I got busy with some craft projects - the biggest of which was making some aprons for our friends Mark & Anne.  Mark is a huge Superman fan and he was also in love with Wonder Woman growing up.  So, when I saw a picture on Pinterest of these aprons, I knew I had to make them.  I worked off the pictures and hoped for the best!

       

Here's the final product!  The little one in the middle is actually a small cape velcro'd to a onesie - Mark & Anne are expecting their first child, a boy, and so I made a little cape for the baby to match their Superhero aprons.

The best part about Mark's Superman apron is that he can turn it over and wear it as a cape!  And it matches the baby's cape - so they can be superheros together!  (And I think I'll have to make a bigger one for the baby as he grows).

I got the aprons/capes done just in time, as Mark & Anne were coming over to our place to ring in the New Year.

We all sat and talked and snacked.

They were so excited when we gave them their presents and they loved them!!  I hate that Mark's apron is a tiny bit small......

.......but it was a perfect cape size and he was pumped that it had dual-purpose!

Then they opened the baby cape and were even more excited!

It was so much fun to make them and even more fun to give them!!!

Midnight rolled around and my cute engineer-husband made sure we all had the same exact amount of sparkling grape juice.

Happy 2013!!!!

Hope this year brings you love, joy & peace!

December in Review

Believe it or not, December was fairly low-key for us.  We pretty much stayed put in Lex until Christmas.  But we got to see lots of friends and spend some good quality time with them.  Unfortunately, I don't have any pics from getting together with any of the friends (too busy enjoying the quality time!).......

.......so, on to Christmastime!!!

Sunday, December 23, 2012:  Celebrating Justin's Birthday

We traveled to C-ville the day before Christmas Eve.  Brandon's sister had the family over to celebrate her son, Justin's, birthday.  I didn't get any pics of him, because my camera seemed to stay pointed at sweet Little A, Justin's daughter (and our great niece).  Isn't she a doll?

Monday, Christmas Eve 2012 Lunchtime:

The next day was Christmas Eve and we had a great Christmas Eve lunch with Brandon's family!

The whole fam.....

.....including a funny pic.

Brandon's parents

Brandon's sister, Kim; her hubby, Billy; her son, Justin; and Justin's daughter, A.

Me and The Hubs.

I thought this one was sweet.

And again, couldn't keep my camera off the little one.....

Bev had gotten A a book with her voice reading the words.  It was really neat!

Kim & Billy collect shot glasses from different places, so we brought them back one from Munich, Germany.

We got Jimmy an actual Swiss Army Knife from Switzerland.

A loved to help open presents!

Bev asked for towels, so we loaded her up!  We also got her a coffee mug from Munich, Germany (her fam is German).

Monday, Christmas Eve 2012 Suppertime:

About 3:00pm, we left C-ville and headed to the Ville for Christmas Eve supper with my dad's side of the family.

My uncles, Jeff & Eddie

Cousin LaRessia (middle), her daughter, D, on the left and her mom, Aunt Paula, on the right.

My Dad - always a ham - starting a paper fight - my mom on the right behind him and my cousin Jennifer on the left.

Mamaw opening her gifts.

My cousin's daughter, A, was overjoyed to get a sock monkey!  Hers didn't roll around & laugh like Brandon's though.  Aunt Brenda is behind her.

My cousin's daughter, A, playing with her new toy.

Best Cousins Forever, Jennifer and Me

After eating and opening presents, we pulled out monopoly.

My cousin's fiance, Heather, my dad and Mamaw.

Monday, Christmas Eve 2012 Nighttime:

After celebrating with my Dad's family, we came back to my parents house and had Christmas with them.

We got my dad a magnet with our family name and crest on it in London.

We framed a pic from our photoshoot back in November for mom (dad got one too).

Mom also got a small ceramic bowl from Bayeux, France.

Mom loaded dad up with new Red Sox gear, including a new hat and bath robe!

Tuesday, Christmas Day 2012 Morning:

Before heading out of the Ville to D-ville for Christmas with my mom's side of the family, Brandon and I stopped in to see his Mammaw (his mom's mother) who also lives in the Ville.  Unfortunately she was in a rehab center over Christmas because she had a fall and needed some recuperation time.  We visited with her for a few hours before hitting the road again.

Tuesday, Christmas Day 2012 Afternoon:

We arrived in D-ville in the afternoon at my Granny & Granpa's house to celebrate with my mom's family.

Granny, cousin Benjamin and Granpa

Granny opening gifts.

Granpa with the new hat we gave him, handsome huh?

My Granny is a very talented artist.  She gave me a very meaningful and wonderful painting of the church that I helped build in Honduras in 2009.

Sadly, I didn't take any pics in D-ville (how or why I don't know!!), and the above pics are from my mom and "borrowed" from my cousin's facebook page!  :)  I wish I had more of the family gathered there.

Tuesday, Christmas Day 2012 Evening:

After leaving D-ville, we drove 45 minutes back home to Lex. for our own little Christmas.

We actually had already gotten each other a present - we pooled our Christmas money and Brandon installed an audio jack in our car so we can plug our iPods into the car stereo!!    So, otherwise, we set a $10 limit on gifts for each other.

I had already gifted some songs to Brandon through iTunes - he really wanted Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas songs and I had some store credit and got them - which corresponded great with the car jack we got for each other.

So the rest of my gift to him was kind of basic - some of his favorite treats!

And a UK mug!

Brandon did great in getting me a perfect gift!  It's an organizer for my bedside.  It hangs off the side of the bed.  It has several compartments for storage and even has a place for a box of tissues!  My night stand is pretty small and always overflowing with stuff, so this was perfect!  Now I always have a place for my chapstick and know exactly where my book is....plus my nightstand isn't so junky!

I also got a Kit-Kat from my Sweetie - LOVE that he gets me candy bars!!

Merry Christmas from us to you!

Wednesday-Friday, December 26-28, 2012:

After spending Christmas night at home, we headed out the day after Christmas to go back to C-ville for some extended time with Brandon's family.

We watched some movies and played lots of cards.....

.....I hung out with Beverley at her work.....

......we enjoyed dinner out at a cute 50's themed restaurant....

.....where Brandon and I shared an old fashioned milk-shake.....

....and we overall just enjoyed several extended days together!