lil bit

 Internet has been restored! Hooray! Here is a lot of random shots of our life recently.

 I made a yukon gold and rosemary pizza that was good the first night but blog-worthy the next day when I sauteed it in a pan with too much butter. Mind. Blown.

 When we moved from Idaho we had to leave the Christmas decorations with Ellen because there was no room. She brought them up to us in time for this Christmas. It was great to rediscover all of our stuff. It was equally satisfying to drag out all the homemade things from last year's broke Christmas. I made that garland for $2 and I think it is my favorite.

 Kaleb is playing the violin! I don't believe I've mentioned this yet. He is very serious about it. He has spent weeks working on all the mechanics and now we are able to hear him play actual songs. Ahh, proud Mama moment.

 A fantastic local spot called Meander's just moved even closer to our home. Matt and I enjoy a good breakfast date while all the kiddies are at school. Anyone else, going nuts this winter break? :/

 A nearby church put on a live nativity. The boys were entertained for roughly 3 minutes, but then again, Mary was texting and the shepherds were freaking out about the smell. ("It's pooping- ewwww" Yes, animals do that.)

 Matt and I went out with friends and I literally dusted off a dress for the occasion. A serious call to more dates and getting out of my yoga pants in the new year. Or consigning the dresses so I can buy more yoga pants....

 I still try to capture all boys in a picture with eyes on me and smiles. This one was close.

 Our real estate agent and friend took us boating around Lake Union. We all continue to thoroughly enjoy the beauty of the place we live. Slowly we are meeting wonderful people to share those experiences with, or in this case, share something with us.

I wondered if the boys we past the Santa hat picture this year. Guess not.

best of 2012

 We Instagrammed.

 We said, "good-bye."

 We said, "hello."

 There were the first broken Archuleta bones.

 And Washington plates on the van.

 There were, haircuts, and loose teeth, and nose bleeds.

 We tried new things.

 We moved.

 There were nephews.

 We snuck away for short dates.

 We DIY-ed.

 There were birthdays.

And there was the everyday.

 There were swim lessons.

 And a wedding dress.

 And public school.

We explored our city.

 We learned.

 We loved.

 We cheered.

crafty

 A few recent creative endeavors. I followed this tutorial for a felt wreath and it made for easy, mindless crafting while watching Grey's Anatomy Season 3.

 I spotted this 3 pack of ribbon at the thrift store for $2.99. It made for some lovely brown paper packages all tied up with string.

My favorite, a spray-painted cheese dome (also thrifted) with a forest scene glue-sticked to the base. I guess they have fake snow at the craft store, I think I'll add some of that eventually.

Also, I made the paper rosettes from this post with this easy tutorial and then added some recycled Christmas cards from last year to the center.

Merry Craft-mas and Happy 2013, Friends!

for the grandparents

 Before the fun.

 And after. I promise this is Parker's "I love it!" face, same as his mom.

 See, same face.

Thanks Poppa Ken and Grammy Annie. We're spoiled brats and we know it :)

lights, camera, action

A couple points of note; do not try this at home. But if you do, make sure to capture it on video as Kaleb did with his iPad. Also, my man has embraced flannel. Cue the heavens opening and angel chorus.

a post for Megan

A very stylish and crafty friend of mine asked for a post on Christmas decor at Casa Archuleta. A day late, Merry Christmas, Megan!

 

There were also lights on the house this year, groundbreaking! So that will have its own post.

Decorating the trees this year was a bit different. The boys were ready the day after Thanksgiving to drag it all out and get to it. But I hesitated. The house is stacked with piles. Piles of "donate," piles of "clean," and piles of just plain old "trash," (Seriously, I have some hoarding tendencies.) So there wasn't room for Christmas decorations. I took awhile to purge and then we decorated.

   We did this funny thing where we took our kids out into the forest when they were babies to cut down our own Christmas tree. (I actually nursed them in the snow!) Now that they all are out of diapers and can walk about unassisted, we have fake trees. There are four small trees that Ellen passed down to us. In other words; FREE. Trying to be frugal seems spiritually appropriate, you know, the Reason for the Season, it's not about you and all that.  But not culturally, no the world says they are only little once, and Christmas should be magical! (it really is all about you) The sad truth is I usually choose to be spiritually poor rather than actually poor which makes me shuck and jive until the budget balances, would I have that kind of passion when it comes to the state of my heart.

Like the song says; PREPARE HIM ROOM But there is no room. With all the complaining and coping and frustration, there is just not room for advent, for the waiting and the welcoming and the expectancy. And it is okay. It is okay because forcing the meaningful is meaning-less. And I found this quote:

“Because sometimes in the waiting for what we long for, we praise God long when the gift comes at long last. Sometimes God has his people wait long, so our gratitude becomes deeper and wider.” – Ann Voskamp, The Jesse Tree Journey

That stirred in me hope. I am not sure if there will still be Christmas songs on the radio or lights strung about my neighborhood when I get there but my heart will have room.