Time To Start Anew

Here it goes. . .

It's not New Years, I haven't done any Christmas Cards, I haven't even finished Christmas shopping, but I am going to write a new post for my blog. Clearly there are many other things that need my attentions so I am focusing on something not nearly as urgent. As I write the laundry is screaming at me.

I am hoping to better use my blog in the coming year and thought I should start right now with giving it a cleaned up look. To have a cleaned up look you also have to at least have one new post right?

All I have to say with 3 days left until Christmas is that I HAVE to do better next year. Every year I say I am going to shop early and wrap early and do cards early so that I can enjoy the season. NEVER HAPPENS. My favorite part of our season this year was when we had 2 snow days and just hung out and did nothing. The entire rest of the season we have been rushing around. School gets out tomorrow, we will rush around for 2 more days and then settle down as a family spend time together and do nothing some more.

So here's to Christmas Day when everything is closed and all the days that follow until January 2nd when we will hit it again.

I hope that all of you enjoy your holidays and have time to do nothing with those you love to do nothing with the most.

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

As I was reading this book to Nathan one night at bedtime I realized this is my life. It's no wonder Nathan loves the If You Give... books, they are his life as well.

If you give Nathan a bowl of popcorn he is going to want a drink coke to go with it. If you give Nathan a drink coke he is going to want a napkin to go with it and if you give Nathan a napkin then at some point he is going to wander off and leave both the napkin and the popcorn on the floor and you are going to need to vacuum before the morning is over. While you are vacuuming Nathan is going to come up to you and tell you he needs to go potty and while he is going potty he is going to remember that he meant to have you change the TV channel. Once you change the TV channel you will realize that he dumped all the laundry all over the floor and ran his cars through it. You will start to clean up the cars and laundry when he informs you that he was playing with that and you are ruining his life if you pick it up. So you decide to leave the room to put the dishes away and while you are putting the dishes in the dishwasher Nathan remembers he is thirsty and wants drink coke and if he wants drink coke he is going to want some popcorn to go with it.

Gratitude Weekly 5,6,7,8

Okay, so I am not doing well with keeping up with what I am grateful for right now. I will have to do better. I am repenting and moving forward.

Week 5 - Snow -I would have to say I am grateful for snow. Snow dumped down on us here in Virginia for Friday and Saturday. We missed a trip to Raleigh and were snowed in for a couple of days. Jay took the children sledding and they had lots of fun. Although Nathan ran into some bushes and got himself a really manly scrap on his face. School was closed for Tuesday and Wednesday. They already had school closed on Monday for an end of the semester teacher day.

Week 6 - My Mother - I am grateful for my Mother this week. My mother turned 75 on Feb. 11. We celebrated with lots of cake, balloons and dinner at the Olive Garden. In the mother department I am very, very blessed.

Week 7 - Valentines Day - My sweetheart. I am always grateful for him, but it never hurts to say it again. We were actually together for Valentines Day which makes it even better. The Navy doesn't believe in Valentines Day and tries to ruin it as many years as possible.

Week 8 - Youth Temple Trips - Can I be thankful for updating my blog? Just kidding. We went up to Washington DC with the youth from church this past Saturday. I love that almost 20 12-18 year olds will get up on a Saturday morning at 0400, get dressed in Sunday clothes and spend all of their day going to the temple. Alex has been looking forward to going for some time and everyone had a great day. We got home about 5:00pm. It was a long day, but totally worth it for the kids.

On a side note, the three younger ones and I were able to visit Jay's parents who will leave in two weeks to go back to Utah after serving 18 months at the DC Temple. We will miss them. In Nathan's mind he has only known them living in DC and it will be hard for him to adjust.

Gratitude Weekly 4 - Jay's Time Home

With Jay not going to Japan we have been on hold for a while waiting for him to join a ship. He had a few weeks off while they sorted out where to send him. Then they sent him to a shore command for a couple of months. A shore command that consisted of no 24 hour duty and weekends off. This week Jay will report to the USS WASP as the Training Officer. During the past two and a half months we have been totally spoiled having Jay home every night and weekends. I love him so much and he is the greatest father ever. Every day with him is such a gift and I am so thankful for the extra time we have had over the last few months.

Gratitude Weekly 3 - Date Night

When Jay is home we try desperately to go on a date every Friday night. Alex usually babysits, it used to be my parents, but now it is usually Alex. Jay and I have found that if we don't go out together on Friday then on Wednesday we snap at or yell at each other. We are trying to find things to do that don't involve eating, but we are hard pressed to do that since we really love to eat out. Some nights we are so tired that all we want to do it go home, but we don't want to go until the children are in bed so we go to Barnes and Noble and sit in a comfy chair and read books that we don't want to spend money on buying. It doesn't matter what we do, we just need that time as a couple. Last year there were actually many dates where he was stuck working at the ship and I took a book and just went and sat with him in his office and read while he worked, but we were together.

As we are becoming an older married couple (15 years) we find that the number one thing we both want is more time together and that is why every week I look forward to date night so very much.

Gratitude Weekly 2 - My Birthday

My birthday was this past week and I am thankful for it. If I say that enough will you believe me. I am thankful to be alive and healthy, but sometimes it is just so hard to think I am growing older and with that should come some wisdom and maturity. I informed Jay that I was going to be 35 and that was a rough age for me to deal with so I needed lots of presents and to be Queen for the day or possibly week. He didn't go for the lots of presents thing, but he dubbed me Empress for the day because he thought I would enjoy ruling over multiple kingdoms. I did find that I didn't need the presents, spending the whole day with my husband was good enough for me. In 11 years in the Navy Jay has never missed my birthday. There is not another birthday or holiday he can say that about.

Also this week we ran away from home. My parents kept the children and Jay and I ran down to Raleigh for a friend's wedding. We had a wonderful time and are so grateful for our time together.

Gratitude Weekly 1 - New Church Times

Church time changed at the beginning of the year. We used to go from 11-2 which was meant late breakfast or early lunch to make it through followed by large snack or early dinner. Now we are going to church from 1-4. I will admit that it isn't my favorite time to go, but I don't hate it. At least we get lunch (when it is not fast Sunday).

What I am so grateful for is that I don't have a napping child. For years, 13 and 1/2 to be exact, it didn't matter what time church was someone needed to be fed or take a nap. Last time we were at 1-4 church Nathan was a year old and Sooo cranky when he missed nap time. Jay doesn't get it that I am just happy that 1-4 church won't be so hard this time.

He was in Iraq last time and missed the fun.

So while everyone is complaining I am just quietly smiling and remembering that it could be worse. I will keep my eyes out for those moms suffering with the little ones and try to help them out, while being thankful for my bigger ones.