here goes

This blog is headed in a new direction.

For some time now, I have been frustrated with blogging. Finding new things to blog about...worrying about getting too personal or not being TRUE to myself in my writing...I was always left feeling...sorta....unsatisfied. Yes. Very unsatisfied.

I am tired of trying to discover my blog style. Am I an informational blog? An inspirational to others kinda blog? Do I want to feature more decor and style?

Nope. Not me.

I have decided to stay True to what my writing style has always been. Journaling. Straight up journaling about everyday, all day, mundane or interesting to me kinda day. I have always enjoyed recording the daily. Thoughts. Feelings. Emotions. Hardships. Celebrations. Life.

I have let the worry go out the window about who is going to be reading my thoughts. I am no longer worried about who or how many will be following. This blogging has to come back to me and be for me.

So...this blog is going to develop itself into my online journal and fill itself with content from my head. Content from my days. Content from my life. Because what is in my head is important to me even if not to you.

I feel that I can breathe this in and truly take hold of it.

I am relieved in my confession.

I am satisfied in my decision.

So.....here goes.

resolute

i am anxious to begin on one of my 2010 resolutions...

cooking more and stepping outside of

my usual dishes and really

experimenting in the kitchen...

this week....i will begin pouring through these books in hopes to find

some new and fabulous recipes to try on my crew

barefoot contessa and martha cookbooks are of my favorites
just looking through the photos is enough
to make me feel as if i have gotten my moneys worth...
has anyone tried the pioneer womans cookbook?...
i think i might make an amazon order and try her out too..
been hearing good things about her recipes

so.......
hApPy weDneSday...
i'll be spending the rest of my day looking
through these beauties
and
making grocery lists
i know...
g l a m o r o u s!

monday

monday

m o n d a y

m o n d a y...

it was an early morning...

i knew it would be

first day back to school for the littles...

first early morning in two weeks

sleeping in is one of my favorite perks about a holiday break

i was not ready for the alarm to start singing at 6am this morning...

not ready at all

thank goodness i had a big mug full of coffee to get me started

i shuffled the littles off to school and headed back home to put the denali in park and

get the house in order

i came home to this

a mess

counter tops covered in stuff

s t u f f

i spent the lot of my day in the house/garage cleaning and organizing and

in the laundry room washing and folding...

i rearranged furniture and cleaned closets out...

felt a spring cleaning urge that i could not resist...

before i knew it...

it was time to pick up the kids from school!

*****

when were all home...

it was time for a snack and then some homework

with LanDoN

he LoVes homework and starts it pretty much

when he gets home from school

today he had some math to finish

i love this little guys hands

after math was completed and put away...

landon and i chose the book that we are going to read together this month...

james and the giant peach

i love this story

mikey and i read it together a few years ago...

he loved it so much and then loved it even more when we watched the movie together

then...

i walked in our bedroom just in time to catch some afternoon light creeping in from the window

after my photoshoot with the light...
i was hoping to sneak in a little power nap but the kids wanted to go outside and play...
so.....
we went outside and put them to work!
we had a yard full of leaves

l E a V e S!!
morgan and landon insisted on using the shop vac to clean all of the leaves in our front yard...
it works and is more fun than using a rake

l e a v e s

e v e r y w h e r e

after the kids vacuumed the leaves...
we headed out for a short family walk
{oops! no photos}
when we got home...
it was decided!
bReaKfaSt fOr dInNer
our favorite
while i was in the kitchen whipping up eggs and making waffles...
mr c and the kids were in the family room playing memory
{insert reason #12,947 why I love mr c}

it was a very loud and intense game of memory
lots of screaming and laughing


the game ended with a tie between mr c and mikey

after dinner...

morgan asked me to braid her hair

she loves for it to be wavy for school...

i was busy doing dishes and kitchen clean up

{still waiting on a maid}

so mr c offered his braiding skills to morgan

he looked a bit frustrated at first...

but i tell you what...

he braided her hair

i was impressed!

now it's time for bed

the little chickens are asleep

mr c is watching some late night football

a n d...

i'm blogging

while the dog is snoring!!

monday was great!

here's hoping tuesday gives it a run for the money

***time to go make the coffee***

6am comes early round here.

Picnic

this post...is for my mother...

it is chalk full of photos of the kids...

apparently...i have not posted enough recent photos of her grand babies...

yesterday...we had a picnic at the park

the weather was perfect

and

mr c came home from work really early...

early enough to join us!

we ate cupcakes smothered in icing...
the boys played football

while the girls watched and tinkered around

with their new camera

we rode on the park's train




this one was completely content being out with her family

some of us went back for more cupcakes

we enjoyed croissant sandwiches

notice our short sleeve shirts in january!

it was so warm out

one of us fussed about eating sandwiches and wanted to head straight for the cupcakes

l a n d o n

mom...i told you mikey was getting big...

he is almost as tall as me now!

m i k e y

l a n d o n

m o r g a n

after lunch...we fed the ducks...

landon felt bad for the duckies who did not get any of the bread

i love his sensitivity

and we smiled in the sun

it was a great start to the new year...

lots of family time

and lots of photos for grandma to see her grandchildren in az!

we miss you

The Wrap Up!

In a word...Christmas this year was just wonderful! We started off the season full of intent to make it the best and really celebrate all month long. I am truly satisfied with how everything turned out. We felt the spirit of the holidays clear and often. It's been quite awhile since I have been left with these feelings.

There really was something almost magical about Christmas this year.


We decorated early and let the berries and ornaments linger a little longer than usual. Normally, I find myself stuffing all of our holiday decorations back in their boxes the morning after Christmas. Not this year.
Our holiday break was spent playing games. Mr C and his mom spent about 3 hours playing Rummikub on Christmas afternoon. I refuse to play anything other than dominoes with these two...they are too competitive for me. Instead...I tinkered around with my new camera. Mr C and I agreed to only exchange stockings with each other. I was more than surprised when his mother disappeared during gift opening and then reappeared with a camera bag and my new Canon Rebel. My jaw was on the floor at one point. I am so glad that boy broke the "it must fit into the stocking" rule. It's been glued to my face since that moment.

Christmas eve and Christmas day were all about family and of course...food. The counter tops had a constant abundance of sweets and savories. Mama Sue brought 4 crocpots for all of her goodies. She never lets us down with her treats. She is the reason why I avoid the scale. I must have inhaled 30 of her rolo pretzels alone.

I am blessed beyond words for the wonderful parents that Mr C has. They have welcomed not only me, but my littles into their lives with open arms.

Being together as a family is always my favorite part. We were missing my mother who is living in Northern Las Vegas right now. She opted to stay put and spend Christmas with my brother and his family. Can't say that I blame her for not wanting to travel during such a busy time. Still, it's always hard to be apart this time of year.

We enjoyed each others company and spent lots of time laughing and just relaxing. That is really the best...isn't it?

I was able to persuade Mr C to avoid shaving so that I could see a little scruff on the mug.

I convinced my sis to let me use her profile for practice with my new camera. She quit after about 30 solid minutes.

There was a lot of slipper-wearing during our holiday. I loathe cold toes. Slippers are attached to my feet from about November until early March. I even sleep in them.

My sister seemed to be the only one really anxious for the holidays to wrap up...she was waiting for something really special to arrive from overseas........

.....Adam. He arrived late Saturday night from the UK. He's a delight and we were so excited to meet him. I could listen to him speak for hours. What is it about that English accent that is so pleasing to us Americans?

Fingers crossed for this one.

Now we are ready for the new year...plans and wishes have already been spoken. Goals are on the forefront of my mind. I read on another blog that suggest choosing a word for your year. Something to live by and something to strive for. With a little thought and an overwhelming pull toward this word that crossed my mind....I have decided that my word for 2010 will be : TRUE. I promise to be TRUE to myself so that I can be TRUE to my family and friends. No more worrying about what others see me as...as long as I am TRUE to myself...I can be happy.

So...Happy New Year!

Cheers to being TRUE!!

friday

this is precisely why i should not be allowed to purchase ribbon without supervision.

this is only part of what i picked up too.

i can't help it!

i really can't...

it is one of my favorite things to buy, stock up on, store and fill the craft bins with...

christmas this year is ready to be wrapped up in black, white and red with a little bit of tiffany blue here and there.

i can hardly wait to get to my wrapping!

speaking of wrapping up...can you believe that it is already friday?

when did that happen?

if this week is any indication of how fast the month will go by...

then i better high-tail it and get it in gear.

so much to do this month.

so much to do this weekend alone...

football tournament

last soccer game

soccer party

christmas tree shopping

date night at the hockey game with mr c

{trying out a new babysitter...wish us luck}

and then football sunday.

for now...i am running around the house picking up before i get the littles from school...

mr c is coming home form work to a massage from my dear friend, ashley!

{thank you ash...you're the best masseuse...worth the wait}

part of his birthday gift

{even if it is a week late}

hope your weekend is full of fun and christmas magic!!

*****

monday

monday's here again...

tomorrow is december 1.

when did this happen?

where did the time go?

today will be filled with putting the house back together after

our very long Thanksgiving weekend...

more laundry than i even knew we had...

dishes from turkey dinner still waiting to be put away in their place...

ribbon shopping at the craft store for christmas wrappings...

a trip to the home improvement store for more twinkly christmas lights per request by the handsome mr c...

there is a full pot of coffee to help me through today and plenty of creamer in the fridge...

i'm excited about the holidays

ready to celebrate the entire month

baking

decorating

painting ornaments with little ones

school programs

traditions

christmas songs

and celebrating the meaning of this special time of year

but...

for today

before the hustle and bustle of what december brings

i will focus on winding down november

taking a day to organize and prepare...

put the house back after company...

watch monday night football with the mister

and conquer a to do list longer than my arm!

what about you...

what's in store for you today?

are you ready to tackle another week?