Stress-free Season?

This season has always been a stressful time for me. From Thanksgiving to New Year's offers times to get together with family and friends. Yet in these times of hanging out with loved ones, I am still able to find things to get me overwhelmed: food preparations, gift purchases and wrapping, travel time and making sure to pack enough things to keep a child busy while on the road and at the location, plus many other things.

This year however, I have made the decision to simplify. Fewer presents, not as much food, and fewer time commitments. Even though I still feel a little bit overwhelmed, I'm feeling that this was a step in the right direction. I believe that next year I will be a step closer to feeling more at peace with making the right decisions than at war with my own desires to please everyone.

Because, when I think about it, all of those things that pull at my attention are really just taking attention off of the real reason we celebrate Christmas - our SAVIOR was born this time of year. Let's focus on Him and and worry about pleasing only Him.

Merry Christmas!

Cuteness

Waiting for the seeds to grow.  I tried to tell her it would take a while, but she still wanted to wait.

She look like she did when she was just a baby!

Natalie's Dental X-rays

Natalie had to get "pictures" taken of her teeth and wouldn't do it on her own, so we had to pull out the laughing gas.  I didn't get to go with, but I guess she was pretty talkative once they got her to put the "puppy nose" on!

Fun Day in the Sun

Skinna-marinky-dinky-dink...

Weee!

Dentist for Natalie

Feeding the geese at the Coon Rapids Dam

Playing at the Park

Back to life...back to reality...back to bloggin again!

Since more people have been on Facebook, I haven't been updating the blog.  However, I have had some people ask me to keep the blog updated as well.  It's probably a good idea since there are some people not on Facebook too.

This post will just be pictures/comments from the last few months since my last post.  Enjoy!

Natalie finds her picture on the back of the stroller box at Target - so excited!

Natalie's new bed for her birthday (a few months early) from Nana Kim & Boppa Doug and Grandma Lois & Grandpa Mark.  It's a loft bed - she loves it!

She also loves to sleep UNDER it!

Family Time at Soft Joshie's CD release concert

Just a fun video :)

We visited the new exhibit at the Children's Museum and they had a part about plastic injection - we HAD to take pictures to show Adam!

We got to babysit two Pomeranians - Art and Fluff - Natalie was in love!

Just a cute picture

St. Patrick's Day

First trip to Grand Rapids since Fall - and first french braids!

Nice enough to wear shorts!

My Easter Bunny!

Fun, striped Hello Kitty socks

Birthday Party #1 - Michaels Craft store with friends

Party #2 - Grandparents and Aunts/Uncles

Adam and his brother Jackson

Natalie and Corinne, the cake maker - yummy!

Squinkies!

Beautiful picture for her room from Poppie