Happiness upon happiness

Wow, can it really be 2012 already?!

HOW???

We're so behind that although The Farmer and I were barely awake to kiss out the old and in the new, our real party was this morning!

We ate the first eggs from our young hens and wore silly hats while we filled out a few questions to keep along with the years highlights and resolutions in our family time capsule.

Guess the past week was a perfect way to close out 2011 ~

a blur of celebratin' n fun.

Hope you all enjoyed the same!

Here are some highlights...

Fair warning - these are indulgent family shots to hold ALL the fun in my own aging memory as long as possible.

After a great last day at school celebrating Sarah and her AWESOME PRINCIPAL's Bdays, our Christmas took off just like the kids as they ran up our drive holding hands! 

 They arrived home to find a large package from our beloved Aunt Berry Melon FULL of thoughtful gifts and special notes!

So began a Christmas where we felt truly blessed, 

if still a hair too busy!

The peace of the family church service, listening to Sarah sing, was just what I needed to get in the right mindset before ...  ...  ...

We started early at home Christmas morning, amazed at Santa's gifts.

(Fairly inexpensive yet priceless.)

  Jack asked Santa for "the yummy" cough drops!

And a small blue r.c. helicopter that was much  much fun

(parts already on order after it broke)!

He also received the Tonka truck road grader he asked for.

He is ALL about DIGGING.

Nick n Smores were baffled by GoGo puppy

Sarah got a GoGo puppy and, by chance, a pet carrier from Ikea.

She also got an accordion which I swear years of Nickelodeon inspired.

The "fairy door" from Lori was perfect as Sarah n Jack just "discovered a fairy meadow" in a clearing in our woods and love to hike down there to look for fairies often!

The Farmer found a cute stuffed rat in his stocking to remind him of one he brought home a few years back ('nother post needed for that!) He may or may not have also received a bag of coal and a wooden toilet seat... ;-P

I was treated well with fancy electric boot warmers to keep my tootsies warm while I teach. Also some cute black n pink polka dot wellies.

We received several great games and gave ourselves Monopoly. We've had a blast playing!

The Farmer worries about his hotels on Park Place coming under helicopter fire!

But you can prolly guess what our favorite gifts were...

Jack got a cd he loves to sing along with in Dad's truck when they go to work! ;-0

After breakfast we celebrated at my moms where we were spoiled again.

Dail makes the best Santa as he tours the hospital to sing Christmas Day!

The kids adore their new scooters from Grandma!

And for her Bday Sarah received the American Girl doll Kirstin who shares our Swedish heritage and  prairie and farm life interests!! 

Midafternoon Christmas found us at The Farmer's family for an open house full of fun.

Santa's toys came with us and many a big boy enjoyed the helicopter!

A neighbor had left their Yorkie cross for petsitting and the uncles taught it to attack poor GoGo.

Giggles galore. Even from Sarah.

At Christmas' end we drove the hour back home n cleaned fast before The Farmer's bff arrived with his girlfriend.

I'm afraid my kids had more energy than I did by that time!!!

Two days later we celebrated Sarah for real!

It looked like someone had vomited hello Kitty all over our house!

   

We always carpet the Bday kid's rooms in balloons and set a surprise fancy breakfast table.

This year I made and left this mother daughter journal in her room as well. She n I both LOVE  it!

That afternoon we went ice skating with our dear friends and grabbed pizza.

I was proud when another mom asked if my kids had been taking lessons...

I said no, we do this once a year, and pointed out that they actually fell quite a lot.

 It's just that they were quick to scramble back up with a smile!

As a mother and horse trainer that's what matters most to me!

Two days after that we hosted an open house/ bonfire party despite snow flurries n MUD.

Great people put up with my mediocre food.

I made tons of chili, some of which we set on the fires edge in a cast iron pot to keep warm.

That and the cocoa disappeared fast. Of course there were dogs, s'mores n sparklers as well!

 Tomorrow we gather to celebrate my Mom's Bday 

(which was New Year's Eve)!!!

The best part of all this craziness is that we're now hunkered down in a house that has been cleaned more in the past week than all year, with treats n toys and time to rest n play together.

Hope your year is off to a *sPaRkLiNg* and / or restful start dear friends!!!