One of the things that has kept me busy so far this year was Eden’s 8th birthday!

This girl is such a ham sometimes!  She is so sweet, full of energy and love, is happy to help anyone and everyone and has one of the sweetest spirits ever!

Just this weekend she came inside and left her sisters out in the backyard playing.  She came up to me and said “Don’t tell them, I’m going to clean their rooms for them.”  I thought that was so sweet.

Yup, she’s a keeper!

Got a call from Grandma.

One of her presents had a note that said “You need to look in the garbage!”

So she went to the garbage and found another note that said “Sorry- I meant the GARAGE!”

Okay, so remember the expression on her face in this picture below cause I don’t want you to think we’re lame-o parents for giving her this gift.

It’s a desk.  She had been asking for one since before Christmas.

Eden also had a ‘friend’ party.

Here’s Amanda sporting a cool hairdo.

The decor.

I know I mentioned this last year, but I buy cakes for the girls’ parties because my cakes never, and I mean NEVER, look anywhere near as cute.  They always seem to sag in the middle, and then my frosting abilities are very limited, so I let the girls pick out their cake from a catalog at the store.

Eden wanted a PJ party, so I let the kids color their own pillowcases to take home.

They also played a water game and the candybar game.  If you don’t know about those, I’ll have to tell you sometime cause they are GREAT party games!

Yup, she can be a ham!

Eden, we love you!

Up next… her baptism pics!

Hello blogland!

Yes, we’re still around, still here, nothing’s happened to us.  I’ve just been a combination of too busy and lazy to actually blog.  See!!!  This is why I set that goal of blogging at least once a week last year!  When I don’t have goals like that and tell the world about them, I let things slip.

We have had a very busy 2012 so far.  I can’t believe April is over today!  I’m not ready for a third of the year to be gone already.  So, hopefully over the course of the next week or so, I’ll be catching up on this blog.  For now, I thought it would be fun to show you a picture of the girls I took at the beginning of 2011, and a picture I took of them at the end of 2011.

They’ve changed in so many ways, in just one year!  But, in so many ways, they are still the same sweet girls I love and adore.

It’s good to be back!

P.S.  Ignore the Christmas music that’s still up.  Hopefully my hubby can switch it soon.

Well, I know I posted at least 52 times this year!!!  Not that they were interesting posts and the vast majority of them were posted later than I had planned, but I did it!  I did my goal for this year!

Now what!?!  I need to decide if I want to set another goal for this blog for next year.  Any suggestions?  Crafts, more miscellaneousness, weight loss, other miscellaneousness, photography themes, miscellaneousness of sorts?  I’m open for suggestions if anyone has ideas they’d like to share.

For now, here’s the last Monday Moments post for 2011.

Our Christmas weekend!!!

Mandy helping me in the kitchen before the big Christmas Eve dinner.

Waiting for everyone to arrive.

These skirts are the same as the Halloween skirts, only different fabric.

The feast, soups, bread bowls, ham, and salads.

Aunt Sandy did a White Elephant game with the kids.  They were nice gifts for it being a ‘white elephant’.

Karl and Mom.

One of the most wonderful, handsome, classy, humble men you’ll ever meet… my grandpa!

Singing Christmas songs.

All the cousins sang ‘Christmas Bells’.

Eric sang ‘What Child Is This’.  If you haven’t heard him sing, you’re missing out.

My Grandma read a story.

The Hurst Family sang ‘Shepherds Carol’.

Mom shared a story.

Janina and Michael played some duets.

My girls sang ‘Could I Hold The Baby’.

Grandpa read the Christmas Story from Luke .

After everyone went home, we got the house back in order, moved all the tables out of the living room and brought the couches back in.

Then we opened our new pjs.  This has been a tradition of ours for the last 5 years or so.

Paul looked like a deranged Easter Bunny.  For those of you who have seen ‘The Christmas Story’ with the red rider bee-bee gun.  Complete with the bunny feet!

And as our tradition goes, we watched ‘A Muppets Christmas Carol’.  I LOVE that movie!

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!

Ashley asked for a ukelele.  In 5th grade, they teach the kids the ukelele, and she wanted one of her own.  It’s white so she can decorate it with vinyl, like we did her violin.

Trinkett wanted to be with us, but it was still too early for her.

Can I just say that ruffle fabric is totally AWESOME!

Paul got his hands on an Etch A Sketch.  Not too shabby!

I forgot to blog about our most recent addition to our Christmas decor.

This year I made a large Grinch and Max for outside!

Yes, Max is a bit too dark, I’ll be fixing that before next year.

The Grinch is 5 feet tall!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

P.S.  Here was our Christmas Card this year.

Just in case I’m too lazy to post again…

Have a wonderful New Year everyone!