Going forward

Hoping to capture our everyday in both photos and words.

2014 Resolutions

It's that time again. The New Year! Fresh with possibilities.

With all the things we juggle, it's easy to get caught up in running around, immersed in the daily routine. And at the end of the year, we're surprised and say "Where did that year go?"  My mom's illness this past year made us realize that we truly don't know how much time we have left. Even if everything goes according to plan, nothing ever stays the same. Hubby pointed out the other day that in 10 years C will be in college. We need to make the most of these days. Work hard but play hard too. Plan those vacations we've been putting off, do those little things we enjoy but always say we'll get to "later" or "this weekend" or "next year". 

So this year, I'd like to keep my resolutions simple. I have just one. To carve out a little time to focus on myself each day. For what? Exercise. Reflection. Photography. Books.  Each day may be different, but I'd like to live a little more fully and deliberately. To make some real memories. To focus on the little details I'd otherwise forget. To feel healthier and happier. More fulfilled.  I hope this will also trickle down to my kids. Hopefully I'll have more energy to focus on them and their passions and they in turn will see the joy one can get out of simple activities.

Here's to a great 2014.

25 Books in 2013-- Update

Well, I didn't quite make it to reading 25 books this year, but I did finish the 20th book this morning. Pretty good considering I forgot about this challenge when my mom got sick this spring and things got very hectic. Thankfully things have settled down this fall and I was able to read 7 books in the last 2 months. I wish I had written a little blurb about each book after I finished it, like I did when I did the 50 book challenge a few years ago. Now it's been so long since I read them that I don't remember my initial feelings on some of them. I did enjoy all the books though, especially Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and Unbroken & Seabiscuit. I guess I had a thing for memoirs this year. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked The Cuckoo's Calling, which proves that I enjoy JK Rowling's writing in any style and under any name. I'm thrilled that Hubby has started reading Harry Potter aloud to C & O this month. They will soon to finish Book One and there are definitely 2 new fans of the series in this house.

Hopefully I'll have more success in both reading and writing in 2014!

25 Books in 2013 

(well...20 isn't so bad!)

1. Nemesis by Jo Nesbo

2. The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo

3. The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

5. The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch

6. The Beggar King: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch

7. Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

8. Carry On Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton

9. Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by John Elder Robinson

10. The Woods by Harlan Coben

11. Hannibal by Thomas Harris

12. The Expected One by Kathleen McGowan

13.  The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

14. The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

15. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

16. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

17. Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand

18. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberley McCreight

19. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

20. Inferno by Dan Brown

 

Categories

Fiction--Mystery

Nemesis by Jo Nesbo

The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

Hannibal by Thomas Harris

The Woods by Harlan Coben

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberley McCreight

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Inferno by Dan Brown

Fiction--Historical

The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch       

The Beggar King: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

The Expected One by Kathleen McGowan

Memoir/Personal Essays

Carry On Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by John Elder Robinson

The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand

Fiction-- Children's

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Embarrassment

Today I volunteered at the boys' school for O's library time. It's really fun to help the kids find and check out books. The hottest titles in the first grade class are definitely Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Captain Underpants for boys and girls alike!

C's 3rd grade classroom happens to be right outside the library, so we spotted him at his locker on the way out to the car. I wouldn't have talked to him, but a couple of the boys in his class said "Hey C, there's your mom!" C  then proudly pointed out Baby A (my ever popular sidekick for library time) to his friends, "That's my littlest brother!"

When I walked by C, I patted his head quickly and said softly, "See you later!"

"Stop that!" he hissed as I walked away.

Later, on the ride home, I asked if I had annoyed him by patting his head. He said yes, because "Moooooommmmm, all my friends were there!!!!"

Welcome to the age of embarrassment...

"I no idea !"

I'm desperately trying to hang onto Baby A's daily nap, but as he is getting closer and closer to 3, he is only napping about half the time. Today I put him up in his crib and he never fell asleep. Instead, I could hear him singing and talking to himself. When it became clear that he was not going to fall asleep anytime soon, I went to get him out. I walked into the room to see him standing up in his crib with both arms straight out in front of him.

Baby A: "This hand is not talking to this hand!" (gesturing wildly with his arms).

Me: "What?"

Baby A: "This hand" (holding up his left hand) "is not talking to this hand!" (holding up his right hand).

Me: "Oh. Why not?"

Baby A: "This hand is Percy." (gesturing with his left hand).  "And this hand is Thomas." (gesturing with his right hand).

Me: "OK...but why aren't they talking to each other?"

Baby A: "I no idea!"

Me: "What do you mean? How come Percy isn't talking to Thomas?"

Baby A: "I no idea!"

Me: "But aren't you in charge of your own hands?"

Baby A: "Yes, I in charge of my hands!"

Me: "So then why aren't they talking to each other?!"

Baby A: "I no idea!"

Interesting to see a little window into what's going on in his head.  I have no idea either!

Almost Alphabet

Baby A is into singing lately. His favorite song at the moment is the Alphabet song. All day long I hear:

"ABCDEFG
HIJ
LMNP
QRS
TUV
WX
YandZ
Now I know my ABCs
Next time won't you sing with Elmo?"

No matter how many times I suggest it, he just won't add "K" & "O", or sing with anyone but Elmo. Honestly, I've heard it so much that it's starting to sound right this way! I actually sang "LMNP" the other day. Uh oh. I'm sure big brother O would not agree that we only need 24 letters...

1st trip to the Dentist!

In a sure sign that Baby A is not a baby anymore, today he had his first trip to the dentist! He was awesome! I remember C & O's first trips to the dentist, and both of them were nervous and wiggly. I ended up sitting in the chair with them in my lap for at least part of the visit. But Baby A was a pro. I think it helps that he's been dragged along to all of our dentist appointments over the last two years. When it was finally his turn, he sat calmly in the chair by himself and didn't fuss at all.

Here's hoping he always remains so relaxed at the dentist! And that he always has zero cavities!