Stephanie posted this on her blog a few weeks ago, and I had to try it.



It's a Status Cloud of your most used Facebook status words during the past year. I just LAUGHED at some of these, because it's so true- all of these words that make me. (and i was a little surprised i used them SO MUCH in my FB status! like: "Starbucks" and "Sam's"! Ha! ;)

If you follow Ali's Blog, you know about the "one little word" concept. It's that one word you adopt as your own for the new year. So much less daunting than a new years resolution, it's just one word. "Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2010? It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word." (Ali Edwards).

After much thought (ok not really, because it truly popped in my head because it's MUCH NEEDED) my one word for 2010 is BALANCE.

I think this is something every woman strives for- balance in your relationships (as a wife and a mother), balance in my relationship with God, balance in my own "ME" time, balance in my responsiblities- really, the list goes on. When something is not in balance EVERYTHING is off.

My goal in 2010 is to work on balancing the different aspects of my life. And to be honest with you, this is something I can not accomplish or even strive for without the Lord's direction. I am so GLAD that Resolutions are just that- Resolutions. He gives me a clean slate everyday. He is the fulcrum to this crazy balancing act we call life. So, with His help, i will work on Balancing the important aspects in my life. Putting everything in the proper place.

So, what is your one little word?

Christmas Recap

Weeks and Weeks of planning, shopping, and wrapping flew by in one short day, but OH what a day it was!

Our little family spent most of Christmas Eve Morning packing the car up with our gifts and clothes, and traveled 10 miles to my mom and dad's house! It's tradition! The one night each and every year where we ALL spend the night together under my parent's roof. I love it.

For as long as I can remember, our Christmas Eve tradition is to: 1. Go to a movie 2. Go to Christmas eve service at church 3. Go out to dinner. We went to Christmas Eve service on the night of the 23rd (and might I add that now our church is using glow sticks. Which i completely understand and applaud considering my family is in the insurance industry. However, it DOES take away from the ambiance when you look over and there are glow sticks hanging out of your daughter's nose.) Going to a movie is a little out of control with the kids, so for Christmas Eve we opted to just go out to dinner and come back to my parents. It was such a nice night to enjoy our time together as a family.



Todd and I with my brother Ben, and sister Annie.

Time for some "Reindeer Games"

One last look at the tree before bedtime

Jonah and Jordan in their annual Christmas Jammie picture

Christmas Morning. Jonah could hardly wait to round the corner to see what Santa left!

A New Kitchen!

You can buy her all the toys in the world but she loves little small toys to carry ALL over the house.

We always follow Christmas morning with a late lunch with the extended Conner Family. We pretty much repeat the Thanksgivings menu with no complaints :) A little fun fact about my family: we (being my parents and aunts and uncles) live next door to one another. And we own a family business together. This "togetherness" is a little uncommon but SO much fun. My cousins are pretty much siblings, as we grew up next door to one another, and my aunts and uncles are like second parents.

My sweet Jonah at the big family lunch- kindof blurry but i still love it

Cousins- (well, second cousins, but don't tell them, they don't know what that means ;)

Merry Christmas sweet friends! xoxo

"Jesus came to pay a debt he did not owe for those who owed a debt they could not pay." Max Lucado

Merry Christmas!!!

May your "hopes and fears of all the years be met in HIM tonight" (from "O Little Town of Bethlehem").

Merry Christmas!!
With Love, Todd, Jenni, Jonah, and Jordan Hufford

Proof

Proof that i am losing my mind:

Today I went to the grocery store without my kids. My mom stopped by and offered to watch them for a few minutes so that I could get a few things done. So, I am walking around the store with my cart and list, trying to go as fast as I can. I added a few things to my list (in my head), never a good thing. That always leaves me scattered and backtracking all over the store.

ANYWAY. Like I said, I was backtracking, and i ran into a close family friend and we stopped to talk. Being that tomorrow is Christmas Eve, she asked what i was baking for my family for Christmas. i pointed to my cart to show i was making homemade cinnamon rolls for christmas morning... except, the cart i pointed to WASN'T MINE. Let me say that again, THE CART I WAS PUSHING AROUND THE STORE WASN'T MINE. I was at a loss for words. I was pointing to a cart that was full of baked beans and celery. NO, I AM MAKING CINNAMON ROLLS! I have a cart full of eggs, flour, yeast, and milk- Where the heck did it go!? What happened to my cart and when did it pop out of my hands?!?!?! I was slightly freaking out to my friend and she laughed and told me she has done the same thing before. HA! So I guess it's a common thing to do during the holidays when you are at your whits end and your brain has turned into a Fa-La-La-La-La MUSH. Luckily my cart was a few aisles down so i grabbed it and played it cool.

WOW. Did that just happen?

I don't want to leave a post without pictures, So here are a few from the past few days. My mom and I took the kids to the Indiana State Museum to have lunch with their second cousins. They have no idea they are "Second" cousins because my cousin and I are more like sisters. Love that.


We had lunch at the LS Ayres Tea Room, Rode the Train, and Visited Santa.


This train has been running every Christmas Season for many many years. I remember riding it as a child. (and of course i had to ride it as an adult and take pics with my iphone- ha!)


Sweet Jonah had so much fun on the train, he was just fascinated.


I love the look of pure excitement on Charlotte's face (my cousins little girl). She was so wonderful with Jordan and held her hand ALL day.


And finally, a visit with Santa.

Is this who we've waited for?

I remember the first time I heard "How Many Kings" by Downhere was in the car last Christmas season. It's one of those songs you hear and it stops you in your tracks. I had to get that song immediately! Not only is the music amazing, the lyrics bring me to tears. I have been listening to it a lot this Christmas, and I knew I wanted to put the lyrics in a layout.

Truly, this is the message of Christmas, the message God has for each one of us. I just love the opening line "Follow the star to a place unexpected, would you believe after all we've projected, a Child in a manger?" It makes me think of how God works in such unexpected ways- no one thought the Savior would come as a baby, and born in barn, nonetheless. It makes me stop and think to look for opportunities to serve the Lord (or see Him working) in unexpected places.


Here is a video of the band playing the song and the lyrics are included below. Merry Christmas dear friends!

How Many Kings :
Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe, after all we've projected,
A child in a manger?
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother's shawl -
Just a child -
Is this who we've waited for? 'cause...

How many kings step down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior
All that we have, whether costly or meek
Because we believe.
Gold for his honor, and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he will suffer
Do you believe?
Is this who we've waited for?

All for me...
All for you...

Just for the Fun of it

Things have been sooooo crazy and busy at our house as we prepare for Christmas, much like everyone else! Today both of my kiddos went to Preschool/Mothers Day Out for 5 hrs- (ahh love mondays:) I got a few errands done, came home, and instead of tackling my long list of to-do's, all i wanted to do was scrap, so i did.


Used Studio Calico Homefront and Marketplace Kits, Sassafras papers, and ELLE'S STUDIO tags! Yay so fun to play around with Elle's Studio goodies- so thrilled to be designing for them in 2010!

Don't you just love Elle's "note" tags and calendar tags? I think they are so fun! They just make me happy!

I've been wanting to scrap this sweet picture of Jonah from Halloween for sometime, and today was the day. Just recently we were listening to Blue's Traveler "Hook" and i knew i wanted to use that song as part of this layout since Jonah is dressed as Peter Pan.

Here is the journaling: "One of my favorite songs, Blues Travelers "Hook". It's all about the one that one thing that brings you back... "It's what made the Pan refuse to grow". I can see it now at only 3 1/2 years old- your hook will be music. You just love it. You are fascinated by it. You love to sing along to songs, listen to songs, and even catch on to the lyrics pretty quick! Does this surprise me? Not at all ---> you are just like your daddy when it comes to music. I hope you continue to develop your love for music sweet Jonah Bear! I will always listen!"

I hope you are having a great Monday friends! And I hope you are carving time out of the hustle and bustle to be creative! : )

The Story of the Ornaments

If you read my post about the story of our Christmas Tree you may have noticed that 1) i mentioned a few hundred times i am obsessed with ornaments, and 2) the picture i shared of my tree was lacking of said obsession. Hence, this post, the story of the ornaments.

Since Todd and I got married in 2002, i have really enjoyed collecting ornaments that document special moments in our lives. In our 7 years of marriage, we have welcomed two babies, traveled across the globe, and experienced wonderful (and even hard) times together as a family. I enjoy collecting these little documentations of our lives and hanging them on our Christmas Tree year after year. I always look forward to unpacking the ornament boxes and revisiting and remembering these tangible memories that are so important to us as a family.


So, here they are - a few of my favorite ornaments on the Hufford Christmas Tree. Don't worry, I won't bore you with a picture of EVERY ornament on our tree (although i am tempted- ha) but i wanted to share a few of my favorites and the stories behind them....

Hula Santa. I believe this is the very first ornament Todd and I ever bought together as a married couple. Our honeymoon was in Hawaii during December of 2002, which is where i bought this Santa... at the Hapuna Prince Hotel on the Big Island. :)

This bride ornament was given to me by my flower girl on our first Christmas (todd and i were married in Nov so we were VERY newlyweds our first Christmas!:) I always think of sweet Hannah (who is todd's god-parents granddaughter) every year when i look at this ornament!

Right after Todd and I got married my parents left for a vacation of their own (which i think is hilarious- isn't that OUR job as newly weds???) and went to none other than DISNEY WORLD! ha! (they loved telling their friends they were "going to Disney World" at our wedding reception!) They gave us this beautiful ornament (from Disney World) on our first Christmas together as a married couple. It is filled with a cinnamon potpourri, and seven years later it still smells amazing!

There isn't much of a story behind this hand painted angel ornament other than I bought it during our first Christmas and i think she is beautiful. Can you believe I found it at Pier One Imports?

This ornament is very special to us as a family. Joey, who is the grandson of Todd's godparents (and is a brother to Hannah- my flower girl) had a heart transplant during the summer of 2002. He was 7 years old at the time. Todd and I were at the lake house with Joey and his family when they got the call for his heart transplant. What an amazing, beautiful, scary, and indescribable time. He is a healthy and active teenager today- living proof of our amazing God! When his sweet mom gave me this ornament, I knew I would cherish it forever.

My Sweet Jonah- Bear and his first Christmas Ornament! I just want to cry when i look at this picture and see his sweet little face. He looks SO LITTLE in this picture- and it sort of seems like a long time ago- Nooo!!!! Time sure flies and I am so glad I captured this moment and made an ornament (thank you Pottery Barn Kids) to document this special Christmas (2006)!

Speaking of first ornaments- we also have Todd's first Christmas ornament hanging on our tree (1977!) I LOVE IT!

AND... i must include Jordan's. Last year when we took a family trip to Disney World, I just HAD to get the same ornament (that todd and i have for our first christmas) for Jordan for her First Christmas. I just think this ornament is SO elegant and sweet- and not too Disney-ish! ;) And the potpourri scent is just amazing.

The story behind this ornament is so special and sweet. Growing up, Todd's mother, Ann, was coined "the Midnight Visa Queen" as she would always purchase items in the wee hours of the evening (or morning)... and this was even before the internet! ha! Sadly, Todd and Nikki's mother passed away in 1998. I am very sad that I (and Jonah and Jordan) never had the opportunity to know her.

On Jonah's first Christmas, Aunt Nikki gave him this sweet ornament. On the back was written "Truely from Grandma Ann- as she bought this at some point. I found it with the price tag still on it. 2006" I believe it was always meant to be Jonah's first ornament from his Grandma Ann.

Indeed, ornaments are special in our family. A way to document, remember, and celebrate the good times, and yes, even the difficult times in our lives. A way to hang these memories upon a tree and to thank Jesus for the gifts and trials that have drawn us closer to Him. Merry Christmas Sweet Friends!

December Daily ... 1-3

I love my December Daily album, however, I have discovered it can be a bit challenging to keep up on the daily entries! I AM keeping up with my daily photos, but I am a little bit behind in printing the pics and journaling. I have SO enjoyed reading Ali Edwards blog and what she does (and changes) in her December Daily. MAN i can't WAIT to meet her next September in Greece! : )

Here is Day 1 (with the overlay):

Day 1:

I documented the "Story of the Tree" on December 1st. Even though we didn't cut down our tree on this day, i thought this would be the perfect opportunity to tell the story of our tree. Actually, I unpacked the ornaments on Dec 1st, which is a story of it's own...


Day 2:

I love this page- it's nothing special, just a normal day that happened to be in December. We had our annual Wednesday night dinner at my mom and dad's house (that is where the pic of Jonah is taken) and then we came home, and todd and jonah watched the entire Straight No Chaser concert on PBS together. LOVED it!

Day 3:

On Thurs Dec 3 we took Jordan to see her Doctor- she had an ear infection and had to get her first antibiotic EVER (pretty good at 22 months!) So I put a pic of Amoxicillin in the album (we eventually discovered she is allergic to it! yuk!) I hope to get caught up with December Daily over the weekend!

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So, on a different note, I want to share a few pics from TODAY!

I keep my dear friend's little girl on thursdays. She is 6 weeks older than Jordan and they are the best of friends (and sometimes act more like sisters than friends- ha!)

I just love watching Jordan develop friendships- (and i love seeing Claire's smiling face run through our front door ever Thursday morning!!!! :)

I hope you are having a wonderful December!

Winner

Random.org chose #13 as my GIVEAWAY WINNER!!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 13

Jocelyn said...

how fun is that?! those are too cool!!!

December 2, 2009 5:00 PM

Congrats Jocelyn!!! Email me (jlhufford at conneragency dot com) your address and you will get these in the mail soon!!!

PS thanks to everyone who entered : )

Vintage, Christmas, & Cupcakes (oh my!)

Todd had to work today, and i HAD to get out of the house. So my mom and I packed up Jonah and Jordan and headed to the Flying Cupcake, my favorite little vintage Cupcake Shop in Indy. The smells and the sights are enough to make anyone smile! And it was especially fun to see it decorated for Christmas. I just adore this little gem of a place. Here are a few pics I took... Enjoy!

My two little sweeties enjoying their sweets.

Me with my kiddos

The window display was to die for!
Christmas Vintage + Sugary Sweets = happiness

Reindeer Cake Topper

Hi Santa

Jonah loved his cupcake!

Go Colts! 11-0!!!!!!! Beat the Titans!

Love this Christmas-y Vignette

My sweet little Jordan has been suffering from an ear infection
and fever since Wed. ---> (hence why we had to get out of the house!)
She finally felt better today, and no fever- i am sure the cupcake helped!

Love this.

My mom with J&J. They just adore her.

One last thing.... don't forget to enter my House of Peltier Pearl Earrings give-away here-- i will draw one winner tomorrow evening 10:00 pm (EST)!