2010 in a Nutshell.

as the year draws to a close, we can't help but look back and reflect on everything that's happened this year. 

some good, some bad, and some ugly. 

seriously. 

let's see if i can recap this year. 

sam went through 3 jobs this year to finally end up in one that is doing great for us!

we are counting our blessings that he has a job that is providing us health insurance, an income that is supporting us right now, and other benefits that we for sure want to take advantage of. it is quite a commute, which we are looking at changing next year. 

in may we moved out of my parents basement (yay! no offense to the parents, but you know what we mean :)) and into our own little apartment. we are dreaming of the day when we can get a house of our own, but for now, we are at least our own little family. (even though we still probably see my family just as much :)) we haven't been on our own since bubba was born, and we took a leap of faith and made it happen. luckily, things worked out for the better. :)

bubba turned 2 this year, and acts it. :) he knows how to push buttons, and be cute whenever we needs to :) 

seeing him get SO excited over things has been such a highlight for us, and we count our blessings every day that he is with us :) 

in july, sam and i celebrated 8 years of marriage. can you believe it's been 8 years? 

we can't. :) 

my business has been even better this year, and really helped us along! my clients have all been amazing, and my business has taken me far beyond what i expected it to. i was fortunate and so blessed to be able to go to new york for a week with my good friend, seattle for a week with my mom, and oregon to photograph bubba's birthmother's wedding. seriously amazing clients. :) i am SO fortunate to be able to be doing what i love to do. 

 

Crystal and Joey at their wedding :)

we took a family trip to california when sam's grandmother passed away. we enjoyed spending time with family during that time. it was an amazing trip. 

we've been lucky to not have to face some of the trials that a lot of people have faced, and know that the Lord is watching out for us. 

i received a calling in the primary at our church, and love teaching the 3-5 year olds. they are such amazing kids, and i love that time i have with them. 

we are so excited for 2011 and what is has in store or us. we can't wait to grow, and learn, and try to come closer to God as we do so. 

we are working on making our goals for the new year, and hope we can exceed our expectations of ourselves. :) 

we'll let you know in a year. :) 

HaPpY nEw YeAr to all our friends and family. :)) we love you tons. 

 thank you for helping us make 2010 a good year :)

Merry Christmas

no guarantee on when i'm going to write again, so i thought that i would at least let the few of you who read my blog know that i am wishing you the very best holiday season possible. 

may your holidays be bright, and your wishes granted. 

and let's not forget the reason for the season. 

let's not forget the reason that the stars seem to shine a little brighter during this season

the person who came to this earth to live and die for US.

HE is the reason we celebrate Christmas.

Jesus Christ gave the ultimate gift.

for us to live with him again. 

and as we celebrate his birth, let's not forget.

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family. :)

End of the year?!

seriously, the end of 2010?

already?! 

i know you are probably getting sick of me claiming that the year has gone by too fast. 

so i will do my best to reign it in. :) 

i thought i would post an update, so that whenever someone reads my blog (the 1 or 2 of you out there) it isn't so depressing. 

we are getting ready for christmas over here. 

our tree is up, the lights are up and bubba would love to have them lit ALL day long. 

stockings are up along our banister. 

the smell of christmas treats fills our house constantly. 

and we don't really spend a lot of time at home. haha

we go over to my parents almost every day and help them get ready for the holidays. 

i'm sure they are probably sick of us. :) 

bubba is absolutely a delight to watch this Christmas season. he gets SO excited over some of the things. he calls everything christmas (including santa) and i think we have him a little confused on some things. 

for instance, he knows that it is Jesus' birthday, but then confuses santa for Jesus. but he calls santa "ho, ho ho" or more like "oh oh oh" 

he loves looking at the christmas lights, and we have driven through layton's lights probably more times than i can count! 

he's done really well with our tree, and has only tried to take the ornaments off a couple of times when we aren't looking. :) 

he loves the snow, although we really don't have any right now.

and if you take him down a toy isle at the store, you are in for a real treat. :) 

he dances around from toy to toy yelling "look at that!" or squealing. 

he is in love with spiderman

seriously. 

we have our nativity set up, and bubba loves looking it out and pointing out the sheep, and baby Jesus. :)

and i totally just got distracted while writing this, and left the computer for 30 minutes. wow. sorry bout that. 

anyway, we are excited for christmas this year, and the excitement that we get to watch from bubba. 

it really is addicting. :)

breathing

have you checked the calendar today? 

did you see that it's december 1st? 

did you cry a little, and then climb back into bed wishing that it was, say..august again? 

i did. 

i don't like that this year has gone by WAY too fast! i don't like the fact that my little will be 3 in just a few short months. i don't like that christmas is in 25 days, and i really have nothing for it. 

and i really don't like the cold. 

and i realize that really, none of those statements really made any sense together. but oh well. 

i know that a lot of you don't know what the next part of this post means. and i might have it in me to expound on it at a future date. but right now, i can only post what i'm feeling. 

it's been a week. 

i'm finding myself having to force myself to keep going. 

a week ago, my world started to slip between my fingers yet again. 

i bawled.  i was mad. i prayed.

i pasted a smile to my face, and tried to live.

it was thanksgiving after all. it was supposed to be a happy time. but while everyone else was laughing and telling stories and jokes,

i wanted to crawl into bed, and stay there. 

i spent many minutes staring out the car window as we drove from place to place.

i'm sure, in fact i KNOW that sam was worried.

i pretended that life was great when around people.

but he saw the ugly side of me. 

the side that showed hurt, and pain, and tears. 

and he was there for me.

i was falling apart inside. 

it was a rough few days.

really.rough.

and here i am about a week later. 

still trying to breathe. 

still fighting off the tears that come daily.

life isn't so much falling apart anymore

i admit, i still want to stay in bed most days. 

but stick with just staying in my pajamas.

i pray. 

 a.lot. 

there has to be a reason. 

even if i don't know it yet. 

and i will get through it. 

life will go on. 

and i'll be ok. 

but in the meantime, i will focus on 2 major things in my life

my little family 

and breathing.