There are tons of looking back posts all over Blogland right now as everyone prepares to welcome in a new year. That seems kind of silly for me to do given that I started blogging in mid-October and then took most of December off. Should I really post a “Best Of” list to cover my whole six weeks of projects?
Probably not.
(Although your hands-down favorite project for this year for the craft/barn stars from a cake pan.)
But part of my experiment with Rocking What Ya Got and Choosing To Thrive carried over in big ways with my family this year, and I think that’s worth writing about, even if it involves my son wearing a skirt at Walmart.
I posted here about my six loud, energetic and amazing kiddos that I loving refer to as The Dirty Half Dozen. We have disastrous luck trying to get family pictures, especially for Christmas, so I’ve embraced the fact that our family will just be different … and different can rock.
Like the photo from our 2010 Shutterfly Christmas cards in the isles of Walmart:
Merry Christmas From Produce.
I bet no one else’s cards looked anything like this. This was just The Dirty Half Dozen … just our family embracing that this is “us” and this is where we are.
And taking these pictures and sending them out was empowering.
There was no stress and worry … no frantic trying to keep-up or one-up the Jones … no crippling attempt at the appearance of perfection.
It was just us.
And seeing my silly, happy, goofy kids inspired me to do something else a little crazy and make it into a book for family … to put an exclamation point on how much I love what I have in my life, despite how hard everything is right now … to remind myself that bills and struggling and trying to recover financially doesn’t have to rob me of amazing memories with my husband and kids.
And so to everyone out there who is Choosing To Thrive … who Rocked What That Got to make this holiday season magical, here’s one more log to add to that fire.
May I present
The 12-Days of Christmas: Dirty Half Dozen Style
from the isles of Walmart no less.
Enjoy …
Counting down from twelve
The Dirty Half Dozen gave me …
…12 Drummers Drumming …
… 11 Recorders Pipers Piping …
… 10 Lords-A-Leaping …
… 9 … uh … Ladies Dancing …
… 8 Maids Milking It…
… 7 Swans of Swimming in Housewares…
… 6 Geese-A-Playing– Laying …
… F-I-V-E (Sorta) G-O-L-D R-I-N-G-S …
… 4 Texting Calling Birds …
… 3 French’s Hens …
… 2 Turtle Doves …
… And a kid-bitten PEAR BY A TREE!
2011?
Bring it on.
26 Comments
BWAHAHAHAHHA. Your kids are so game and awesome. I'm still laughing, so insanely funny and sweet!
Alicia {ProtoDoom.com}
That is wonderful!!!! I love it. Personality is the key to a great photo and your kids are full of it.
sooooooooooooo cute!!!!!!!!!!!
I adore your creativity and LOVE your dirty half dozen! What a great fam and embracing your unique selves is wonderful!! Happy 2011!
Love this post! Also love what you said here: "no crippling attempt at the appearance of perfection." Right on!
I love how original this is! Thanks for the smiles 🙂
HAHAHAHA! I love it!! My son and I were reading this together and cracking up!I WILL be showing everyone this one 🙂 Gotta love their faces in these pics! Ahhh, I adore your sense of humor and ability to empower the rest of us out here just trying to make it. You and your family are so refreshing and inspiring. I hope you all are blessed with the new year to come!
Oh Nike you never disappoint! The 12-Days of Christmas was hilarious! I called my daughter over so she could see too and her exact words were, "wow she's really creative mommy"!!!! It's been a pleasure getting to know you over the past few months. Your are so inspiring girlie! Wishing you and your family the best in 2011!
GREAT post! Definitely made me smile. Happy New Year!
Oh i'm so glad you posted the twelves days!! Thank you for a great giggle! Thank you for being you. Much love and best wishes for 2011 to you, your hubby and TDHD 🙂
What a great post. Happy New Year!
totally love this. alot. happy new year!!!
It still makes me laugh and that's a good thing at 3:00 a.m. in the morning.
I love, love, love it!!
That was AWESOME! 🙂
That was so cute & so creative!!! I love it!!!
I'm seriously cracking up over here! You are AWESOME and your "Dirty Half Dozen" are all adorable!
That just really made me laugh! What great kids you have! THanks for the cute Christmas card!!!!
THis is so creative. What a great way to keep the kids active too!
This is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Seriously! 🙂
You are so stinkin' creative, seriously! YOu need to call Martha STewart and apply for a job!!!
love.
Thanks for the smiles!! I needed the reminder to take the family I have and make something good out of what they are. This post is worth miles of smiles!!!!
Just catching up a little on my blog reading. I'm Jewish, so there's ZERO holiday nostalgia about this for me but…THIS WAS AMAZING!!!! GO YOU!
I recently found your blog and stumbled on this post. You made me cry. As a new SAHM I really want to be good at this but its hard sometimes to feel like I'm using my time/skill wisely. Your blog is a great resource and the 12 days really helped lighten my mood. Thanks a million, Nike.
So cute. And a million times better than fake smiles and matching clothes. Very clever.