2011 Christmas pictures...with bloopers!

Have you ever wondered how many pictures it takes to get just one semi-reasonable family Christmas picture?

Come on...just play along!

Got your number? Good!

Now, add 87...if that family happens to have a very squirmy, highly active 20 month old.

Apparently I was the only one who received the memo describing how we should all be LOOKING at the camera!

Still got that number in your head? Good. Now add another 36 for good measure.

And THAT should be your total number of tries until you have arrived at your "pretty good, most kids are looking, Hannah's not running away, we're such a cute family" Christmas picture.

Oh, and don't forget to get a picture or two of you and your hubby!

And maybe, just maybe, you'll be blessed enough to get that one picture that will melt your heart for years to come!

After Christmas blues?

Who said packing away the Christmas decorations didn't have to be as much fun as putting them up?

A fresh, new year!

I have always loved flipping the calendar from December to January!

I love starting over!

2012 is a clean slate.

It's a new year with new possibilities.

It's an opportunity to do things differently.

It's a chance to start anew!

I'm such a sucker for this kind of stuff!

In the craziness of the last several months (or year and a half for that matter), blogging has been one of the furthest things from my thoughts. I just had to push it out of my mind because thinking about all that I wasn't blogging (or writing or scrapbooking or taking pictures) about was causing me so much heartache. I realized that I had to put some things aside because other things simply took priority.

And that's okay.

For awhile I was really bitter and resentful about all I was not able to do because of other family and work obligations. But I've learned it's okay. Really. There is a season for everything under heaven, and my season for blogging had to be put on hold. And I'm learning what a privilege and honor it is to lay some things...some very personal and refreshing and good things...down.

God has shown me a lot over the last several months about what it truly means to serve my family, love my husband, and be humble in difficult circumstances. And I'm grateful that He kept this blog quiet as I wrestled through my emotions and heart issues so that this place did not become one of bitterness or anger.

And our God is one of hope and fresh starts and new mercies!

Can I get an Amen!

I'm hoping to spend just a few minutes each day in 2012 either writing or editing pictures or something having to do with this blog so that it can become a place of refreshment to me, an online family scrapbook for my children and hopefully an encouragement to others!

So, let's start!

I will have much more to write later about our Aust family Christmas 2011, but for now I'll start with a picture of all 15 of us and some highs and lows from our trip.

Highlight: Going sledding and bike riding in one week!

Lowlight: A disappointing and quite pathetic snow accumulation for our Floridian relatives.

Highlight: Driving away from River Falls, WI without any of the 5 of us getting the stomach bug!

Lowlight: Sammy throwing up in the van just minutes from home...and Caleb throwing up later that night.

Highlight: Having all 8 children (ages 16 months to 6) together in one house!

Lowlight: Having all 8 children (ages 16 months to 6) together in one house!

Highlight: Staying up late a few nights to play games and talk.

Lowlight: Remembering that we are all parents now and our children are up at the crack of dawn!

Brad and I had such a GREAT time with his family! I am so grateful for Brad's mom, his brothers, and my sister in laws and the week we got to spend together. I am truly blessed to have them as family!

Sammy's Summer Activities: Round 1

Brad and I decided early in our "children and extra curricular activities" discussions that we would limit the number of activities our kids did each year and also limit it to one activity at a time. It is CRAZY the number of things you can register your child for! During the first week of school alone, Sammy had SIX handouts giving information about 3 different area dance studios, karate classes, private ice skating lessons and fall soccer teams!

HELLO! These children are only FIVE YEARS OLD!!!

Seriously! What are some parents thinking!!!

Okay, I'm done.

Anyway, for the last 2 summers, Sammy's been able to take a short summer gymnastics class put on by the Brainerd High School gymnastics coach and team.

I also decided that if I was the one running all of my children around town, that I should plan to do that activity with a friend. Last year Sammy did gymnastics with her friend, Izzy (and I got to hang out with Izzy's mom, Amy) and this year, my friend Nickie and I registered our girls for the same class.

Even though Nickie and I didn't get to chat as much as we would have liked during those six, 45 minute classes, our girls had a great time together and our boys played a lot of cars!

I like how they all struck a pose!

I can't remember what Sammy was doing in this picture, but she looks like she was having a lot of fun!

It still amazes me how many skills they learned in only six classes! Just look at that concentration!

Sammy and Lila's favorite thing to do was to jump into the "cheese."

(a.k.a. - large pieces of foam that look like cheese)

I love this one of Lila!

At first I was a bit embarrassed of my husband (imagine that) that he jumped right into the "cheese" so he could get better pictures of the girls.

But Jeremy (Lila's dad) also joined Brad and they both received permission from the coach to do so. The coach was actually thrilled that there were parents wanting to get so involved and take these kinds of pictures of their kids.

Oh, and what were Caleb and Hannah doing while Sammy was learning how to pull herself up on the uneven bars and do tumbling? He was racing several cars and trucks on the bleachers and...

...jumping off any and every mat along the edge of the practice room.

We totally need to sign this kid up for gymnastics class next summer!

Oh, and one of the reasons Nickie and I weren't able to sit down during each class was because I was chasing a darling 14 month old (and her purple bunny) around the gymnastics room.

All of us got our exercise!

I'm so proud of you Sammy! You did a great job and learned so much! Nice job sweetie!

Where to start?

Have you ever stood before a task that was so daunting that you had no idea where to start?

And the longer you put off starting this task, the larger and more overwhelming it became?

Then, after spending days, weeks, or months pretending the task didn't even exist, you stand before it with all hope stripped away of even starting...let alone completing it?

Nope, I've never felt that way either!

Oh, where to start?

So many others around me are facing obstacles that I can't even imagine. They live daily with chronic pain...they care diligently for a handicapped child...they pray weekly for enough money to buy groceries for their family.

And I often feel like I'm complaining too much...that I should just put on a happy face since my present circumstances don't compare to what others are going through.

Yet, each of us are on a different journey. One that can't be compared to others. One that God has specifically set before each of His children.

And for our little family, it's been a difficult last year and a half.

And just when we seem to get our bearings, it seems our course is again altered and we are floundering around again trying to steady ourselves.

In the midst of these struggles, so much of myself has been put on hold so that the current "super high priority task" or event can be finished or completed.

Things like scrapbooking, running, blogging, organizing....things that rejuvenate me and motivate me have been placed to the side.

Like a neglected pet in a dark corner of the room....with sad, brown eyes and a soft whimper...and a cold, wet little nose that just aches to nestle with its owner....

Can you tell I used to be an English teacher?

And those favorite past-times and hobbies which have brought me so much joy, have now become daunting tasks. It seems every time I think about diving into one, I let defeat, exhaustion, and a list of other excuses break my spirit even before my feet take one step.

But tonight, as I was looking through some pictures from this year and day-dreaming about what it would be like to actually jot down some of my thoughts in an actual blog post....

I decided to do it. Even if it costs me some extra sleep tonight.

Despite the current circumstances of my life, my days are filled with incredible blessings from God. And these blessings mostly come in the form of my amazing husband and adorable children. I have never been more grateful for their loving and divine placement in my life as I am right now.

Like most mothers, I don't take nearly as many pictures as I should of me with each of my children. I have a ton of pictures of each of them, but few of them with me.

These first three pictures were taken Easter weekend. It's the last time I took a picture of me with each of my precious kiddos...but hopefully I will resolve that soon!

My sweet Sammy...

Caleb...my goofy son!

Hannah...who daily lives up to her middle name: Joy!

You would also think that I would have a plethora of pictures of Brad and me from the times we've been able to spend time together away from our kids.

You would think....

There are many, many, many much more beautiful pictures from the Canadian Rockies, but this is one of my favorites...despite the rain and the clouds that day.

I can't wait for our next adventure, hon!

And most recently....Sammy on her first day of school! She is going to be six next month, and I find myself trying desperately to hold onto this precious age.

Caleb...some days there just aren't any words for my silly, goofy, highly entertaining son!

Oh, and sweet, sweet Hannah! Like I said: Pure Joy!

Where do I start and where do I go from here?

I'm not sure, but I do know that I don't want to look back at this time and regret not focusing on the many blessings that God has given me. I don't want to have this entire chunk of my life empty...because I just didn't have the motivation or emotional energy to write about the very good things in my life...in the midst of the hard.

So, hold onto your boot straps! I've got some great stories and pictures to share!