Disneyland

The kids and I were so lucky to get annual Disney passes for Christmas this year. We love it.

Thank you so much for the wonderful gift! You know who you are. Best gift!

Kindergarten? Really??

Kindergarten sure is different now from what it was when I went! When I went to Kindergarten we played, took a nap, sat in a circle on the floor and learned the alphabet and numbers, we did projects, crafts.............. Now? It's like second grade!!! Konner has 2 recesses and a lunch. He reads and writes sentences. He's adding and subtracting. He's doing word searches and word unscrambles. He learns history. And he even has projects. He is way smarter than I was at his age!!

This week Konner's class is working on capturing the Leprechaun that is terrorizing his class. This wily little stinker has stolen their class flag and their class roller chair. And he has left taunting little notes! So each kid had to build a trap to catch him (Konner's trap pictured above). And do you know what the kid who catches the Leprechaun gets for catching him? They get to take him home and keep him. Thanks so much, Mrs. Whalen.

Four? Yes..... No............?

To have number four or not to have number four?
That seems to be the big question........

New Year's Resolution

Friendships come and go, but family is forever....

My New Year's resolution this year is to focus my time, emotion, and energy on my family.

I have always been that girl who has needed that closeness with a girl-friend. I've always needed friends. And I've always placed more importance on those friendships than maybe I should have. I don't get close to others easily and when I do, I get too close. In the past I've become a little too dependent on those friendships, and every single time it has caused me heart ache in the end.

I love and appreciate my friendships, past and present. But so many of them have come and gone, even those that I have been closest to and thought would be forever, those who I believed were as close to me and as attached to me as I was to them. It's got to be unhealthy to invest so much in a friendship that can so easily crumble? And it has got to be unhealthy to hurt so badly when it does crumble.

After a few months of great pondering, I realized something so very important......I need to stop crying and hurting over things that cannot be changed and focus on my family! I need to not let others lack of feelings for me weigh so heavily on me. I need to be happy with the love and devotion I have from the most important people. My family!!

I have 3 wonderful, beautiful children. I have the love of a man that I have loved most of my adult life. They are my focus. I have spent less time over the past couple of months focusing on friendships and more time hanging out with my kids and focusing on my relationship with my husband. And I have to say that life is so much better. I am happier. I am loving the time I spend with my husband, and I am having fun with him again. With 3 kids, financial stresses, and different jobs, it's so easy to grow apart. We laugh together again, and chat again, and cuddle again. I didn't realize how much I missed my husband! He's my best friend and always will be. I'm thankful to remember that.

I may not have a desire to get too close to anyone else anymore, but I am making new friendships, and enjoying those friendships. And I am in love with my husband all over again!

So my New Year's resolution is to focus on my family. I can't and won't go wrong there!

Soooooooooooo grateful for little friends!

It's so wonderful to see my kids making friends!

Kylie's BFF is Riley. They are so adorable together, and get so excited to see each other. It helps that Riley's mom Kelly is a good friend of mine!

Kaylin loves her friend Keira. And I love seeing Kaylin have a friend of her own to play with and connect with. And lucky for me, I am getting to know Keira's mom too!

Konner and Austin became friends during our soccer season. Austin has become one of Konner's best pals. Austin's mom, Jane, and I bonded over soccer winning! :)

Not only has it been good for my kids to make good friendships, it's been good for me too!

My baby isn't a baby anymore?

Kylie turned 2!

I cannot believe my baby is no longer a baby. She's a big girl now, who loves Barbis, baby dolls, singing, dancing, and just playing! Happy birthday, baby girl!

It's her birthday, she can cry if she wants to! Daddy didn't understand that when you put a princess skirt on you HAVE to take the regular skirt off!!!!

Not one bite of that cake went into her mouth.....

Goodbye 2010

2010.......
Konner turned 5 and started Kindergarten.
Kaylin performed in her 1st dance recital and turned 4.
Kylie grew into quite the personality!
Daddy was rehired at Dana Hills High School and started the Masters Program.
And mommy coached Konner's soccer team.

Happy New Year! Hopefully I will get out an actual New year card and letter!