Happy New Year!

Farewell to 2013, an amazing year all-in-all, and welcome 2014 with a 365-page  book that has alot of blank pages.

How will I fill those pages?  To begin, I plan to have a routine and I plan to limit myself.  Now, that sounds like I am going to have a lot of blank pages left a year from now.

I have to disagree, as I plan to limit the activities that take over my life.  When I found myself this year with no time to even read a book, I decided it was time to make some major changes.  I stepped back from several organizations that I have given time to, quit my second job and promised myself I would make time for myself.  It helped that I have some health issues that pushed me to these decisions and slowly I am on the path to recovery.

I was then able to take time to meet friends for coffee, write a novella and get back into crocheting.  Those are the pages of my 2014 book.  Friends, me and family (not necessarily in that order--family always comes first).

We just finished with the Christmas crazy.  We traveled to both grammas this year, spending time with family at each stop.  It was great fun, as I got to spend time with my brother and his family and enjoy the wonder of a 3-year-old's Christmas excitement.  She was so excited about each and every present, didn't matter if it was the Minnie Mouse jammies we got her or her Minnie Mouse toys (or any of the other toys she got from Grandma--I'm just biased about what we got her).  The excitement and enjoyment of unwrapping gifts (I personally drive my family crazy by carefully opening my gifts and not destroying the wrapping paper.) is something I completely enjoy and this is the only time I wrap nearly every gift. 

Then home for a family Christmas celebration and time with my dad, who was "stuck" in Hawaii and then Seattle and missed us while we were back home.  We started new traditions this year, touring the Christmas lights in the valley and then church on Christmas eve and then a quiet day at home Christmas day.  We had finger foods and the boss smoked a brisket and some pork in his new smoker.  We had gifts opened quickly and the kids seemed happy (although one gift for each of the girls didn't arrive until the next week).

The day after Christmas we headed north and celebrated Christmas with the boss's family.  I think it nearly drove my kids crazy to have to wait from Thursday until Saturday to open gifts, as both my brother-in-law and sister-in-law had to work and she works days and he the afternoon shift.  Having to watch the gifts under the tree had them wondering and begging.  They again loved their gifts and we had a great time with Tink's crayon maker and Dizzy's bracelet maker.

Now we're trying to get back into normal and in a few days will begin to re-form the routine that was fractured early in November.  The girls are back in practice, as the first gymnastics meets are coming very soon, Bean is itching to get back to school and work some more hours at his job. I'm just ready to find a schedule, make time to do this blog regularly and decide on a new crochet project (once I finish another headband and flower).  I also have sewing projects but I will be happy if I can stay on top of scout vests/sashes as they get patches.  It helps that I do a few other girls' vests as well, since it forces me to not procrastinate and lose patches.  I need to find a "proper" wool blanket for Bean so I can start sewing his patches on from 4 years of Boy Scouting.  That'll be a project and a half!

Here's wishing you and yours a great 2014, blog topics will be my kids, our new food project (more food, less food product) and how I find ways to reduce stress.  I hope to have more fun and laughter in my posts as well, 3 kids tend to provide  me humor most of the time.

Merry Christmas

Yes, I said it.  Merry Christmas.  That is the holiday I will be spending with my family next week.  A most blessed holiday as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. 

I used to love the holidays.  I loved baking, decorating and all the fun.  As society has changed and so much is different, I no longer enjoy Christmas.  Every activity that my children go to requires a toy or clothing or food.   Everywhere I go, I'm asked to give more and more.  When we have the ability, my family does as much as they can.  Some years (this being one) we can't give and I get looks when I say I can't give to each and every charity.

I've worked myself into a hole this year.  I have less than a week before we travel to celebrate Christmas with my family.  I have one person bought for in my family.  We have just under two weeks before we travel to celebrate with my husband's family.  I'm done shopping for them.  This is a problem!  I'm also working extra hours this week, having had an extra day off last week to aid a coworker.  Thankfully, I have extra time Tuesday and Wednesday nights to get done the rest of what I have to get done.  It will be close and it will be crazy, but I'll get it done, I always do.   I'm not sure how or when (probably Thursday night very late) but it'll happen and I should not lose my mind. 

On a happier note, I loved the time I spent watching my daughter and her teammates at their gymnastics meet last night.  They have a "intersquad meet" every December where they dress up and go through their routines.  This year they had guest judges score them and give them hints about how they can improve.  Things went very well for my Dizzy.  Although she had a pair of falls on the beam, she pulled herself together afterwards and gave what was nearly personal bests on all of the rest of her events, including her first '9' on a floor routine.  Big doin's for a girl who could not do a back handspring this time last year.

Monday night is the little one's meet.  This worries me a bit more.  She (and many of her teammates) are struggling with remembering their routines.  I'm very glad their time will just be in front of each other and their coaches.  We'll keep our fingers crossed and celebrate each and every one of their positives.  Should be an interesting season!  They only compete once in January, twice in February and then the last time towards the end of March.  Simple, easy entry to the world of competitive gymnastics (for them.  I on the other hand am always a basketcase).

Here's to not losing my mind this week and enjoying the positive moments in life.  Have a very merry Christmas and a blessed new year!

Courteous and Consistent

Greetings from my happy little home.

I'm new to this, so bear with me. I want to use this site to share thoughts and insights as I raise my children to (hopefully) be productive and positive members of society. I have three children and a husband. I work. I volunteer. I take time to be by myself and have "selfish" time. I am human.

 I think I am reasonable. If you can show me you have been courteous and consistent in dealing with me and with my family, I try and be understanding. If you can't, I'm going to expect you to show me how you will begin being courteous and consistent with us. If you can't do that, I will not be happy and chances are, we will not be spending time with you or your organization. It's simple. If we could, as a society, become more courteous with each other, it would be wonderful!

Simple things like:

•  You have a friend who is either a vegetarian or on a gluten-free diet coming to a gathering. Making sure that there are food options that they can eat should be something we provide without question. Whether or not it is a choice, as in not eating meat or a medical issue, such as Celiac disease, should not make a difference. If someone has a lifestyle that does not support certain foods, we need to respect that and them and provide an alternate choice.
•  During the summer months last year, I was overwhelmed with PSA's about watching for motorcyclists.  This is great, but when I drive my 20 minutes to work and am cut off by two or three cyclists, I get a touch cranky.  Instead of pointing out we should watch for a certain motorist, why not have all of us watching for each other?  I am fine with watching for others, but not when they take the PSA's as a free choice to drive how they want.
• Parents, children need to learn and grow and learn to deal with disappointment.  This does not mean they should be left sitting on the bench in a sport that is set up as a developmental program.  Children should be advanced and played in a manner that is consistent for all.  Let's be fair.  I don't see this as being every child should be moved, placed or played how they want, but every child deserves the same chance as others.  Have criteria and stick to it.

This blog may interest you, this blog may not.  It's a chance for me to share thoughts, joys, humor and sorrows.  I plan to talk about my children, my life, the food changes we are beginning to make (this should provide us all with some laughs) and the learning opportunities my children will be facing.