A Good Ol' New Year Resolutions Post

10. Start a store on Esty selling knitted-crocheted-sewn children's clothing.

9. Gain new friends.

8. Lose the last few pounds of baby weight.

7. Stop obsessing over sweets. (Practice moderation.)

6. Drink more water.

5. Do a photo shoot using a handmade hat every month for Onyx's monthly birthday until he is 1 year old.

4. Eat a lot less meat. (During pregnancy I picked up the habit again and I don't what it becomes.)

3. Set time aside for violin practice.

2. Become a gentler person.

1. Set aside a lot more time to spend in prayer and mediation. 

Goodbye Christmas!

This clock was always so cool when I was a kid at my grandparents house. 

It would chime every hour and slowly turn from the sun to the moon as the day progressed.

 I was so happy my grandma still had it since she got rid of many of her possessions when she moved down south.  

For Christmas we had my grandmother's friends over to share a potluck style dinner. I made these name tags for all of our guests. Halfway through I realized I hadn't made any representing the real reason we celebrate and I made "Ronda" and "Sachie's" name tags and felt a lot better. ^^

Pretty things from around the house...

The rose paintings were another thing I was glad she kept. As a kid I thought those were the bee's knees!
... I was also pretty set on being a rose gardener for a brief period (maybe that's why I dug those rose paintings so much?) before I wanted to be a professional back up dancer, an opera singer and then to my most favorite

(which I am still to this day very much into) a wardrobe specialist for far off fantasy movies like the Chronicles of Narnia or Snow White. For now I think I'll just stick to sewing costumes for this bub.vv

Here I'm texting my mom, telling her I miss her and Washington. I missed the cold and all things green.
She told us while we were there that she wanted to be referred to as "Nana" for Onyx.
I love it! Grandma just didn't fit her. 

Table settings and more pretty things...

All of us getting our baby snuggles in before company came over.

I love him more everyday.

A Toasty Christmas

This year we spent Christmas in Arizona with my Grandmother. 

It was so odd to have the sun shining and palm trees swaying in the wind when I woke up Christmas day.

My little boy is growing, and it's happening so fast I can see it. 

Freakin' me ouuuuut.

We hope you had a splendid Christmas.

-Challice, Jared and baby Onyx.

Scenes From Thanksgiving

The little guy is in my Ergo carrier. That thing is a life saver!

My MIL really knows how to decorate! 

Onyx's Grandpa and Great Grandpa right there!

 

The pears were our place holders on the table. Cool right?

Cousinly love!

  

 

 

Food, games and family...

It was a good Thanksgiving indeed.

Epic Easter

 Easter morning was so beautiful. 

 I went to church and got my little Sunday school class all set up... and by "set up" I mostly mean divided out candy as I prepared for the kid's Easter lesson. We actually learned A LOT about the holiday itself! 

I am always impressed with how smart those kids are.

 This was the example I used to show Jesus's tomb... Okay, you might have to use some imagination. One of my kids of course didn't, flipped the rock out and asked where I hid all the Easter eggs. Oh boys!

 Haha, I didn't realize my belly was taking up the bottom of this picture until Jared pointed it out. :)

 I love that little classroom.

 A project from a couple weeks ago, actually I should say lack of a project. The project I picked out for the kids was a no-go. So they asked to paint instead. I agreed and talked to them about their friends and how friendships are really important. What can ya do, ya know?

 My curly haired boy all "glammed up" in Easter wears. 

 After church, the egg hunt at my in-law's house went well. My 2 year old niece really wasn't getting the whole "searching" element of the hunt, so the eggs were tossed all over the lawn. It was so nice out!

 My mother in law always knows how to decorate! 

The big backyard egg hunt...!

Dad in law's neat old Ford truck.

 And lastly the day was finished off with my brother and sister in law's new bike and eating Easter lunch left overs. What a good day :)