Not Resolutions

I'm always amazed at how quickly the new year comes. It seems like it speeds up just a bit more every year. I love the Christmas season and reflecting on all that happened over the last 12 months and the dreaming and planning that goes into the next year. I love sharing my goals and hopes with Justin on our drive to Arkansas. I love fresh starts. We've made a lot of plans over the years. Some we've followed through on, and others not so much. We always have the best of intentions; a game plan; a deadline. 

Like last year, a friend of mine boasted about the number of books she'd completed that year... I thought, I could do that. It was something crazy, like nearly 100. I think I finished out the year with maybe...one. I *started* a lot of books though. (And if we count medical and health articles, then yeah, I read a lot). 

Another one, of course, is lose weight. I did the opposite this year and grew a person instead. (And I birthed her in my bathroom with some assistance from Justin. I did the hard part, after all). I'll brag about that till the day I die. It'll probably be on next year's list of accomplishments too!

I still spent too much time on Facebook. I did blog a lot more though and I'm happy about that. 

(Also, I have to brag on Nathaniel who has gone carbonated free for an entire two years.)

A wise woman told me today: "If one needs a certain date or deadline to make needed changes in negative behavior, one will never or seldom accomplish said changes. Just freakin' do it."

Here's to just freakin' doing it.   

Picture of us, just because. 

December Kid Quotes

Nathaniel needed a new hockey jersey and he had outgrown his old Oilers one, so he wanted a new one like it. He and Justin looked online one night while I was out with Gabrie and Lillie and when I came home they told me they ordered one. Nathaniel showed me the one and I asked what size they ordered. After looking at measurements, and comparing it with his last Oilers jersey, I told him it probably would be too small. He and Justin argued for a minute about whose fault it was...

Dude: you never should've trusted me me with this!

Me to Nathaniel: You're getting leaves all in my house!

Pennie: Daddy bought this house!

Dude watching TV: How did he just pull his shoe lace undone so fast?

Justin: It probably wasn't double knotted... most adults don't double knot their shoes.

Dude: (embarrassed) Ohh...

Justin: That's how I know you're still young!

Addie eating cheese dip: This stuff is changing my life!

Addie: Can I walk around with Juliette when I'm 10?

Me: Juliette will be FIVE then! She won't need you to hold her.

Pennie: Your heart is in your tummy right? 

Dude: No, it's in your chest.

Pennie: No, it's in your tummy.

Dude: Alexa, where is your heart?

Alexa: I don't have a body.

Dude: Alexa, where is MY heart.

Alexa: I found an article that may help you. *Reads us a paragraph about hearts*

Pennie: Ohhh.

Gabrie: Wait a minute! (Runs to the kitchen and comes back with a ruler). That's way too close!

Gabrie: Does this sentence have direct "quotients"? (Quotations)

Pennie: Alexa, call the cops.

Me and all the other kids: NOOOOO!

Addie: Pennie, are you gonna live with Mama and Daddy forever?

*Pennie nods*

Addie: Me too.

Pennie: Cause they're our parents. Right, Addie?

Addie eating chicken soup: Mama, could I just eat the chicken?

Me: No, eat all of it.

Addie: Please? I don't like it.

Me: Nope, you have to eat it all.

A few seconds later....

Addie: ugh, I'm a vegetarian now!

Me: You just asked if you could just eat the chicken...

Nathaniel telling a story about how he failed at making lunch.

Lillie interrupted him, trying to tell it herself.

Nathaniel: Lillie, stop interrupting me.

Lillie: What, you're a bad story teller.

Pennie: Why would they make that cake? It has glass in it. And if people eat glass, they'll swallow it and their heart will stop beating. Right, mama?

Pennie: Hey tickle monster! I need a drink. Pause!

Okay, unpause.

Pennie: Wait, is that cottage cheese? I love cottage cheese! It's a kind of yogurt I like.

*Singing rock a bye baby to Juliette*

Lillie: Down below baby cradle and all.

Nathaniel: It's down will go baby, cradle and all.

Lillie: When the bell breaks the baby will fall.

Nathaniel: It's when the bell rings!

Me: It's when the bow breaks.

Sometimes I make a list of chores for the kids to do before they can play a video game. This particular time they each had three to complete.

Me: Let's see who can get all three done first!

Kids running off to complete them: Yeah!

*And then there's Penelope*

Pennie: Nah...

Pennie: I heard the door ding bell.

Pennie: Why are babies so cute? 

I was telling Nathaniel about our upcoming schedule for hockey and co-op. 

Dude: The Tuesday after Monday? *laughs* I mean the Tuesday after practice.

Also this month, Pennie used the word "edible" correctly. 

Trip To Minneapolis

We took a fun, quick trip to Minnesota in November. The kids and I visited the Science Museum of Minnesota, and the Mall of America with Justin a couple different evenings, where we spent way too much money on candy, got lost in a mirror maze, ate Whalburgers, and rode roller coasters (some of us anyway). The kids swam at the hotel--one of their favorite things to do on a trip. We had coffee downtown, and we visited the ER for the first time on "vacation". (Hopefully for the last time too.)

Juliette did great on the plane--slept almost the entire time. And she hates hats (see picture below). We aren't too Texan yet. The cold didn't bother us that much--until we crossed the border to Hudson, Wisconsin. That was cold.