Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Oh and our card for the year

Some of you I don't have new addresses for.....

Peace on Earth


















This is a picture of a girl delighted in the fact that she just gave her brother a mohawk.  The look of satisfaction.

Gumball ornaments they invented on their own.










Friday, December 23, 2011

Stole from Jesi

Jesi got this from www.intenders.com

It is just perfect for the New Year....cheers.

New Years Goals

If you write them down, they are more legitimate :)

First off, write more, blog more......

OH wait...lets go to last year's list and see if I even accomplished anything.

1)Spend more times outdoors exploring....camping...swimming...stargazing....more boat/river trips...more bonfires...more gardening.   Yes I did!!  We shall continue to do it..... 
2)I want the kids to see the world....appreciate the beauty of this planet and of its people. I want them to see wild animals in the wild....not just in a zoo. I want to hear Mason say "Mom that is preeeetttyyyyy..." (in that ever so cute Macy Macy voice of his.)  Maybe a little, but really we should be doing it more. 
Proposed trips (and saving accordingly for them): (NOPE NOPE NOPE......as tears of sorrow well up. It just wasn't in the cards this year.)a)Family trip in the Caribbean on a catamaran.
b)Family trip to Hawaii
c)Montana State Parks trip
d)Family road trip to Florida for some beach time (Kendall and I have talked about this endlessly).
e)Pacific Northwest trip (to visit Auntie Lauren/Kyle/Tami/Mike and our friends who are opening a winery there).
f)Visit Auntie Noonie when she moves to the farm.
g)Family river trip down the Colorado
h)Family hiking trip down Havasupai

(PS you wanna come?? Say the word...)

3)Find an outlet for stress....in January I am starting yoga. More photography...it makes me happy. ****YEAHHHHH I GOT THIS ONE RIGHT THIS YEAR******
 
4)The tv is off a lot now and I like it. Keep reading, more library visits.    I highly enjoyed my visits to the library this year but I still watched tv.   
5)Work more on planning meals for my family. Healthy meals. Did pretty good, but still could do better.

NOW FOR 2012......

Well...my goals are going to revolve around five words.  WANT NEED WEAR READ SELF

I saw on Facebook someone that for Christmas does one present of each (except SELF) for their kids. 

So for WANT goals for 2012:
1)Do more photography.  Take a class.  Learn more about ISOs and F Stops....learn to use Elements. 
2)More fun trips.
3)More fun nights out with the gals.
4)More date nights with the hubby.
5)Get the new house spiffed up. 

NEED
1)To eat less junkfood.
2)To work out or do yoga at least one more day a week.
3)To go to bed earlier.
4)Spend less, save more.  Use coupons.  Be frugal.  Use what I already have.  Sell unused stuff on eBay or donate to Goodwill. 
5)Work with Kendall and Mason more on reading.
6)Simplify. Organize.

READ
1)Read at least one book a month. 

WEAR
1)Buy used, sell used, buy less. 
2)Sew more??
3)Be happy with what I have.

SELF
1)Be more adventurous. Relaxed. Dance in the kitchen more. 
2)Practice yoga more at home. 
3)Drink more water. 







Thursday, December 1, 2011

I love this so immensely....

Mom regrets

A friend sent this today and it arrived at the exact moment that I needed to read it. 

If I had my children to raise over again...I'd build self-esteem first, house later, I'd finger paint more, and point fingers less, I'd do less correcting, and MORE connecting ,I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes, I'd care to know less, and know to care more, I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play, I'd run through more feilds and gaze at more stars ,I'd be firm less often and affirm MORE often, I'd model less about the love of power and more about the power of LOVE!

We struggle so much with buying and preparing and doing and then before you know it your kids are graduating and you are sending emails like this because you wish you had done more.  I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT MOM.  I want to feel like we did a lot. I want the kiddos to feel like they touched, saw, ate, experienced so much. I want them to be interviewed by a magazine years from now and when the interviewer asks them what their childhood was like, they will say "It was so amazing.  We had the most caring and loving parents.  We saw the world."

Which brings me to one of my struggles.  In our new house, we have a craft room(Like, how cool is that!!). My issue is that Kendall literally could spend all day in there creating and decorating and the sort, which is a good thing.  BUT...she absolutely hates cleaning up after herself and she wastes soooo many materials: paper, glue, tape, you name it.....  How do you find the right balance?

My first step in my goal to smother my kids with love is start with this holiday season....every few days doing something fun.

1)Make Gingerbread Houses
2)Go to the Holidazzle Parade
3)Bake cookies
4)Give presents, hats, jackets to the school drive
5)Make some ornaments and decorations

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Still Fall?






It has just been unseasonably warm here.  We spent the afternoon picking up trash and plotting where our garden will go for next year.  This gave me the opportunity to get some photos of my babes.....well, and one of me. 

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thanks...

Hi.  Sorry it has been so long.  Two moves in a period of two months takes a lot out of you.  I hope to get back on here more in the next few weeks, but with the holidays here and two work trips coming, it might be New Years before I am a regular contributor to the blogger world again. Just in time for me to write my annual New Years Resolution List (oh I just know you are excited...hee hee). 

I really logged on to tell you how thankful I am.  My day starts off with thanks for the puffy-eyed snuggle bugs that climb in my bed and wrap their arms around my neck.  They are what it is all for.  They are the best part of my day. They are what I live and breath for.

Next to me in that bed is my husband who works so endlessly hard.  He works long days and even nights to support us (so I forgive him for his heavy snoring because I know it is well earned).  And then in his small amount of free time he works on the house or cutting wood or canning pickles or changing oil.  Oh and I don't know if I have mentioned, but he is a great dad and partner. A true partner, where we work hand in foot.  A dad that despite the work he has piled up, lays down with his kids at night to make them feel secure.

I am thankful for healthy kids, and supportive family members. I am grateful that I live in a community that cares about my children's education.   I am grateful for a job and excellent bosses that listen to my opinions.  I am grateful for our new 10acres of beautiful land where horses graze out my window and deer frolick endlessly about. I am grateful for our friends that helped us move twice, carrying insanely heavy work benches, couches and just plain crap, from house to house to house. 

Have a beautiful day.  Be in the moment.  Don't worry about shopping or saving money or what you are going to make or do....just enjoy.....right now and from this moment forward....just enjoy. 

P.S. I posted Part1 of a photo session I did with Ben and Rebecca over on the Sugar Jets Blog.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Sorry.

Happy Wintum(Autumn/Winter). Well, since the last time I posted, it turned into Fall and now Fall is pretty much over and winter is breathing down our necks.  Sorry for the absence, it is harvest time around here and despite my previous posts we are actually moving again because really who doesn't love moving. More pictures to come of the new house if it actually happens.  Here is a few pictures of what we have been doing.





Lowry Nature Center Birthday Party...awesome place



Our roving band of turkeys

Strike a pose










Replanting of the herbs, cilantro, rosemary

Add caption

Largest pumpkin, largest carrot