New Year Resolution

New Years Resolution Time

Every year at this time the whole world... ok not exactly the whole world, but a lot of people decide to make these promises to themselves to do or achieve something. Well, I am one of those people. I fall into the trap every year, pour over my options, buy whatever it is I might need (under the guise that I MUST have it to achieve this goal) and then start full steam ahead. Do I succeed?? Nah... like most people I don't tell anyone about it, maybe my husband (but does he really count?) and when I get to tired, stressed out, or irritated I give up. My husband tries to get me going again, but as soon as I get bratty (a nicer word of course) he backs off.

This year I am going to do it again... but this year will be different. I am posting about it. Some of the people who read this, actually see me in real life and will ask me about it, see if it is working, etc... I now have more people out there to help me. To help me hold fast to my goals.

My New Years Resolutions:

1. Lose weight.... yes, of course isn't this always on people list... how cliche right, but it needs to happen. I won't be joining any gyms, I won't be buying anything new... I have it all. Now I need to use it.
2. Get closer to my spiritual side. I now God is there for me. I know, I believe and I have faith, I have seen Him at work. But I want to provide my boys with a model that follows a spiritually moral path, not just someone who picks and chooses when it suits her.

That's it. I want to combine those 2 things into my life style. I believe if I do this, all other areas of my life will also fall into a peaceful place.

Wish me luck... I will definitely need it. I am one who gets sidetracked often, I go with the flow to a fault and I need to change things up in my life a lot. So, my goals need to take into account all those things to be able to reach them. We will see...

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!

We have made it... the presents were put out, cookies for Santa, Reindeer food for the Reindeer. We were awaken at 7:30am, which was ok, except I think the kids were actually up much earlier than that. The kids had a lot of fun opening presents and having a great time with their Aunt & Uncles and Grandparents. I think they were crazy with over stimulation and didn't know which way was up. The toys and food were totally to much :) That being said... talking to the kids last night and today about the Reason for this Special Day was nice. Even Ryan could tell me about the Nativity and Jesus' Birthday.
Oh... we watched the movie The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson. We read the book first last week and I sent away for the DVD and oh, it was so cute. We sat together after everyone left and enjoyed the movies and the Christmas Message it had. The book was great, but so was the movie (even if it was from the 70's).
So... the year is coming to an end. We will begin talking about the new year, resolutions, and what the New Year may bring.

From Our Home to Yours

Merry Christmas and Blessings to All

Quiet Time

We started a new book last night for our nightly quiet time... well, really we decided to read this one together as a family instead of letting the boys read their book on their own. We have been talking about Christmas, of course, and I have been trying to get the kids in the spirit of giving... not just receiving. Of seeing things as half full, not half empty. Not just because Santa is watching, but because it is what Jesus would want from us. To strive to be the best we can. So... I remembered a book I read as a kid... The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson. I thought it was the funniest book ever, but I also remember thinking both about how it would feel to live near the Herdmans and how it must have been to BE the Herdmans. So, I got the book and we started to read it last night. The big kids have heard it already, but they jump on the bed as fast as Luke to hear it again. Luke hasn't heard it yet, and seems to be enjoying it. It is a really good book for the Christmas Season, especially if you have a house full of rowdy boys like I do. One thing, I am happy my kids aren't the Herdmans and secondly, I am glad that the boys see that it could be worse... they could have the Herdmans as siblings :)
They also can see how giving... not just presents, but time, love, understanding can be a bigger and better present than most of the things we find under the tree. That we are lucky to have what we have, when so many don't. Now, don't get me wrong... they are still young, rowdy, selfish (in a good way) boys... but I see them thinking, even if they pretend not to :)

Santa Anyone??

Santa is coming and my boys are excited!! Luke has decorated, set up his list, & now has even decided to BE Santa!! He is definitely ready to be done with school and get on to the Holiday Cheer. He is anxiously awaiting the arrival of not only Santa, but his Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt & Uncles. We talk about all we will do, food we will eat, and places we can go. I hope everyone is ready for a few busy days.
My goodness though, will you look at that playroom behind him :) I didn't realize how messy it was. I know it was probably because I was out and Dad was home and let them make a mess :) What a sight!!
We will have to begin all the wrapping and getting things done so we can enjoy a great time when family gets here. We are planning a trip to Zootastic, a drive through light show, which we have heard wonderful things about and the boys can't wait to go. You can see Santa, roast marshmallows, and drink hot cocoa... a little boys dream I think. Just the coziness of it sounds great, I am sure it will be pretty cold though. Oh well...


***Note to all... Our Own Little Santa happen to love that picture... but asked that I not put it out in cyperspace... as he does have his reputation to protect. It could be accessed sometime in the future just when he was trying to ask that special someone out... We don't want anymore angst for our children if we can help it... so that is why I decided to take the Santa photo down!! But it was cute while it lasted :)

Our 2009 Christmas Tree

Ok... we went to the Christmas Tree Farm, got our Tree, got out the ornaments, went down memory lane... but where is the Tree?? Well, after Luke took some random decorating shots, we got a picture of it.

Helping Dad... Learning what it means to be the Dad :)
Doesn't seem like they mind either.

Getting some use out of the Perfect Swiss Army Knives from Aunt Linda and Uncle Gary

Ryan wants to help too... Thanks Dad!!



Standing back to admire... Wow, It's Big!!

Our 2009 Christmas Tree

The kids were so excited to get to decorating, but they pooped out rather quickly so the tree stands kinda bare right now. I told them that Grandma & Grandpa were coming soon so they had better get it ready!! This weekend they said!!!

Ornaments

Christmas Ornaments mean a lot to so many people... to me they mean history. To see that every year someone saved the most precious and cute ornaments to hang on the Christmas Tree. All those little reindeer, Santa's, mittens, pictures... those are some of the things our children look forward to. They each have their own box, of their own ornaments. Ones in which they made or were given. They love looking at them each year, talking about who they received them from, when, etc... They know when they get their own house, their own tree, their own families that box will be theirs to take with them. Until then they are mine, and I can look at them and remember their small little hands making them or as they get bigger their large hands holding them. All those little hand prints I received as they grew... what treasures they are now.

My Twins are getting so big... they will be bigger than me soon. I am already starting to not be the center of their world anymore. I have a poster they gave me for Mother's Day when they were maybe 5 or 6, and it said..."Mom, The Center of Our World" What a fleeting time that is. They grow so quick. I lost Jack at a festival the other day... it hit home how fast they grow. I was frantic... he is 11yrs old, I know he just got disoriented, but that little piece of me just panicked... was he afraid? No. Was he worried? No. Did he know he was going to find me? Yes. He was just hoping he wouldn't get in trouble. There was a time that all he would have wanted was me. Now he knows what to do. I know, I know... We have taught him well, We have given him the wings to fly... blah, blah, blah... doesn't make me feel any better :) I was afraid, I was worried... I can't keep them safe all the time anymore. I can't anticipate their next moved. I pray that God's Hands protect them and show them the way. I pray He gives me the strength to get through this next phase of their lives.

Ornaments... a little glimpse into the past. Little did I know that they would hold so many memories... Like I always tell the boys, "You won't understand until your a Parent yourself." So keep those special little mementos... pass on the stories and make sure they know them well... because someday their children will enjoy seeing Daddy's tiny hand print on a piece of paper hanging off the Christmas Tree.

Christmas Tree Farm

We went to get our Christmas Tree this weekend!! We had a wonderful time. We found a Choose & Cut Farm not far from our home and the kids were finally excited to have some family time together!! When we got there we realized that they only had White Scotch Pine tree's and since we never had that kind of Christmas Tree before were kind of apprehensive about it. Our only other choice was to go into the Mts. and that wasn't an option... so off to find our tree we went!!

The boys had a great time running, playing tag, and touching every tree they could. We found one right away, but that would have been to easy... off to the farthest part of the farm we went in search of the Perfect tree... of course the first one was the one we got. We walked all the way back to the front of the farm and cut our tree down. We had to camera's and of course those pictures are on the other camera... so I will try to figure out that camera and upload those photo's later today!! It is a beautiful tree... I can't wait for you to see it!!!

Have a great day!!