2012 Wrap up

Well its time to wrap up 2012!

 

Our last few Elf on the Shelf.   Sweet Home Alabama made it to Baba's house!  And according to Santa's Note on Christmas day he also made it back to the North Pole!  I'm guessing he's taking a nice vacation until he has to get ready for next year. 

 

 

 

Santa Photo this year.  He wouldn't sit on Santa's lap but the picture turned out GREAT anyway :)

 

 

 

My New favorite Thing to do on Christmas eve.  Ice sculptures

The Dogs

 

 

Cam and Jess's Christmas party... Clayton's New friend

 

Christmas Morning... Spider man visited

 

The Gift William chose for his Daddy :)  For those who don't know Clay's colors are usually blue, white and orange!

 

 

 

 

The Russell's have had a busy year of changes.  With the move to Lacombe, job changes, a little boy starting pre-school and a bunch of other challenges that have helped our little family grow, learn and strengthen our relationships.

 

We are excited for 2013.  Its going to be a big year for us!  Clay and I get to turn 30 ( YIKES!).  William turns the BIG number 4, and gets to continue to grow and learn and experience new things.  We will continue to build relationships and a life for ourselves in Lacombe.  And we have several exciting trips and other plans for the upcoming year!

 

As we do every year we have reflected on last year and have came up with some goals and a Family Motto that will help guide us in the upcoming year.   I don't know if I have posted about this tradition that we have done the past few years.  Its kinda like making New Years Resolutions, but we do it as a family and choose a MOTTO that we print out and post in our home so we can refer to it during the year to help focus our energy on what is really important. 

One year the Motto was "Enjoy the Journey"  last year it was "Building a Better Life".  This year it is "Live, Laugh, Love: Today".  They may not be the most original motto's but they mean something to us and are related to our goals (resolutions) for the year.

 

We did a new thing this year as well.  A reflection of 2012. 

 

I found it on Pintrest (http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/12/free-new-years-eve-printables.html  the link will go to the updated free printable for 2013).  I think it will be a fun thing to do each year as kind of like a time capsule thing, to see how much we changed over the years.  We all used the 'kid' one because I liked how it talked about favorite things and Highlights of 2012.  I'm going to keep them in our Command Central book (a binder of important things).

 

HAPPY NEW YEARS TO EVERYONE!!!  ALL the Best in 2013!

 

 



HOLIDAY HUSTLE

What is December with out our annual cold!  Yep William and I have been under the weather again this December (3rd year in a row).  Causing me to be down and out for about a week, and a little more behind on my holiday preparations then normal, which as you guessed makes me just a little anxious! 

Thankfully this week has given me some opportunities to catch up on my shopping, planning and organizing.  Which has also helped me get in to the Christmas season.  Its hard not to around here with a very excited 3 year old who only talks about EXTENSION CORDS that light up the blow up decorations and Christmas lights.  If any of you ever have any questions about exterior or interior illumination, extension cord efficiency and/or electricity feel free to consult WILLIAM ALAN RUSSELL (our resident expert).  

For those of you who follow me on Facebook you will have noticed that we have started a new tradition around these parts.  Its called ELF ON THE SHELF.  And although it seems a little creepy at times and there was some resistance to the idea initially from William, it has been come a fun way to start each day as we search for our elf, who is named "SWEET HOME ALABAMA".  (not even kidding... William named him...).  For those of you not familiar with this "tradition"  we have an elf (named Sweet Home Alabama) and he hangs out and watches the kids during the day and flies home (to the north pole) each night to report to the big man (Santa) about the NAUGHTY and NICE status of the kids (William in this case).  When the elf returns from his North pole trip he "hides" in a different spot and the kids are to seek him out in the morning.  Initially this lovely (slightly creepy) Elf was not received with a warm reception.  Although William was excited to open the package he came in on Dec 1, he was quick to express his desire for the elf to go back to the north pole right away!  (BACK STORY-- About 2 months ago after an exceptionally difficult few weeks with William, A letter was sent to William from the NAUGHTY AND NICE DEPARTMENT at the north pole, stating that if he didn't smarten up he would be on the Naughty list.  This letter was also not received overly well by the little person in the house.  However attitude and behaviour from that same little person was slightly improved after the letter.   So the initial reception of our dear ELF ON THE SHELF was perhaps due to this incident.  oops... Hind sight is 20/20)

Anyway a couple days later William named our elf and now he wakes each morning and seeks out Sweet Home Alabama's new hiding spot.

Day one-  Un-named elf, feeling a little homesick, tissues and a NORTH POLE sign... I guess the inital welcome wasnt what he expected!

Day 2- and Sweet Home Alabama is born!

3- Hanging in the new basement

4- Enjoying our tree

5-Hanging with the NutCrackers

6-Reading Christmas Cards

7-Advent Calender

8-Peek a Boo!

9- Cozy stocking

10-Hanging in there!

 

 

11-No picture-- Hanging off the light in the Kitchen

12- This Elf loves Christmas Decorations!

Other then that Christmas season has been warm and cozy in our new basement (livable but not 100% complete).  Clayton did a great job with the help of some very nice little helpers :)

The RUSSELL FAMILY would like to send everyone WARM WISHES and SEASON GREETINGS over this joyous month!

Love
Lyndsay, Clayton and William (and Sweet Home Alabama)

PS- Williams Christmas List this year...

(The Picture he made me draw is suppose to be the "Rocket with a pump launcher"...  Obviously Im not an artist... and yes it does look unintentially phallic.  No idea where he seen this incredibly difficult to find toy!)

Summer Catch up #2

So its now Sept... And I haven't kept my promise of frequent blogging over the summer... The age old excuse, We've been busy ;)

So here is a quick over view of what has been going on this summer :)

Starting with the,

 MANY "FACES" OF WILLIAM

Baking soda and food coloring experiment

Balloon animals at the Kids Penny Carnival in Lacombe

Mr 'Hugh Hefner' and his ipod

Mr 'too cool' showing off his sunscreen?

Mr 'Accessories'...

Mr 'I sleep in two beds because I'm awesome!'

Mr 'Hockey'

Mr "Camping"

 

 

WEDDING FUN

 

"Look at us all Dressed up."

Lovely Mady

Lovely Mom

Photo booth fun

Hangover Day ;)

 

 

SUMMER "PROJECTS"

 

Baby Gifts

Landscaping

Walkout beautification

 

Our Summer "squatter" 

 

 

SUMMER FUN

 

The boys at my Surprise Birthday party:)

zoo

William and his cousin Cash hanging out on the train...

And on the carousel

Camping adventure of the Summer... Checking out the wild life.

 

Splash park fun... Ummm Dad that doesn't look like a fair fight ;)

Beach day fun... Wrangling the "ORCA" 

Hanging out with the pretty girls

Mini Golf fun

Sylvan lake adventures

Sylvan lake adventure at the beach

Boat rides

Wet suit adventures...Nice babe nice...

Sexy men in wet suits... Wait... That's not possible!

 

Summer Rocks... We had fun!  Looking forward to FALL ADVENTURES now :)