back to blogging???

ehh....let's be honest. i kinda doubt it. :) but, i want to accomplish some goals in 2012 and i wanted them listed somewhere permanently so i can review them. and i've learned that i tend to lose paper lists (though i still make them and then can't find them to check off my accomplishments!). since last april, which is the last time i posted, i've been tempted to post quite a few times, but i would re-read what i wrote to Hud on his birthday and just couldn't bring myself to write something else and take away from that e-letter to my one-year-old. Hud's quickly racing towards two, and with the new year right around the corner, i feel like i can finally bring myself to write on the blog again. i look at all these other busy mamas who still find time to keep a blog, and am inspired to try to keep mine up better. i mean, what an awesome "permanent" memory keeper!

so...while i'm not really a new year's resolution maker (they seem so fake and difficult to keep), these are my goals for 2012:

1. lose 10-15 lbs by april
2. budget better and keep to the budget!
3. make one new recipe a week
4. have a date-night with jay at least every other week
5. blog at least once a month (i can handle that, right?) :)
6. organize my house (maybe follow the 52 week challenge?)
7. create a month-in-photos book

what are your goals for 2012? (hello? is anyone there? does any body even read this blog any more? haha.) can you think of any other goals i should have???

talk to me! :)

Happy 1st Birthday Hud!

Hudson, sweet child of mine,

One year ago today (almost to the minute!) you graced this world with your presence. And I promise you, dear boy, the world will never be the same. From the moment of your birth to today, you have been the sweetest baby and so easy to care for. You are a delight to be around and everyone near you knows it. Your toothless grin lights up your eyes which light up a room. You have the best personality! Typically you are either: thoughtful (in which you sit and ponder a toy or person), determined (for example, we watched you push a wagon round-n-round tonight and nothing could slow you down be it shoe, rug or furniture), sweet (in which you give me kiss after sloppy kiss), or silly (playing patty-cake, so big!, and just hamming it up for your audience). You make me and your daddy and everyone around you sooo happy and I just can't put in to words what you mean to us. We can't imagine what our life was like before you were in it. You are such a joy and we are blessed to be your parents. On this first birthday, I wish you all the happiness in the world and pray that we will always provide you with a safe, healthy and happy home.

Happy 1st Birthday Hudson. I love you to the moon.....and back.

xoxo,
Mommy

photos courtesy of meg davidson photography

Snow Day!

School's closed today, probably tomorrow, and maybe even Wednesday?!?! We've already gotten close to a half foot of snow, and now it's sleeting....

Top 10 in 2010

Happy Last Day of 2010!!

I'm well aware I haven't blogged in over a month, and for that I apologize. But, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year....and we wish and hope the same for you and yours! I've seen + heard about other bloggers doing this and thought it only appropriate that I at least blog again before the end of 2010. These are our families top events throughout the year in chronological order...

10. Hudson's BIRTHday....of course!

Sure, this was 4 months into the year, but Jay and I are pretty sure that nothing cool happened to us in those days before April 8, 2010. Hudson has blessed our lives more than we could have ever imagined and has made this year the best we've ever had!

9. Graduating from Grad School

I'm still not sure how I managed to finish grad school in the month after Hudson was born, but on May 22, 2010 (my Sissy's 24th birthday) I graduated with my Master's in Teaching and got a nice pay raise! Thank you to my understanding professor's at Mercer University! (This pic was from a little graduation party we had since I chose not to "walk" at graduation.)

8. Grams turned 90!!!

And Jay and his family got to go out to Electra, TX to celebrate with her. Unfortunately, we decided it was best for Hud and I to stay behind, but we were celebrating Grams in spirit!

7. My 1st Mother's Day

What is there to say? I finally understand why mothers around the world looooove this holiday. I love being a Mommy!!!

6. Jay's 1st Father's Day

We celebrated with a Father's Day breakfast at J. Christopher's with Jay's family. I got a yucky stomach bug later, but that gave Jay more time to just hang out with his favorite little guy.

5. SEASIDE

In July we went on a family vacation with Jay's family to Seaside, Florida...a.k.a. my favorite place in the world. My family used to vacation there every Spring Break and it's my little Heaven on Earth. Our plan is to make it an annual thing...my fingers are crossed!

4. Linds + Bryan got Engaged!!!

On August 6, 2010, Bryan proposed to my sister in Laguna Beach, CA and we got to surprise her and showed up moments after he popped the question and spent the night with them celebrating! It couldn't have happened without our parents and we thank them for that....we will never forget it! If you want to read more about their engagement story, read it here.

3. Thanksgiving

Pics from our Thanksgiving weekend....we have so much for which to be thankful!

2. Atlanta's 1st White Christmas in 100+ years

This would have been my favorite Christmas anyway (it's like being a kid again when you're the parent!), but then it snowed for the first time on Christmas day in Atlanta in over 100 years! And it didn't just snow, we got multiple inches, and it stayed for days! It was so pretty, and even though Huddy won't remember it, we have pictures to prove to him that it snowed on his first Christmas (and probably the only time it will in his lifetime).

1. Booked our Trip to Meet Hud's Great-Grandpa + Grandma (although it'll happen in early 2011)...what a way to ring in the New Year! We can't wait to see them in Arizona!

I hope 2011 brings you as much joy as 2010 brought us, and may God bless you!

Election Day Off = Halloween Weekend Recap

Gwinnett County gave us the day off for Election Day today so I figured I'd use the opportunity to upload my photos from this weekend to share with you. Enjoy....

A happy boy on Game Day

 All decked out in Halloween gear, and split between Georgia and Florida!

 Opening his present from Aunt Kara and Aunt Christine!

 A house divided!

...but we still love each other!

 Trying water out of a sippy cup for the first time.

Halloween Night. An angel and a skeleton.

 Going trick-or-treating in the wagon....like big boys!

 A witch and a ghost answered the door!



 All tuckered out after eating all that sugar.

Just kidding. :)

....And go vote!!!