Finding Joy in the Journey: January 2011

2011 Date Challenge

In honor of our 10 year anniversary this year we are doing a Date Challenge.

While we spend almost every evening together around the house, we needed to work on 'dating' each other again.

So......our goal is 48 dates in 2011.

4 a month.

Josh is in charge of Jan, me in Feb, Josh in March, me in April, you get the drill.

Can't repeat a date within your own month.

Already done with January and we're lovin' it.

Picture: At our first date of the New Year- Jan 1st at 12:00am.

Running of the Lights (5k at midnight)

Christmas Day 2010

Josh and I woke up before the kids on Christmas Day! It was already 7:30am and no one was awake.

When the kids were ready we 'opened' stockings. Our family exchanges names for stockings so each child (plus Josh and I) gets the opportunity to fill a stocking for a sibling/parent. They love this tradition and it's probably our favorite thing.

We also do a 'simple' Christmas at our house.

The children get:

*Something they want (generally a small toy/game)

*Something they need (often clothing)

*Pajamas to wear (they open those on Christmas Eve)

*Something to read (a book)

Everett got this sweet hat from Josh in his stocking.

Gracen got a robe with her name embroidered

The aftermath (yes, my 16 month old is eating m&ms in his high chair at 9am!)

It has been our tradition to then head over to my parent's home for a brunch and presents. Megan and Mike wouldn't be coming in to town until a few days after Christmas so it was very low-key over there.

Poor Everett was recovering from croup.....

Christmas Eve

I think that this was our most relaxing Christmas yet.

On Christmas Eve we lounged around and just enjoyed the day.

It is our family tradition that everyone get new pajamas on Christmas Eve, but since we weren't starting extended family festivities until 4pm we let the children open them before we headed out.

All my wrapping was done in brown kraft paper and bakers twine this year- I loved the simplicity.

At 4pm we headed over to where Josh's grandmother lives. For the past couple years his family has taken over the 'workout' room there to have Christmas Eve Dinner. For some reason my camera didn't make it in with me?!

We then head over to Josh's other Grandmother's home (aka Carole). This was hard as we lost his Grandpa (Popie) this winter.

Her tree is always so beautiful- I'm a sucker for white, white and more white.

Look at all of those cute kids! 5 belong to me, 3 belong to Josh's younger sister Michelle and one belongs to Josh's older sister April (plus April was like 36 weeks pregnant!)