A 2012 Highlight

I'll admit this year wasn't crazy exciting. I don't feel like this was my best year or a year that I really lived. This may also be because I hope for really big exciting adventurous things in 2013. But before we skip on to 2013, I will say that my favorite thing about this year was getting our little fur man. You, my little friend, are amazing. I love you dude!!

 

Thanks for making 2012 special for me and Brandon, you're the man!

Lauren

Christmas Memories 2012

Merry Christmas friends! It's been so nice to be away and enjoy the holidays with Brandon's family and my own. We are so grateful for our awesome family and the (over) abundance of gifts we received. Each year I say that if I didn't get one thing I would be happy. After moving ten hours away spending time with family has become something I cherish so much. I would take more visits over gifts any day, especially with our upcoming move out of the country.

 

My favorite thing about this Christmas was sitting by the Christmas tree hearing my mom tell stories of Christmases when we were little and how hectic playing Santa was.

 

 

The funniest thing was our annual game of Balderdash. My brother-in-law comes up with the most hilarious/ridiculous definitions and then we quote him for the rest of the year.

 

With all the joy comes a little sadness. This might be the last Christmas with our dog Rudy that we got 15 years ago on Christmas Eve. I hate to think about it, but we all know that his days are numbered. Christmas also makes me miss my Grandma Norma. She made our stockings and I love their uniqueness. I feel like it will be wrong to ever split the four of them up.

 

 

I realized during the holidays the different little joys the internet brings. I gifted two handmade items from a shop that I found through Instagram and I received one from the same shop from my brother. It makes me so happy because I love supporting handmade. Note to self: Next year be sure to take advantage of the cyber Monday deals handmade shops offer.

 

True Love Ring via Amy Cornwell

 

Subtle Mini Necklace

 

I also made the BEST buttermilk pancakes from a recipe shared by Shelley. Not kidding. If you stop reading now to jot down this recipe and forget to come back, I don't care. Go write it down, and then make them. Now. It blows my mind the little joys internet friends bring. They just make your life better and the people in your life too if you make awesome recipes they share.

 

 

Of course Tag man loved playing with his cousin Buoy all weekend but he sure was worn out when they left today. That little man is wiped out.

 

 

I'll be flying solo for five weeks while BD is overseas for the start of our new adventure in Japan. Thank goodness Japanese Santa stopped here. He brought jet lag medicine, chopsticks, and chopstick trainers. Yep, going to need those.

 

 

I also felt like I needed to break in my new toy from BD with a post. He is way to good to me.

 

 

So here I am again documenting some of our life for anyone interested. To all of my new friends made through the world wide web, THANK YOU for sharing your life with me and so many others. I hope you ALL had a merry Christmas and that the new year will be full of great memories for you and your families.

 

Lauren

Sew Busy

My writing here has come to an all time slow. For me this used to be a place I would come to document what has been going on in our life, where we are living, and the ups and downs of baseball life. Although we are moving to Japan in the coming months and that will provide plenty of stories to write about, this little spot here has lost its luster.

I used to love blogging and the community that comes with it. I liked being a blogger and taking pictures of everything I cook, paint, sew, or craft but...it's exhausting and I haven't found near as much joy in it as I used to. I find that I get SO caught up in how many followers, page views, etc. I'm not saying it's wrong to do that because I realize that blogging for many is a business and those things are important to succeed. For me,it drives me crazy. It brings out the worst in me and I pretty much hate the blog monster I turn into. This slow down has helped me realize this and I am going to try to focus on only writing when I feel like it. 

Since I've had so much extra time you probably wonder what I've been doing. We have slowly been updating rooms/spaces in our little home, teaching a Sunday school class, Christmas shopping, signing Japanese baseball contracts, and sewing. I have spent SO much time making fun things and this time lots of them are for me.

For so long I was trying to make my sewing successful and profitable and it just wasn't working for me. I'd get frustrated and start to see sewing as a job instead of a hobby. I see other bloggers making it work and I give you so much credit because it isn't easy. So instead of sewing for others, I started sewing for me, things that I needed or wanted that I knew I could make. I've discovered an even deeper love than I had before. I have found several sewing blogs and immersed myself in reading and learning tips and technique. 

My stocking via imagine gnats / Brandon and Tag's still unfinished (oops)

tiny fur vest for bff's baby girl - via See Kate Sew

a little Christmas dress - pattern via Shwin Designs

fancy baby bubble skirt - via handmadebabyclothes

denim dress - via laurendarlings

new favorite dressy sweatshirt - via laurendarlings

Those are some of the projects that I have LOVED working on over the past few weeks. I hope that you are having a stress free holiday season and are able to enjoy time with family and friends.

LD

Anniversary Surprise 1

I didn't mean to leave you hanging for so long, but I just needed to be away from the blog for a while. Before I was telling you about our anniversary and the sweet surprises my husband gave to me. I have such a thoughtful guy. I know they are hard to come by. Brandon hijacked our wedding photo CD and mailed it to my sister to have her make it into a photo album! I had no idea and was so surprised and happy (I cried) when I opened it. It reminded me that even though all the planning was stressful, having those memories in hard copy to look at everyday is so special to me. Thanks sisters, and awesome husband of mine.