It's that time of year again....

Wondering what's up with this photo?

Click here to read more about it!

(And yes, I know I haven't blogged since January...

busy times around here friends, busy times!)

List-making, planning and more...

There's something about January and just sets me off on a planning tangent. I'm a list maker by nature, anyway....but I love a fresh, clean calendar and a whole year of clean pages sets me off with ideas, dreams, lists and plans.

Remember last year how I booked our summer vacation in January?

Well, I'm at it again. We're in the works for planning another fun, family vacation full of relatives, friends, several cities and some beach time.

Hm....what's next? Menu planning, home improvement ideas, freelance business development, craft projects with E....

Gotta love January's fresh, new start! Happy New Year!

Chugga, Chugga, Choo Choo...

There's been a whole lot of this going

on at our house since Christmas....

Love it!

Glam girl...

E got glasses today!

She looks so stinkin' cute...

and so very much older!

A bittersweet moment for this momma!

Christ the Savior is Born!

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,

The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,

But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky

And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,

And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there

Crawford Christmas letter - 2010 edition!

Every year, we seem to get busier and busier! The days go faster and faster, the to-do list is never ending, the calendar is always full...but through it all, we give thanks to God for His grace and for sending His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to take away our sins. What an amazing gift!

E is now four and continues to fill our lives with light and joy! She started a new pre-Kindergarten class at our church this fall and adores her teacher and classmates. She is reading (yes, already!) and loves the going to the library, reading all kind of books, drawing, crafts, playing outside, cooking and doing jobs with Mommy and all kinds of dramatic play. She also discovered board games this year and often sits down with one of her stuffed animals or dolls so they can "play" together (yes, she spins and moves for everyone....so cute!) She also loves church and singing and can often be found paging through our hymnal, reciting the liturgy or picking out and singing her favorite songs or parts of the service.

In June, we traveled with my parents to Perdido Key, Florida - it was E's first trip to the beach! We stayed in a beautiful condo right on the water. Despite the looming threat of this summer's Gulf oil spill, we enjoyed a fantastic vacation that yielded many wonderful family memories. E developed a passion for building sand castles and playing miniature golf, and we all enjoyed relaxation and family time together.

Three days after returning from our Florida trip, we again packed our bags and headed to Austin for the wedding of a dear family friend, then traveled on to San Antonio for hubby's annual family reunion. It was a whirlwind trip full of good friends, dear family, great food and all kinds of fun....but after that, we were ready to get home and stay home for a while! The rest of the summer we laid low - we needed to rest and recover!

In October, we enjoyed a bed-and-breakfast getaway in nearby Grapevine to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Our fun weekend included touring and tastings at several wineries, shopping in the city's old downtown area, shopping at a local outlet mall and quiet times together. During our excursion, E enjoyed her first sleepover at Gramma and Grampa's - she totally loved it and can't wait to do it again soon!

Hubby continues to work in a physical therapist position for a contract therapy company - an opportunity that places him in different assignments across the Metroplex. We are thankful for his steady employment and opportunities that this position provides. He also continues to serve in a variety of positions at our church, something that allows him to fellowship with amazing mentors and to provide service to our congregation.

I continue to enjoy the opportunity to do freelance public relations and writing work from home, while also focusing on being a stay-at-home Mom. It's a constant balancing act full of challenges and struggles, but the flexibility is a blessing! I also enjoy being involved with E's class at school, and am always trying something new...whether testing new recipes, exploring new crafts, blogging or reading.

We said goodbye this week to our almost-20-year-old kitty Victoria, who gave in to kidney failure on Monday. She had been the picture of kitty health since her "near death" scare late last year. We will miss our sweet fur baby. But, E has already asked when we can get a new kitty - I have a feeling that will be happening in the near future!

We have so much to be thankful for! We look forward to 2011 with grateful hearts.

Annual tradition: Grandmome's cheese log

Hubby's mom always used to make this tasty snack for us when we'd go to visit. Holidays, summertime, anytime - this stuff is so good. It's a little different than the normal, standard "cheese ball" - the pecans are mixed in, instead of the cheese ball/log being rolled in the nuts. But it all works. The original recipe called for this to be served with strawberry preserves on the side (as an additional dip or spread?) but all of us always think that is weird, so we never do it. Let me know if you try it that way!

Grandmome's Cheese Log

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. sharp cheddar cheese
1 sm. onion, peeled
1 c. pecans, chopped
2/3 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. red pepper

Grate cheese (if not already shredded) and onion. Add pecans, mayonnaise and seasoning until blended. Shape mixture into a ring, log or ball on a serving platter. (Or, if you're the lazy owner of this blog, pack it into a bowl and just tell you guests to scoop it out with a knife later. It still tastes good, promise!) Chill several hours. Fill center of ring with strawberry preserves, if desired. Serve with crackers.