resolution: 2013

I recently heard about the book "One Thousand Gift" by Ann Voskamp.

I began reading it, and immediately fell in love.

In the book, Ann discusses a lot about how we can really get caught up in the sucky moments of life, and forget to be grateful for all the amazing gifts God gives us daily.

Because you know what? There are crappy times in life.

The dog dies.
The car breaks down.

You lose your job.

You sit in hospital waiting rooms.

Your friends get divorced.

A coworker is diagnosed with cancer.

But even in those terrible times, though it doesn't always seem like it, there are things to be grateful for.

While I was reading the first night, I just sat there looking around.

I wasn't doing anything incredible.

We didn't have some profound family moment happening.

But sitting there snuggled up with my cat, hubby playing his video game a few feet away, I realized that even those things are incredible blessings.

God gives gifts even in the mundane, day to day things that we take for granted.

I don't want to take those for granted.

I want to get in the habit of living fully, and appreciating each and every gift I'm given.

Even if they might not be "a big deal."

Now, that all sounds fine and dandy.

But I'm not a moron.

I know that it takes more than warm and fuzzy thoughts to bring about actual change.

I know you have to be intentional if you really want to make something happen.

I have to do something.

Ann challenges us to make a list.
And that's exactly what I'm going to do.
Make a list of one thousand gifts.
And for once, this isn't going to be a list of gifts I want, but gifts I already have.
Such as:
-Smiles from complete strangers.
-Trees covered in white snow.
-The sound of my sleeping husband breathing.
You don't even realize those are gifts until you write them down!
God is in the details...even the smallest ones.

So this is my 2013 resolution.
I am going to spend the year writing down 1,000 gifts.
In the cute notebook I made, of course!

Each day I will find blessings, however common.
And it's not just a list of gifts that I've been given...it's also a list of thanks to God.
Perhaps instead of coming home after work and complaining about all the bad parts of the day, I can tell Ty more about the gifts I received, however insignificant.
It will take practice, but I'm willing to put forth the effort.
Martin Luther once said, "If you want to change the world, pick up your pen."
And I plan to do just that.

xoxo, wife.

holly jolly christmas: round five. the last one, i promise.

And now, over in the Miller household, Christmas has officially come to an end.

Yesterday we had our last celebration of the year with my mother-in-law's side of the family.

 

 

 

 Tylan with his cousin, Tia Rae.
They're pretty cute if you ask me.
 

My nephew and my godson :) I also got to feed my godson yesterday. I have to say, it's been a LONG while since I've fed a baby. I was quite enjoying myself until I had to burp him. Did I get spit up on? No, because to get spit up on, there has to be an acutal burp. I feel like I beat the crap out of Bentlee's back for hours! The kid wouldn't burp. I felt like a failure of a Godmother. But after about 30 minutes (literally)...and probably some bruising on his back, he finally gave in and burped. It was probably fake...just an effort to get me off his back (pun intended.)

On the way home, Ty told me it was adorable to watch me with Bentlee. He said I looked like a natural. Which made me feel good because I always feel like a goofball with babies.

 

Here are the two new additions to the family this year, wearing their "First Christmas" hats that Aunt Kimi and Uncle Christopher got them. (Well, Lydia was wearing it right before I snapped the picture.) Neither baby looks quite as thrilled as Kimi and Chris!

 

Lydia also doesn't look too thrilled to be forced into pictures with Uncle Ty and Aunt Lisa. Perhaps she was in a bad mood after pooping through TWO outfits within THREE hours! Yeah, that might have been it. Darn those antibiotics! Luckily, she had gotten some clothes as presents, because Mommy was out of outfits for her.

 

And thus ends another year of Christmas celebrations. I'm officially planning on taking all the decorations down tomorrow, and getting back to a sense of normalcy.

Happy Last Day of 2012.

 

xoxo, wife.

holly jolly christmas: round four

Oh yeah...we're still going strong in the Christmas department over here.

Yesterday we headed out to Ty's parents' house for Christmas with his family.

My brother and sister in-law were in town with our neice and nephew too.

Again, lots of good food (brunch this time!), lots of good gifts, and lots of fun and laughter.
 

 

 

 

 

That would be three feet of gumballs. Because every 6 year old needs that many gumballs.

 

 

 

 

 

Then jello shots may have been made.

A little too strong...

 

Sicky baby after her bath. You can tell she wasn't feeling so hot.

And she snotted all over everyone all day.

 

It took forever to play bingo with this many presents!

 

Ty with his brother. Cheesin' it up during bingo.

 

Baby Lydia is wearing the outfit I got her. "I love Auntie!"

 

Lots of fun with celebration number four!

 

xoxo, wife.

holly jolly christmas: round three.

Later on Christmas Day, we went over to my Dad's side of the family at Grandma Wayne's house.

Again, lots of good food.

 

 

 

 

 My grandma has been in and out of the hospital lately, so it was good to have her around for Christmas.

 

 

 

After dinner, my mom had planned a fun Bingo game for us to play, complete with prizes (that I didn't win.)

 

 

Luckily Ty did our little family proud and won us a movie theater gift card.

Date night will soon be calling our name.

 

Again, a loving celebration with family.

 

xoxo, wife.

 

 

 



holly jolly christmas: round two

Our Christmas celebrations continued on Christmas day.

Ty and I slept in til 9:45 (what?!)

Then he gained "Awesome Hubby Brownie Points" by making me a lovely breakfast of scrambled eggs (with cheese!) and toast.

And then we opened our gifts to each other.

Not sure why we didn't take pictures.

Oh...I remember.

Becuase we hadn't showered and definitely looked like poo.

(Or "dookie" as my students like to call it.)

Anyways....

 

For Ty: a hunting backpack thingie, several shirts, sweatpants, hot sauces, a necklace, good smelling spray, and a machete. (Yep, that's right, I got my husband a machete...what did you get YOUR husband?)

(And that's not scary at all, now is it?)

 

 

For Lisa: several kid's books for my classroom, a Llama Llama Red Pajamas stuffed animal (also for my class, because they love the Llama Llama books), a pair of gorgeous earrings, a sock monkey winter hat, a winter headband, lots of new nail polishes, and Florida Gators sweats.

 

And, like a good wife, I like to proclaim to the world that my hubby and I are besties.

So I got us these hats.

 

 

Holly Jolly Christmas Round Two: Check.
Love you hubby!

xoxo, wife.

holly jolly christmas: round one.

To kick off Christmas 2012, we had our first celebration on Christmas Eve with my parents and my Grandma Sue.

There was {too much} good food, {too many} generous gifts, and {just enough} joy.

 

 

 
 

 

I might be kinda biased, but I think my parents are pretty darn cute.

 

 

Now...in this next picture, my dad instructed us to all strike a "gangsta" pose.

Clearly, my grandma did not grow up in the hood, because she had no clue what to do!

It was really funny :)

 

 

Then the gift-unwrapping commenced. We got lots of great stuff!

 

 

 

 

For Ty: clothes, a Jason Aldean cd, Madden '13, an ND sweatshirt, a gift card, candy/gum, etc.

For Lisa: a "Mrs. Miller" cell phone case, clothes, a "Granddaughter" bracelet, gift card, a gift card holder, an Erin Condren planner (because I'm organized like that!), and the most amazing eye shadow that I've been lusting over for about 2 years now!

 

 

 

 

 

For us as a couple: Tickets to see Wicked! And it's on our anniversary!

 

Ty and I also had a sign made for my parents with their last name and the year they were married.

Not gonna lie, I'd like one for our house too!

 

I'd say that holly jolly christmas: round one was a success.

Thanks to my parents and grandma for everything!

 

Stay tuned for the coming Christmas rounds.

 

 

xoxo, wife.

Christmas Survey.

 

When do you put up your Christmas tree?

I normally put up the tree on Black Friday. This year, we put it up on Thanksgiving and I decorated it on Black Friday.

 

White lights or colored:

White lights all the way. They go much better with the decor of our house.

 

When do you take the tree down?

Good question. I'd LIKE to take it down the day after New Year's...but do I? Not normally. There's just something depressing about taking the tree down. It definitely gets done before Christmas Break is over though, because once I'm back at school, I don't have time.

 

Favorite Christmas song/album?

My favorite Christmas album is probably cliche, but its Mariah Carey's Christmas. It's been my favorite since I was probably 7. It's a classic in my book. As for my favorite song...that's tough. Can I pick a couple? Yes, I can...because it's my blog. One of my favorites is "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." But I also love "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," "Oh Holy Night," and "Little Drummer Boy" (depending on the version.)

 

Least favorite thing to do during the holidays:

Wrap the stinking presents! I hate doing that, and I'm so terrible at it!

Love picking out the cutest paper...hate what the gifts look like once I've wrapped them.

 

 

What do you usually eat on Christmas morning?

When I was living at home, my mom normally made cinnamon rolls to eat after we opened presents. Since I've been married, we've just eaten toast, or a bagel, or whatever else is laying around. I need to start making something more yummy!

 

Favorite Christmas memory:

When I got a puppy from Santa. I still like looking back on those pictures :)

 

Favorite Christmas tradition:

 When I was little, my parents had this Santa ornament that would open up. They always put a little present in there, and it would be the last gift I would open. It was never a special gift or anything, but it was always my favorite one to open. We also take a picture of all the cousins in front of the tree at my Grandma's every year. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but I think it's neat to go back and look at how much we all change from year to year.

 

Real tree or fake tree?

I've only ever had a fake tree. I think that seems to be the smartest way to go, but I'd love to have a real tree ONE year.

 

Christmas Pajamas: Yay or Nay?

I love themed clothing, so yay! Although, I probably haven't had actual Christmas pajamas since I was little. I have tons of Christmas socks though! It's on my December Manifesto, however, to get Ty and I matching Christmas pajamas, so who knows?

  

Favorite Christmas movie?

Don't even have to think twice about this one! The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the original...not the dumb Jim Carey one) and A Charlie Brown Christmas. I still laugh every time that darn Charlie Brown tree droops over when he puts the ornament on. Never gets old!

 

Easiest person to shop for:

Normally Ty. But this year, my new niece Lydia was the easiest. There's just so much cute stuff for baby girls out there!

 

Hardest person to shop for:

My mom and dad. Love them dearly, but they're impossible to shop for!

 

Something you wish you'd done this holiday season:

Send out Christmas cards. I'm always really bad about that. I want to get really cute ones, but they're always the most expensive ones. So I mess around too long, and then it's too late. Next year though...definitely sending some out.

Oh, and I wish we'd hung up some mistletoe. Always good to get a few extra smooches this time of year :)

 

***What are some of your Christmas favorites??

 

xoxo, wife.