On the Agenda This Year

One of my favorite blogs to follow is Emily over at Jones Design Company. She is unbelievably creative and her house is quite literally to die for. If I'm luck my house will look like that someday...and I don't just mean the tidiness of it all. She too has kids so I'm sure its not like that all the time, let be realistic, but the way its decorated is just breath taking.  You should definitely go check it out--

As the New Year has come upon us this week I, as most, have been mulling over ideas on how to make this year better than the last. I use to secretly hate this time of year I felt it was so boring and feckless, but as I've gotten older I've come to anticipate it. I personally don't like to set outrageous goals because at this point in my life I have a pretty good grasp on what is realistic for myself and what isn't. Instead I like to look at it as an opportunity to recommit to making positive life choices.

And so circling back-- Emily had shared some goals that she had for this coming year and I loved her template-- so as encouraged I decided to take a few moments and fill mine in. I hope you will take some time and do the same.

BAD HABIT TO BREAK //  Procrastination and less sugar more greens

NEW SKILL TO LEARN //  Speaking Italitan

PERSON TO BE LIKE  // The person I want to be like the most this year is myself,  rather the person I see in my head that I want to be. That would be a huge accomplishment.

GOOD DEED TO DO // Bring baked goods to those who need a special moment.

PLACE TO VISIT // Reykjavik and Stockholm 

BOOK TO READ //  Nine times out of ten I enjoy a book more than a movie. So this year I want to read every book that was adapted to a film before  I see it. The first on the list is the Pulitzer Prize winning August:  Osage County by Tracy Letts.

LETTER TO WRITE // Not necessarily letters in my case, but I want to be more on top of sending actual birthday cards to friends and loves ones.

FOOD TO TRY // Duck

DO BETTER AT // My personal scripture study and preparing earlier for my class lessons

I sadly felt this list was to grown up to do with my kids, but I found this one on pinterest instead. We sat around on New Years Eve with them and filled them out. Print out a few and gather your crew around you- their answers will give you a good giggle. Don't worry about the date there's still time. We always have time as long as we make it.

{via: 30 days}

Well I showed you mine- time to get on yours!
xO- Etheline

Happy New Years

**Family Christmas letter to share

Merry Christmas friends and family!! We hope that this finds you all in good health and good humor. 2013 has been a busy and unpredictable year for The Tenenbaum's, but ask anyone and they will most likely nod their heads in agreement, as they know what we mean. Celebrate the crazy happy.

Chaz (6 years old) This year has been all about trying new things for Chaz. He is currently enjoying is first year at public school and is loving every minute of it. His teacher is better than anything we could have hoped for and challenges our little boy ever day to think big. Early in the year he began loosing his teeth and as Christmas is upon us he is actually able to tell Santa that all he wants for Christmas is his two front teeth. During the Spring he took swim lessons at the local pool but decided that he'd rather try his hand at soccer and so he played this fall with Gwinnett Soccer Association (GSA). His team was the Snakes and it was great seeing him making new friends, learning new skills, and turning into a young man.

Richie (4 years old) Both boys learned how to ride their bikes this summer with no training wheels. This was a very proud moment for us as parents, but especially to see Richie excel at such a young age. He also swam at the local pool during the spring and was definitely more of a natural with it so we will continue that again once it starts up. Richie is in his 2^nd year of the Moms Preschool Co-Op we have been involved with. He is eager to start Kindergarten at school with his brother next year- and more importantly not be the only boy in his class. He loves his girls, but according to Richie- boys rule! He is the most affectionate of our 3 children and we soak up every moment of love that he shares..

Margot (2 years old) Having Margot has changed our lives in a way that we could never have imagined or hoped for. She has really blossomed into this beautiful little girl with long blonde curly locks. She is making great strides in communicating with her family when she wants her point made or needs met which make us all very happy to see her version of the terrible twos come to a close. She has fallen in love with dance and has watched every documentary we can get our hands on about Ballet. She dances all around the house and practices her positions and flexibility on a regular basis with joy and eagerness. Now all we have to do is win the potty training battle so she can begin classes when she turns 3 in February. We attended The Atlanta Ballet's The Nutcracker this month and it was a mesmerizing experience for all.

{Richie/Margot/Chaz}

Royal and Ethel have had ups and down this year, but navigated those times side by side and as the year closes we find ourselves on top. Our most recent reason to give thanks is for Royal's new job with The Home Depot. He has found himself working at their corporate headquarters in Atlanta as a Senior Security Engineer and Team Lead for their IT department. It has been a great experience so far and we look forward to the knowledge and relationships that will be forged during his time there. He has also been serving as the Stake Technology Specialist in our church as well as a ward missionary. He rather enjoys the second one as he is at his best when sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the beginning of the year Royal took me to New York City for my first time ever. It was the trip of a lifetime. We spent hours wandering the vivacious city streets, saw The Phantom of the Opera, experienced Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center, gazed upon Edgar Degas originals at The Met, became intimate with the subway schedules, and for a first time in a long time- slept past 730am. I have been serving as the Sunday School teacher for a bright group of 12 & 13 year olds at church. It has been a privilege and blessing to take part in their spiritual growth. The best part of my year however has been in my everyday, being wife and mother to three amazing children. It brings so much happiness and meaning to my life and I am thankful that God has entrusted them into our hands.

We pray that this Christmas season will fill your hearts with peace and hope and that as we reflect on our Saviors life we will give thanks for all our blessing.

From our family to yours-

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years-

The Tenenbaums 

two guys and a girl--

This is my favorite picture of my little ones as of late. They are all looking at the camera and smiling (for the most part) and this is a very rare thing people!! We have been settling for family photos that consist of everybody's feet being in the circle we make. So this is a big step in the right direction:)

Tomorrows challenge is pets and since we don't have any and don't really want any I'm most likely going to skip it. I'm just being honest here folks-- Have you snapped any new photos for December?

xO-Etheline

here's what's happening in your neck of the woods--

The challenge of today is.....weather---

There is no denying that when one looked out the window today that it was the best kind of day out. If only the temperatures would stop flirting with the 70's on this December 5th. Thank heavens the weekend forecast calls for much cooler temps. I'm a weather girl geek if you haven't already noticed. I mean call me silly, but I think its perfectly appropriate to be cold in December.

Ps. Did anybody watch The Sound of Music Live with Carrie Underwood? What did you think??

xO-Etheline

Words

My collections of quotes has grown exponentially since the birth of Pinterest. I totally love it! Smart, humorous, and uplifting words all wrapped up in pretty backgrounds. This one probably doesn't make all that much sense, but that's part of the appeal. I love being a red head- I mean I really love it. I have built up in my head this powerful persona from movies, old hollywood film stars, and characters in books in which being a red head is fierce.

{via}

This quote just makes me smile and think about Katharine Hepburn, my idols, attitude and Maureen O'Hara's Irish temper in The Quiet Man. These women have inspired me to be brave and concur your fears in life.

xO-Etheline

Day 3 #bestfriend

Day number 3 of the December Photo Challenge finds us with a photo of me with one of my very best friends!! This amazing, fearless, and devoted chick on the left (now woman) is Emily. We've been best friends since I was 13 and she was 14. We were partners in my best memories of crime growing up and I can't imagine those years without her! By now shes hopped states a few times but thanks to texting we talk several times a day which is kinda better than the phone because if that was the only choice we'd be on for hours and our homes would be a huge mess! {lol} I am grateful for her friendship and knowledge she shares with me. I can only hope to be as good of a friend to her as she is to me. Love you girl!!

xO- Etheline

Hello December

I'll be honest- December kind of sneaked up on me this year. I know it shouldn't, as it comes around the same time every year, its just that these last 6 months have been pretty difficult. And so in lui of all that it didn't come as surprise that I needed an extra boost to get into the Christmas holiday which brings me the December Photo Challenge I'm trying {trying...being the operative word} to participate in. You can follow along here if you'd like or on my instagram @hereclecticlife.

I realize that that didn't sound to inviting, but I'm hoping that by mid-month I'll be rockin' a much happier disposition. That's the goal right? lol-

So here is the fun holiday challenge. If you jump on the bandwagon let me know in the comments so I can follow along with you and we can be holiday photo challenge friend:)

^^^ Yes, I just woke up. And yes, half of my make up was left on pillow-

^^^ Long story short-- this was a really fun night.

Also, feel free to compare photo 2 to photo 1. 

That's how much my hair has grown in 14 months. I about fell off my chair. Yay me!

Hope you stop by tomorrow for picture of  best friend(s). Thanks for stopping by-

xO- Etheline