Happy 2012

Happy New Year's to all our friends and family!


I hope everyone had a great Christmas and are feeling fresh for a new year. I love a new year...feels like I can start fresh again. I have this "clean-desk" syndrome where I feel like I can't start on anything unless I have cleaned up my "desk". Sometimes, this makes for not getting anything done because the "messy desk" is my excuse or not getting anything done because I am continually in the midst of "cleaning" my desk. Well, a new year is like a metaphorical new and clean desk.


Well, we ended 2011 on a pretty good note. Hubby and I went to watch Cake in concert for  NYE with some friends at the Fox Theater. It was a little crazier and better than I expected. It brought back memories of our dating years...and bucket seats. The grandparents came down to celebrate 2011 with the kids and brought with them some fun party accessories. It was too bad the kids weren't feeling well. I woke up on New Year's to three sick babies...hubby got sick, too. We had to bring C-Bear in to the doctor's yesterday because he complained of his ear hurting and sure enough, a severe ear infection. So Mommy has not been sleeping well because C-Bear hasn't been sleeping well. I feel like I have a newborn again. 

trying to "pop" a homemade popper I made

Enough complaining though...for ONE of my New Year's resolution, I am CHOOSING JOY in all situations. I have been thinking about that a lot lately especially after a sermon one day at church concerning this passage in the Bible:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7


And then, I have been following some other incredible mom's on their blogs (Ashley, Anita, Sara)and it's amazing how God's strength shines through them in their words. It's amazing how they can encourage others and bless others even in the midst of their pains. This can only be done through the incredible love and faith they have in our Lord. And then I look at my life and my proposed "troubles or woes"...what do I have to complain about? What do I have to be angry about? What do I have to be sad about? It really is OUR choice how we want to look at things and I want to choose joy in all circumstances...to be thankful. 


For example, my kids and husband are sick, the kitchen sink is not in working order, and the house is a mess of Christmas decor and other normal household messes, but I am thankful that we have a comfortable home that keeps out the elements. I am thankful we have medication to help with pain and discomfort. I am thankful that my family is not too picky and can eat PBJs all day long since cooking is hard without a sink. I am thankful that we have the things that we have that causes the mess we make. We even started school today in spite of it all. The kids and I had a great first day. It felt good to have school again. We were on break for way too long. Even E-pie told me she missed school. I have to admit, I did, too :D


I have some other resolutions, but they might not come true if I tell you...ok, I can't  blame others for my lack of discipline...which is another thing I would like to work on again this year. I need it in many areas of my life in order to plan my days better...meals, lessons, waking up, going to bed, etc. I would also like our family to include more exercise into our lives especially the kind that happens outdoors. I would like to try again at reading through the Bible in a year. I got through most of the New Testament and Proverbs last year using the One Year Bible. This year, I will try the chronological Bible reading plan on my phone. Also, I would like to better spend my time when it comes to media devices...they seem to be a blackhole for my time. It's like the Target syndrome...you go in for one item but leave with more than you need and hours have flown by. Alissa at Creative with Kids has a great post about how one should be more intentional with one's time when on the computer. 


I am sure there are other things I would like to do or not do but I have not made a list yet. They probably don't need to be on the list since I can't think of them off the bat. I think the ones listed above is a good start for me. What are your New Year's resolutions?


~H

Goals to work on...

So New Year's resolutions don't last very long based on my personal experiences. Hubby told me to call them goals to work on. Well, some things that I would like to work on or continue to work on this year...

• go to bed earlier so I can wake up earlier (which has not been happening as often as I'd like) and be more prepared for the day
• grow deeper in my walk with the Lord by reading the Bible more often, daily prayers, and Bible studies. I just discovered Lifeway Christian Store...whoa! what a gem of a find. love their Children's section.
• watch my tongue...especially around my family. It's so tragic that I am better about watching what I say around others (ok, not all the time but at least I don't lash out) Need to work on using a softer voice to turn away wrath as suggested by Proverbs 15:1.
• Seizing more teachable moments with my kids instead of waiting until I am all organized in our little schoolroom.

What are some of your "goals" for this new year?

~H

Good-bye 2010 and Hello 2011

Happy New Year to all our friends and family! We hope that 2010 ended joyfully and that 2011 rolled in sweetly for you all. We've been busy but it hasn't been stressful. We started this New Year's off by spending time with Hubby's parents' at their lake-home. So basically, I've started off this year not having to cook or clean but taking it easy and enjoying my family. Granny and I took the kids to watch the movie Tangled on New Year's day before bedtime. E-pie had a grin from ear to ear the entire time, even when she had her jacket over her head to protect her from the suspenseful parts and C-bear enjoyed eating popcorn while sitting on my lap stating to me a few times "Me eat all the popcorn". He sat still and watched the entire movie although at the end he told us he didn't really like it. E-pie told us it was her favorite movie besides Peter Pan. I actually really liked the movie and will purchase it when it's released so that Daddy can see it, too.

Having fun at Granny and Pop's

Poparuski grill-master

Stripey...new porch pet

Enjoying the sunshine on the new front deck

having fun with umbrellas...and no one got their eye poked out :D

We also got to celebrate my grandfather turning 85 years old! He is still pretty active. He could probably beat you at a ping pong game.

Grandfather with grandkids and great-grandkids

Grandfather with his own kids and their spouses.. my parents and aunts and uncles

Why so serious?

I love this picture with my Mom...Hubby forced her to smile ;)

So going backwards...we spent New Year's Eve morning ice skating with the kids for the first time. I had purchased these groupon deals for the Marietta Ice Center awhile back so we finally got to use them. I was a little worried that the kids, especially C-bear, would not want to step foot on the ice. The rental skates were really uncomfortable, but to my surprise, the kids were willing to go out there and hold on for dear life give it a try. Daddy was a little better with his patience quota than Mommy was. We both took turns with each kid. E-pie eventually could scoot along a bit while holding one hand. She told me she wanted lessons. We'll see. There is a closer place to our home so we might give that a place a try to in the near future and see what the kids think about ice skating the second time around. I think Hubby has some dream that one of our kids will play ice hockey. This got me thinking that we could start a tradition of trying something new for our New Year's tradition. We wrapped up the afternoon with some BBQ and getting lost driving around the Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton area.

checking out their surroundings

C-bear before Daddy checks him into the wall

I wanted to start the New Year's off with our house cleared of our Christmas decorations so that's what I planned for the evening. However, the kids and Hubby had better plans- play with the new Legos. I didn't argue and I guess it was wishful thinking on my part. I'm pretty OCD about how everything gets put away anyways but thought I would try to include the family. It was a nice sound in the house...quiet...as I was taking things down and putting them nicely away, they were quietly tinkering, building, and playing. Now all the boxes are in the attic, the tree is in the driveway for recycling, and the house has some available space again :)

We took it easy for Christmas, too. Normally, we host but this year since we hosted Thanksgiving, Hubby requested that we take this holiday off. I agreed since my Mom wanted to host at her new home. No traditional holiday meal but good ole hot pot...yum! If you've never experienced hot pot, it is a must try. We had our house all decorated even the outside this year with wreaths. We were going to do lights outside but never had the time...next year. Christmas Eve we went to our church for their special candlelight service. That night, we all opened one gift under the tree. After getting the kids to bed, Hubby was saddened when he realized that kids had forgotten to set out cookies for Santa. So he set them out so that the kids would find the remains the following morning along with a letter from Santa. While the children slept, the stockings were filled and Santa left the kids some really cool presents beside the fireplace. Granny and Pop visited us on Christmas morning and demanded that I did not cook because she knew that I would spend hours getting everything ready and not be able to enjoy the kids opening their presents. So they brought down lunch. I could get used to this.

excited about their new ride

We spent the day leisurely opening presents and playing with new toys. We got to have Skype with family in Maine. We took naps. We went to dinner at my parents and spent it with my enormous family. The kids got a really nice F150 truck from my parents that they are a little nervous about driving/riding in. E-pie is actually pretty good at maneuvering around in it but is frightened by it's movements. And it SNOWED...on Christmas day!!! How cool is that? The kids got to play in it the next morning.

I like the wreaths but I think our gas bill will be a bit higher this month

snowman made by nieghbor

snow angel made by my angel

snow tractor made by neighbors

surprise attack

got hit herself

Other holiday fun pictures...

making gingerbread cookies with Daddy

Cheese!

my little ballerina

ready for the show

E-pie dancing her winter recital...she did AWESOME!

Snow machine didn't work at the recital so God made real ones ;)

Ten Commandment train ride at the park

decorating  Rice Krispie Treat houses 

E-pie really wants to eat hers

Proudly wearing their Mutt and Company shirts from the Mainers :D

Can't believe E-pie is 4 years old

This was her at 5 months old.

Watching the videos from PNP.com where Santa talks to the kids...very cool!

E-pie is astounded that Santa knows so much about her.

WOW! What a wonderful way to wrap up one blessed year to begin another exciting year of growing spiritually, physically, and mentally. Here is to wishing you and your family a great one in 2011!

~ H