goodbye to a very good year...

This morning I vacuumed up the last of the pine and fir needles that have been hanging
around here on tabletops and carpets and  putting
everything back where it had been before the Christmas decor
took it's place.
I never know how putting away the holiday decor will effect me.
Some years I can't wait to get it all boxed back up and other years I drag my feet
because I want to hold on a bit longer.

We had a wonderful Christmas
 as a family, and hope that you all did as well.


(the photos in this post have nothing to do with my writing,
but are a few things I snapped around the studio yesterday)

I spent most of New Year's day thinking about the how the past year had flown by and  

found myself missing it. 

2011 was a good year for us.

So many good things came our way over the past year.

And if you don't count the two little bumps in the road I had with my health, it was full 

of good changes.

My husband's retirement from his career in law enforcement being one of them.
He feels  lucky that because of his career choice,
he was able to retire at the age of 57.
I love having him home, and he is enjoying the fact that he has more time to
work with and ride his horses.
It's much like when we farmed and had the dairy years ago.
 I loved having him just outside the door
to come in for meals and to take the children out to feed the animals with him.

Two beloved family members who had lived good long lives left us during 2011.

My father-in-law and a beloved aunt.

I am thankful for the good lives they lived and how they impacted the lives of my family.

It is always difficult to lose them, and yet it is part of life, and I just feel blessed to have
had them in my life.

My children have all had good health and safety this past year---
something I never take for granted and pray for every day,
as I know all you do for yours.

I have a daughter and son-in-law who adopted two boys (ages 3 and  4) this year,
who brought the total of grandchildren to nine.
One of the best gifts that came to us in 2011!

This is a picture of my daughter Kimberlee and I  at Christmas when she was 2.

I would be remiss if I did not say how much
I feel blessed for every year I have to spend with my sweet Landon.
What a gift it is to spend my days seeing his smile, hearing his laughter and caring for him.
The richness of life this child has brought to me really can't be
written and expressed in words here.

I remember when I first thought of writing a blog, it was to be
a blog to connect with other mom's of children with Angelman Syndrome and to
 educate others about the little known syndrome.

I laugh about the v-e-r-y wide turn my blog has taken from it's first intention,
but because I am home every day, I have a passion for
making my home and garden a comfortable and peaceful place for
Landon and I to spend our days together.
Before I started blogging myself, I was always drawn to blogs that showed beautiful
interiors, great DIY projects and artists who could create art from things that
had been forgotten and discarded. I felt inspired by them and could see that
they were influencing me to use my skills and love of rescuing old and vintage items
to create art for my own home.
 They made my sometimes boring and harder days
interesting and satisfied my craving for beauty.
And then when I started blogging myself, I was able to connect with
 others who had the same longing.
To find more beauty and friendship
in a world that isn't always
friendly or beautiful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Several weeks ago I won two giveaways and I wanted to share
the things I won in this post.

The first giveaway was Trisha's from the lovely
blog Glass Slippers and all Sorts of Stuff.

I have been a follower of Trisha's blog since I found her.

Trisha is another Idaho girl and I just found out she lives in the same town my sister
lives, so I am hoping to meet her sometime this Summer
 when I visit my sister.

She made these beautiful Eiffel tower ornaments from playing cards for Christmas
and I won three of them for my own tree.
I love them Trisha!!!

I am looking forward to seeing you sometime this Summer Trisha.

Maybe we could go shopping at a couple of our favorite Boise antique/junk shops
when we meet?

My next giveaway win is from Carola at Boxwood Cottage.
When I entered her giveaway I think I kept my fingers crossed the whole time
that I was waiting to hear who the winner was.

  When I heard I was the winner, I was, to say the least, very excited.
Carola's blog was one of the first blogs I found when I started following blogs.
I was instantly in love with her house and garden.

Carola is an artist, and it shows in every room of her house.
Her garden is amazing.
Her artwork too.

Her giveaway was the two magazines in the photo below. Her home is featured
in the Casa Chic Brocantage, and it is a gorgeous layout.
Twelve pages of photos of her home and garden.
Every page is full of beauty.

And if the magazines weren't enough, Carola made this beautiful soldered ornament for me and the
Christmas card and little angel ornament.
One of the many things I have always admired of Carola's are her soldered ornaments.
Now I have one of my own!
The magazine is in a language I can't read, but the pictures speak louder than words.



Thank you so much Carola!
I love the magazines and am so thankful for the lovely extras you made for me.

Below are some photos I took of Carola's feature.
I know you will enjoy them.

This is a photo of her gorgeous studio.

 Wishing you all a joy-filled 2012!!!!
A little late, but with all my heart!