Choosing a Word for 2014

It's become a "thing" to choose a word for the year. I think I remember doing this a couple years ago, but I can't remember. I know it wasn't last year, I was too busy getting ready for this little girl's arrival to worry about much of anything.

But this year is different. Instead of planning for a birth, I'm planning for a birthday (yes, tears have been shed). So I have time now to sit and think about the year ahead.

This last year has brought a whole bunch of new.  I became a mother, than a stay-at-home mom, then I got a part time job, the hubs lost his job, we had a miscarriage. We have had a bunch of new experiences, some wonderful and some heartbreaking and hard. 

2014 brings a new year. A new start. And with this new year I'm choosing a word.

I want to live a life filled with grace with in 2014.

I want to give grace. I want to receive grace. I want to learn what grace is all about.

I want to live grace fully.

So my word for 2014 is grace.

What's yours?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from the hubs, the Bug, and myself! I hope your day was fabulous and that your new year brings you incredible joy!

I, personally, am very excited about what 2014 will be bringing, but more on that later. First things first, we'll be celebrating a certain little girl's first birthday in just two and a half weeks!

Our Christmas in Photos

We had a wonderful Christmas. I loved sharing the day with my little girl. It was so much more fun seeing it through her eyes.

Here is a recap through pictures.

We took Bug to visit Santa the day before Christmas Eve. The pictures speak for themselves...

She clearly loved him. Side note: She's wearing my Christmas dress from when I was her age! I love that I got to share that with her!

Christmas Eve is spent with the hubs's family.

The hubs's grandmother with her five great-granddaughters.

Then it was off to home to open up our Christmas pajamas and enjoy our Christmas tree!

Then...before we knew it, Christmas morning was upon us!

Bug's read: Hopalong Jack and the Blue Bunnies

Bug's wear: two new dresses and headbands from Little Hip Squeaks

Bug's need: big girl car seat

Bug's want: her very own playroom (more on the playroom later)!

Then it was off to my parent's house for Christmas with Bibi and Papi!

Bug got me my Mama Bear sweatshirt from Loved by Hannah and Eli and she got her daddy those camo pants he's wearing in the picture.

We had such a wonderful Christmas, now onto the New Year and a certain little girl's first birthday!

Mommy Moments Blog Hop!

Hey mamas!

Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word last week! We love all of the great posts!

Motherhood has it's seriousness and frustration as well as it's laughs. That's why we are here. Life is much easier when traveled with companions! So mamas, let's join together in the spirit of motherhood and share our moments together. We want to hear the happy, sad, tough, terrible, hilarious moments that make being a mother the best job in the world!

 This week's most viewed link belongs to Cara from The Building of a House and a Family. Her post titled Santa is Just For Fun went right along with our Christmas week. There are so many fun things about Christmas, including Santa, but I think that Cara gets it right when she says Santa is just for fun at Christmastime. The real reason for Christmas is Jesus!


Alrighty, now it's time to link up your posts!

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, Beautiful Family Affairs 

2. Link up your post!
Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

<div align="center"><a href="http://the-life-of-faith.blogspot.com//search/label/baby" title="The Life Of Faith"><img src="http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k537/faithkonrath/mommymomentsbutton.jpg" alt="The Life Of Faith" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!

Mommy Moments Blog Hop!

Hey mamas!

Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word last week! We love all of the great posts!

Motherhood has it's seriousness and frustration as well as it's laughs. That's why we are here. Life is much easier when traveled with companions! So mamas, let's join together in the spirit of motherhood and share our moments together. We want to hear the happy, sad, tough, terrible, hilarious moments that make being a mother the best job in the world!

 This week's most viewed link belongs to Heather from Like a Morning Cup of Coffee. Her post titled To The Ones Who Married Young was a post that caught my eye because I am one of those who married at a pretty young age!

Aren't they such a cute couple?

Alrighty, now it's time to link up your posts!

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, Beautiful Family Affairs 

2. Link up your post!
Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

<div align="center"><a href="http://the-life-of-faith.blogspot.com//search/label/baby" title="The Life Of Faith"><img src="http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k537/faithkonrath/mommymomentsbutton.jpg" alt="The Life Of Faith" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!

11 Months!

Seriously? 11 months already? Do you mean to tell me that my little Bug will be a year old next month?! How is that even possible?! I really don't understand it.

weight: 21 lbs 11.5 oz       

height: 28 3/4 in 

eating: nursing 3-4 times a day and 3 meals of solids a day  

floor time: crawling, standing, getting into everything

happiness: she is normally such a happy baby, but unfortunately has gotten her first major sickness this month

loves: her mommy, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, peek-a-boo, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, music, standing, and eating

sleep: we're down to two naps a day and still sleeping through the night!

first word: MAMA! second word: DADA! third word: Moo

Poor thing has her first real sickness this month. Stupid RSV. It's been heartbreaking. But thankfully my girl is on the mend! And she's been taking her breathing treatments like a champ. I'm so proud of her.

We've been here there and everywhere it seems celebrating the holidays. We've been on the Christmas Train, up to South Carolina to celebrate the holiday with my grandparents, and everywhere in between. 

her first reaction to the Christmas tree as captured by the iPhone

I'm super excited to be celebrating Bug's first Christmas. She's loves all the decorations and ornaments. We've put "her" ornaments on the bottom and she loves taking them off and playing with them.

captured via iPhone

Dear Bug,

In one month we will say hello to our little one-year-old. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to tearing up a bit right now. You've grown up so fast and right before our eyes! I love watching your little personality develop! And girl, you've got yourself a BIG personality. You keep me and your daddy on our toes. This month we've been doing all things Christmas, and it has been so much fun to share it with you and start all these new traditions! We're so blessed to have you to share the season with. I'm doing my best to soak up every moment I can.  

Gitchee gitchee goo!

Mommy and Daddy

Christmas Card

This is my first year doing Christmas cards, but who could resist not doing them with this cutie?! I'm hoping to keep these going. There's something special about receiving a Christmas card in my opinion.

The picture is from my cousin's wedding. There was a little barn with Christmas lights, and I just couldn't help but capture the moment! I won't mention what we went through to get this picture, I'm just happy it turned out.

I knew I wanted to design the card and make it my own. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I ended up ordering them through Costco, and I just love the way they came out! In my opinion, they're perfect.

Linking up with the Christmas Card Carousel! Merry Christmas everyone! May your days be merry and bright!