Holiday preparations.

 1. Wonderful time re-uniting with a few old friends + our kids.

2. Andrew made us a wreath for the mantle, isn't it pretty?

3. Andrew turned 28, we went out for a birthday lunch & I quickly fell sick after lunch with a 5 day stomach bug... HORRIBLE.

4. Snow day Christmas cookie making with my Mom.

5-6. Penny eats her first Christmas cookie!

7. Pre-icing finished product.

8. Penny's first real snow! 

oh christmas tree.

Palmer's Tree farm has the coolest round barn to house their pre-cut trees! Their farm is gorgeous and it is easy to get a picturesque tree and family photo there. We had fun with my parents getting a few trees, and Penny seemed intrigued by the whole thing... It is so neat how everything we do is a completely new experience for her.

so much joy!

Andrew and I are still in amazement at what a happy baby Penny is..she is truly living up to her middle name (Joy!). This kid smiles at EVERYONE. I mean strangers in the grocery store, elderly people at church, little kids, pretty much anyone who looks at her. We are so in love with her, and cannot believe how blessed we are to call her ours.

goodbyes, babies & wine.

We were lucky enough to spend 5 days with our dear friends Taylor and Allison before they took off across the country (again, this time for good) in their Uhaul off to Colorado to begin seminary. We will miss them so much!

Hours before hitting the road, the guys remembered that they needed to bottle the wine they made 18 months ago the night before Taylor and Allison's wedding! It is surprisingly good, and our cellar is now stocked with homemade Chardonnay and Shiraz for the winter.

Look who is sitting up all on her own!

around the house with penny.

a. There is nothing sweeter than baby feet.

b. Actual SUN in the sunroom this week!

c. Afternoon coffee in peace and quiet during nap time.

d. A beautiful sweater from Aunt Maria.

e./f. Aunt Allison and Uncle Taylor are here to visit for the weekend. For some reason we always eat quesadilla's together? 

g. Beautiful roses which make me happy every time I look at them. 

h. Diana knit Penny this adorable little hat.

i. Taylor brings good wine to share with me.

j. More cuteness.

December.

This sort of sums up what has been going on here this past month.. Chopped down a Charlie Brown tree in the woods behind our house, the first big snow, and a lot of cozy evenings by our wood stove admiring our sweet baby..

Penny's first Christmas.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Well it has only been 6 months since my last post, haha. It's a new year and I will try once again to start blogging consistently. I have missed documenting, and reflecting, and I am actually saddened that I cannot look back through posts from this past year to help me remember all that has happened. It is no surprise that 2012 has been incredibly life changing, and Andrew and I have once again, been beautifully blessed.