The Holidays and the New Year coming

Christmas for us was great. The kids had fun and we had the general craziness of running around visiting family etc.

Due to a misunderstanding one of my siblings didn't come to the area for Christmas this year, feelings were too sensitive and the fear that the stress of the season would simply compound the issues was understandable. We missed her and her kids though.

My grandpa did come up though, and my other sister came to visit shortly after Christmas!

I always adore seeing her and her family! She really does inspire me to do better with my health and activity levels. Not in a "Your fat you need to take better care of yourself" kind of way... more in a "I'm cute and spunky and love life!" kinda of way that makes you want to be like her :)

This effect of hers made me do a double take on a cultural tradition that I usually find kinda dumb... the New Years Resolutions. Yes, I usually come up with something dumb and then halfheartedly attempt to do them for about a week and then right it of as a "stupid tradition anyways!"

Last year I resolved to "loose weight" which is normal... and which I did better at least year than I think I ever have... however about 3/4 of the way through the year I dropped the ball and gained it all back.

Soooo, this year I'm not resolving to loose weight. nope. I'm going to resolve to be healthier all around... and I'm going to drag my family kicking and screaming with me if I have to! (which I may literally have to do... I've decided that we should go hiking and camping more this year when the weather will permit).

So, my eating habits and exercise habits are going to get a makeover (I am still exercising, just not as much as I should be) and yes, I'm going to get away from town more often... even if it is just a couple of miles away.

Jer and I are pretty much homebodies, we tend to only leave town about 2-3 times a year... and by leaving town I mean going farther than my parents house that is 20 minutes away. Sad, that is going to change!

and for some reason, though this reads a lot like a regular resolution... it doesn't feel so much like one. These things are actually things I WANT to do, not just need to.

Hopefully that makes a world of difference.

Now it's time to research a book with good places to go hiking in the area!

The Storm has Past.

Isn't it amazing what two simple words together can do? "I'm Sorry" coming from both sides is such a powerful thing. They can truly erase a load of things. Granted, in some cases they cannot make life how it was before those things happened... but they go such a long way!

I really do wish that more of the world knew how to use those words. I really hope that my children learn how to use those words to their fullest meaning.

Tomorrow is a new year, and all is fresh and new. :) I'm not usually one to set "New Year's Resolutions" but this year is different. Tomorrow I start onto my diet again, I start exercising again, and I start potty training the youngest... if he will let me!!

Hope and optimism are such great things to have!

And Here We Go Again....

She's ALLIIIIIIIVEEEEE!

Yes, I hate to inform you..... I know you will all be oh so let down...

I'm still alive.

That's right.

Still breathing. I survived the holiday season!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

somehow at the end of the holidays I'm supposed to come out with some new goals????

I think survival of the holiday season was a great goal! Accomplished. Already! Yay for me.

:D

Actually I do have some goals. errrr... a goal. It's the same as almost everyone else on the planet. CAN YOU GUESS!?!?!?

Yup, loose some poundage.

This is a must do this year. I honestly think it would do wonders for my state of mind. And hopefully it will boost the self image too :)

Hopefully, I can keep up the stamina to actually do it.....

mmmm, guess this means I probably need to give up my strange addiction to bread huh?

(Yes, CARBFEST) Plus, I think maybe if I limited to bread intake I wouldn't snack so much during the day....

Anyone have any ideas as to what habit I should work on acquiring to replace the bread one?

This ones for you Phyllis!

This was on New Years Eve. My nephew Little J and son Little Li

Happy New Years Eve!

Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL New Years Eve celebration tonight!

And NOW for the cleanup!

Some years it feels like I just BARELY get the Christmas decorations up and then it time to take them down again! Out come the boxes and the jigsaw like issue o getting them all to fit in the place that they somehow came out of!
And because it has been a couple of day since the toy fairy PUKED all over my house I guess it is time to start finding places for all of the now homeless toys and presents that call our house home so that said toys can be found when wanted by certain little fingers that can't find anything unless it is in it's rightful place.
Hmmm... maybe this could be a New Years Resolution? LOL