The best week of the year

Christmas this year was good to us.  The past few we/I have felt like we are trying to understand how to make Christmas work with our kids.  How to not overwhelm Grace.  How to go at their pace.  And each year we do less, which in essence, creates more.  More space to be.  Together, to play, to love, to laugh, to rejoice in the people we have around us who make this life so much better. 

And, despite how great this Christmas was, I still LOVE the week after Christmas.  I always have.  There is this quiet peace that lingers after so much festivity, and with more festivity to come.  This pause between Christmas and New Years that allows people to just be.  Or so it seems.  I absolutely adore it.

We haven't done much this week.  We've slept in, hung out in our pyjamas.  My hubby and Grace have sunk their noses into their newest books.  Aidan has continued being two - laughing, running, playing, learning new words seemingly daily.  I've been usually found with knitting needles in my hands. 

And as 2011 soon comes to a close I'm starting to reflect on all 2011 was.

- Aidan turned one.  He has learned to walk, talk, jump, skip, and has turned into an amazing little boy. 
- Grace turned four.  Four has been a harder year for us, but despite the emotional challenges four has brought about, there is also this caring amazing girl who shines through more and more each day. 
- We took trips to BC with my parents, and then Hawaii in the Fall.
- Nate and I celebrated 9 years of marriage. 
- Nate finished off a long year of night shifts and our family regained some normalcy.
- I started teaching some knitting classes in the Fall at a local yarn store.  This has expanded into the Spring as well.  I absolutely love being able to share my love of yarn and needles :)

I'm not one to make resolutions.  But, 2012 will be a big year for our family.  I'm excited.  There will most likely be career changes, a trip to Anaheim to celebrate a 5th birthday, a sweet boy soon turning 2, and Kindergarten in the Fall.  I have a crazy personal challenge to knit as many projects as my age.  That means 33 this year. I did just eek out my 32nd project this week.  Good thing I knit lots of little things for little people.  Somehow in there I want to knit as many socks as possible.  Is it too lofty to aim for 12?

Tomorrow, after dinner with friends, I'll be ringing in the New Year at home, with a movie, and a new knitting project on the needles.

Thanks for journeying through 2011 with me.  Here's to 2012!