2012 in Review

What a year!

It was so good, I just had to live it, instead of blogging about it. (That is my story, and I'm sticking to it!)

Over the spring, I worked 2 jobs. 3 days a week I was a nanny and the other 2 work days, I worked at a fabric store. I loved every minute. I have discovered that I enjoy customer service type jobs, anything that lets me relate to, and interact with, the public. I guess that shouldn't be much of a surprise since I am such a people person. :) I loved it, and my boss was happy with my work, so I guess we were all happy. Oh! And I made some awesome friends there, too.

In June, we found out the happy, and long anticipated fact that we were headed toward becoming a family. Needless to say, life has never been the same since. And, something tells me it only gets crazier.

Over summer break, I nannied, up to 6 kids, several days a week. That would've been fine and dandy, except I was in the throes of morning sickness. Thankfully, my boss was very understanding and managed to let me come in late several mornings.

In August we had to move out of the place we had been living. Because we were planning to move to Texas, we couldn't rent another place that had a minimum stay lease agreement. The title: the traveling bride, once again, is/was very fitting. We stayed with friends and family while Caleb fulfilled a work commitment in Grand Junction.

Thanksgiving weekend, we moved to Texas. Some amazing friends are letting us crash at their place. It started out to be just for a few weeks, until we found a place. Well, we found a place, but it needs quite a bit of TLC. As I type this, Caleb is out there working in the dark on it. The goal was to be able to move in by the 1st of the year. It looks like it might be another week or 2 before that is possible.

Right now, most of our stuff is packed in a trailer. I can't wait until we are moved in and can unpack it and pull out all baby clothes and wash them. That will be so much fun and one more step to being closer to being ready for the baby. The 1st room we are wanting to remodel is the baby's room. Yay!! :)

This fall, Caleb lost both of his grandparents on his mom's side and I lost my great-grandpa. His grandpa passed while we were still in Grand Junction. My great-grandpa passed while we were there as well, but we were able to drive out to California for that. Caleb's grandma passed after we were down here, actually shortly after we got here. I had just driven the car down from Colorado and did not feel up to another road trip so soon, so Caleb ended up just flying up by himself. He also got to work another week at his old job, which was nice.

We spent the holidays with my family and enjoyed every minute of it.

This year, there have been many people who have blessed us in numerous ways. Thank you, to each of you. You know who you are! We couldn't have made it through this year as well as we did, if it wasn't for you.

Today marks week 33. This is only the second time my whole pregnancy that I lost track and had to go back and count. I think I told several people over the weekend that i was gonna be 32 weeks. Lol! About 7 more weeks to go. Yes!! 

 

I was gonna do a letter to send with our new year cards, but I ran out of time. So instead, I got them in the mail and did a blog post. :)

 

Hope y'all had a wonderful holiday season. Here's to 2013! Happy New Year!!

 

 

His Protection

Sitting at the library, writing this blog post. Lately, it seems that where ever we stay, has been places that have really bad cell phone service...

So, we are back from Texas...

Had a wonderful time with my family...
Got to meet my midwife and hear my baby's heartbeat...totally awesome!
Got to spend my birthday with my family and be there for my sister's 21st birthday ;)
Was able to see both grandmas...
My mom and sisters took my shopping for maternity clothes for my birthday...they totally spoiled me!
Was able to be there for my pastor's ordination...ok, so we aren't going to his church right now, but when we move down to Tx, we will...and he married us...so it was special :)

Ok, now for the interesting part...
On the way back...we had a tire go flat in Denver...only 4 hours from home...at 2am...after all the tire places are closed.
So...we had to stay the night there. We went to a hotel and booked a room. No big deal...you're probably wondering why I even bother to mention it. Just wait and see...
So we went up to our room, inserted the key...nothing. checked to make sure we were doing it right, we were, still nothing. After the 4th or 5th time, it worked. Strange..... We open the door and go in and I see the curtains blowing. Not good! Caleb says, "It's probably just the AC unit blowing them." Walks to the window and...leans out! Very bad!! (We are the second floor.) "Maybe they are just airing out the room." He suggests. "No! they wouldn't do that in the middle of the night." I replied.
We went down stairs and told the lady at the front desk. "That is NOT normal!" She says.
She gives us another room on the fourth floor. (Surely no one will climb in a 4th window...) We go up to the room, try the key and the red light flashes...meaning the dead-bolt is locked. Then I notice there is a "Do not disturb" sign hanging on the knob. "We need to get out of here!" I tell Caleb, imagining some irate, half-asleep person defending "their room".
We go back down stairs...quickly! "That room is NOT booked." The clerk tells us, with a worried look on her face. "Here is another room, but this time I will walk you up there!"
takes us up, lets us in our room, walks around...Caleb checks the windows, checks under beds, checks the bathroom... Lol! (But I am glad.)
He went back out to the car to get our stuff and I locked the dead-bolt after him.
We both thanked God for His protection that night!
The next morning, we got the tire fixed, and then (because he already wasn't gonna be able to make it to work on time) we went and visited his sister, Rebekah, who lives about 40 minutes east of Denver.
Then we drove home and stopped in Glenwood and walked around because we had the time :)

All in all, thanks to God, a good trip!

My life...

So, you're wondering whats going on in my life? Well...a lot...and then again...not much. Do you know the feeling? I'm sure you do.

Caleb and his brother-in-law, Justin, are renting an airplane hanger out at the local airport. They are trying to get it set up as an auto body shop. This involves many hours. Yesterday, Caleb had me drawing up contracts for people that want to rent space in there to paint their own stuff. Yikes! I assure you, I have never done the like. I guess it didn't turn out too bad, because there are other contracts Caleb wants me to do.

If you've been on facebook than you know that we have gotten some of our formals back. Plenty to include in thank you cards.

Speaking of which... Is there a way to write a thank you card to someone you've never met, or met once on your wedding day, without it sounding impersonal and monotone? I have to do them! I want to do them! Its just slightly intimidating the number of them that I have to do. I sooo am individually hand-writing them. Ugh! I usually am very prompt with thank yous, but I've never had this many to do before. My only fear is that people will think that we are ungrateful for their gift, which is sooo NOT the case. Every time I use something given to us for our wedding, I am humbled and remember that looooooong gift list waiting, and the guilt grows. Enough! I'm sure that most of y'all by now are thinking, "Just DO it!"

So. I've been in Colorado with my husband. Right now we are renting the place next-door to his folks. We are still planning, eventually, to go to Minnesota to finish the house up there.

Lately, I've been spending some time with his sisters sewing. Towards the end of August, there is a peach harvest fiber festival here in the valley, and his family has been invited as guests of honor. You may be thinking, "What is a fiber festival?" It is a festival showcasing fiber crafts. Now you're probably thinking, "What's a fiber craft?" Anything that has to do with cotton, wool, etc. Spinning, weaving, sewing, knitting, crocheting, whatever. They are setting up a booth with spinning and weaving displays. They totally take it a step further than I do. Yes, I have spun, and I have woven, and may again, but WOW! They can do some pretty awesome things, although quite time consuming :) They also are setting up handmade products from their country store, and us girls are making some clothes to sell. Super excited! Found some cute jumper patterns for little girls and nice patterns for ladies' skirts.

I know that is more related to my clothing blog, (and for those of you that follow it, I'm sorry if you're bored by the occasional repeats between the two) but this is what is going on in my life!

Something I've been playing around with...

I.need.something.to.do.while.my.husband.is.at.work! But us not knowing, where we are going be, when, its hard to come up with something to do. However, as soon as we know, I want to start a home-based business arranging flowers for weddings. That's right, you read it. I love doing it and most florists charge the most outrageous prices. I already have a wholesale account with a local florist supplier and I want to be able to create beautiful, custom flowers for brides, within their budget. Sooo can't wait to be able to start!

Just for discussion...

How much did you pay for your wedding flowers? Was it worth it? Who did them? Where they what you envisioned? Where they better or other than what you had envisioned? How much would be willing to pay for flowers at your wedding?

My flowers cost less than $250 and me and my girls did them. I loved them!

That's all for now. Gotta save some for next time!

Have an awesome week!