a whole year (almost)

Wow--this has been a really fast year. So much going on! So much excitement and goings-on and goings-to! It has been fun to have this blog as a way to share our family happenings with you all, and also to give me a space to think and reflect as God has been getting my attention in all sorts of ways to continue to shape me into a better mommy, wife, home-maker, Queen, etc.

Maybe you have noticed some little changes to the blog, maybe not. For one, I added the photos and nicknames of the kids to the sidebar, after seeing the idea on another blog and liking the effect. I was getting tired of always just using the kids' initials to refer to them--I figured it was harder for people to keep track of who I was talking about, and I would find myself adding explanatory details, like "baby E" or "eldest daughter G," etc. just to get across enough information to make my point understandable. So this way not only do I get to show off my beautiful family--sans husband, that part of the story in a moment--I also am introducing the "characters" on the blog so it is easier for readers to understand who is doing what and to/with whom.

All the kids' nicknames came separately, which is what makes them so cool. G has such an enthusiasm for life and a huge, sunny smile, and I always called her "my ray of sunshine." When we first named newborn M, I knew her nickname would be "Merry," and she has grown into it perfectly. And then when B was born, she used to do the cutest little dance when she was bouncing in the exersaucer, rhythmically bouncing from one foot to the other, bonk-bonk, bonk-bonk, bonk-bonk. I started calling her "Happy Feet," which natually shortened to "Happy." And then when E was first old enough to start interacting with his big sisters, G named him "Smiley," which also suits him just right.

And I adopted "Blessed" for myself a few years back, and have really enjoyed the positive daily reminder of who I am in Christ. (That's BLESS-ed, in case anyone has been wondering.)

So I wondered if I should post a photo of DH (dear husband) D, with a similar nickname. Except that he does not have such a nickname. Well, except the one that came to mind almost immediately:
You see, D brought into the marriage an oversized 80's sweatshirt with "Grumpy" and this image. So I used to jokingly call him that sometimes when he was, well, grumpy. Which I am sure he appreciated, the humor and all. The sweatshirt did not make it through the culling of goods before our move to CA, but I guess the moniker lives on. Because that same night I had that thought about D's nickname, I laughingly asked him to guess the only nickname that had popped into my mind.

After a moment, he grudgingly offered, "Grumpy?"

And then the next day the girls admired the new look of my blog with their photos, and asked why Daddy's picture wasn't there. I explained, and then asked, "Well, do you think Daddy has a nickname?"

And G thought for a very brief moment, and then inquired with a little quizzical smile, "Grumpy?"

ANYWAY, pics are just one of the changes I made recently. I also added some new categories (which you can access under the "labels" section on the sidebar) for my blog posts, which reflect some aspects of our life that I will be purposefully blogging about this year. A couple of categories I am excited about: small space living, frugal living, green living. I won't promise to have all that much to say in these areas, but they reflect some of my purposeful lifestyle choices/changes/goals, so I hope you enjoy the new discoveries I make.

And finally, the last change is to my bio. As you may have noticed, it is WAY longer than it was. I realized, as I have done a lot of blog-hopping while nursing Smiley this year, that a brief, generic bio does not help give a reader an idea of what to expect from the blog, and it seemed like a good idea to give any newcomers dropping by (there have been a few) an immediate sense of who I am as the author, so they can pick up the gist of things before they start reading. In particular, I realized that it might be helpful to mention the size of our house because, well, like I said, it really does change everything. Anything I say about putting kids to bed (my next post!), or having company, or kids acting up, or homeschooling, etc. changes when you realize the space logistics we are working with.

It also seems like a good idea to have a really long bio so no unexpecting newcomer is overwhelmed when they delve into their first long-winded post. Lets 'em know right up front what they are getting into.

So, my dear readers, thanks for sticking with me this past year, and being so patient and supportive in this venture. The actual anniversary date of this blog is Jan. 21st, so please come visit that day, if you can, for a giveaway and my first official Anti-Lurker Day!