Happy 2012, kids!
Happy new year & welcome to my first blog post of 2012!
Did anybody else’s December come and go like whoa? ‘Cuz mine did. In fact, I’m still in a little bit of disbelief that it’s January 3rd today. Wasn’t it just Thanksgiving? Wasn’t it just LABOR DAY?! Time is a-flyin’.
But, no matter. I’m coming off of a 10-day vacation and am ready to greet the new year with open arms (and an even bigger belly). 2012, I have a feeling you’re going to be a pretty amaze-balls year.
10-day vacay, you were pretty awesome, too.
The Friday before Christmas I got together with my gal pals for dinner & gift-exchange. Baby J also got in on the present action, too, receiving these matching Minnesota onesies (both girls bought the same outfits without knowing it!):
We spent Christmas Eve at my parents’ house. The guys ice-fished. The girls cooked and baked (and sampled). The nieces and nephews opened a mountain-high pile of presents. We all showed off our Just Dance 3 moves. We ate. And ate. It was a noisy, action-packed, crazy day, and it was absolutely perfect.
Merry Christmas, Olive!
My momma and her veggie pizza wreath
My Christmas cutie!
All the nieces and nephews
Merry Christmas to baby, too 🙂
First time hosting Christmas Day = great success! I learned that preparation is key to hosting a stress-free holiday. I whipped up my mashed potatoes the day before (and kept ’em warm in a crock pot on Sunday), baked my popovers on Christmas Eve, put together all of my appetizers that morning, and still had time to wrap a few last-minute gifts before Keith’s family arrived for the day {props to Pinterest for all the fantastic holiday recipes!}. There was more dancing, more eating, and more presents to devour. All in all, a lovely and relaxing day.
Baby J got her first softball mitt (hope she's not a leftie)
Just Dancin'
All the puppy cousins
New Year’s Eve was low-key, spent hanging out with Keith’s sister and a couple great friends. I cooked a simple dinner, wore sweatpants, had a teeny tiny sip of champagne at midnight, and was asleep by 12:30. Bliss!
Hope everyone had a warm and fuzzy Christmas and New Year’s, too; cheers to a fantastic 2012.
Tags: Just life.
