happy new year

day 108:


this year our new year's party was a the slim side, which is fine with me seeing as i'm not a huge partier anyways.


griffey didn't make it till midnight.

so she doesn't get any sparkling grape juice.

another year gone by

day 107:


went to grandma's house today.


she is the best.


i wanted to take a picture of her for the blog, but i didn't want her to know i was taking a picture, because she probably wouldn't have let me.


so i pretended to be taking pictures of the glass bottles in the windows.


which i did actually take pictures of, and love the way they came out.

but this is grandma.


97 years old and still kicking.




happy new year grandma.

friends forever

day 106:


girffey loves her friend sadie.


although i couldn't get the two of them together because they move way too fast!

for your viewing pleasure

day 105:


well everyone, i think it's time i tell you about my netflix problem...


you see, i told you about the problem i have with getting things done, well, netflix falls into that category.


but this is a two-fold problem. not only do the movies sit here for weeks on end before i get around to watching them, but they continue to sit here for weeks after i watch them.


i know this doesn't make sense... at least the first part of the problem can be excused with the fact that i am just too busy to sit and watch a movie. 


but the second part of the problem makes no sense at all. all i have to do is put it in the mail. i don't even need to stamp it! just send it.


and even as i write this i wonder how much longer the two movies will sit here before i do anything about them. (one i have watched, one i have not).

on the third day of christmas

day 104:


my family seems to keep on celebrating christmas for days on end.


no complaints here. i love it!


there were plenty of people opening presents, however, from where i was sitting on the floor, i could only see what was in front of me... 


and that was natalie. 


i had a bast watching her open her presents. oooing and aaaaing at all of them.

i especially liked that she takes after her father and has to wear all of her gifts immediately.

and then it snowed

day 103:


i know some people might be sick of griffey pictures, however, this was the first time she saw snow.


she can't get enough of it. she runs into the snow drifts and buries her head, then lifts it out throwing snow with her nose. 


she is the cutest.


i can't wait to bring her out in the feet of snow we should have tomorrow.

rockin' around the christmas tree

day 102:


i spent the day opening presents and eating food. pretty much an amazing day all-around.


i did not take many pictures, because i was too busy relaxing and taking everything in.


but of the pictures i did take, this one was my favorite.


my nephew got this shirt. it has a guitar built in it.


and it really plays music.



the best part was his playing... he really gets into it.


in this second picture, he and his sister (on his new drum set) played us a few songs.

merry christmas to all...

day 101:



if you haven't already guessed, christmastime is my favorite time of year.

and every christmas eve my family has a huge christmas party.


so how do i choose one photo from the best night ever?


i don't.

i took a few, to give you an idea of what an awesome night it is.


of course there is always food.

and presents.


but my favorite part is the singing.


we all sit around and sing christmas carols.


i especially love the two new musicians.

do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all?

day 100:


yeah!! i made it 100 days!


thanks to everyone who takes the time to come look at my photos. 


i'm having fun, i hope you are too.


this was really hard to shoot. she did not like the antlers one bit!!


we had treats and two people working on this, and still these were the best shots i could get.

merry christmas everyone!!

season's greetings

day ninety nine:

i have learned something important about myself over the years...

if there are too many steps to get something done, i will either give up halfway through or take FOREVER to finish.

for example, my name change. i still have my old name for my work email. they told me all the things i had to do to change it, and i didn't get past step one.

so, i blame my christmas card problem on my inability to complete tasks.


i actually wrote out cards thanksgiving weekend, but then never stamped and sent them.


today's picture is of some of the wonderful cards that we have received. i am thankful to all of you who took the time to write, stamp and send christmas cards to us. 

we love you all and hope you have a merry christmas.

presents are good

day ninety eight:


this little package was given to tim by a co-worker.


it is a beautiful little package.


what's even better than the package, are the truffles inside.


homemade truffles.


chocolate.


peanut butter.


heaven.

christmas wrapping

day ninety seven: 


this is my wrapping paper.


one might think that the reason i took a picture of said paper, is because i was using it...


but then, one would be wrong.


i did, however, bring it in from the car, which is one step closer to using it to wrap presents.

i'm dreaming of a white christmas

day ninety six:


there has been frost in the morning for a while now...


but all i want is a little snow for christmas.


not a lot of snow. just enough to make it a white christmas. 

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

day ninety five:


tonight was the ugly christmas sweater party for our young adult group.

there was a cash prize for the ugliest sweater. so i thought i would post pictures of the winners.


they took the ugly sweater to a whole new level.




although, the two runners-up were pretty amazing as well. 

mike, that half shirt will haunt my dreams forever.

deck the halls

day ninety four:


christmas is my favorite holiday.


it is a time to give and receive. not a time to exchange.


that is why i was so blessed today.


my friend molly gave me a gift. she saw it at the store and thought of me.


i didn't know she was giving me a gift. she just gave me one because she wanted to.


that's what is so amazing about christmas.

we wish you a merry christmas

day ninety three:

every year our neighbor makes wreaths.


and last year and this year he has left one on our doorstep.


that's what christmas is all about. being kind to people. not expecting gifts. just giving because you want to.


thanks art mullen. we love the wreath.

was a jolly happy soul

day ninety two:

not gonna lie... pretty tired tonight.


but i will not miss a night. so here is my photo. with no sentimental story, and no witty remarks. 


just a photo of a decoration that my mom was going to throw out.


snowman, you can thank me later for saving your life. but now, i'm going to bed.

so, have a cup of cheer

day ninety one:


hot chocolate. 


there is a reason that they have named this drink "hot chocolate".


and no it's not just because it is chocolate heated up into a wonderfully tasty drink.


it is because it is HOT. in fact, i herby motion to approve that the drink henceforth be called "HOT!! chocolate".


i think that every single time i drink it i burn my tongue. 


and yes that includes tonight.


yet even with a burnt tongue, it is still an amazing winter drink.


if only i had some fluff.

silent night

day ninety: 


today i found out some terrible news. 

one of my students committed suicide. 


although i only had him in homeroom, it still hit hard.


he was only a freshman.


i don't know that i'll ever be able to look at his desk the same way.


so tonight, the post is for him. a candle in his memory.


jaron, you will be missed.

oh little town of bethlehem

day eighty nine:

as pastor reminded us in church this morning, we need to keep our focus on the real meaning of christmas.

so to remind all my followers of the real meaning of christmas, i took pictures of my favorite decoration.

i especially like the camel. he's cool.

we won't go until we get some

day eighty eight:


tonight we finished up our peppermint bark/ fudge making extravaganza. 


the best part was making a little extra so we could test it out.

feliz navidad

day eighty seven:


i know i already took a picture of one ornament, but this one is awesome. and it might not be the last one i take a picture of either.


this is the smallest ornament on my tree. and i just love him.

here comes santa claus

day eighty six:


this is new to our christmas collection, although, it is very old.


it is a santa claus stocking that someone made for tim.


and we don't discriminate here at the balut household. we take decorations of all kind. 


so yes. this stocking is hanging right along side of our other stockings.

baby it's cold outside

day eighty five:


nothing says christmas like a warm fire.


trying to warm my slippers by the fire, griffey, having the same idea, was trying to warm herself. 

hung with care

day eighty four:

i love my "fireplace". and i love that this year i am able to hang my stockings on the mantle. 

i am thankful for my elves

day eighty three:


during november, there was a trend on facebook with updating your status with things you were thankful for. some people even did one thing every day.


and since christmas is my favorite season, i think i will post something christmas-y for the month of december.


if you have any objections, don't follow.


just kidding.


kinda.

how lovely are thy branches

day eighty two:


today we finally got a chance to decorate the tree. and now it feels like christmas.


decorating the tree is always fun. i love pulling out all the old ornaments and reminiscing about where and how i got each of them.


my favorite ornament is the two peas in the pod. 


and actually, the one i have is a replica of the original. matt got the original one when my mom got rid of the old ornaments.

but when my mom realized that it was my favorite, she made me one of my own.

oh, christmas tree

day eighty one:


we went to get our christmas tree today, and i'm pretty sure half of connecticut had the same idea, because the place was packed!


griffey came along. she loved it! although, she wasn't much help finding a tree, she was more interested in getting wrapped around them.

of course i brought my camera to capture the wonderful experience. 


however, the picture i have of tim getting ready to cut down the tree, is not actually the tree we ended up taking home. i'll have to get a picture of that one when we decorate it.

evacuate the dance floor... no really

day eighty:


tonight was the central high school staff christmas party. and let me tell you, it was amazing. 


i don't drink... but i love watching people that do, because people that do, end up dancing.


here are some shots from the night :)