Jeff + Trisha = Jack & Josie: Hello January

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday season. Ours was very nice and what made it so nice is that it was relaxing. My homemade goodies were done by the beginning of November (I made homemade vanilla extract this year), we only had a few people to shop for and our Christmas cards were designed, stuffed, stamped and in the mail the first week of December. It was a lovely feeling to not have to rush around with last minute details and it left lots of time to really enjoy the season. Ginger bread house decorating, cookie baking, hot cocoa sipping, and lots of listening to Christmas music and stories about the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. This was the first year that Jack really understood the whole reason for celebrating Christmas and he wanted a Birthday cake for Jesus. We loved the idea so much and now a new tradition has been added to our December, we will always bake a cake for Jesus! Love it!

The end of the year found us home with the flu. Everyone caught the bug except Josephine, thank goodness! Jack and I enjoyed a New Years Eve picnic on the living room floor and finished our evening with some games. Jeff and Josephine were tucked in bed by 8 and Jack and I weren't far behind them. So glad the sickness has left our house, all that lingers is some sinus thing for me, yuck! Even though 2011 came with out much celebrating, it has started off being a very nice New Year for us :) Lots of lazy days home together, homemade soups and chili, comfort food galore and lots of baking to keep our home (and bellies) cozy and warm.

One thing I really enjoyed about the beginning of this month is the morning that I paired up with a few girlfriends and prepared breakfast for the guests staying at the Ronald McDonald House. It was such an honor and a wonderful way to spend our Sunday morning. We will be volunteering there several more times this year and I am really looking forward to it!

The snow is falling outside and it is beautiful! So glittery, I can't wait to see how much is out there when we wake up in the morning. We went to the library and have lots of new books and a few movies to keep us entertained over the coming days...I don't plan on leaving the house if I don't have too! Hope your New year is off to a great start and here's hoping I can get back to this blogging thing to keep everyone updated on our simple life. Until my next post, here are a few pictures from the last few months of twenty-ten!

Our sweet little girl! Wearing her pumpkin outfit for Thanksgiving!

Josephine and I, dancing around the living room!

The kiddos after a candy cane hunt with our playgroup friends! Brrrr!

The first snow fall of the season and Jack woke us up at a little after 7 in the morning with his coat already on! He was eager to get out there and enjoy the fluffy snow!