Random

My kids are off tomorrow.

I have to work.

The plan is to get out the door early so that I can get off early and head to the mountains for A&S snowboarding lessons.  That's the plan.

It's semi-quiet in the house.  Teeth are brushed, jammies on and Jackie Chan is on the tv.  I love JC.  Sofia went to Syl's house.  

After a restless night, with not much sleep, I took a little snooze on the couch for a bit earlier.  That's a good and bad thing.  Good, because I was obviously tired.  Bad, I feel my 2nd wind coming on.  I HAVE to get to bed.

I noticed that January is my slowest picture taking month.  After the camera being stuck to me for a month, I haven't felt the need or urge.  But I need to get it out.  I need to document.  I need to tell stories.

We babysat Tux for a few days this summer.  Here he is with Lilia coloring.  He's a good dog and Lilia adores him.

Mud patty to go.

I can't wait for hot summers and long days.

I look forward to a weekend with a short errand list.  I want to work on my Yesterday and Today project and get caught up on my OLW too.  I'm way behind.  I'll share more later.

Blah

I'm sick.
And I'm tired.
That's all I have to say.

xoxo

What?  Hot chocolate in the tub while playing with your dinosaurs and little ponies isn't normal?

Weekend Review

The first real "weekend" since the holiday break.  I came into the weekend feeling good, like there wasn't a whole lot on my plate.  It seems from about Halloween through Christmas, my weekends are booked.  Not only with soccer, but all the things I want to get done ahead of time.  Crafts, baking, shopping, wrapping...I'm on a whirlwind through Christmas, or nearly close to January.

This weekend I really didn't have much planned, except for JH's basketball jamboree.  Two games on Saturday and then watching our neighbor play in the afternoon.

(I love shallow depth of field, although JH isn't that well in focus.)

It's amazing as the kids get older, how many people we cross paths with.  I saw so many friends during a basketball jamboree -- fellow school kids & parents (x 5 and they aren't even on JH's team!), past baseball coaches (x 3), pe and music teacher & kids (x 2), current neighbors  and childhood neighbor and a coworker (although she wasn't there for basketball).  What a small world we live in.

It's so convenient that there is a Starbucks on the drive to basketball, makes the commute warm and pleasant.  And I know, so my kids love Starbucks, hey it's better than McDonalds, right?

And the end of the weekend is here.

xo

shirt, pants and robe

Did I mention the awful sleeping habits of the CK house during our 16 days off?  It was bad, very bad.  Kids to sleep around midnight, me about 2am.  All up by 11am.  Breakfast by noon.  Repeat.  Very bad.  I guess that's why I work, other than the paycheck, it provides me structure.  I'm not disciplined enough to be off for too long.

Lilia and I had our morning (afternoon) ritual.  Cocoa, marshmallows, whipped cream, maybe some toast, whilst in our robes.

(Do you see why I may have gained a few pounds during the holiday.)

Normally Lilia wears her "warmies", which are her footie jammies, the ones that zip all the way from the toes to the neck.  She calls those her "warmies" because she gets so warm in them.  For robe wearing, she prefers a shirt and pants only.  Warmies are too warm to be warn with a robe.

I miss sleeping in, my body waking itself up when it was ready.  I miss hot chocolate, the whipped cream, oh and the toast with butter.....sigh....maybe next December.

Melchior, Gaspar and Baltazar

I don't mind the rain, really.  I was glad to hear it this morning when I woke up.  We've had such a cold dry spell lately.  But with sun.  I love the sun too.  I have noticed as I get older, I long for the seasons.  I wish for drastic season shifts.  I think I'd eventually like to live closer to the mountains, or over the mountains and through the woods, with snowy winters and hot summers.  Oh, and preferably a farmhouse on some land.  Maybe lakeside.  I should have bought the Mega Million ticket at the Ephrata Safeway.

But I can always count on the shift inside my house.  I love to decorate as the year flows.  My kids love and expect it too.

Traditionally I like to keep Christmas decorations up until at least January 6 ... El Dia de los Tres Reyes -- Three Kings Day.  This day commemorates the Three Wise Men, Melchior, Gaspar and Baltazar, who followed the star to Bethlehem, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  My mom practiced this tradition.  And when I told my aunt from Wisconsin I was taking it down early, she gasped...."but it's not El Dia de los Tres Reyes".  Please forgive me.

It's also the end of the 12 days of Christmas, which begin on Christmas day and end on the 12th night, January 5.  (I just learned about this, I didn't know....did you?)

But this year I took them down January 3, nothing significant, but I was done.  I'm ready to start a new year and excited for the next ....Valentine's Day.  You'd think I'd be opposed to such a day, not being in love or having a "lover" to share such a Hallmark holiday with, but it's a favorite.  I love the colors and the hearts, and soon my house will be filled with pink, red and LOVE more LOVE.

number one | change

I signed up for some online classes through Big Picture.

My first is One Little Word with Ali Edwards.  I was a bit scared to take on this venture, but as I delve into the project, I'm getting excited.

Although I initially struggled with my word, I was drawn to the word CHANGE.  Ali said I would see "signs", and while I was figuring out if this was the one, I saw the poster below in this blog.

Source:  Francesca on Tumblr

And then there was my whole late night, emotional "change" conversation with Sofia.  At 12 you are kind of straddling a fence.  Am I a little girl playing with dolls and crawling on my knees chasing a fellow "dog" or admiring Justin Bieber posters on my wall and talking with my girls.  There is physical and mental/emotional change on the horizon, you can see and feel the change coming, and it can be scary.  I know there needs to be change in my life.  I want change.  But it's scary to think about the level of change to be made and knowing it won't always be easy along the way.

Sofia's story was a huge AHA for me.

My one little word for 2011 is CHANGE.

Happy New Year

It's still January 1.  I've got 8 minutes.  Wishing you the happiest of new years.

Today was spent doing a lot of nothing.  Entertaining family (the sleepovers) until 3pm.  A couple of errands and more entertaining and baking.

NYE 2010 (less Alex)

I'm feeling good about 2011.

There's going to be some change.

I've got plans.