More. Mine.

2013 is well underway (well, it's actually only the 8th, but it seems much further along than that) and I have been thinking a lot about my goals for the year.  I love the beginning of a new year.  I love the renewed energy and sense of purpose that the new year gives me.  I'm motivated to make this year a great one for me and mine.

For several years, I've heard about the idea of choosing a word as a focus for the year instead of making a list of resolutions.  Last year (or maybe the year before--it seems like forever ago), I chose the word create after much debate and inner reflection.  I then promptly forgot all about my word about a month later.  Oops!

This year's resolution making started with B and I discussing goals and plans for the year on our way back from our trip to Virginia for Christmas.  It was December 29th and we were stuck in the car for an 18 hour drive with our two boys and our two dogs.  We had time to kill and a tired driver and navigator to keep awake, so we started talking goals.

A number of ideas came up and here are the ones I remember:
I want to get at least one of the many sweater designs floating around in my head out of my head and onto paper and into an actual knit sweater.  Some of these ideas have been in there for over a year.  I even have the yarn.  This goal will happen this year!
I want to help N be ready for Kindergarten in the fall.  He'll turn 5 in May and although socially and maturity-wise I think he is ready, he's still weak in his letter knowledge.  He also needs help with his fine motor skills and letter writing skills.  I must force him to choose a hand to write with and spend more time with him.  I think this will be a fun goal to meet--if I can get off of autopilot and stop letting him just entertain himself all the time.
I want to help J try new things.  He is SO nervous about trying new things and I want to help him find a new passion to enjoy with other children.  I don't want him to miss out on opportunities because he is afraid to try them.
I want to do some new things as a family.
I want to help our family (especially our boys) eat healthier.  Specifically, we all need to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Maybe we can combine these two and try some new fruits and vegetables :).
B and I want to actually do some home improvements.  Our house was only 4 years old when we bought it (compared to our first home that was around 50 years old and needed lots of love).  We've never done much with it because we always planned to move closer to family and thus not stay here.  Now we've been here 4 years and our house is still not really "ours."  So we hope to change that with some small projects planned (painting rooms, updating furniture, reorganizing our master closet).
We want to check out our finances and see if there are changes we can make so we can build up our savings more.
We want to plan a fun family vacation to a new location.

Anyway, we came up with lots of ideas, big and small.

Later, I was reminded of the one word concept by my friend Audra.

I kept trying to come up with words based on my earlier goals.  Everything came out sounding like a greedy toddler.

MORE.  I want this year to be more than last year.  I want to live more.  Spend more quality time with my children.  Eat more healthy foods.  Knit more.  Try more.  Live more.  Be more.  No more autopilot.

MINE.  I want to make my house mine.  I want to knit my own sweater design and then wear that lovely sweater--mine.  I want to take care of my children like the precious beings that they are--mine.  I want to spend quality time with them and my husband--all mine.

My third word option seemed a little less like a two year-old who doesn't want to share.  LIVE.  I feel like despite all I accomplished last year and all I did, I still spent a good amount of time on autopilot.  NO MORE AUTOPILOT.  I want to truly live life to the fullest this year. I want to live more with those who are mine.

I thought some more and decided I kind of like toddlers.  MORE.  MINE.  These are my words this year.

Operation Christmas Lights

Last year, the boys requested that we put Christmas lights on the outside of our house.  So after Christmas, B and the boys went out shopping and bought some lights.  Today they put them up.  This is our first time ever putting lights on our house.  I think it may turn into a new tradition.

B and the boys begin hanging lights while the girls supervise.

The reveal!

And the glow on the porch is...lights on our rocking chairs courtesy of J.

Teeth

J lost his fourth tooth this week.  As you can see, his new teeth are already popping through.

Summer, Where did you go?

So Summer break has come and gone and all I can think is "Where did it go?"  As you may recall, the boys and I made a ginormous Summer Bucket List.  I'd like to say that our summer flew by as we busily accomplished all the great adventures on that list.  Unfortunately, that was not the case.  We spent lots of time doing very ordinary things like reading books, watching TV, and swimming at our neighborhood pools.  We did have some adventures including swim lessons, a trip to the beach with my family, a week of drama camp for J, a visit from our friends in Austin, a week of soccer camp for both boys, and a two week visit that included time with family in both Virginia and Ohio.  In between these bigger adventures, we did have some fun doing a little painting and t-shirt making and a few other crafty adventures.  I even did a little tiny bit of knitting, but not much--just wasn't inspired to knit this summer.  But mostly, we just hung out.  Hopefully soon I'll catch up on my photo uploading and will share a few here.  Until then, happy 1st day of school!

J's First Day of 1st Grade

Summer Bucket List

Here's the "bucket list" that the boys and I made for this summer.  Do you think we'll do them all?

 

And yes, that is a dog hair on three of the four lists.  Got to love the perks of pet ownership :).

What we've been up to...

J had his Kindergarten performance at school on May 10th.  The boys were weeds and the girls were flowers.

Mother's Day Tea with N at preschool

 

A Mother's Day photo shoot with N and J at the park

A bonus photo of silliness with B and the boys

We also threw N's 4th birthday party (water balloons at the park) that day.

Later that week, we celebrated with M&M and sprinkle cookies at school on N's actual birthday.

The next day was N's last day of school and another party. (No picture)

That weekend, N had his last Soccer Shots class with Coach Ducky.

The next week J had his end of season soccer party and got his trophy.

That week J's class performed "Caribbean Amphibian" at the school morning assembly.

Memorial Day weekend we went on our first family camping trip.  We went fishing and I caught a fish.

The boys were very excited about sleeping in a tent.

The next week was J's last week of Kindergarten.  Here he is on his last day of school.

A little bit of beginning of summer awesomeness :).

Right after school ended, we began swim lessons.

And I got to go out with these two wonderful ladies to celebrate Kim's birthday!  Great times!