Christmas at the Hive

Happy New Year! *fireworks, champagne, and general merriment*

I actually made it to midnight to watch the ball drop and kiss my honey, which I definitely did not do last year with a five month-old.

This past week I worked so between the working, the children raising, the wife-ing, and the home-making, I am pooped! But, there is something so invigorating about new years. Turning the page and starting afresh (and all the cliché things) is incredibly freeing, don't you think?

Do you make new year's resolutions? I am always on the fence about making them. Do I set general goals? Do I make grand plans only to be disappointed if I don't check every box off my list? Still on the fence. 

But this year, in lieu of resolutions, I have decided to pray. 

Pray more, pray more often, pray longer, pray unceasingly. At the end of the day, my relationship with the Lord is only as fruitful as I am willing to lean on Him completely. I need to spend more time just sitting with him in the silence and letting Him speak to my heart. I don't know what that will look like yet, but I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me this year.

And on a more practical to-do this year -- I hope to yell less. *nervous laughter* 

We spent Christmas at home. The new hive. OUR home. Waking up Christmas morning, celebrating the coming of Jesus as a wee babe, and spending the day soaking in Christmas beginnings with my family was, without a doubt, the best Christmas gift I've ever received. 

We gave the kids a few gifts and ate a few Christmas goodies (maybe more than a few). Paul and I did not exchange gifts because we decided the house would be our Christmas gift to one another -- for the next 30 years (am I right?). 

But before I bore you with a slew of Christmasy photos, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who has read this blog and supported me in my writing. It means more than you know. 

'Twas a beautiful first day of Christmas at the hive. 

HAPPY NEW YEEEEEEAR!

We bought a house!

Well clearly, I am on top of updating the blog these days. *eye roll behind my head*

But if you follow along on Instagram, you'll know that we bought a home and I am still in disbelief. We have been moved in for a month and we are mostly settled in. This is mostly because I am a type-A control freak and had to unpack and organize the minute we moved in and did not stop until it was done. We are so happy. 

There is an interesting story to how we went from renting one month to buying a house the next, but I'll save that for another time. 

Right now, I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas in our own home. I hope I remembered to send a change of address card to Santa... 

Busy season

(With a video!) 

Things are busy 'round here. BUSY. Busaaaay. B to the U to the okay I'll stop.

We are in the throws of a busy season of our lives. It's hectic. It's stressful. It's perfectly wonderful. It sucks. It's the best. It's every emotion. It's draining and fulfilling all rolled up in one busy package.

I'm thinking I will do a huge brain dump post soon (ish) but until then you can keep following along on Instagram. 

But I'll leave you with this giggle. I've watched it ten zillion times and I crack up every time.

Happy Wednesday! 

Movie awards

Well, maybe not awards, but thumbs up for the cuteness? A for effort? No? Moving on. 

I love (all heart eyes here) the Instastories feature these days. I can pop in and say howdy or show a quick snippet of the kiddos. It's great. But... sometimes I don't want something to disappear after 24 hours. 

I want to be able to watch it over and over until my eyeballs fall out (<--weird, no?) and I also want to give YOU that privilege too. I'm so nice. 

Here are a few recent favorites.

Enjoy. ;]

A Friday at home

Fridays have become a special day for the kids and me. I don't work on Fridays and Emma does not have school. Emma, Henry, and I get to spend the day together and while sometimes two kids feels like twenty, the simple moments in between diaper changes, snack making, and crumb vacuuming have become some of my favorites.

On a gloomy and rainy day like today I feel no guilt about staying inside in our PJs all day. We have done art projects, made blanket forts, watched Mickey Mouse clubhouse, and danced around to Christmas carols.

I captured a few of these moments on my good camera and it makes me realize that although I am up to my eyeballs in the messiness of motherhood, my heart is overflowing with gratitude, love, and purest joy. 

Happy Friday indeed.