Card

Way back in November I posted about searching for a perfect Christmas card, and this month I posted some outtakes of our little photo session with our friend Brittney. Now that I know that everyone we sent them to has received theirs, I am excited to share it here! and yes, Theo is 100% sticking his tongue out haha

Christmas Recap

We're home in Nashville, and now it's time for me to bombard you with posts from our trip to Florida!

Here are some photos from Christmas Day with my family:

The day started with present opening down the street at Aunt Kathleen, Renee and Jack's.

They surprised Kathleen with a macbook pro! Such an awesome surprised face!

Getting things all set up. 

Then we continued presents at my parents house.

but not without mimosas!

Jack and Kathleen. Love this picture :)

Kathleen, Mom and I.

Toast.

Renee and Kathleen.

Excited to open presents.

A quilt made for my mom by her aunt with different breast cancer  and pink fabrics.

Post gifts game of LCR. Who doesn't love a  little gambling?

Except that Kathleen kept winning haha

Then uncle Chris arrived with our cousin Mark and we had an epic nerf gun war.

And Mark got a guitar!

Which meant dad and Keith did a little jamming.

We had an epic feast back over at Kathleen's house.

and then played some more LCR.

I love my family, and I couldn't be more thankful we got to spend the day with them. It was such a great Christmas, and Keith and I both feel so blessed by how generous our loved ones are. "Santa" was way too good to us.

Can't wait to get back on my computer this weekend and share some of the other fun stuff we did for the week we were in Florida!

Flying

This trip has gone by so fast already! I wish these days would slow down a bit so that I could soak in more friends and family (and food!). Our time in Florida has been fantastic so far and I'm sure the next 4 days will bring nothing but more of the same.

Since we've been here I've eaten at 2 of my most favorite restaurants, bought new computers for most of my family, spent a night chatting with great friends, ran 3 miles in our neighborhood, napped on the beach, had pizza with my favorite aunt, partied with all the awesome people I know, ran 4 miles along the beach, last minute Christmas shopped, baked cookies with my momma, had a delicious italian style Christmas Eve dinner, lounged at home with my bests and then spent Christmas day drinking mimosas and enjoying my awesome family. I couldn't be happier :)

Welcome to the 21st century parents.

Two days before Christmas.

80 degree day, couldn't be more beautiful.

Keith, Ben and Jackie at Drew's party.

Brother and Keith posing in the photo booth.

Cookie making!

We got a little messy haha

with Katelyn and Andi on Christmas Eve. Bests :)

Andi and Robert. 

Voyage

Saying goodbye to one home and embracing another for the week. My hope is that this vacation will be filled with patience and love and abounding laughter.

Nashville: don't change too much while we're gone, and keep Theo safe, he gets so sad when we leave.

Florida: bring on the sunshine and the warmth, I will be visiting the ocean regardless.

Bucket List

This year I decided that instead of making a long list of resolutions that I probably won't keep I would jot down a bucket list full of small and accomplishable tasks. Just a few things that I've been wanting to do, but never made a priority. Here is my running list of "goals" for the coming year:

• Crochet more!
• Sew a dress or skirt from a pattern.
• Run a half marathon.
• Learn how to do more things with my hair.
• Wear contacts again.
• Become a lipstick person.
• Develop a system for organizing our important documents.
• Listen to more new music.
• Read at least 4 books.
• Diligently print photos!
• Use my phone less, connect with people more.
• Visit our amazing NYC friends and family.
• Work towards eliminating our need for mega stores. Local local local!
• Take advantage of the bike share program in Nashville.
• Write in my personal journal more. 
• BACK UP MY FILES!
• Start saving for a new camera.
• Try and become a hat person. 

I think I would be satisfied with accomplishing 3/4 of these things, but thankfully most of them I was already planning on doing haha. Here's to a successful, creative, and inspiring new year!

Smile!

I know I shared this photo last year, but it's too good not to share again. This year for Christmas Keith and I are flying to Florida to spend the holiday with my family. My brother Jake is flying down also, making this the first time in 3 years that we've all been together on Christmas, and I'm so excited I could cry. I can't wait to share my families traditions with Keith for the first time AND enjoy some 80 degree weather :) What a blessing to be able to pack my swimsuit in December haha. We leave bright and early tomorrow morning, and the best part? We get to stay for a WHOLE WEEK! because Keith doesn't work for a crazy company that doesn't let him take any days off. Phewww. I can't wait to sleep in, eat like a king, take some long runs on A1A, catch up with so many of my best friends, and be care free for a week.

I just hope my dad doesn't take Jake and I to see Santa ;)

Dirty Santa

Friday night Keith and I had an excellent double date with our friends Brad and Jen before we headed down to Murfreesboro for a Christmas party at Steve's place. The party had a really fun mix of old friends and new faces, and we had a really great time playing dirty santa and drinking Steve's delicious egg nog. Oh, and guess who was the MVP of the party... thats right, Jimmy Bone, Keith's terrifying hobo doll made many appearances. The good news is that Jimmy Bone has decided to leave our home and stay at Uncle Steve house, YAY! Here are some photos from the night:

Steve and Jimmy Bone getting aquatinted.

Anthony.

Steve explaining the rules of the game.

Willing game participants.

Keith and Trent.

Boozy egg nog.

Ives!

Jordy making her gift selection.

and regretting her gift selection... she later traded it in for beer haha

Trent and his princess blanket haha

Jimmy decided to try on some of Keith's stuff.

and then there were some duets that happened haha

Lots of laughs, mostly laughing at Jimmy Bone's singing voice.

Exhibit

Thursday night was the huge Winter Showcase at the community center I work for, and so amongst the hip hop dance groups, nativity reenactment and Christmas carolers I got to exhibit a sampling of the art my students have been making this year. It was a pretty unorganized event, and generally a free-for-all, but I took lots of pride in making the "exhibit" look nice for the students who came, and got lots of compliments from fellow employees. It was a little stressful and a bit of a time crunch to get everything hung and set up, but after one of my little kindergarteners came up to me with the BIGGEST smile upon seeing his painting on the wall, it was so worth it. I also got to meet a few parents who were thrilled to see some of the art their child had made. One of the moms even said, "Gregory came home telling me about water lilies and I had no idea what he meant until I saw these!" Sometimes I worry that I take my job too seriously for just being part time, but I really love what I do a lot, and I'm very thankful I get to teach in some capacity. If only I could manage to make this my day job... 

Here are some photos from the set up:

I was only a LITTLE excited to be finished ;)

The full spread.

Middle School landscape paintings and chalk line patterns.

More middle school landscapes, plus some weavings.

Kindergarten: waterlilies, Andy Warhol flowers, funky fish, rainbow gardens and stained glass shapes.

Elementary: pumpkin paintings, paper weavings, waterlilies and Warhol flowers.

I love some of the things they've made that I even hesitate to hand them back. I definitely need to take some detailed photos for my teaching portfolio haha.