...and a happy new year!

As the new year rolls around I look back at what a year this has been. Our family increased to five, Lance got his boy in beautiful Jared, Ava has been making new developments every day that have passed my expectations, Jenna is loving going to school and learning responsibility. I still endure a battle of wills when it comes to the potty with Jenna, while Ava has started demanding that I take her. Jared is in the 50th percentile for size, which has my mom anxiety constantly on a roller coaster, should I switch to formula to get more weight on him, is it my fault b/c I'm still nursing and he may not be getting enough, or is he just going to be a little guy??

As a stay at home, any contact with the outside world is usually a joy and relief. It has been quite the adjustment trying to take 3 kids out all at once, but it has been good for all of us for me to brave thru it and get them out of the house as much as I can. Some days I have found myself spending too much time on the computer, which is proven when I open up the laptop and Ava starts whining at me. But I need that connection to big people. Lance calls me technology girl because I have been known to have the TV on, Facebook up and texting. I just say they are my window to sanity.

This year I've made a few discoveries, that while they might not seem exciting to the average person, have made a difference in my household. These are the things I get excited about lately, just a few of my favorite things/discoveries from 2010:

• Jenna's preschool in the school district
• The City Garden downtown - we've only gone once, but it is a breath of fresh air in the middle of the city. (City Garden website)
• Agave Nectar (Honey Tree website)
• Hormel natural deli meats and bacon w/ no nitrates
• Oscar Meyer Angus hotdogs w/ no nitrates
• Heintz no high fructose corn syrup ketchup
• Amazon diaper deals (thanks to Parents mag adding their coupons in their issues)
• Breyers lactose free ice cream
• Craisins! - We occassionally go back and forth with raisins, but the kids love the sweetness of the cranberries, and get mixed in with their Cheerios for snack almost daily. A little article. Along with the craisins, we enjoy Pomegrantite/Cranberry juices (still diluted for the kids, but very beneficial).
• Parenting - The Early Years study. We did this study with our small group, and it was really practical and applicable to my life. It was challenging to me as a parent but packaged very simply and clearly.

I'm looking forward to a new year, but I've never been one to see it as a new start, a new time. It's literally just the day after today. It's going to be Saturday. The biggest excitement I ever had for a new years was at Y2K anticipating what would happen to our computers at work LOL which of course was nothing. It's fun to stay up til midnight (if I can make it that long), we'll watch the New Years Rockin' Eve and the ball drop. I don't get super excited often. I'd say I reserve it for things like friends' and families' births of babies, watching someone open a gift I've given them, the first time Ava peed on the toilet, or watching Jenna write out her name for the first time. You know, the little things :)  I can't bring myself to make a new years resolution either. If I haven't had the care to get up and go the gym in over a month, why would I feel like it on Saturday? Now I don't want to sound like a downer or anything because I do enjoy celebrating as much as the next person, and I love a good party. I just wish I could have one without needing to get the kids down by 7 :) So I do hope and anticipate that this next year will be better than this one, I hope to continue to instill the best of myself, my love, my wisdom in my children, to be the best mother, wife, friend, sister and daughter that I can and just to be "present." To not take things for granted but appreciate all of the blessings that are in my life and the many more that I know God has in store for me. HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)