Lucy!!

So, in all my blogginess, I haven't even posted about a pretty big change that occurred in our family recently.  We have an English intern staying with us for 6 months.  Her name is Lucy and she is a super sweet girl who has come to us from Hope Church in Orpington, UK.  She's here to intern at the church, to learn to be a worship leader and maybe get some songwriting tips...and in her spare time, to be a big sister to our kiddos and a fun part of our lives.  We are loving having her here so far!

Waiting for baggage claim at MSO, just after she arrived

a new semester

A new school semester began today!  I am excited and nervous.  I'm taking library administration, and am very excited for the class, but a little nervous as to how it's going to add to the already hectic schedule around here!  It's one step closer to being done, though!!  Which is wonderful!

Organization projects

I've been an organizing fool around here!  It's so fun, although I'm not so organized that I've been taking before and after shots or anything like that.  Today, however, I organized my closet, (and got rid of a TON of stuff), my dresser drawer, my filing drawer, our business documents, and have been shredding papers like a mad-woman! In some ways, it feels like I've been in a mess for a few weeks now, but my 52 weeks of organization list is being checked off at a pace that is faster than one per week, and that tells me that my mess is progressing from mess to marvelous!!  For the first time EVER, I'm prepared for my paper organization for the coming year, with file folders already labeled and everything!  I'm so excited!!  I've begun working on reorganizing my "Kid paper" storage, but need to have time to go looking for some large binders.

These two blogs have been inspiring me, check them out if you get a chance!

www.abowlfulloflemons.blogspot.com
www.iheartorganizing.blogspot.com

Here's to a happy and organized home in 2011!!

Mrs. Meek

{Birthday month}

January is the month of birthdays for us.  It all begins with my cousin, on January 9 (he is 30 this year!).  On the 16th, we have mine, followed quickly by my friend Renee on the 21st, my neice on the 22nd, my cousin's daughter on the 25th, Jon on the 26th, and Michaela on the 30th!  It is a crazy time, but so much fun!  I love birthdays!! 

Speaking of birthdays, I got 2 new pairs of shoes for mine!  Did I mention that I love birthdays?

A great idea!!

Ok, I'm going to have to try this!  My friend Jami just refinished some bar stools, and it's very similar to something I've been looking to do in my kitchen.  I have just one bar stool, and am looking to get more.  Her idea is so cute, that I just had to share it!  I guess I'll be looking for some used bar stools at garage sales this summer.

Some new stuff

As you can see, I've changed the layout of the blog again.  I've also added a page that I'm calling, "My Montana Kitchen."  You will find some of my favorite recipes there, and I may also post recipes from friends (always citing my source, of course!).  I hope you enjoy the new look.  If you try my recipes, I hope you will let me know what you thought of them (and how your kids liked them, too!).  I know that I sometimes struggle to find kid family recipes that will also please my husband, who likes very strong flavors, so when I find a good one, I like to hang on to it!

Have a great day!

And more...

 We take this picture every year.  Our kids and the Coty kids.

We started out with stair steps, but they seem to be evening out...

Birth order: Colton (14), Gabe (12), Cayla (11), Bethany (10), Cortnie (9), Michaela (7)

Beth is now taller than Cayla, and Mick is definitely catching up to Cort.

 Our three on Christmas Eve at "the Christmas House."  We saw so many friends there after church!

 Christmas morning, opening her stocking...

 Gabe, Christmas morning

 Bethany's new Griz socks!

 Mick got new boots!

 Hmmm...What's in here?

 Cool!  My very own camera!

And Gabe got one too!

Unfortunately, I ran out of batteries when I went to take pictures later when my family was here.  I'll have to get some from my mom, and hopefully will post them later!

Happy New Year!

Christmas pics

I don't know why you say goodbye...I say hello.

1/1/11
Today begins a new year, and I always tend to look back at the previous year and reminisce a bit.  We say goodbye to the old and hello to the new.

2010...
We said goodbye to special men in our lives.  Mike O and then just a couple of days ago, Jon's grandpa passed away at the age of 94.  I personally had to learn on an almost daily basis how to live without my grandma (she passed away in mid-December of 2009).
We said hello to continuing to strengthen the relationships we have while we are still on this Earth...time with friends and family marked much of this year.
We said goodbye to our friend Brad, who was planning to move his family to Colorado; we tried not to think about saying goodbye to the rest of the family (Brooke, Colton and the girls, we love you guys!!), but then we got to say hello again to all of them, when it was decided that the move wasn't working out and that they are indefinitely back in Zootown!!
I personally said goodbye to 10 pounds, and have since had to say hello to them all over again.  Not such a great hello, lemme tell ya.
I said goodbye to several Masters course classes in 2010, and will say hello to several more as I work to finish my coursework by Summer 2012.

For the coming year, I have hopes and dreams, as we all do.  Here are just a few of mine:
I hope to make an Irish dancing solo dress (or 2).  I already have a pattern and fabric, I just need to take some time to try.
I plan to continue my involvement with Scouts and the Missoula Irish Dancers, as well as volunteering at church.
I hope to continue my straight A streak for my coursework.
I'm really hoping to say goodbye once and for all to those 10 pounds!!!  (plus a few more)
I want to learn to use Photoshop Elements (since I got it for Christmas!)
Jon and I are going back to England this summer.  I hope to meet new people, have an adventure, and reconnect with people I already love.
I hope to be more neighborly and loving to those around me.
Somewhere in all this, I really, really hope to finish my book.  Yep, the same one that was supposed to get finished with NaNoWriMo two NaNos ago.

I could go on and on and on.  And while I don't really subscribe to "New Year's Resolutions," per se, I do like to take this time of year to refocus myself on what is important to me, to give myself a "fresh start."  And to take the time to be thankful to the One who makes it all possible, whose mercies are new every day.

Hello, 2011!