Sunday, January 25, 2009

I'm Knitting!

Right now I'm just practicing stitches.  I wanted to get the hang of it before starting a project.

At the end of night one


At the end of night three

The Boys 1-21

Hunter Gets a Haircut 1-15

Hunter had needed a haircut in a bad way and for quite some time.
He kept saying, "maybe tomorrow."
Finally I just said, "we're cutting your hair today.  Do you want mom to do it, or Nana?"

Hunter Before

Our little haircut station
in the dining room

Mid-cut, Kenz wanted a
mohawk picture
(this was as close as I could get)

After
(in the bath, 'shaving')

Yep, he needed a haircut

Monday, January 5, 2009

Prompt 1

My dear friend Annie and I used to give each other stories, poems or quotes daily (I believe) in High School one year.  It was something that was probably a little silly to do, but I still have the binder full of our daily 'inspiration' pieces so maybe it wasn't that silly.  Anyway, today I got an e-mail from Annie saying that she thinks we should give each other topics to journal about (she's doing hers in an actual handwritten journal, I'm going to do mine here).  You can feel free to write about the given topics too if you'd like.  Here's our first topic:

Name three reasons why you should get out of bed tomorrow....

This one is hard for me because right now I can think of so many more reasons not to get out of bed tomorrow (broken leg, bills piling up like mad, etc).  That's why I thought it would be a good topic to do right now even though some of it will be things I'd do without the broken leg.

1.  I should get out of bed tomorrow because my children need me to.  Hunter is almost 3 years old, he's a very active little boy and what kind of mother would I be if I didn't get out of bed to play with him, to teach him and to love him?

2.  I should get out of bed tomorrow because my husband needs me to.  If I don't get out of bed, that means he'll have so much more to do on his own and he has got enough stress right now between working, taking care of the kids at night, cooking our dinners and keeping the house picked up (things I usually handle while he's working and I'm home but can't right now since my injury).  I should get out of bed to do what I can to help out so that not so much is dependent on him.

3.  I should get out of bed tomorrow because I need for me to.  If I don't get out of bed, I think I would just lie there feeling sorry for myself and probably just cry all day worrying about everything.  If I do get out of bed, I'll get to spend time with my children and my husband which will remind me that all of the other things don't really matter, we'll get through them and everything will end up okay...eventually.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Things To Implement This Year - Resolutions

Adapted from my friend Annie's myspace blog dated Wed. Feb 6, 2008: "Things to Implement This Year."  The original items are in regular text, my additions are in bold:

1.  Take a 10-30 minute walk every day.  And while you walk, smile.  It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
Take this walk as a family - for the exercise as well as the bonding time
2.  Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.  Buy a lock if you have to.
3.  Buy a DVR, tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
Limit TV and computer time each day
4.  When you wake up in the morning, complete the following statement: "My purpose is to ____ today.
5.  Live with the 3 E's - Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6.  Play more games and read more books than you did in 2008.
7.  Make time to practice meditation and prayer.  They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8.  Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
Visit Grandma Records and Grandma and Grandpa Broadie weekly and Grandma Helen monthly
9.  Dream more while you are awake.
10.  Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
Eat out only once a month, as a special treat
11.  Drink green tea and plenty of water.  Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds and walnuts.  
Eliminate drinking soda, except on special occasions
12.  Try to make at least 3 people smile each day.
13.  Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
Keep the house cleaner - pick up toys, do dishes, etc daily
14.  Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.  Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15.  Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.  Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16.  Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17.  Smile and laugh more.  It will keep the energy vampires away.
18.  Remember that life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19.  Know that life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20.  Don't take yourself so seriously.  No one else does.
Relax more - be more laid back
21.  Remember you don't have to win every argument.  Agree to disagree.
22.  Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23.  Don't compare your life to others'.  You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24.  Always remember that no one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25.  Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'in five years, will this matter?'
Or, in five days, five minutes?
26.  Forgive everyone for everything.
27.  Remember that what other people think of you is none of your business.
28.  Know that God heals almost everything.
29.  Keep in mind that however good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30.  Remember that your job won't take care of you when you are sick.  Your friends will.  Stay in touch.
31.  Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
Clean the garage - don't keep the things that are never used
32.  Remember that envy is a waste of time.  You already have all you need.
33.  Don't forget the best is yet to come.
34.  No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35.  Do the right thing!
36.  Call your family often.
37.  Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:  'I am thankful for_____.  Today I accomplished_____.
Have Hunter do the same thing - do it together as a family
38.  Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
39.  Enjoy the ride.  Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass.  You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
40.  Spend one day each month doing what Hunter wants to do.
41.  Spend two days each month without the kids, to strengthen our relationship as husband and wife.
42.  Spend one day each month doing what I want to do (a day together as a family, one as a couple and a day alone).
43.  Spend one day each month doing what Travis wants to do (a day together as a family and one as a couple - give him one alone too).

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year

This year we celebrated New Year's Eve differently than in years past.  Even before I got 'laid up' with my broken leg I was hoping that we could find something more family oriented to do to celebrate the new year.  We're just not as in to the big party thing so much anymore, mostly because we're not as close friends with the people we used to party with as we use to be (which is, more often than not, okay with me).  On the 30th, Travis' friend Jamie called to see if we'd be up for visitors on New Year's Eve.  So he and Becky came over with their 3 kiddos Payton, McKade and Brooklyn and brought us dinner (we've had several people bring us dinners over the past week, and it's been such a wonderful help - we're thankful to have such great people in our lives).  We had kind of a late dinner and I wasn't sure if they were planning on staying until midnight or not, but by the time we were done eating there wasn't much time left to wait, the kids were playing great together and behaving very well so we did it.  
Calvin waiting for our friends to arrive
Hunter and I waiting for our friends to arrive
Hunter took this picture of Travis starting dinner
Hunter posing for the camera
Payton posing for the camera
Hunter and Payton being mad deer
All of the kids in their PJs
(Hunter, McKade, Brooklyn, Payton and Calvin)
McKade, Hunter and Payton waiting for popcorn
This is how I celebrated
Payton, Hunter and Brooklyn enjoying the popcorn
Calvin at midnight
Hunter at midnight (sparklers left over from 4th of July)