Sunday, December 30, 2012

A New Year Christmas and a surprise!

Hello, lovely friends!



I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by family and friends. 
I just wanted to share a few photos of what Christmas and, more accurately, New Year looks like around here. Once again, we are celebrating New Year's with my family as our Christmas. Nate and I are hosting at our house this year.


Burlap wreath that I made  for the front door
 ~ Originally from Better Homes and Gardens and all over Pinterest
 One of the few projects that I made this Christmas

~*~
 Christmas ~

We spent Christmas eve with my husband's immediate family and Christmas  day with his extended family. It was a wonderful time as always!


I made this burlap pin board for my lovely sister-in-law for Christmas. She's always so supportive of my blog and the projects that I've made. She's told me more than once that she wanted me to have her name for Christmas so that I could make her something. I guess she "lucked" out this year. We both had this pinned on Pinterest. She had a few items pinned that were similar to this one so it seemed perfect. This is almost a complete copycat to the original from ~ caitcreateblogspot.com 


 My cousin-in-law Sarah made this beautiful Christmas tree piece for me! She made one for our aunt a few years ago and I've been giving her a hard time about wanting one ever since. This was finally my year!

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Decorating the house ~
 

I kept most of my decorating to the living room this year. I ran out of time and energy to do anything more than this!
 



 I made the Merry Christmas banner for the fireplace. The rest of the mantel is a bit plain, but again, I ran out of energy to go out and buy some greenery for the mantel. Next year I will try to do something fabulous!


I like to mix in a little Santa along with the more Christian aspects of the holiday!


One of my favorite Christmas ornaments ~ and so true!



We finally got snow here the day after Christmas and now it actually feels like Christmas, especially with family soon filling the house.
Presents, reading the Christmas story, and appetizers on New Year's Eve and a big New Year's Day dinner all planned I finally feel ready for the holidays (smile).
The week between Christmas and New Year was always such a festive time around our house growing up. We still had presents to wrap for my Mom's family, lots of Christmas cookies to be baked, and Christmas music playing all the time. I love that we get to drag this time of year out just a little bit longer!

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The biggest news of all and still a surprise to some ~


Nate and I are expecting baby Asper at the end of June! We are so thrilled right now!!!

Now you know why I haven't been blogging, or decorating, or having the energy to do much of anything around here. I'm finally entering my second trimester and some energy is returning after about three months of laying on the couch every night after work. I'm nauseated pretty much all the time but eating always helps. I haven't gotten sick to my stomach on a regular basis, just occasionally, which I'm very grateful for. Anyway, I've promised myself for years that I won't be one of those pregnant people that acts like they're the first person to ever be pregnant and no one has ever experienced anything like it before. So enough about that! Again, we're nothing but happy around here about this baby!

In the new year, I hope to actually start blogging a lot more! The house is almost all decorated. Our big dining room table project is just about completed, and now we have a Benjamin Bunny/Beatrix Potter nursery to put together! The new year holds so many exciting things for us!


A belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

Love,





Vintage postcard images from Vintage Fan Girl  & Quotescoop.com 


10 comments:

Tammy's in Love said...

What happy news! I love the Beatrix Potter idea for the nursery! Take a peak at Susanbranch.com for her ideas on decorating; she has a Beatrix Potter guest room! Fun ideas and pefect for boy or girl!

Shabby Sweet Tea said...

Yay!!! Baby time! I am so thrilled for you. Love the name too:) Sending my love from NC to MI.

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Congratulations, Jamie!! I'm so happy for you and your hubby! Listen, its YOUR first time being pregnant ~ go with it. : ) Your house looks great. It must have been wonderful getting ready and decorated for the first Christmas in your new home. Love the burlap piece you made! {Pinning it!}. Happy New Year! You've got a great year coming up for the both of you.

Whitney said...

The living room looked wonderful, Jamie! I love the Merry Christmas banner on the fireplace. I think you may have to help me whip one of those up sometime to hang from my fireplace! :) Thanks again for my cute message/pin board. I really do love it! It has taken it's rightful place in my kitchen (for now anyway). And I am beyond excited for you and Nate with baby A on the way!!! Thanks for making me an aunt on the Asper side! Love you guys!

Shabby Sweet Tea said...

So it just occurred to me that Asper may be your last name BUT would make a unique baby name, which I like. Reminds me of the very popular Asher name down here.

The Polka Dot Closet said...

OMG, how exciting is this!!! You enjoy every minute of it, you will love that people will treat you so special...Because you are!!!

Have fun at your big party tonight....I know 2013 will be such a special year!

Carol

The Charm of Home said...

Your home is lovely! Congratulations on the wee little one! What a lovely surprise. Have a safe and Happy New Year!
Sherry

Laurel Stephens said...

Congratulations, Jamie! I am over the moon happy for you for so many reasons, mostly, of course, the news of a baby coming soon to grace your lives. I have spent the morning catching up on your blog, and it all reads like a fairy tale. I suspected as I read about your lack of energy that the hard work of growing a baby may be the cause, and as I continued on, I was thrilled to have my suspicion confirmed and see your new baby's sonogram photo. As if that wasn't enough, you have found the PERFECT house in which to start your new little family! Really, PERFECT! It's darling! It all couldn't be happening to a sweeter person. I'm so looking forward to your future posts, and so pleased you're letting us all share in the excitement of your new home and baby. Happiest of New Years, Jamie!

Shabby Brocante, Karen said...

Your house looked beautiful. The things you make are amazing...including that little baby! Congratulations! This will be an exciting year! Glad you are getting some of your energy back!
Karen

Keeping It Cozy said...

Congratulations, what wonderful news to read! Your home looks lovely.