Surprising Allen!

I can't not share this. Here's the video of Allen's surprise a few weeks ago!

December 25

Wrapping up DPP with this picture of Allen and I. Taken with his mother's lens (again!) before we opened the rest of our presents this afternoon. This Christmas has been so simple and I've found that I've come to really love simple.

I am so thankful for all that God has blessed me with this past year. I am overwhelmed when I see how He has provided for me, my family, and my friends. I'll be back after the first of the year. And we'll pick Thursday(ING) back up! Woooooo.

I hope your Christmas has been (and continues to be) filled with all sorts of wonderful things.

December 24

This is my beautiful mother-in-law. We each opened one present tonight and her's was a fancy new lens. Which I promptly put on my camera and played with. :)

Merry Christmas Eve!

December 23

After celebrating Christmas with my dad's side of the family, we came home to prepare for my family's Christmas tomorrow morning. Basically, we watched these three guys try to set up the doll house for Harper and Rowan. Hilarious.

December 22

Today is Rowan's FIRST birthday. She is just the most adorable thing I've ever seen (along with her sister). Tonight Allen suggested we start calling her Lil' Raptor. Mostly because that is the best name for a rapper who is small (if she desires to pursue a career in rap music), and because of her shrill, and at times screechy, babbling. She's one of the most joyful babies I have ever encountered. She is happy all. the. time.

Good grief...I love you, Rowan Kate!

December 21

Allen and I hung out at Delice for a couple of hours today. He worked and I read. It was one of those mundane experiences that I dreamed of having with my husband back when I was single. And it was every bit as good as I hoped it would be.

December 20

I gave the sweet boys I nanny for their Christmas presents today. I tried to go for the less annoying, noise-making toys and gave them some stamp sets instead. Something to keep them busy this winter when their Mama is taking care of their new baby brother or sister. Poor guys have been sick this week, too! Here's hoping they are back to feeling like normal come Christmas day.

December 19

I am just so anxious to be home for Christmas....I can't think about much else. Sorry for the semi-boring photo. These are my snowflakes I made way back in November. I kind of really love them.

December 18

This is what Allen looks like right after I say the most hilarious thing.

Today was just too beautiful to not get outside for a little bit. So we wandered down the block and Allen impressed me with his fantastic male modeling skillz. Or lack there of? I know his birthday was over a week ago, but I felt like I didn't get a sufficient amount of bragging about this dude in. So here it is...

This guy. THIS GUY! He is so kind and compassionate. He is deep and thoughtful and his insights bring new life to the way I often see things. He encourages me to think and live creatively. He shows me how much he loves me by loving his Savior first. He is patient. And you need LOTS of patience living with me. He is one of the funniest people I have ever met. And in the weirdest way. :)

I thank Jesus every single day for Allen.

December 17

For the second time this week I have written out clear and cohesive thoughts while not 100% conscious. Or something like that. I have very little recollection of writing the post from yesterday. And yet, it makes perfect sense. I was so darn tired last night that I'm really not sure how I managed to edit a picture and post it. And write words.

I carried on a text message conversation last Saturday morning for at least a half hour while basically asleep. I picked up my phone later that day to text that person back and saw an entire conversation that I did NOT remember having. And then I looked at the date. And then the time. And then I vaguely remembered hearing my phone go off that morning and answering at least one text...but the rest of the conversation? How in the heck did it get there? And why does it make sense?

Maybe it's my superpower?

December 16

If I'm being honest, this photo was taken on December 17 around 1:30am. I still consider it the same day if I haven't gone to sleep. Does that count?

I forgot to take my camera while I watched the boys today. I then forgot to take it with me to the christmas party at Aromas  where we heard fantastic music from Skypiper and so many others.

It was a good evening. Except for the part where I tried to trim my bangs and did almost the exact opposite of that. But not really?

You guys, I've been up for almost 24 hours. I am going to sleep. right. meow.

December 15

The sun was a welcomed sight today.

December 14

This is the older brother to this guy.  And wouldn't you know? He posed himself this exact way and said, "Here I am! Take my picture!"

He's real cute like that.

December 13

I've been trying to photograph these things forever. What do you even call them? Sticks? Sticks with spheres on them? I don't know. But I do know that I have loved them ever since I first laid eyes on them in Target about a year ago. I bought them and thought to myself....

"SELF! These would be delightful to photograph for the December Photo Project!!!! Target really is a magical place."

Only last year I didn't really photograph them the way I wanted to. They had more of a bokeh-esque role in only one photo. This one.  Lame...right?

So this year when I was getting out all of the decorations and I stumbled upon those lovely sticks with spheres (can you tell I'm making a concerted effort to not use the other word?....ahem.) I vowed to myself that I would include a picture of them in my DPP album. And it just so happens that, because of where they sit, a lovely shadow is almost always cast on the wall right behind them. And I love it.

December 12

"He's staring into my soul."

Today we decided to show Zach the Henry Doorly Zoo. Did you know that the best time to visit the zoo is right now? I think we saw maybe 15 other people there who were not zoo employees.

December 11

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is going to the Doane Christmas Festival. Yesterday was the five year anniversary of the day Allen and I first spoke to each other. And it was while we were waiting to warm up our vocal chords for the Christmas Festival. And I was so smitten that I didn't even wish him a happy birthday! I really don't keep track of that kind of stuff, but it's so easy to when it happens to also be Allen's birthday.  Fond memories and beautiful music. Those are two wonderful things.

The photo above is of my father-in-law. He's the director of bands and chair of the music department at Doane. His bands sounded fantastic and to see him conduct the finale, the Hallelujah chorus, was really neat. Let's keep in mind that at one time I had to conduct the Hallelujah chorus in front of him. For a class.  Of which he was the professor. During my freshman year of college. When Allen and I had been dating for all of 4 months. YEP! That happened.

ANYWAYS....

I can't wait to someday bring our kids to see their Grandpa conduct beautiful music. It's one thing I very much look forward to.

December 10

Today was my husband's birthday. His 27th to be exact. He spent the last two days out in California for work and when he came home this evening I surprised him. Our good friend (and Allen's former roommate), Zach, flew in a few hours before him to celebrate his birthday and spend a few days in the Good Life. We made a scavenger hunt that led Allen to believe I got a puppy while he was gone. According to him, he was kind of scared that I had actually done this. We filmed it and will hopefully have it up sometime soon!

For now, I'm just happy that we actually succeeded with surprising him and that I can watch these guys have fun just like they used to. Though, it's still not the same without Scott and Alyson. :)

Happy Birthday, dear husband-o-mine! I love you so.

December 9

Welp. Today was my first day of DPP where I completely forgot to take a picture all day. So I got home and took this.

I think I like it????

December 8

I know what you're thinking....

"BETHANY! Unless you possess some magical power, there is no way you could have taken this by yourself! Unless you had a remote...and even then....."

You are right. I did not take this picture. Allen took it for me. We were getting ready to head out the door and I noticed just how pretty it was outside. With all that falling snow. And I said to myself...

"Self, you are never in any pictures. You are going to make Allen take a picture of you in this beautiful snow."

So that's just what I did. And to my surprise, Allen got some great shots. So I'm counting this as my one self-portrait that I usually try to throw into the DPP mix.

Thanks for bearing with my rule breaking. :)

December 7

Today was a weird day. I had plenty of stuff to do. But I didn't do it until this evening. And then I decided that I was going to bake cinnamon rolls. And still do all of that other stuff. It kind of worked? The cinnamon rolls turned out okay. My mother is the queen of cinnamon rolls.

No, seriously.

You say that your mother's cinnamon rolls are superb? They don't even begin to rival my mother's. I know...I've tasted them. All of them.

That puts a lot of pressure on my rolls. And while I've had what I would say were more successful batches, these aren't terrible. But they ain't K-Train's. That's for darn sure.

December 6

Last year for Christmas my mother-in-law gave me this beautiful, Scandinavian nativity. I was ecstatic. I had been looking for the perfect nativity ever since Allen and I got married. I didn't want some Hallmark looking set, nor did I want the nativity that looks like it was stolen right from your church. You know, something like this?

I think she did a pretty good job picking this one out...don't you? And, I'm pretty sure I didn't really even let on to her that I wanted one.

My love for nativities goes back to my childhood when we would decorate for Christmas. My dad and mom made our nativity and it was always a treat for us to set it up. Even more so after my dad passed away. Also, it was and still is such a great reminder as to what Christmas is truly about. You are putting together a replica of an event that actually took place (okay, minus the three wisemen for a couple of years, at least). And that event was the coming of our Savior. That's really cool and really special to me.

So yes, I really love the nativity.

December 5

My favorite boots. Duct tape and all.

December 4

Well, I had the darnedest time picking a photo for today. But, I think I shall go with the one above and give you some others to look at as well! Both of my nieces have birthdays this month. And instead of two separate birthday parties, my sis was smart and had one for the both of them this evening. Allen and I spent the weekend hanging out with those gals and WHOA! it was so fun.

In fact, sporadically throughout the drive home we'd exclaim to each other just how freakin' adorable Harper and Rowan are. Ugghhhhhh, my heart. It can't stand the adorableness. 

December 3

Coffee and donuts on a dreary, snowy Saturday morning. Is there anything better? 

Nope. 

Nope, there is not. 

December 2

My niece, Harper, seems to understand that staring at a Christmas tree is just one of the best things you can do. I remember when I was young, my sister and I had on VHS a short Babysitters Club Christmas movie. In it, Stacey babysits one of her favorite clients, Charlotte, and they lay underneath a Christmas tree and look at the lights. For some reason, I thought this was the coolest thing you could ever do. Seriously. And I did it. And it didn't feel that cool...but still, I enjoyed it. 

I'm not sure what it is about having a tree (real or fake), with lights on it, sitting in your living room, but it just makes me happy and nostalgic. And looking at the picture above reminds me of being young and totally in love with Christmas time. 

Insert contented sigh here....

December 1

YOU GUYS! Today begins The December Photo Project 2011 and I am so darn excited!! I'll try to keep my exclamation point usage to a minimum. But it will be awfully hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

EEEEEEKK!!!!!! Okay. 

I'm done. 

This is my third year participating and my love for it has grown exponentially. I really enjoy being able to go back and look through photos of my favorite time of year. If you have a camera of any kind and a blog, flickr or facebook....JOIN IN! 

This year in addition to taking a photo each day, I'm going to try and take some video throughout the day and then compile it into a lovely little montage at the end of the month. Who doesn't love a good montage? 

The little guy up above is Dawson. I watch both he and his older brother a few days each week. This morning while big brother was at pre-school Dawson brought almost every single one of his favorite toys to me and insisted that I take his picture with them. This was my favorite.