First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  We had a pretty relaxing way to bring in the new year that I loved, and we’re hunkering down with New Year’s Resolutions, but before I talk about them let’s wrap up this Christmas business.  It was a good year.

The first favorite gift of the year was in the last post: talking to Max!  It was so great to hear his voice and connect through Skype and we are still all on a high from that.  It was kind of fun to have his cardboard figure around too and I have to say, c’mon some of you guys, let’s take that thing lightly!  It’s just a light-hearted way to keep that kid who is so far away in our thoughts, and I’ll give you fair warning that it may keep popping up here or there in this blog, so get ready!  (We’re in charge of my family reunion this summer and Max will be there in all his cardboard glory 🙂

But let’s skip to this next gift that is actually kind of equal to another gift that I’m waiting to unveil because it is alive and we don’t have it yet.  Hmmmm.  How’s that for a hint?
I digress, back to this pretty amazingly awesome gift my sister-in-law made for us.
You see, in both Dave and my families we have a gift-giving rotation at Christmas.  We each have eight siblings so it’s kind of fun to think of each one as we take turns giving to them.
Well, this year Dave’s brother’s wife worked so hard to give us a gift that made me tear up.
Because I am well aware of how much time things like this take.  She printed up the first year of this blog in a beautiful book.
Can you tell how excited we were??
I’ve been picking her brain on how to do this myself for years.  Nothing on this whole entire blog is printed and I keep having this nagging to get it done.  And she’s so dang talented at things like this that she has her own books all lined up on her shelf that make me drool.  (She’s talented in every way…check out her blog over HERE.)
So this year we got a big, huge surprise.
And I am in love with it.
Every single page.
Let’s get a better look at that thing:

2007 is when I started this blog and it is the best to have all these memories treasured up in a printed out version.

Just look at those baby faces!

How did they grow up so fast?

That trip to show a couple of my girls the city (NYC…above).

Those Halloween outfits that make me want to snuggle those little toddlers all over again:

That neighboring Turkey Trot we used to go to before we had our own:

And loving up my one boy:

This girl was destined to the beach from a young age…

And this baby?

Well, I think it’s safe to say that I loved her up enough to not ever look back and wish I had cherished that time more 🙂  (Although I will always miss it, I didn’t take it for granted.)

I had forgotten all about this note Grace had written to Dave:

The day Lucy got her extra toe removed:

…and her recovery:

A trip to Boston where we did the “jump” on the Harvard library steps just like we did this last December…I’ll have to get to that Boston wrap-up soon!


All this wrapped up together makes me so incredibly grateful for so many things remembered.

So many things that have made us “us.”

So many things I don’t want to ever, ever forget.

THANK YOU KARA for all the time and effort that went into making that thing.  We will cherish it forever!

22 Comments

    1. Does it take a lot formatting and time to design on Blurb? I have a website that doesn't look as nice, but you can just give them the blog address and you are done. I'm not sure mine would ever get done if I have to do much to get it to book status…

      Reply

    2. I know there are services that will pull all the information for you but the graphic designer doesn't love that. I tried it years ago on my first blog book and it was a disaster. I now design and place every picture individually. It take some time for sure, but the end product is worth it.

      Reply

    5. Hi Kara & Shawni –

      The book is beautiful!! I want to surprise a friend with a book of her blog. Kara did you have to have the password for Shawni's blog to pull all the info or were you able to take the information just by going on her site?

      Thanks!

      Reply

  5. I have 8 years of blog books and sometimes they are the reason I keep blogging! My whole family history is in those books and I smile every time I think of my girls splitting them up and putting them in their homes one day…. I use Blurb as well. They often have discounts. Your book is beautiful! What a special gift!

    Reply

  11. This is amazing and so thoughtful! My husband gave me a "year one" book for our first wedding anniversary. We thought that it should be a tradition and that we would alternate years, and of course I'm 3 months overdue on my turn! Time to get that done though I think!

    Reply

  14. Oh my goodness Kara- I think about 5 years ago I stumbled across your blog post about your diy kids bookshelfs with book covers showing haha! I made 2 of them somehow with a newborn strapped to me with 2 tiny toddlers racing around! It was sure crazy but I still cherish them!! Just screwed them in the walls of finally our first very own home. So many memories from books we've poured over because of that shelf. Look at all the people you are blessing and inspiring Kara because of your talents! Thank you 🙂

    Reply

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