Capture December: Catchup!

I lost complete track of Capture December once the holiday break began, so here is my shoddy best effort at playing catchup and making it to the finish line !

Day 22: Tradition

A few days before Christmas, Ashlynn, Ailey, Mariah, and I realized we had not participated in our Christmas cookie tradition! These women are among my very favorite in the world. I am beyond grateful to God for bringing Ashlynn, the best friend/sister a girl could ever have, into my life all those years ago. Which in turn, gave me the opportunity to get to watch Ailey and Mariah grow into the exceptional women they have become. 

Day 23: Scarf

Thank you Mrs. Emily for my new favorite scarf!

Day 24: Favorite Part of Christmas Eve 

The best part of this year's Christmas was that the hubs had Christmas Eve off from work! I love that we were able to spend this holiday together. 

Day 25: Morning 

I certainly do love that nephew of mine; Let me take a selfie! #alinconinhisnaturalenvironment

Day 26: Grateful 

The Fitz family home has a new addition...a treadmill! Thanks Mom and Dad!

Day 27: Night Time

Night time driving is a part of the holiday season!

Day 28: Words 

This is the best description of the first week of Holiday Break! 
Day 29 and 30 didn't happen...

Day 31: Fun

New Year's Eve consisted of dinner with friends, followed by a rousing game of boys vs. girls Pictionary! Cheers!

Classic Date December: Dinner and Lights

2014 was a year of change, but a different type of change than before. 2014 was filled with inner change, inner peace, and finding the joy in life.

Adam and I started this year off in a rough place. He had just returned from the Police Academy to a wife who couldn't find joy in her job and had no desire to be living in small town Iowa. We had somehow lost our ability to communicate with one another, let alone the ability to truly date one another. Dating your spouse sounds a little strange, but in my opinion, it is the best way to keep your relationship in a healthy place.

Twelve months later, Adam and I are in a better place than we have ever been. It fills my heart with felicity to know how far we have come. While it is not always easy, we both know that open communication is the cornerstone of our marriage, and no matter what may come our way, we will face it together.

Which brings me to our "classic" December date for the 12 Dates for Christmas. When Adam opened the last envelope of 2014, this is what he found.

DECEMBER

One year ago, I was missing you terribly. You were almost home from the Academy (still proud of you by the way), and all I could think of was how to celebrate having my husband back.  I hope this year of dates has been the wonderful gift of time I had imagined! Though right now, I bet you are giving me that scrunch faced, “Not so much” look just to tease me…but I’m not phased…I LOVE you!

We’re going to round this year off by going to one of your favorites for dinner, followed by Christmas light gazing. Here is to many more dates to come! 

Included with the note was a gift card for Biaggi's, a restaurant Adam loves, but is a little out of our everyday date night budget. He was pretty darn excited!

The food was delicious, and we even skipped sugar free and opted for dessert. Yum!  We decided to forgo big Christmas gifts this year (stockings only), and instead plan six months of dates for 2015. Therefore, we rounded the evening off by stopping at Target with a $30 spending limit to shop for stocking stuffers. I went over budget...oops! Adam made it with pennies to go. But it was for Christmas, so I couldn't help myself.

 We were so excited about our purchases that we immediately put on our footie pajamas when we were home and exchanged stockings. No one can say we are normal, but we sure do have fun!

Overall, these 12 dates have been the most incredible "gift of time" for our happy home. Cheers to continuing the tradition in 2015!

Love.

Good Times Jar

There are periods of every person's life where they realize a focus on the joys has taken a backseat to a focus on the frustrations. Things sneak up, build up, and eventually those little pleasures are forgotten.

But aren't those little things what really make life amazing?

Yesterday, Adam worked an overnight shift, got home around 6:30AM, and then had to be back up for court by 8:30AM. He was hoping for a short session, but four hours later, he still wasn't home. To be honest, I was expecting a bucket full of crabby husband when he made it back, but that wasn't the case.

In to our home bounded a jovial, light on his feet chap instead! He spun me around, hugged me close, and told me, "My life is wonderful! I have an amazing wife, a beautiful home, a career I have always wanted, and an annoying cat." (Poor PP, he didn't mean it!) His sentiments reminded me that I was not off track in the crafty creation I had been working on while he was gone...

Good Times Jar

I'm not sure where I saw this the first time, but I know Pinterest had a hand in it. The idea is to have a place to keep all your precious joys throughout the year, to be opened on the following New Year's Eve. It helps to refocus your family on how many good things really do happen in the span of a year.

With the help of a little Modge Podge and glitter, transforming a few leftover from the wedding mason jars into Good Times Jars was easy as pie. Plus, I now have glitter all over my living room...sorry honey!

Start by taping off the design you would like on your jar. I made a few half dipped and a few total glitter glories! Then it is a simple as painting on some Modge Podge and sprinkling fine glitter on top.  For a little something extra, I painted the lids with chalkboard paint and made a little label.

This project started as a way for Adam and I to make our own happy tradition, but it ended up being an inexpensive (yet totally cute!) gift for a few good friends. I'm even thinking about giving to a couple who's wedding we are celebrating this weekend (I'll include a little cash of course ;-)).

So what do you think? Is this a project that could help you remember those amazing little things? Those things that add up to great, big joys?

Happy New Year, everyone!

Week Three: Capture December

Day 17: Presents

We are continuing the tradition! Both of us agree that the 12 Dates for Christmas was one of the best things we could have ever done for our marriage, so we see no reason to stop now!

Day 18: Stockings

These were our stockings for a majority of the season. They are cute, but I wanted something a little different...

So, I took advantage of Target's 30% off sale and bought these cuties! Adam isn't a huge fan, but he knows they make me smile. Imagine them with sparkly initial pins next year!

Day 19: Candy Cane

A candy cane candle works, right?

Day 20: Tree Topper

This is my favorite, of all time, tree topper...the only problem? It is too heavy for a tree...

Day 21: Peace 

I was feeling a little sassy for this day :-) 

November Date

I'm running behind on these updates, but the year of dates has almost come to a close! November has always been a busy month for Adam and I, so when I was planning this month's envelope, an at home date seemed perfect.

NOVEMBER

Happy Birthday month to US! 

I’m sure we will not lack for dates and 

special nights this month, so I thought we 

could do something a bit more low key. Wii 

together game night! I’m entering your 

gaming realm, and I hope you’ll teach me a 

thing or two. Who knows, maybe I’ll have 

beginners luck and kick your tuckus ;-)

With both of our birthdays, I knew finding a free day would be hard. However, it was even tougher than imagined. Three separate occasions were planned and passed on before our Wii Night adventure came to pass the afternoon before Thanksgiving.

Mario and Sonic 2012 London Olympics was decided upon, and we geared up for a few hours of wine, competitive spirits, and many fits of laughter (namely when I tried to throw a discus!). I can understand why gaming is such a huge industry. While we played our 60 minutes, everything else in the world melted away. We even decided to go old school and play some Big Town Shootout after Adam won the gold medal.

If you are unfamiliar with Big Town Shootout, take a moment to imagine Duck Hunt guns in a wild west setting. So easy, yet so hard!

Wii date night + the joy of Thanksgiving break + my rocking fake gun skills + Adam's smile = one fantastic November date!

Week Two: Capturing December

Day 8: Ornaments

Day 9: Something You're Reading

The life of a teacher...though we are having quite a good time solving the mystery!

Day 10: Wrapping Paper 

Day 11: Green

Again, the life of a teacher. One of my student's coded this tractor. He has since added many more details!

Are we seeing a theme? My students are working hard to finalize their golf courses before break!

Day 12: A Beautiful Sight 

The School House is the most beautiful place at Christmas!

Day 13: Tradition and Friends

I am a sucker for tradition! I have loved Hunter Bros. Tree Farm since high school, and this year I was able to share it with new friends!  Miss Emily has been visiting for the last seven years, but this was a first for Andrea and Lindsay. It was a GREAT day!

And that great day was followed by a pretty fun ugly sweater party. 

Day 14: Christmas Tree

Day 15: My Favorite Christmas Song

This isn't my favorite rendition, but I love this song! Happy Holidays! 

Grief

A young man, a former student, a brother, and a son suffered a brain aneurysm a few days ago and within hours, passed away .

Erik was one of those students who exuded life. I only taught him briefly, as he wasn't in my third grade room back at Sacred Heart, but his family was present all around the school.  He lived his Catholic faith. He was one of the students who gave me faith that the Catholic Church had a future. I am sure Tuesday evening was spent pouring out prayers from all who knew Erik, but soon we found out God had called him to Heaven.

The strange thing is, he was not a student that I kept track of after leaving SHS. Other than the occasional update from teachers still at the school, my path had a very slim chance of ever crossing his again. Yet, I have been struggling with the news. The smallest things will remind me of his passing, my heart will break (yet again) for his family and friends, and before I know it, I am choking back tears.  

He was only twenty years old. He was too young to take his journey, though there is no doubt he is an amazing angle.

When tragedies such as this happen, I always come to the same conclusion; hug your family tight, remind them that they are loved, and thank God every day for the goodness in your world.

Live your life with intention, purpose, and passion.

Rest in peace young man. For in this world, you will be missed.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26