Hello there my dears!!  I hope your week has been wonderful and full of joyous times and love!!  I have been enjoying time with loved ones and spending some time being introspective and reflective as I prepare mentally, spiritually, and emotionally for a new year.  This is why I have been far more absent this week than I planned .  2012 has been a crazy year of ups and downs for me, and through the good and bad, God has always given me a reason to smile each week.  I hope you have had the same experience or finding reasons to smile this year!  Every week I share pictures (via Instagram, or my regular iPhone camera) of things that made me smile.

These are some things that made me smile this week:

• Spending my Friday night trying out a DIY lip stain using Kool-Aid and petroleum jelly.  It worked too!

• The free things in life .

• Teal sequins and purple suede.

• Learning that an Instagram pal tried my bow tutorial!

• Volunteering at the Christmas Eve Big Feast with my critters (my niece and nephew for those of you who are new to the blog).

• Home Alone on television…so classic .

• Reflecting on the fact that that Jesus gave/gives me everything, and He is the true meaning of Christmas!!

• Learning that I made an “A” in both of my classes this semester!

• Making myself a wrist soiree treat on Christmas Eve night.

• The Christmas card my niece made for me .

• Tasha surprising me with the Nikes I’d been drooling over on Instagram a few weeks ago!

• Spending time with my mom and other family members on Christmas day!!!

• Polka dots .

• A trip to the library with the critters.  I just love being able to touch real books.

This is the last SMILE post of the year, and as usual, I’d love to know what things made you smile this week?!