Here's To A New Year...

When I think about the happiest memory of 2012, it also brings about the darkest memory. To date 2012, has been the most heartbreaking year of my life.

That being said, there has been light amongst the darkness: a move, new jobs, new friendships, huge debt reduction, a new house, and much more.

Sometimes it is hard to see the blessings through the raindrops. Here's to 2013, may the blessings be abundant and the tears be few and far between!

Christmas 2012

Pierce Lincoln Pruitt...Coolest Name Ever!

I have a new nephew.  His name is Pierce Lincoln Pruitt.  It's quite possibly the coolest name ever.  Just saying.

Cookie Exchange 2012

 

I have always wanted to host a huge dinner party so I took this Christmas as my opportunity to do so.  Lucky for me JoDee was on board and we set out to host our first annual Cookie Exchange and Gourmet Dinner.  We sent out 25 invitations and to our great surprise we had 21 RSVP yes!  We were thinking it would be a good turn out if we had 15, so this was an exciting shock :)

We had the invitations made in November because we wanted to give people the opportunity to put it on their calendars way before the craziness of the holidays hit.  That being said we put the words Gourmet before we even had a menu.  It just sounded better than the word dinner.  We had shrimp cocktail, insalada caprese, raw vegetables, spinach and artichoke dip for appetizers, the main dish consisted of stuffed chicken, potato soup, mac and cheese, and green bean bundles and then a sweet potato dessert.

It was so much fun and I got to use every single piece of china I own along with all my crystal.  Becca Canfield and her mother graciously let us use their Lismore Iced Beverages so everyone could have the same glasses and Lerin Blackmon loaned me her 12 Days Toasting Flutes so everyone's dessert was served in the same dish.

All the cookies were amazing and the fellowship even better.  I loved having 24 bodies squeeze into our living space and seeing how blessed I am with so many friends God has place in my life over the past year.  To think that over half of them I didn't even know this time last year!

 

Not sure how, but we are gonna try to top it next year!

Merry "I Don't Have A Baby " Christmas

I'm trying to be grateful and enjoy the holiday. I am so blessed to have all my living grand parents and parents here to celebrate. The holiday is really about celebrating the birth of our savior and I truly am grateful for that, but I'm not gonna lie, Merry "I Don't Have A Baby" Christmas is how I'm feeling right now. I suppose the hole I feel in my heart is to be filled with Christ  rather than a baby but I feel like He is the one that put it there. I was doing just fine three years ago when I had no desire for a baby.  Hese are my very non Christian thoughts right now about this day!

My Name is Anna Wyatt, and I have a Christmas Decoration Problem

My name is Anna Wyatt, and I have a Christmas decorating problem.  It all began Christmas of 2007, with the purchase of my first tree and matching ornaments.  It's continued in a downward spiral from there. 

Evidence One:  The Dillard's Tree

The Dillard's Tree gets it's name from my mom and dad's good friend Sonja Walker.  Growing up I always LOVED going to Mrs. Walker's house because she had TWO Christmas Trees.  I always thought that was the coolest thing and always said I would have two as well.  She had her Dillard's Tree that looked like it walked straight out of the Department Store and her fun tree that had all the fun ornaments her kids had made and people had given them over the years.

After several years of collecting bulk ornaments in various shades of crimson, gold and line green, not to mention snowflakes and Fleur De Lis I can say the Dillard's Tree is officially complete.  Nothing was added to it this year or last.

Now from the very beginning of my "adult life" I have had two trees.  The first two years there was the Dillard's Tree and a Fun Tree.  Several years ago however, the fun tree was downsize to a fun size and contains the yearly ornaments I received growing up, Stephen's childhood ornaments and the year hunting/boy ornament I give Stephen each year.  Here are just a few of my favorites I've given him these past few years...

The fishing ornament was the first one I got Stephen and it's has just continued from there with Camo Marshmallow Snowmen to Deer Antlers and even a dog with a Santa Hat that looks just like Gunner.

Evidence Two:  The Waterford Tree

Working at Kennedy's for six years gave way to the appearance of the Waterford Tree Christmas of 2010.  Each year not only did I receive an ornament from Mrs. Stephens, but I also bought myself a Holiday Heirloom ornament along with a Crystal ornament.  This year I felt so dirty ordering my Waterford Ornaments online, like I was cheating on Kennedy's or something!  Below are the two I got off Amazon.  The Holiday Heirloom is actually not a new one, but I have always loved it and so it just needed to be on the tree this year!

Evidence Three:  The Santa Obsession

I remember the day I bought this Santa from Hobby Lobby.  I had eyed it before Thanksgiving and fell in love with it.  I asked Stephen if I could get it and when he said yes it became mine that day.  I remember grinning ear to ear walking out of Hobby Lobby with him.  I also remember thinking to myself, "I am now officially and adult.  I am truly excited about a decoration."  While I don't have a ton, I do have another black and white Santa who is awesome and a "Peacock Santa" on my wish list for this year.  Every time I see one in the store I just can't help but touch it and want it!

Evidence Four:  The Peacock Tree



For several years now I have envisioned having a Peacock Tree and now that I have a larger house with room for four trees rather than just two, the fourth tree will have to wait till next year :(, I got my wish!  A huge thanks to my FIL and MIL, Don and Jane, for fueling my tree obsession by gifting us not one, but three trees for my picking!  I have a feeling this tree will be a little like the Dillard's Tree in that it will take several years for me to get it exactly how I want it, but I must say I really am in love with it right now.

Evidence Five:  Decorated Tables

While it is nowhere as decorated as I'd like it to be (one day there will be chair decorations and such) I'm loving having the center piece, charger and gold napkins out.  Even the kitchen table has an awesome table cloth with chargers and such.

Evidence Six:  The Love of the Sentimental

     Article A:  My Angel Collection

Every Christmas until I turned Twenty, my grandmother gave me an Angel.  While they are all different and don't all necessarily go with my other decorations, it brings me so much joy to see each Angel she hand picked for me over the years.  It's like looking at all of my childhood sitting right there on top of the piano!

     Article B:  My Tanzanian Nativity



The time I spent in Tanzania in 2005 and 2006 changed my life.  I bought this nativity the first time I went.  I love it so much it actually stays up year round.  Not only does it remind me throughout the year of the blessing or Christ's birth, but it also is a constant reminder of those two summer' s.  While it is the only nativity I own right now, just like with my few Santa's I want almost every unique one I see!

     Article C:  The Holly Bell



Every Christmas we have been together Stephen and I have gotten a Holly Bell.  Some years we get something engraved on it and some years we don't.  The year we got engaged it simply has our names on it.  Our first Christmas it says Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt.  This year we will get April Baby engraved to remember our loss.  My vision is to one day have a full sized tree with nothing but white lights, a red ribbon on top and silver bells with red bows.  To look back and see the years God has blessed us with along with the joys and struggles of life, a testament to his love and grace.

And there you have it, the tip of the iceberg that is a major obsession.  I didn't even get into my gift wrapping issues!