Out with the old..

2010

In some ways was a very exciting year and in others a very sad and stressful year.

I've always admired the holiday letter that many people send out sharing the joys ones family celebrated during a given year. It think these poetic, funny, snippets of a persons year are a great way to remember that has been accomplished, what has been lost, and what has been gained.

 I, however, have never been able to sit down and write one. I always end up making it too long or forget about 1/2 of the cool stuff we did that year. After reading our beautiful christmas cards and holiday letters I decided that I wanted to do a "New Year" version. I probably won't send it out beyond this blog, but I'd like to have a written reminder of the hopes and dreams we have for a new year. I'm also starting a new tradition this year with the kids. I'm going to create a questionnaire about all of their favorite things, desires, and dreams. This way when the girls are older they an see how they have grown and changed.

Will Hayden's favorite color still be red?

Will Ayla still want to be a scientist?

Will Dilann ever sleep in her own bed?

Will I get my studio open this year?

Ahhh, the eternal questions ones mind ponders...

I do feel that since this is the last day of 2010, that I should tally our lives, and create my "New Year" letter tomorrow.

Joys:

Stanford's promotion

Ayla starting 1st grade

Moving across country and meeting such wonderful people

A bit of self discovery on my end

Ayla's birthday

Hayden's birthday

Dilann's birthday

My girls trip with Hayden to visit her godparents

Sandy

My Tuesday/ Thursday pilates crew

My mom and her endless patience

Jalene's recovery

Stanford's first surprise party

My birthday

Watching the girls in gymnastics & dance

Storybook Land

Sorrows:

The loss of Stanford's grandfather

The loss of Elmo- the worlds coolest cat

Missing (again) the Baker Family Reunion

Moving away from our friends and family

Selling the home we brought 2 babies home to from the hospital

I'm sure that I have forgotten some amazing experiences that will scream and shout at me once I hit "publish post", but for now this is what I've got. (Or at least what I'm willing to admit too)

2010

Has been a wonderful year. My complaints a few and far between. This year has graced me with wisdom and hope for the new year. It has blessed me with desires and dreams while granting me the courage to pursue them.

I have a feeling that 2011 is going to be a wild wonderful ride.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

May the best of your past be the worst of your future.

Baby it's cold outside

we just experienced our first Nor'easter.

as in 18 inches of snow in 1 day.

it was way fun watching all of the snow pile up outside our house.

it was even more fun to go out in the snow this morning.

stanford and i took a walk and  while we were walking some of the snow came up to my hips. 

i may be short, but that snow was high. along the way we found a guy to plow our driveway for us.

 he didn't charge us because he likes to do nice things for no reason. 

i love people who believe in karma.

like i keep saying... there are a lot of nice people here.

once we got back we bundled up the kids and set them loose on the snow while we finished digging out the cars.

i'll post those later because they are on my moms camera.

we have waaaay to many picture takers here right now.

but it was fun watching Dilann flounder around like a pink fish, Hayden build a snow man, & Ayla build a slide.

my car last night

hubby's car last night

hubby's car this morning

it looks like snowmen are sitting in  our chairs

these footsteps... came up to my mid thigh

that's a lot of snow. but it's purdy.

good karma

the snow is 1/2 way up his tires

mr. red truck made our lives a lot easier. thank you!!

today was a beautiful day. clear sky. fresh white snow. perfect.

boy i love winter.

i also love shoveling snow.

i know, i know i'm weird.

but you already new that.

Christmas

my dad was able to make it here for the holidays which was wonderful.

 except we couldn't do anything because my mom was sick. 

as in can't get out of bed hacking up a lung sick. 

that sucked. 

my dad also said he jinxed us by causing the blizzard we had yesterday. i thought it was kinda cool to have a blizzard. not so cool to have a crazy sinus infection/head cold while trapped in the house with 3 kids during a blizzard.

 which i have right now.

thanks mom.

i think i need more tissue.

any whoo, santa rocked, the girls loved their gifts, i got spoiled, and cooked one mean- ass prime rib for christmas dinner.

the end.

this is Dino Dig. Ayla is actually "digging" dinosaur bones out of a block.

i did my traditional brunch with Quiche Lorraine, bacon, eggs, & biscuits. i also started the monkey bread we ate for dessert. If you have never had monkey bread you haven't lived. it is ooey, gooey, cinnamon sugar with butter goodness well worth that pain it is to make. it will now be served ever christmas.

because calories don't count on christmas.

the rest of the pictures on on the real camera that we finally got a new charger for. 

the best gift was my new kindle that my mommy let me open well before christmas. if you love to read like i do... you need one.

Birthday

i had one of the best birthdays ever this year.

i got amazing gifts from the first 4 GLEE c.d.'s to this.

my friends sandy got me the cutest vest type shirt that i wore on christmas.

all of my friends got together at an irish pub to help me celebrate.

and kathryn made cupcakes. chocolate cherry cupcakes. that her now fiance named "pop your chocolate cherry" cupcakes.

this is kathryn. she is a baking goddess.

sandy didn't wear a purple shirt. i feel special.

i also got some warm fuzzy socks that i love,  another cookbook from the top chef guy & a bottle of wine i can't wait to crack open when i cook for my friends from the fabulous cookbooks wearing my vesty-shirt again.
but what made it the best was all of my family and friends here with me. i felt very special.

Time Travel

I have been blessed with a lot of great memories in my life. From canoeing down the Colorado River in jr. high school to watching 2 NFL players act like children at the Mirage pool when I was a lifeguard there. 

I have done some traveling in my life though I wish I have done more.

But one one of my favorite memories is when I spent my 21st birthday in Australia. It was funny because in the states 21 is the drinking age... in Australia it's 18. Go figure.

Well, the other day I was going through my old CD's and I found this song. I first heard it when it was released in Australia and I LOVED it. It wasn't until a month or so later that I heard it in the states. I remember cranking up the volume and singing at the top of my lungs while dancing in my seat.

It reminds me of carefree days when all I had to worry about was getting to class on time and if I'd hit the lift in a ballroom routine. It reminds me of my birthday and christmas.

Now no laughing at me.

Birthday

Today is Tuesday.

It's Dilann's gymnastics day.

My Pilates teaching day.

1 day until my mother comes for a christmas visit.

And 3 days until my birthday.

I'm going to be 35.

Holy cow.

Now I know my older, wiser readers, will say "wait until your 50" when I can say I'm old.

Well, older.

I know, or should I say hope, it's only 1/3 of my life. But I sit here this morning thinking of all the things I've done in my life and those I haven't.

So I guess this is a good time to make my Bucket List.

I want to:

Zip -line through the rain forest

Go skydiving

Go hang gliding

Run my own business

Swim with dolphins

Take a girls only trip to a tropical island

Do an outward bound  trip

Take my girls to volunteer in a 3rd world country

Do yoga on a deserted beach at sunrise

Stay in an isolated winter cabin with just my family & no electronics

Dance again

Stay in a treetop hotel

Write a book

and that's just off the top of my head.

Christmas Shopping

In the past I have always loved going out and physically going my Christmas shopping. I love the atmosphere, the act of selecting the gifts, and even the holiday crowds (way, way, way after Black Friday).
This year I did things a little different.
I unintentionally bought all of my gifts on-line. Now many of you may be saying "well I've been doing that for years." But, folks... this was a first for me.
I admit I had to control myself because I stumbled onto this site and boy, oh boy, did I go to town! I got this and this. I was thinking about this for myself or some other moms I know. I did get this as a "family" gift from you- know- who.
Now I'm a review reader and I have to say, every review was 5 stars pretty much. With most people saying they would shop at the site again.
Guess what people... TODAY IS FREE SHIPPING!!! That's a $19 savings on some pretty neat stuff.
Happy Shopping!
(Disclaimer: I did not post any links from people who would be getting the gift. Sorry, friends and family... no sneak peaks at what is under the tree.)

Grocery Shopping

As most of you know I try to buy organic as much as possible. The more that I read about conventional food production, genetically modified foods, hormones, & pesticides; it makes me wish I had my mothers green thumb and 20 acres to farm for my family. I personally believe it's all of the processed - modified foods that are making us fat.

Agree or disagree- this is my opinion.

Anywhoo, I just got back from my weekly shopping trip and was shocked that I spent 50% more than I normally do. I thought I was lucky to find everyday items "buy 1 get 1 free" and  "10 for $10" (and I didn't even buy the 10!). While I admit I did have to stock up on depleted supplies for lunches and  pantry staples; this was an actual trip that I thought for once I'd come in under my normal weekly amount. Boy was I wrong.

So my question to you- dear readers- is how do you save $$$ grocery shopping?
I'd love to clip coupons, but they don't make them for organics.
I use my shore cards
I try to buy only on sale
What else can I do?

Christmas

Today I'm feeling ambitious.

Which is saying a lot since I'm still sick,

my house is a mess,

&

all I want to do is sleep.

But,

here is the action plan:

cook breakfast done

tidy up the house

start christmas decoration

take girls to lunch

then Tangled

buy a christmas tree

make linguini with clams

start decorating tree

pass out from exhaustion.

Like I said... ambitious.

Is is nap time yet????

There are times that I am "in the gut happy". These moments come out of nowhere and remind me of how blessed I am. Mostly it's the small things; like Dilann running to Stanford when he gets home yelling "daddy!", or when Hayden tells me to close my eyes and then places her hands on my checks to give me a kiss. It amazes me how much love children have to give.  As we go into the holiday season I want to remember these moments. I want to give them gifts they will enjoy, but mostly I want to give them happy memories and traditions that will make them "in the gut happy" as the years pass. That is my focus this season. Traditions, family moments, and love.

Life As I Know It

I am sick

Hayden is sick

Ayla had her first parent/ teacher conference at school

we went here the weekend after Thanksgiving

Ayla @ Capitol building

Dilann checking out butterflies @ Smithsonian exibit

Natural History Museum- much cooler than NYC's

American History Museum- kids science

Stanford's only requested experience. The Wright brothers original 12-17-1903 plane

Washington Monument from steps of the Lincoln Memorial

Me. the girls, & honest Abe

I just love this unposed picture