New Year, New Stuff

I think that this will be my final post for awhile since we are going back to the grind and rat race work tomorrow morning.  Today, our final day off, I decided to take Abby out for a girl's day.  She had some birthday money, and I had some time, so off we went.  We stopped at Target to exchange a few things, change out a few sizes on gifts, etc.  She picked out some Smurf Slippers and we headed to the mall for lunch.  Over lunch, we had a lovely conversation about watching a movie in bed with her friends, preschool mishaps, and what she wants to do tomorrow (eat ice cream in her new slippers while watching Toy Story Three).  I let her run around the play area at the mall and then whisked her to the Disney store. The mall is having AMAZING sales.  Why don't we skip the holiday in December next year and just exchange in February or something. Everyone would get more or better stuff at a fraction of the price.  Just a thought....
So, anyway, she got a Jessie the cowgirl hat (glitter and ponytail included) and Jessie PJs.  For anyone who may not know, she has a Jessie doll that she picked out for her 2nd birthday.  It has been her best friend for a very long time.  Jessie is a mess and needs some repairs.  She is well loved.

After the Disney store, she played again at the playplace and then we came home.  She took a nap and then our neighbor, Helen came over for burritos.  A good way to end the week.

Rewind to New Year's...
Well, we had every intention of making it to midnight (Ray, Joey and I).  But... Brooks has not been sleeping lately (growth spurt) and we are exhausted.  Yesterday, some local friends/cousins of Abby's came over for a celebration.  We celebrated at 11am and we decorated cookies and hung out.  Yesterday, we went to the King's for a party at 4 and the kids had a great time.  The food was good, the company was great and it was a nice way to end the year.  We came home, put the kids down and rented a movie on the tv to tie up some time to stay up late.  We watched Hall Pass and then decided to watch tv in bed.  Ha.  We fell asleep.  The only point when I woke up was when I heard my neighbor yelling to watch out and there was a huge boom of fireworks.  I'm surprised the kids slept through the annual street party at midnight of trashing the place with fireworks.  I hate the whole thing.  I think that Ray caught wind of this when I found him lighting mortars with the neighbors last year. Who does that with little kids sleeping?  (I'm sour grapes and a party pooper.  Boo hiss.)
But don't worry, we had a party at 2am when Brooks decided he was ravenous in his crib.  Hooray for babies!

Decorating!

Ray made Dora- or something like that

Ringing in the year at 11am

54 degrees?! Time to play outside

Hey Mom!- Baby #2 is wearing the frog hat!

Today, we cleaned up the house.  We took down the tree and tried to remove a lot of the Christmas.  It's hard to do that- I feel like we are 'Christmas free' for a month and then some ornament pops ups, or we realize that there is still a nativity up on the shelf.  It multiplies and hides.  I also added the 2012 files to the kids' cabinets.  I read The Happiness Project awhile ago for bookclub. The author (Gretchen Rubin) stated that she is annoyed by the little art projects, papers, cards, etc. that collect for her kids that she wants to save but has no idea where to put them.  She cleaned a file drawer for each kid and put a folder in for every year. Now, when that stuff comes home or appears, she shoves it in their files.  I started that for the kids too.  I even throw in cute cards, or brochures or fun things from the year as well.  If Ray gives me a Valentine's card or a Birthday card or a nice note, I put that in their folder to have one day.  They also each have a nice printed box that holds things like onesies, shoes, baby socks, Christening bibs, etc.   I'm sure in 50 years they won't want to sort through it, but it's organized by year, and Abby LOVES looking at the files with me.  I do too.  

Brooks (the front file is paperwork from his birth) Obviously, 2010 was short for him- thus somewhat empty.

Abby's is stuffed- she goes to school!

I love the filing idea. It keeps things neat, organized and fun. The rule is that it has to fit in one folder.  So, it makes you a little selective about what you keep. I saw a woman on the news that does the same thing but with shoeboxes for each year.  I like that, but who has space for 18+ boxes by the time the kids leave home? I also got Abby an art portfolio (a real one) to put her artwork in as it starts to come home more.  Some of it is really cute.  


2012....
Well here is what I know will happen-
We will all get older.  I will turn 32 and Ray will turn 34.  I'm still the youngest person around, which is weird at 32.  Abby will turn five- can anyone believe that?  This will be her last full year of preschool starting in the fall.  Brooks will turn two.  He will get a big boy bed.  It's ridiculous how fast the time goes.
I really hope that for this year we are able to just continue enjoying as much as we can.  I did not make a resolution this year.  I know that I should have, but I think that my resolve is going to be to just try to step back and enjoy more.  Things are busy, chaotic and hectic, but underneath the surface scum of the day is our family and our fun.  


I hope that everyone has a wonderful New Year.  I hope that we get some snow- but we won't- Brooks got new snowclothes, and I got snowboots for the first time in  7  years- they are awesome- orange laces and fur (faux). Who doesn't want to go out in the snow in those?  But, that's the jinx- snowboots = no snow. 

I will try to keep up with the blog.  Work starts tomorrow.....