The Meandering Thoughts of Jan

Since it is half way through the last day of 2011 I’m feeling very retrospective, which I think is quite common for today.  I’ve been reading other friends’ blogs about the best and worst of this past year.  It has caused me to ponder what 2011 has handed me.  I think the best way to describe 2011 is “The Best of Times and The Worst of Times”.  (Good ol’ Charles Dickens had such a nice way of saying things.)   The best meaning this year was my first year of marriage.  I like being married.  Danny and I have had adventures and fun together and have grown closer to each other and for that I am grateful.  The worst meaning this year has brought some knee jerking experiences of having to face weaknesses in the eye.  I think the Lord looked down and decided something along the lines that this year will be a year of growth for Jannifer.  (Luckily he hasn’t left me alone in these times of growth.)   With growth comes growing pains and challenges, which honestly I haven’t mentioned at all on

For our Christmas break I told Danny I wanted low key, very low key.  Some how this turned into spending the majority of our time watching movies, both at home and in theater (ok, 3 in the theater) .  We haven't gone to the movie theater for months and months.  Merry Christmas to us. Movie #1:  " Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol " Some how I've never seen any of the Mission Impossible movies.  Shocking, I know.  This is partially because I think Tom Cruise has crazy eyes and that distracts me.  Other than the crazy eyes, this movie is awesome.  So much action that I squeezed Danny's hand until it went a little numb.  We both loved it.  Plus, I was extremely grateful there weren't any awkward love scenes (which I think should be called lust scenes, because honestly how often does Hollywood actually portray love?) that would make me feel super weird for watching the movie in the same theater as my brother. Movie #2: "The Muppets" The Muppets

Here are a few scenes from our Christmas Celebration... Our Christmas card picture, Danny, Jonny (our gnome) and Me. Christmas decorations.  People have questioned why we have 3 stockings, as if hinting something.  No announcements in this decor, 3 stockings just looks more visually pleasing.  (Plus, Jonny needs a stocking.) Jonny the Christmas Gnome Our stockings in a basket.  You can never have enough stockings, right? Presents Chocolate German pancakes = holidays in our home Opening presents More opening of presents. Christmas dinner, how festive! The kiddos opening their gifts. B. Anu! Sharing giggles together. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Friends, I've been MIA in the blogging world.  It looks like all I've done this December is create holiday decor. However, this is not so.  We have jammed packed this season with Christmas fun.  So much, that I haven't had any time to blog about it.  To be honest I'm a little holly jollied out.  Luckily, Danny and I have planned a very low key Christmas weekend.  I see many naps in the future.  Anyway, I had planned this to be a few different posts, but I'm instead going to compile it to one big cheery, tinsel-filled post of all of our pre-Christmas activities. On the first day of Christmas (well, December) Talena and I decided we should start the holidays by offering service.  We volunteered at the Festival of Trees as hostesses.   (Festival of Trees is a fund raiser with all the proceeds going to Primary Children's hospital.)  In the past we were assigned to more happenin' spots at the festival, like the trees or the play houses.  This year we were assi

Remember how forever ago I said I would post a tutorial on how to fold these cute boxes.  Sigh, life is busy.  But I am here to fulfill my promise, even if it is a bit belated.  We had a Super Saturday at church with classes we could take.  My awesome friend, Becky, taught us how to create these, so I give her all the credit. What you need, paper, scissors, ruler pencil and some type of adhesive. 1.On the blank side of your paper draw an X from each corner, using a ruler. 2. Fold the bottom corner to the  center. 3. Fold the bottom corner one more  time up to the center. 4. Now you are  going to do the exact  two folds from steps 2 and 3 to the  opposing top corner, so your  paper will look like this. 5.  Unfold your paper and make the same folds to left and right corners that haven't been folded yet.  So once again, fold the point to the middle. 6.  Do a second fold to the center and then do the exact same folds from steps 2 and 3 to the