Maybe it's because I'm in my last trimester of pregnancy, or the fact that we've been super busy, or maybe I've just been too lazy, but I'm beginning to think I really stink at this blogging stuff! Funny thing is, I actually enjoy getting to tell friends what we've been up to and share the ups and downs in life through this platform, and yet, I suppose I just need to make time to do so.
Now that Christmas is over and baby Noah is scheduled to arrive in just over 4 1/2 weeks I suppose I'd better get in at least a short update on our family happenings!
The most exciting thing that has happened for us in the past few months has been Matt's promotion. He has been working for Old Dominion Freight Line for a few years now, first as a dock worker, then driver (around the time Nathaniel was born), and was recently promoted to Operations Manager. Any promotion of course is exciting, but I'm super proud of him for taking the initiative a few years back when he let the terminal manager know he was interested in promotion. In November the terminal manager (top guy at the Seattle terminal) approached him asking if he would be interested in the job. For those that aren't aware, drivers with the freight line report to their dispatchers, who report to their operations managers, so this was a significant jump to take all at once. I'm happy to report the new job is going well! He has been approached by several people, including the terminal manger to let him know what a great job he has been doing and that they have been able to see a significant difference in the performance of the team Matt is now overseeing. Go Matt!
So, back to holiday bliss...or was it more like a blizzard?! We hosted Christmas Day at our house this year so, being as neurotic as I can be sometimes, I set a cleaning and baking schedule for myself, being sure to work in as many fun activities for Nathaniel along the way. We had a lot of fun, but in the end, I had to remind myself that if everything didn't get done it was okay. The focus of Christmas wasn't on the completion of Crystal's ideal celebration, but on Christ's birthday after all (insert "duh!" here).
In any case, here are a few photos from the fun we had (at least what we remembered to capture on film)!
Lots of new bread recipes, including tasty cinnamon rolls and these bagels!
We pulled out the Christmas Classics DVD collection to watch in the morning while breakfast was being made!
The dogs relaxed.....a lot!
Nathaniel met Santa last year but was so young to really understand he was sitting on some fat guy's lap. He was nervous but his pictures turned out adorable!
Nathaniel had fun helping me make cinnamon ornaments, which we hung on the tree and around the house. He recently learned how to "smell" and was so cute going up to the tree, sticking his little nose in a scrunch and sniffing the ones that hung low enough (without touching, of course!).
Santa hat brownies turned out okay for the Clark Family Christmas party. There were only a few casualties on the way to the event after I so delicately dumped some off the plate onto the floorboard of the car. Perfecto!
Stole this idea from a friend and Pinterest...turned out lovely, though next year maybe I'll laminate each piece and attach a magnet to the back for re-use...and play (frosty's buttons didn't fair too well with curious N).
Who needs new when you can get used?! One of Nathaniel's favorite gifts this year was the slide we got for....free, compliments of a good friend who passed it down. We stowed it in the garage for about a month and pulled it out on Christmas morning!
Grandma bought Nathaniel the Charlie Brown Christmas book, which we kept on the dining room table all month. Nathaniel insisted it be read to him at each meal!
Finally, our gingerbread houses were a success! It took me quite a while to shop for good deals (some free!) on candy. I bought the last available gingerbread house cookie cutter set at Michael's crafts with a 40% off coupon, did some recipe test runs, and was able to construct houses for the kids to decorate on Christmas day. Nathaniel's house, while not covered in candy, was perfectly decorated by his little hands (on one side of the roof only...and that's the way it stayed!).
