Over the years, we've had many times when I wasn't sure if we'd be able to get a Christmas card out. Times when a baby was almost due (Eric)
or when we had a new baby who was keeping us occupied (Alaina).
We've had years when it seemed almost impossible to get everyone to look at the camera
or when Jason was growing an obnoxious beard (AND no one would look at the camera...).
We even had a year when we'd be moving the week after Christmas (remember 2020?).
Somehow, though, we always came up with something to send to our family and friends.
So, you might wonder why no card this year--surely things couldn't have been that bad.
Well, I guess it was just the right combination of unfortunate events to keep the magic from happening. But having said that, things did come together for us to enjoy a happy and peaceful Christmas only two weeks after moving for the second time in one year--so I'll focus on the part of our adventure that led to that.
In November we found a house that we thought might work for our family. Last December we'd signed a one-year lease, and we'd had it at the back of our minds that we might move the following year. As the time got closer to renew our lease, we didn't think it would be possible to move, but somehow things fell into place, and in mid-November we were offered a new lease at a bigger, much nicer house in a quieter neighborhood. That evening I got cold feet and told the new landlord we'd changed our minds (I had some worries about taking on extra expenses right before Christmas), but he called me the next morning and offered to have us move Dec. 15 rather than Dec. 1. That seemed to resolve the problems, so we signed the papers Nov. 13 and gave our old landlord one month's notice on Nov. 14.
First, we had to say goodbye to Janae's wall art at our old house, which involved a bit of painting.
Then we decided to paint the new house, which had a LOT more wall space (here's before and after on the dining room).
After that, we were pretty tired, but we were excited to move (and had lots of help). This is our old dining room vs. our new one:
No more stained green carpet with uneven wear!
Old living room:
New living room:
We traded this tiny kitchen (where I somehow made two turkey dinners and countless muffins, cookies, cakes, pizzas, etc. over the year)
for this much larger one.
We moved most of our things Dec. 11, but we were back and forth with cleaning, etc. until the 15th.
Somehow we managed to put up a tree (even if it wasn't a real one) less than 10 days before Christmas,
bake some cookies for Santa,
visit the cemetery,
and get Eric vaccinated,
all before the Big Day.
We had a beautiful white Christmas,
and some of us finally got to rest! (Watch out where you fall asleep when Janae, Alaina and Eric are around ... right, Ben?)
And as for the Christmas card, here it is … I made three different versions; I just couldn't get them printed in time to mail out :)
We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that 2022 will be a happier and more productive year for all of us!
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