This morning when I woke up and thought about how I wanted to spend my birthday, the second thought that came to my mind was that I wanted to get a chance to blog. My first thought was that I'd like to stay in bed all day, but after Seth reminded me that it might get a little awkward when my daycare kids started arriving, I decided that maybe I could come up with a better wish. And honestly, I think I'd get a little board just sitting in bed all day anyhow.
So my second wish was to do a little blogging. It has been ages since I've written a post. Last year, actually. Of course last year was just a few weeks ago, but sometimes I like to sound dramatic. I can't figure out why I've struggled to find the time to blog lately. Nothing has changed, my daily routines and responsibilities are pretty much the same, but somehow I just haven't managed to make it happen. I'm a believer in the idea that we all find time to do the things that are important to us, no matter how "busy" we are. Our daily agendas reflect our priorities. Good or not, blogging has lately fallen off my list of Top Ten Things To-Do Today (a.k.a. The T5 List). But today, I'm taking the time to catch up and chronicle our lives a bit. I like it when my birthday wishes come true.
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CHRISTMAS
Our holidays were wonderful. We were blessed to get to attend the Christmas Eve Candle Light service at our old church in The Big City. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to worship with manyof our dear friends. Christmas morning we celebrated with my siblings. I hardly took any decent pictures, but here is one of my sister Rachel sporting some of her presents. Isn't she cute?
We spent Christmas afternoon with my Dad and his side of the family, including my grandparents, some aunts and uncles, and quite a few cousins. There was lots of food, the annual white elephant exchange, and good times all around. We had brunch the day after Christmas was some friends (who are really dear role models and mentors to Seth and I), and then that evening we had a better-late-than-never Christmas celebration with my other grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Whew!
Honestly though, the older and older I get the more precious and dear these family celebrations become to me. What a gift to gather with the ones you love!
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This picture really deserves a clever caption. Wish I had one.
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THE VISIT
The highlight by far, of our holidays, was the few days when most of my brothers and sisters came to visit. Our house, which a realtor might call "cozy", was positively crammed full with ten extra people. And it was wonderful!
The shoe pile alone was picture worthy!
We blew up air mattresses in the living room and in Juliette's room, we set up army cots, we had people sleeping on the couch, and we still had three people to a bed in both our guestroom and our master bedroom!
We spent the days cooking, eating, playing games, watching movies, soaking in the hot springs, playing Wii, and of course there was a little music playing going on too.
Here Juliette is having her first jam session with her aunt Rachel. Shake those bells girl!
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NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
The visit extended over New Year's Eve, so one of my sisters suggested we make dream boards. Essentially, dream boards are collages of what you hope to do/be/accomplish/experience/etc. over the course of the next year. All of us girls had a great time making a big mess and cutting out lots of magazine pictures.
Some of my sisters were really creative and made complex dream boards that bordered on full scrapbooks.
Mine on the other hand was not so intricate. Of course, even as the "simplest one" my oldest brother kept laughing at "all the things" I wanted to focus on this year. He's probably right. It is a lot - but hey, why not?
I've hung it on my fridge, and I hope to work towards those goals. The way I see it, if I make progress towards even half of them, 2010 will be a good year!
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I have a lot more on my heart to write about, but I think this is going to have to be enough to make me content for now. Gotta run, there's birthday cake to eat!
