New Year, New Look, New Goals...

Same Old Me.

So, it is 2011.  How did that happen?  The years seem to fly by, yet the days sometimes have a way of dragging on and on.  Still, I find myself trying to dodge the "r" word... you know the one... resolutions.  Yes, it is that time of year when I dust off the treadmill and rid the cabinets of junk food.  (My kids always complain that I make them eat healthy, pack healthy lunches, and monitor what they put in their mouths.  They just don't know about my hiding places. ;0)  I love pushing myself to be a better person, but I hate failing.  Regardless, I have made a few resolutions.

My first resolution (and the only one I will bore you with) is to get my bloggy grove back.  This blog is, first and foremost, a gift to my children.  I plan to publish this for them.  (I'm hoping it will make up for the fact that Sweet Pea doesn't have a baby book.  Yep.  I am one of THOSE moms.)  Secondly, I have LOVED  "meeting" all of you.  I honestly have bloggy friendships that I value and treasure. 

So, after taking a month off, I plan to continue blogging whether you like it or not.  :0)

Now, to get you caught up...

December was filled with a whole lot of family fun.  Here is a picture of the kids on our annual trip to see Christmas lights.  (Have NO idea why Dimples was making that face.)  They never know which night it will be, until we tell them to put on warm jammies BEFORE dinner.  Then we pack everyone in the car, hit a drive thru, and drive around until bedtime.  It is one of my favorite traditions.

We have also enjoyed spending a lot of time with this guy!  He has 5 full weeks off from school and we are trying to enjoy every moment with him before the next semester makes him a stranger to us.

We spent Christmas Eve the same way Mary and Joseph did... minus the labor pains, so maybe not EXACTLY the same way.  We went to my parents' church and sat right next to a cow, a donkey, and a lamb.  (Yes, we got to see the cow poop.  C'mon, I know you were wondering.  And, yes, it may have been the highlight of the evening for the boys.  Pray for me, people.)

The kids LOVED it and I thought we were going to go home with a pet donkey.  (I won't lie, it was kind of cute... smelly, but cute.)

We came home and celebrated with my family.  We always end the night with a birthday cake for Jesus.  Here they are blowing out the candles.

Christmas morning was filled with noise... and not just the moans from the parents who were up past 2 am putting together a kitchen set for Sweet Pea that is fit for a princess.  (Seriously, it is wrong to be jealous of your daughter's play kitchen?  I mean, why does SHE get granite?!)  Bruiser can play a mean Paper Jams Guitar.  He is a natural rocker... and, I'm not sure that is a good thing!

Dimples even got a piano playing t-shirt.  Yep, there is NO escaping the noise!

 Sweet Pea also got this adorable dollhouse with wooden dolls and magnetic outfits. (It doesn't make noise or require batteries... I LOVE it!)

I'm afraid all of the boys spent a lot of their break doing this.  I hardly recognize their handsome faces now that we are back to our regular routine... which means game play is only on the "Wii"kends. 

And, check out Nurse Boy's new toy!!!!!  (This is pretty much my view of him most nights. :0)  Santa really came through for him!  I think my parents may have felt sorry for him when they heard about us getting up at 3:30 am on Black Friday only to come home tired and empty handed.  (That was the first and LAST time we will get excited about a deal on Black Friday.  Lesson learned.  The hard way.)

Happy New Year!  Hope you all had a blessed Christmas!