Our End-of-the-Year Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Wow. What a year we've had.

Hannalyn is ONE. She is full of spunk and fire. She is happy and sweet and playful. She teaches me something new every day. Hannalyn loves books and dolls, rubber ducks and brushing her teeth, cups and running around the house playing chase. She is very sturdy on her legs - if she is holding onto someone or something else. Hannalyn is either very quiet or very loud. It's adorable. And exhausting. But I wouldn't have her any other way.

I had a year full of emotions. I learned to rely on God more than I ever have before. I made a lot of personal growth and improvement that I hope will continue on into the rest of my life. I have loved this year being a mom. It has changed the way I act and react. I have become a better person through being a mom and learning to deal with the joys and hardships that brings. I have grown closer to Daniel as we have worked together to keep our family strong. It's been a very full year.

Daniel has been positively stupendous this year. At the beginning of the year, he helped me adjust to motherhood as he supported me through the emotions I had to deal with. He encouraged me to start teaching piano and voice and helped with Hannalyn so I could do that. Daniel was an amazing Jean ValJean in 'Les Mis' in the summer show. People still talk about it. He worked incredibly hard to get Cold Stone up and running and has been working hard there every day since. He loves this job and opportunity. It's tough, but has been a wonderful experience.

We have loved this year of growth. We feel so grateful to have seen God's hands in our lives every day. He is the source of true hope & happiness and we know we have been blessed.

We wish you the best year ever in 2015. May God bless you this year and always.

Love,
The Jacksons

24 favorite pics of 2014

Because I can. And because my baby is adorable. And because I have been reflecting a lot on how far we have come in this last year. It has been a dramatic one, for sure, and we are so grateful for Heavenly Father's plan for us. We know it is perfect and He knows more than we do. So. Here are some pictures from our year.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

 

 NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

This little girl has made this the best year of our lives. She brightens every single day. We love her so much!

I am so excited for a new year of discovery and wonder with her.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Hannalyn has slept this way since she was born. It's my favorite. :)

Merry Christmas!!! This morning we are sleeping in (because Hannalyn sleeps til 9 or 10 most mornings) and taking it slow. We are saying extra-long prayers of gratitude and sitting closer. We are smiling bigger and remembering the Christ child. Today is going to be a fantabulous day and we wish the Merriest of Christmas wishes to you and yours. May your holidays be bright & full of family.

xoxoxo
the Jacksons

Christmas Preparations

I had a blast decorating for Christmas this ear. It was nice to sit and think and compare locations for different set ups - nativities and my villiage, etc. Last year, we pulled out all of the decorations and Hannalyn was born the next day. A couple days later I made Daniel set up the tree and then we were at PCMC until mid-December, so no other decorations made it out of the box. THIS YEAR I was determined to get my house decorated and so I did. It took a couple of days (well, a couple of nap-times, really), but I love how it turned out. I am very grateful for Christmas and the Christmas season and all that it entails. I love how festive everything is at the time of year that it's the darkest outside.

Next year my goal is to actually get the inside AND outside decorated. Last year I think we did put a wreath on the door. This year I never made it that far. Next year, it's a wreath and lights. Ambition at it's finest right here. ;)

What's your favorite Christmas decoration?

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a blast. We took a three-day whirlwind trip to Orem, Idaho, and Salt Lake. Thankfully Hannalyn slept on all of our long car drives. It was a miracle and we had a wonderful time. We were so grateful that we got to see all of our grandparents - especially not that we aren't sure if we'll be making it out to see family for Christmas.

Pictured above are the two holiday crafts that I made this year and our updated picture wall! It took three years, but hey! Now it includes Hannalyn and it looks great. I love it. It may be another three years until it changes again so I'm glad that I love it as much as I do. :)

Now we are looking forward to Christmas with full-excitement. It's been busy and quite a bit stressful, but we are looking to a day free of lazing around, staying in pajamas, eating good food, and just being together. It will be a wonderful holiday.

Merry Christmas! (almost!)

Recital

I put on a recital for all of my piano and voice students the second week of December. It was beautiful and wonderful and lots of fun. Well... Once it finally got here. The week before was full of stress and organizing and baking Christmas tree cookies and arranging extra rehearsals for my students. Then it happened and the relief of it being over was beautiful and wonderful and... oh I said that already. Oops. I was so proud of my students and grateful that I am able to be a teacher. :)

I feel like this should be a longer post, but this is all I have time for today. So Happy Monday!

busy busy busy

Well. I was going to write a lot and then SURPRISE. December has escaped from me somehow. So much has happened and I just don't know where to start to catch up. Thankfully I've been writing in my journal, so I won't forget any details and my posterity can hear all about it, but something about blogging is just a great outlet that I've really been missing out on.

This picture is from the first weekend in December. We were sort a person at the store and thought it would be fine. I had gone up to help make a cake and ended up getting stuck there for about three hours. Daniel was singing in a concert and as soon as he finished, he came up to help, too. The store was crazy busy after the concert and our two employees were run off their feet trying to keep up with demand. So Daniel was serving up ice cream in his tux shirt. And looking good, am I right?

I am planning to blog more. I think life is slowing down a little bit... I think. We finally have Cold Stone back under control (we hope) and I'm almost done prepping for Christmas and we are feeling better after a strange attack of the migraines. So. NOW prepare for lots of blog posts. Though there may not be rhyme or reason to it. Oh well.

Merry Christmas! What are you looking forward to this year?

Warning! Lots of posts ahead

This is where we were at this time last December. No tree, no lights ... oh wait, we only just barely put up the tree anyway. But last year we were cuddling with our brand new perfect little baby. Now she is ONE and I am trying to figure out where November went and how on earth I'm going to get all the Christmas decorations up as soon as possible so that it will feel like Christmas already!

No snow = no Christmas. Come on, nature, SNOW!

Anyway. Once I catch up on life after Thanksgiving, baby turning one, and a crazy busy first week of December, I plan on posting about all of those events. So kick back, relax, and slowly but surely your blog reader will fill up with lots of posts from yours truly. Merry Christmas to you. ;)

Actually Daniel says it's been nice because he's been trying to catch up on all the previous posts I've written. I don't like it because I feel like there are some things I want documented that I don't want to forget about, but what were they again? Do you know what I'm saying? I miss blogging. That's all.

Also this post has passed the acceptable ridiculous-limit, so I'll end it now with another adorable picture... from a year ago because that's how we roll and I love love love love my baby & hubby.

 

Plus these pictures make me squirm and giggle in the most delightful of ways. Oh tiny little baby. LOVE!!!

birthday boy

This kid has been my partner in crime for years. By that I mean, I blame all my genius on him so I don't get in trouble. ;) Look at the cutie-pies we used to be - head scarves & swords. Wow.

Happy birthday Brother T. You're the bestest. We love you lots and lots!!

xoxo
Nashelle, Daniel, & Hannalyn

The Twelfth Month

I haven't cried yet today. I thought for sure that I would. Maybe they won't come... or maybe they will as I write this...

Let's start with the stats first. Hannalyn is one year old. Hannalyn weighs somewhere between 1 and 19 pounds. She is at least 28 inches tall. My measurements aren't very precise, but they are pretty close. Hannalyn has light brown/dark blonde hair - darker in the front, lighter in the back. Hannalyn's eyes are still bluest blue with a stripe of dark blue down the center at the bottom. Daniel is thrilled that she has kept her 'key holes'. 

Developmentally, Hannalyn is right on par with typical one year olds. She sleeps through the night and takes one long nap during the afternoon. She scoots, army crawls, or squirms her way to whatever she wants. She is very very capable at getting something she wants. If she doesn't want it, no enticement to move will work. Hannalyn can stand by herself for a few seconds but is very cautious. She will walk when holding on to a couch, tub, chair, or mom or dad but gets nervous and sits if we try to get her to do it on her own. Hannalyn is a fantastic eater and eats anything and everything - she hasn't rejected any foods (yet). She can turn book pages, pick up tiny objects, and loves to bang things together. Hannalyn is a musician and sings and plays the piano every chance she gets. 



Hannalyn has a very calm and gentle spirit. She loves to just sit near me and quietly read and play while I do my own work. She is very content and loves people. She is friendly and cheerful (unless she is tired. then only mom will do). She loves to wave and say "heeeyyy" to people in the store. She says mama and dada. She says nana when she is tired, duh for her duck, and buh for her bear. When she is hungry, she says "mmmmmmmm". Hannalyn will do anything for a book - especially scriptures. She loves her rubber duck, princess dolls, and cell phones. Fake phones not included even though we try to entice her with those. 



Hannalyn loves her tongue. As evidenced by all these pictures where she wouldn't smile but instead left her tongue hanging out. I think she is tasting the air. Especially when we go outside. It's hilarious.

We love Hannalyn so much. She makes our little family so much better, stronger, and happier. While I am in awe that a year has already passed and I wish she was still a little baby, it also feels as though she has been with us for so much longer. This beautiful, wonderful daughter of God is the greatest blessing that we have experienced. We love her with all of our hearts and even though the last year has had plenty of ups and downs, we wouldn't change it for anything.

 

 Happy Birthday, darling girl. We love you.

xoxo forever