Thoughts on 2011

2011 is all but over now.  And when I look back at this past year, I am really happy with the progress I've made within myself and the goodness of this year.  Todd and I have been married for eight years, and this is the first year we haven't had a huge change like pregnancy, new babies, or moving.  This year, we have just lived.  And it's been good.  Here are a few things I don't want to forget about 2011 (and believe me!  There are A LOT of things I did not do, but here are three things I did!):

1.  Todd and I made it a goal to workout.  You know, actually use our treadmill.  And we DID!  THE WHOLE YEAR!  And we aren't stopping now.  I am also very proud to say that I am 10 pounds less than the beginning of this year, making me (finally) back to my marriage weight.  It was totally worth it.  I really hate working out, but it's made me feel better, have less joint issues, and just be happy.

2.  Another goal I had was to write in my journal at least once a week.  I'm happy to say that I made 57 entries in my journal this past year!  Some one page, some five or more, but every. single. week.  I wrote!  I'm not talking typing or blogging.  I'm talking about a leather-bound journal and a pen and some time alone to write my heart.  It's incredible what this has done for me.  It's given me perspective.  Helped me know what it is that I really feel, what I really hope and need and think and want.  I highly recommend it.  The handwritten version that you know no one will read. 

3.  In January, Todd and I also decided to start going to the temple once a week.  We tried to go once a month together, and the other times alone.  Todd did better than me, but I managed to go about three times a month.  Talk about life-changing.  Talk about a life-savor.  This saved me when things were hard.  This gave me faith when it started to weaken.  This made it okay that things weren't going according to my plan.  I had plans that didn't work out this year.  But the temple made me see that it is okay.  My plan isn't always best.  And I'm okay with that.  I love the temple.  I'm going to keep going as much as possible.

So there you have it.  2011.  What a great year.  What a great life.  Hard.  Crazy.  Confusing.  But wonderful.  I just hope to continue those three things in 2012, and maybe if I'm awesome, add one or two more.

Our Christmas

Sometimes things don't work out like you think . . . and this year, that is exactly how our Christmas turned out.  Todd woke up Christmas morning with the 24-hour stomach flu and spent the day either in bed or puking over the toilet.   Hmmmm, a little less merry than anticipated!  I was really sad, what can I say?  And it really threw me for a loop.  Because of that, this is the only picture I took the entire day:

At least the kids weren't sick.  And the worst of it for Todd didn't come until after opening gifts, so at least he was partly there for that.  Though I think it was a little hazy. 

The next day . . . I came down with it.  Laid around moaning and puking just like Todd.

So yesterday, Todd and I finally had time to look around at what we got, and figure out what to do with all the things the kids had got and scattered around while we were out of commission!  A little order has now been restored!

I wish I had taken more pictures.  Like one of the kids in their Christmas Sunday clothes . . . or at least ONE of opening presents.  But, the kids did have a wonderful day, how could they not?!  And Madeline proclaimed at the end of the day how she just LOVED everything she got.  LOVED EVERYTHING.  Ethan agreed.

My favorite part of the day was hearing Silent Night played on the violin at church.  That made my Christmas.

Candy Houses

Normally a Christmas Eve tradition, tonight just seemed like the right timing to make our candy houses!

 Before we began, I had fun making colorful marshmallows using my food sprays - they turned out to be a hit!

 I just really enjoyed tonight.  It was so much fun.  And yes, Madeline is trying to get sticky candy out of her teeth . . .

 She LOVED the pink marshmallows.  And the purple ones too.  Shock, I know. 

 And Ethan is taking after his Uncle Eric nicely . . . the more candy, the better!

 Madeline's:

 Mine:

 Ethan's:

 Todd's:

I really like Todd's snow rocket to go along with the candy house rocket. 

Merry Christmas!

Chapter Books

Ethan brought home this book from school on Monday:

 He got it from his teacher and was supposed to read some every day to me until he finished it.  Then he'd get a new one.  I figured he'd read a chapter a day.  This is the first chapter book he had brought home from school, and I was kind of glad to be past the smaller and more simple books he'd been bringing home in the past.

 But after one chapter, he didn't want to stop.  He said, "Wow Mom, this is good."  And without another breath started chapter two.  From then on, I couldn't tell when one chapter ended and the next started.  He never skipped a beat.

As you might have guessed, he finished the whole thing and took it back to school with him the next day.  It's a 56 page book and he loved every page.  And I listened to every page too.  I will admit, it was much less annoying than a lot of stories, so I enjoyed it too!

Here is what Ethan had to say after finishing the whole book:

"That was a great book!  I love chapter books!  They are way more exciting."
"I just LOVE reading!"
"No Chapter book can stop me!"
"I love chapter books!"

He's almost done with the next one too.  And we checked another one out from the library as he will be going off track soon.  This series has something like 30 books, so we'll be set for awhile.

Though I love to read now, I surely wasn't a reader as a child.  His love of reading and his ability to read so much blows me away.  I'm glad he'll follow me around reading out loud to me right now, because I know that someday (too) soon, he won't anymore.  He'll just be on the couch, with his nose in a book.

A Groovy Christmas

I'm officially excited for Christmas now!!  My Christmas sewing is DONE!  And for Madeline, that means she is going to have a very Groovy Christmas.  Have you ever heard of Groovy Girls?  Madeline loves these fun colorful dolls.  She has five and enjoys switching their clothes around among them and playing with them.  So this year, instead of buying more of the pricey outfits for them, I decided to make a new outfit for each of her Groovy Girls.  Below you can see two of her dolls and all five of the outfits I made for them:

 And while I was at it, I decided to make some sleeping bags for them too.  Madeline likes playing camping and what's more fun than groovy sleeping bags, right?

 The girls seem to like them:

 And to finish off the sewingfest, I made this little groovy rug to accent their home.  It goes well with the groovy chairs I made for her this summer.

(pictured here wearing their store-bought clothes)

Overall, I'm really happy with how all these things turned out.  Kind of a lot of work for someone who doesn't know how to make up patterns, but fun all the same.  And like I said, I'm finally excited for Christmas.  I think she'll really have fun with these.

Ready for the 24th

I might not be ready for Christmas just yet, but I finally am ready for Christmas Eve:

My kids will be wearing these jammies for Christmas!  I bought the shirts at H&M and sewed the little penguins on to match the pants I made.  Hopefully I can finish my last big sewing project in the next day or two so I can have a couple days to relax!

Are you ready for Christmas?

And Cupcakes

What's a dinosaur party without Dinosaur cupcakes?  Don't ask how the self-proclaimed Cupcake Queen forgot to add these pictures to the post yesterday.  Dinosaur cupcakes completed the party!

 Here are the grass and water lovers

 And some in the dirty rocky lands . . . I have to admit, I went the easy route on these cupcakes.  In my heart of hearts, I would have made fondant dinos, but those paper mache dino eggs really did me in!  They were lots of fun, but quite time consuming to paper mache seven balloons, then fill and paint them.  It's one of those things that you imagine being easier than it really is.  :)  But still so worth it! Sooo . . . we opted for plastic dinosaurs from the dollar store and they turned out to be great party favors!

 Madeline decorated all of Ethan's presents with his toy dinosaurs too

 And he opened a lot of dino toys as well.

 And this, my friends, is what a real SIX year old looks like!