Happy New Year!

Evangeline: "Do you know what my favorite present was then my Barbie dress?"
Mom: "You mean, what you liked even better than your Barbie dress?"
Evangeline: "Yes."
Mommy: "What present did you like better than your Barbie dress?"
Evangeline: "My family."

This was said as she was chomping away at her Christmas leftovers, "I know what turkey's made of...chicken."

Here we are eating at Chick-Fil-A after seeing Frozen with Grandma. 

Oh, how I am enjoying my post-Christmas week off.  This morning I could not take my eyes off the view from my window.  The finest snow was falling.  The light was catching it in such a way that it looked like glitter was drifting from the sky.  It was truly stunning.

 

Evangeline and I have been busy playing games, reading the books she got for Christmas and constantly picking up mess after mess.  Here are a few of the silent moments from the past few days.  This girl goes until she stops.  You never know how she will fall asleep.   

 

Kyle was put out the other day after seeing that I posted a picture of him after he had just gotten up.  As pay back he took this one of me.  We are even now.  

 

My dear friend, Amy came over to spend Sunday with us.  We did all kinds of things including making drinks with my new Froth Pro, walking down to the Stone Arch Bridge (it was too cold to be impressive), and making some pajama pants.  We had the best time despite the fact that my pants ended up as high-waters and hers were at least 2 sizes too big with the pattern upside down.  There may have been just a little too much chit chat going on.  We got lots of laughs out of them though. 

As the year comes to a close I always try to do the old cliché reflection on how I could be a better person.  I usually come up with some flimsy resolutions that stick around until about February or so.  But honestly, reflection is a beautiful thing.  It's always a good idea to take a good look at yourself and decide what parts you don't like and what parts could use some change.  It's also important to consider how you've grown and recognize the parts of yourself that you do like.  So as I reflect upon myself and the person I have grown into in 2013 I came up with this short and reasonable list of resolutions I am going to work on.  These are some of my superficial resolutions, ones that can provide some tangible evidence to show that I'm bettering myself in specific areas.  I don't expect these things to become a part of me at 12:00AM on New Year's Day.  This are just some small goals I am going to set for myself and strive to at least improve on.  No guilt here.

1.  Eat more fruits and vegetables in their whole and undressed state. 
2.  Finish the projects I have already started.
3.  Finish projects I start before starting something new. 
4.  Take time to read more books.  (This does not count children's books.)
5.  Pick up after myself before getting something else out.  (I need to set a good example if I am to expect Evangeline to do this too.)
6.  Try to find new methods for organization around my house.  I am always missing something. 
7.  Manage my time better.

Ok, my list could go on and on.  I'm going to stop there since I said there will be no guilt involved.  I don't want to look back over this in a few months and hang my head in shame as I look around my messy house with half finished projects everywhere and a candy bar in my hand. 

Of course some resolutions run deeper and include things like:

1.  Prayer
2.  Gratitude
3.  Forgiveness
4.  Doing a better job reaching out to people
5.  Generosity

This list could definitely be ongoing.  These are things I resolve to be better at daily....these are the harder things.  

Here's to a healthy, happy 2014 to everyone.  And in the worlds of Tiny Tim, "May God bless us every one."