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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

New Year Goals

Once again I am going to set goals rather than resolutions. I think my goals this year are going to look a lot like last years, only because they are basically life goals rather than yearly goals. It's things I strive to change daily, but I have a hard time.

1. I'd like to be a healthier version of me.  And a lot of that is losing weight, yes. I know it is the ultimate cliche at New Years to say you want to lose weight, but it is still true. This year I am going to join Weight Watchers as a sign of my commitment and to motivate me. If I am paying for something I am going to get all I can out of it. I just want my clothes to fit me again and to not feel gross about myself. So I am going to give it a go. Along with that is working out again and dragging my butt out of bed in the mornings to get it done. While I always think that being runner is really cool, I'm probably not going to that. I might attempt the C25K again but I am not committing to that. Rather I am going to try for 3-4 days of exercise and then healthy eating to go with it. I want to show my kids what the right lifestyle looks like and teach them. But mostly I want to do it for me.

2. I'd like to be on my phone/electronics less. I didn't do great with this last year. I am on the computer much less at home but not my phone. I am on my phone a lot. I need to just put it down and pay attention even if it is just to watch TV with my kids. Along with that is the resolution to make Bub get off his electronics too. He is taking cues from me and his dad about that and it needs to stop.
 
3. To have more family dinners. We use to do this everyday. But most nights it's just me and the kids and I have become very relaxed about eating dinner together and with the TV off. That's about to change. Some quiet family time for dinner and then homework and family time afterward, that's how we use to do it and we are going back to that.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry and bright

I hope everyone is having a merry Christmas.  The nice thing about this year is that we are finally home after having spent the last 2 years at my in-laws. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy Christmas over there. It's just that we usually alternate years and due to an obligation with my family we ended doing 2 years of Thanksgiving with my family and 2 years of Christmas with his. And I do look forward to that year at my own home. It's so much easier and involves a whole lot less hauling of gifts and hiding of Santa presents. So far the plans involve the traditional reading of "T'was the Night Before Christmas" by BT once he gets home from work (he has to work late) and watching Christmas movies. We will also be spending some time with my family, I'm sure since my sister is in town. I'm looking forward to a nice, relaxing Christmas.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Climbing

I was a climber apparently. I remember climbing onto the kitchen cabinets pretty young. I liked climbing on things. Bub was not. He never really climbed on anything and never seemed that interested. Button is a climber and no one warned me about how stressful having a climber is. She is on everything. She's pretty good at it. I guess my first indicator was when she learned to climb on the sofa and then the chair. My mom has bar stool height dining chairs and Button can climb on them. She loves stairs and ladders. Anything that can help her reach things she shouldn't have basically. I have a ladder bookcase in my bedroom and I caught her trying to climb that. She'd be up on the counter if her legs weren't so short. Her ability to climb up on things is actually useful in a way. She doesn't need me to put her up on so many things. The other day she was walking on her dresser after being changed and I asked where she was going. "I don't know," she said as she walked to the edge. She fell down a hill the other day that she had climbed and her nose is all scratched up. Yet BT said the thing she was most mad about was that he wouldn't let her climb the hill again. She is fearless and that's not good. A little fear never hurt and certainly would make her mother feel better.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Santa the stranger

I've been trying this holiday season to take my kids to see Santa. But things like sickness and the weather keep getting in our way. Finally I gave up and we decided to go to the mall. It's not that I don't like the mall Santa. I do. We have a very good mall Santa and the set-up is really pretty. It's just that it is expensive and, more than that, can be overwhelming for little ones. The only mall Santa picture I have with Bub was when he was about 2 and he was not happy about Santa. Now the thing about Button is she doesn't like strangers. She gets very serious with people she doesn't know. It's part of the reason why most of the professional pictures I've had taken of her are with a serious face. So knowing what I know, I kind of knew how this was going to turn out. The only saving grace could have been her brother. But not even his presence was going to save her from Santa. It did not go over well. Santa, in the end, had to stand behind the chair and even so the picture is not the best. C'est la vie, I suppose. I did get some great pictures of them in front of our Christmas tree in their nice clothes and I'm thinking about taking them to a local restaurant where Santa is going to be and trying again. Maybe in a more relaxed setting I can get a decent picture. And, if not, oh well. This will all be apart of the story of Button's 2nd Christmas.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Seven years old

Bub's 7th birthday was yesterday. I can't believe he is already 7. I say that every year, that I can't believe he is X years old and it's true every time. So this year for his birthday I took him and 2 of his friends to see Frozen and then to a dessert parlor afterwards for cake. They had a good time and I think he really enjoyed himself. Usually I pay for a party at a place and about 4 kids show up and he plays with his best friends only anyway. So this was nice for them. They wanted to play outside but it was freezing so I only let them for about 5 minutes. But they had a good time and he enjoyed himself which is what matters. Sunday we had a small family party for him and I did a abbreviated Skylanders theme (meaning I made invitations and a banner and had it put on a cake). He also had a good time playing with one of his older cousins and Button. She loves the cousin and will follow them around. It's pretty cute. It was cold and rainy yesterday though so there was no outside play but they had a good time anyway. Bub has fun wherever he goes. All in all, I think he had a good birthday and now we are ready for Christmas.








Monday, December 2, 2013

The Grateful Project wrap-up

I had actually intended to finish out the month with posts of gratefulness Friday and Saturday but it's been really busy. We were at BT's parent's house till Saturday morning and then Saturday afternoon I drove to a small town near us to buy a present for my aunt and then we went to my parent's house to have dinner and watch TV (how about that Auburn-Alabama game). Sunday BT put up the outside lights and the kids and I did some shopping for Bub's birthday party and some other household things we needed. Friday is going to be cleaning day and I wanted to be prepared. Then I cleaned up Bub's room which is no mean feat and started on Button's but I lost my momentum. So I watched a movie with them and then we made gingerbread men and went to the local zoo for their Christmas light display. We had a lot of fun but it took longer than I thought so everyone went to bed much later than we should have. Both me and Bub were hard pressed to get out of bed this morning.

So I guess to finish out the month I have to say I am grateful for being busy. Amber Riley said on DWTS that if you complain  when  you are busy then you'll complain when you are not and you'll never be happy. That is so true so it's good to be busy and to have plenty to do. I do wish for a little downtime but other that that is good to have such fun stuff to do.