Happy 2013!!

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Another New Year?!  {wahoo!}  I hope everyone had a marvelous Christmas season! It's truly my favorite time of the year, a little sad it's over, but I'm definitely looking forward to every upcoming phase of another year and all of it's surprises.  The winter sunrises, Valentines Day, Spring, Easter, kids' events, warmer weather, summertime fun, lazy days, taking trips, a new school year, Fall festivities, and another Thanksgiving and Christmas season.  Every bit of it is just as exciting to think about as it was last New Years!

Every time the New Year rolls around, it comes directly after the Christmas hustle and excitement, with it's own little burst of excitement.  Although I'm not a huge "resolution" fan, I definitely believe in recommitting to doing my best.

Part of doing my best is better balance - and part of that is getting back in touch with my creative side.  I've let it sit by the wayside for too long--I miss it, I need it, and I'm giddy about creating beautiful things!

My Christmas project - still waiting to be finished - maybe by the end of the day today! {woo hoo}
A chunky, creamy, dreamy blanket I've started.  It's working up fast....had to order more yarn.  Did you hear that?  I have to order yarn.  Not cool...but at least it's an option.  It'll be like Christmas all over again to get beautiful, creamy yarn in the mail. Like a little preseeeent. For meeeeee.
And speaking of presents for me....my Love Nugget was extra good to me this Christmas.  He's amazing, I know.  And, yes, it's true.  I've become a Canon girl.  I know, I know....I feel like I'm cheating on my Nikon...but it was time to upgrade from my sweet, little D40, and this hot little number is fierce!  We (I mean my husband) did a lot of research, hunting, comparing, and more research and we decided on this one. I'm madly/crazy in love with my 6D.  We took her for a little test-run on Saturday, you know, so the two of us could get acquainted a little.   

With the help of our Chariot of Fire, (the jeep) my Canon and I found some beautiful things to take pictures of.  
ahhhhh...a winter's day in the Arizona desert.  What's not to love?!  And...my favorite part...is the light that spills all over the place.  Light, light, light.  So much light....it's soul food for me. 

The mighty Saguaro.  Did you know that a saguaro cactus can live to be 150-200 years old?!  These beauties are slow growing, and they're exclusively here in the Sonoran Desert.  A 10-year-old plant might only be 1 1/2 inches tall...so one this size could have taken over a century to grow.  It's got to be at least 12-15 feet tall - I'm standing downhill, several yards back from this beauty, so it's hard to see in this photo how massive it is.  

This, my dear friends, is our back yard.  Don't hate me.

...fell in love with a windmill.  What's not to love about a desert ranch windmill?!  So tall, stalwart, doing her duty to bring water to animals, punctured by gunshot, yet still so beautiful. 
 Seriously, though, why do I love windmils so much?!  I love the shapes, colors, and functionality of them.  Maybe because it's sort of a symbol of the hard-working ranchers, homesteaders, and salt-of-the-earth people who help make this country so great.  I don't know....but I love them...Stand tall, my friend.

Always, for as long as I can remember, after a long day out in the hills, the road home is always hauntingly beautiful.  Out in the desert hills it's wild and untame...and home is warm and comfortable.  It's always hard to leave the fun of being outdoors, but once those city lights come into view, there's comfort in knowing that our warm home waits to welcome back the business of our crazy little family!
Happy New Year, everyone!!!  Wishing you the happiest adventures to come!!!