Our Season's Greetings. To You.

While we wanted the front to be clear of any text to highlight the art (more on that in a minute), Chris wrote a little blurb for the back as a short kind-of-summary of our year.  And in case you can't squint your eyes and read the above, but are still interested in what it says--here's the write up:

In the spirit of reflection, we'd like to share with you a few things we learned this year. It's a short list, because we kicked 0'12 off with a pretty stocked metaphorical pantry, but these lessons are worth their weight in rhodium and it would be selfish of us not to share. 

1. Focus on the big picture. For example: "Hey there's an ugly half wall there, and it needs to not be there." Evaluation over. Permits; electrical wiring; portions of the foundation that stick out uncomfortably far, requiring the ugly half wall to be there in the first place; those are all just details. 20 or so exploratory holes drilled in your ceiling are less important than having recessed lighting. There's a time for asking questions, and a time for pullin' the trigger. And once you've pulled the trigger the time for asking questions is over anyway, so just go with it.

2. Everyone loves free stuff. Unless of course that "free stuff" is a giant eye sore of a dog house. In that case, the only people who like free stuff live 40 miles away and show up in their girlfriend's Rav4 only to discover you weren't kidding when you said the dog house was huge. 

3. Potty training and potty trained aren't the same thing.

In a more serious tone, 2012 was a big year for our little family. Lots of trials, lots of adventures, and lots of blessings. We are grateful every day for the people in our lives, past and present, who have inspired us to be better today than we were yesterday. Thank you for your example and we wish you, and yours, a Merry Christmas.

At the bottom of the text, we gave credit for the illustration on the front to our dear friend, the talented, Lance Fry.