Out With The Old

... And in with the New Year!  As I browse around my facebook page I see lots of talk about how glad everyone is to bring in the New Year.  I however don't get that thrilled about such things.  Same as any other day. 

How fortunate I am to say that my 2010 was well... awesome.
In January I got my new sewing machine out for the first time.  Who would of thought I would turn it into ButterBeans&ChicPeas.   Here's my little Miss Emma with her Gnome friend.  One of my very first sewing creations.

February we traveled north to the mountains of Vermont & New York.   Visited with family... of course and enjoyed the snow for a change.  We all had fun even though the bulk of our trip was all of us SICK with bronchitis.   Oh the joys of the lovely northeast.

 

On Febuary 17th I opened up my Etsy Shop.  It was originally called BLauzonSews.  Of course now it is ButterBeans&ChicPeas by BLauzonSews.  I also just realized that Fenway was still in shape back in February before we had him "fixed" and he still had the energy to run & play. 

 Great Grandma came home with us after our trip north and apparently we brought the snow to the south.   Great Grandma and the kiddies had fun building this snowman together.  Taking advantage of the babysitter on Valentines Day - Mr. L and I went out to the Celtic Woman at DPAC and had an overnight stay at a hotel ALONE.  Amazing.  Thanks Grandma.  We also celebrated Great Grandmas - 62nd Birthday with a mayonnaise cake and gifts.

 In March we celebrated Cody turning Six - Emma turning Three

and took a trip down to Myrtle Beach too!

Also Miss Emma decided she would give herself her first haircut.  Mommy shed tears.  And then we rushed out to the hair salon for a new do for Miss Emma's Second haircut.

I started making shoes in March.  How adorable is my very first pair.  I think my good old friend Teigha purchased this pair.  I am pretty sure the shoes are what got ButterBeans&ChicPeas growing or atleast gave things a push.

April was a fun month.  We went to baseball games, even hunted for Easter eggs on the Mudcats baseball field.  Ate our Easter lunch out on the deck & our Jack turned Five!

 Fenway, The Pug went in for surgery.  He was "fixed" and he got himself a nose-job.  Here he is sporting his newly w i d e n e d nostrils.  No more snorting and snoring.  yeah. right.

Great Grandma flew down for yet another visit.  We {love} when Great Grandma comes.  We went on many walks, played on the nature trail, feed the fish and turtles, looked out for snakes and the purpose of her trip help me plant our backyard garden.    In this picture Great Grandma looks just as curious as the kiddies.

I turned 25 I am so young and Mr. L & I celebrated Eight Years of Marriage. {True Love}

In May we enjoyed the fact that it was feeling like SUMMER we played out in the pool almost daily -  At the end of the month we traveled over to New Bern and stayed at a hotel on the Neuse River.  It was so pretty there.  We went to the ocean and the kids loved it.  I mean really loved it.  No one complained.  They got in the water.  I love having big kids.  No more carrying babies to the beach.  Nice.  While we were in the area we drove by were we used to live.  It looked so. Small.  Always fun to look back.  But even better to see where we are and where we are going.

June was fun.  We took a trip to the Museum in Downtown Raleigh and everyone had a good time.  We stayed in a hotel in the North Hills to celebrate the end of summer vacation.  Cody finished up Kindergarten and was ready to start First Grade. 

For the Fourth of July Aunt Steph and Marcello came for a visit.  We went to the Durham Bulls game and watched the fireworks there.

Back to school for our Track 3 schedule.  Cody's first day as a First Grader - then Jacks first day of Kindergarten.  He was so excited and ready to go to school like his Big Brother.  From here out its just me and Miss Emma at home - until she is off to school like her big brothers.  But lets not rush things here.

Our garden has really come along we were picking vegetables everyday and had more cucumbers then we know what to do with.  Pickles.
I am not sure if I can bring myself to plant cucumbers next year.

Mr. L turned 28 this July and we got him some new Monster headphones.  I was so excited to give them to him I had to give him his present a day early. 

 August I started adding a ruffle to my shoes.  Seriously, how cute are they?  They were a big hit.

And I started making these adorable boots for fall/winter season.  

They are ridicoulously cute.

We were still picking those damned cucumbers.







This year the school had the Fun Run in September.   Mr. L and I were happy to help out with the event and Mr. L even played "Swimmy" at the end of the day - after running with both of the boys.  He wore the stinky - sweaty - hot Otter suit.

Mr. L, Malcolm and I went out to Vegas - kid free.  Great Grandma flew in and stayed with the kiddies for 5 days.  We stayed at the Palazzo which was fabulous.  While Malcolm and Mr. L were out at the Mr. Olympia events I sat poolside.

   Now that is my idea of awesome.



 In October Nana came to visit.  We went to the pumpkin patch in North Carolina and played at the pool at the hotel she stayed at.   Shortly after her trip here we tracked out of school and Mr. L and Papa agreed to meet half way for the kiddies and I to stay up in Vermont for two weeks.  While there we got to meet this little guy.  Garret.  My newest cousin.  Ain't he a doll?

Here are the kiddies and I sitting on the bench in East Arlington where Mr. L and I had our wedding photos taken three kids less and  8 years ago.

This November was our first Thanksgiving alone.  Usually Papa and family come down to celebrate with us.  Not this year.    We had a fun time none the less.  Setting up our Christmas tree on Thanksgiving night and watching Christmas movies throughout the next several days - weeks.
I also created my first  {Super} Hero Cape.  No pattern - just winged it.

  
December.  Of course one of the best months in the year.  Everything is so homey and warm.  Cody as a first grader had his first actual stage performance.  He did so well and Jack was right into watching it all.  While Miss Emma was a "wiggle worm."

We had a surprise for Christmas this year, Papa, Bonnie, Zach & Bella showed up at our door two days before Christmas on there way to Florida to see Stephanie.

Here we are Christmas night all together.  I love my family.  Aren't we cute.

 And the day after Christmas we woke up to this -  Eight inches of snow.

So - now that you had The L Family review in photo form.  Lets get ready to bring in the New Year.  I can't wait to see what will come.  Here's to growing business, good fortune and all that garbage.  You make it the year you want it to be.  I am sure mine will include traveling, sewing, family, friends and lots of smiles all around.