To do next year

My New Year's Resolutions 

Now I usually don't make theses much less write them down but I these just popped into my head so I had to write them down.

1. Be kinder and more patient 
2. Smile more
3. Laugh more
4. Do more activities with my kids
5. Do more activities with my family
6. Do more activities with my husband
7. Get rid of more stuff
8. Share more
9. Not let the little stuff bother me.
   

2013 recap.

Year 2013 recap.

In January my third baby girl turned 1! We had a wonderful big co-party with friend's who's little girl also turned one in Janurary.

 In March Lily started ballet classes. Emma started in April.

In April Emma turned 3! I turned 28!

 

   In May Lily turned 5! 

 

We did a tea party birthday in May for both girls.

 

 For mothers day I got to go away for my first overnight trip since Kate was born to Ocean Shores with a few friends. 

 

In the spring Kris build a chicken coop and got us 8 chickens and we planted our do my very first vegetable garden. By October we were left with only one lonely chicken.

 Also in May Kris and I celebrated 7 years of marriage.

 In June we finally got approved for our very first home loan and started the long and stressful journey to find the right home. We put an offer on a house in July only to wait two months for it to fall through. So back to looking.  

 

During the summer we went down to Oregon twice and stooped by the ocean on our way down the first time.

 

 2013 was my third year teaching my gymnastic classes. I decided it was time for a much needed break in September form being a business owner and just get back to being a stay at home mommy. 

 

I started homeschooling Lily for Kindergarten and she is progressing very well I think.

My good friend got me to be involved in MOPS (mothers of preschoolers, a group for moms).  Which I was very hesitant to do at first but I have really enjoyed it!

 

 In October I got into the fun of Halloween with the girls.

 

 

 In November Kris turned 29! Also in November we found a new house I actually like a lot better then the first one.  We had a big thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family. First holiday get together with that side in over 10 years. I think we figured it was something like 15 years for a Thanksgiving.

 

December was a lot of getting ready our 4 Christmases. I was in the spirit of making presents for everyone and occupied my self with that. Christmas was great all of them! Although I hope to not be so overwhelmed and exhausted next year. Live and learn.

So That was our year. What well 2014 hold for us?  Moving forward I hope.

The "Magic" of Christmas

The "Magic" of Christmas

 What comes to your mind when I say "the magic of Christmas"? Is it Santa? I would guess that for many people that is it. What would you say if I said we don't do Santa in our house?  Do you think we are depriving our kids?  Well we don't do Santa. We have told our children Santa is not a real person living today. We tell them how the person who Santa is based off of was a real person that lived a long time ago. We also tell them how he was a believer in Christ.  I wonder if anyone thinks "Wow your kids must not get to have an imagination". But they do. They have great imaginations! We still let them play make believe and tell them it's fun to imagine. Can they play Santa or watch Santa movies? Sure.

I think of other things when I think about the magic of Christmas. First off, the word it's self says it. CHRIST! I think about all the miracles he performed. How his birth was a miracle. How he lived and died for us. Even though we focus on Christ all year long this gets to be a special time because it is his birthday. The day or time our savior was born just like every other man on earth. He didn't come in a fancy palace with tons of nice stuff to rich rulers. No, he was born to two poor people in a stable surrounded by animals. Just the serenity of that scene puts peace in my heart.  I would love to hear all the details of Mary's birth story. There were no doctors, no nurses. The bible doesn't mention anyone else being there.  That is magic to me. God was there watching over everything. He was born perfect. And not just the way we say "she's perfect" when we see a first picture of a new baby.  He really was perfect! Sinless! Joseph and Mary got to hold God incarnate! I just think about how that must have felt. You know the feeling when you first became a parent I image it was like that magnified by 100 especially having angles there singing. WOW! I don't want anything for Christmas anymore I already got what I needed: salvation.


Now the other things that don't even seem like much to mention now after I wrote about Christ.

 Lights. Christmas Lights that is. The twinkle they make in the darkness and wow, you can enjoy them from the warmth of your car! As a kid it was a tradition to go see the Christmas lights. Then looking down on the city lights from the hill as we drove into the city to my grandma's house for Christmas was always so magical to me.

Being in a house full of family. I love a full house! Just being with the people who love me and whom I love. It makes me happy. Merry Christmas everyone!!